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Charleston Bethel Union.

influence on the sanctification of that day. Saturday night is, by long and settled usage, devoted to a rude festivity. Knowing this, we determined to make one effort to divert this festivity into a better channel. ing some very pleasant refreshments, and covered all over at top with copies of A basket was provided, containthat excellent tract, "An Address to Seamen," [by the Rev. Dr. Payson,] a tract that should be in the hand of every sailor. When we handed it into the forecastle, we accompanied it by this warning: "keep a sharp look-out for the covers." They expressed the utmost thankfulness-a light was provided-and appointing the best reader among them, they listened with the utmost attention until the whole was finished. It was heard with tears-and they did not fail to appoint a deputation of their number, to return their thanks; adding, at the close, "we kept a sharp lookout for the covers." ""

But while we seek to promote the spiritual good of seamen, let us not forget that they need, as a concomitant aid, to be instructed in human science. They must be enlightened-they must be made to feel from thinking. Why has no system been devised to communicate gratuitous instruction to sailors? why, in such a city as this, should there be no day school, no Sunday school for them? Let such schools be opened-let navigation, and other branches of a seaman's education, be taught them free of expense-and let all who are instructed come under a pledge to attend the Mariners' Church-you will then see that church crowded every sabbath. Let us extend our care over them here at home-if neglected in port, it is in vain that they are exhorted at sea. which has special reference to the masters of ships. And before I close, I would add one remark, portant that these should be upright and intelligent men- fearing God, and carIt is, above all things, iming for the souls of their men. Example, on the quarter deck, sways the crew -even mere morality there, has a powerful effect in restraining their vices. Let but the commander avoid what is openly wrong, and do what is right, and it will have an immense influence on the sailors. I call on shipmasters to remember, that every one of them is a father of a family-the pastor of a little flock. know and feel the responsibility of their station, and prove their humanity, as well Let them as their religion, by promoting the best good of their poor companions. Let this be done, and we shall soon see that one way by which the abundance of the sea is to be converted unto God is by the faithfulness of shipmasters.

I have been anticipated by the report in stating some facts relating to the Bethel cause on the other side of the Atlantic. I can confirm the correctness of its statements. It is literally true, that thirty thousand seamen have perished during the last awful season in the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the German Ocean. It has been said by a brother, that the cry of sailors comes up to us. But, sir, there is another cry invades our ears-it is not the cry of men-it is the voice of the mighty deep-the bellowing of the great abyss, which is devouring them in thousands every year. Surely, sir, this voice cries to us as a commercial community to have some bowels of compassion-some pity for those who are our own flesh. Sir, I love seamen-I have reason to love them. Let us settle it in our minds, that they must be converted-God has utteredthe promise-he has a revealed purpose of mercy for these forgotten-the abundance of the sea is to be, it will be, converted unto God-He will yet yet sanctify the profession, by making these men the heralds of salvation-the day is coming-it is not, it cannot be far off; then, sir, it will be a privilege for Christians to send their sons to sea. happy thought for some of us that are fathers. Sir, I have often looked upon my What a own family, and thought if my poor child should be a sailor what would become of his soul-but, sir, the pang passes from my heart at this view of the seaman's prospects-I bless God for it, and with a bosom filled with cheering hope, I bick you God speed.

CHARLESTON BETHEL UNION.

On the second Monday of December last, the society celebrated its first anniversary in the Mariners' Church; Thomas Napier, Esq. President, in the chair. The usual resolutions were offered and supported by addresses from the following gentlemen :-Rev. Dr. PALMER,

Charleston Bethel Union.

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T. S. GRIMKE, Esq., Rev. Mr. BUIST, Rev. Mr. LYON, Mr. W. RILEY, Rev. Mr. HONOUR, Captain JOSEPH TYLER, Captain J. BUNCE.

Previous to reading the report, the president made an appropriate address; in the first part of which, he gave a brief review of Christian exertions for seamen, and continues thus:

The Bethel flag has been seen in almost every port in the world, frequented by American and British ships, inviting seamen to the solemn worship of the living and true God. Who has perused the journals and reports of these Bethel Unions, and not been convinced of the great benefit they have been to seamen, both in a moral and spiritual point of view? Who, thus informed, will doubt that the time to favour sailors has come, when, as predicted by Isaiah, the tribe of Zabulon shall see a great light? Who does not see that the glory of the Lord is beginning to rise upon them?

What, may we ask, is producing such extraordinary exertions in behalf of seamen? what, we answer, but the Spirit of God, unfolding to the world how criminal and ungrateful they have been to them-Yes, to them, who are so all important to the prosperity and security of our country, and who were a wall of defence around her, from which much national glory was reflected in that day which tried men's souls.

Yes, they have hazarded their all to protect our best interests, but what have we done in return? Have we not treated them with shameful neglect? We have seen the rocks on which they made spiritual and temporal shipwreck, without (till very lately) feeling a desire, or using any exertion, to point them out to the unwary and generous hearted sailor. Will not every one say it shall be so no more; and that the voice of benevolence, raised in this our city and thoughout our country, to secure for them a preached Gospel, and such boarding-houses as will promote morality and pure religion (both of which have been established in London with great success,) shall not be heard in vain. It is to the benevolence of this generous public, the eye must look for means to accomplish these ends.

Are there any here that have doubts that sailors can be withdrawn from vice and made the faithful followers of the Lamb of God? We would ask such to look at every effort the Christian world has made for the last thirty years, and see what an overwhelming flood of evidence rolls back from every effort, thus made, in every quarter of the world.

Are sailors worse than our Indians, in their wild and savage state? These Indians you have seen become the heralds of the cross, and have heard from their lips the glad tidings of salvation.

There is a spirit and a power accompanying every thing that is undertaken for the glory of God, and the welfare of immortal souls, that seems, though unaided by the arm of power or the iufluence of wealth, to bear down all opposition, however formidable. To this, the Society whose aniversary we this evening celebrate, can add their feeble testimony. We have found difficulties, apparently insur. mountable, vanish as we approached them, and we have indeed found our labours accompanied with joy and comfort. We would earnesty solicit your prayers that God may grant us increasing zeal, so than we may feel a much deeper interest for the good of seamen, than we have done the year that is passed, and that many more may come forward and engage in this all important work; for in numbers we are greatly deficient. You will see from the report, about to be read, how much we have been aided by masters of vessels. At this we greatly rejoice. It is to them we look as a powerful auxiliary, for bringing about a reformation among seamen; nor shall we look in vain. Soon, we hope they will all be made to feel the great responsibility of their station; and how much on them depends the everlasting welfare of sailors; and how intimately connected their own eternal interests are with a faithful discharge of their duties to them.

Masters of vessels are to seamen under their command as a father at the head of his family; they are under their care where they can be kept sober, where they are far from temptation, and where they can look back on their evil life with an instructive eye. To none but to masters of vessels do such opportunities for instructing and restraining them occur, and how shall they answer in that great and awful day, when all men must give an account of their stewardship, should they neglect to improve these opportunities.

The Bethel Union feel and acknowledge with gratitude, the great aid they have received from the Female Domestic Missionary Society of this city, through their Missionary, the Rev. Mr Brown, and feel it a duty to state, that to this benevolent society, are the seamen indebted for a preached Gospel for the last four years; every member of which must feel a reward in their own conscience for so good a work. The Bethel Union ardently solicit the countenance and co-operation of all masters of vessels as well as all their fellow-citizens; and they sincerely hope that the day will soon arrive, when the sons of the ocean will enjoy one unbroken stream of moral and religious instruction, whether they are at sea or on shore, and when every ship will be a sanctuary in which our God will record his name, and in which he will delight to dwell.

(Report to be noticed in our next.)

MISSIONARY TO SEAMEN.

THE Society for promoting the Gospel among Seamen, have appointed the Rev. HENRY CHASE as a missionary to seamen. This they were encouraged to do by the liberal grant of $250, for six months, from the United Domestic Missionary Society, for the purpose of enabling the Board to make an exertion more commensurate with the wants of seamen, than they have been able hitherto to make.

Ir affords us pleasure to announce the formation of a Society for promoting the Gospel among Seamen in the Port of Charleston, (S. C.) which took place January 3d. The following are the names of the officers for the ensuing year:

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JASPER CORNING, Recording

do.

Directors.-John Hoff, Solomon Legare, Thomas Blackwood, Thomas Legare William Kunhardt, James Mitchell, James Harper, David Lamb, A. S. Willington, Daniel Ravenel, Robert B. Edwards, Joseph Tyler, Daniel W. Hall, Samuel J Wagner, Jerry Walter, William H. Gilliland, Thomas P. Chiffelle, Horatio Leavitt, Horace Utley, H. C. M'Leod.

THE BANNER'S ATTRACTIVE POWER.

BY THE REV. G. C. SMITH.

To it shall the Gentiles seck, and his rest shall be glorious." Isa. 11.

I lifted up on high I be,
In me, said Christ, shall all men see
The great fulfilment of the law,
And to my cross all men I'll draw.

On Judah's height, and Canaan's shore,
And where the Gospel trumpets blow,
Or when the Bethel flag was reared,
Then Christ on high to men appeared.

And has not Jesus' cords of love,
Oft sweetly raised our souls above?
And does he not, e'en now, inspire
The Sailor's heart with heavenly fire?

Then raise on high your banners still,
Let Bethel wave on ev'ry hill,
Till Christ shall reign from sea to sea
And Angels shout the Jubilee.

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ON REVIVING A REVIVAL OF RELIGION.

Ar page 467 of this volume (Dec. 21) we published an account of a revival of religion in "Montgomery county" in this state, which contained several questions which appeared to us of great importance, and at the close of the account we requested the author to favour us with a copy of the answer to the queries, should he receive one. In answer to this request, he has furnished us with the following letter which we lay before our readers and would invite them to turn to the texts referred to, as our limits forbid our transcribing them.*

New-York, November 22, 1822.

MY DEAR BROTHER,-You wish me to make some remarks on the best means of " reviving a revival." I wish I were capable of it; but I can only give you such as I have. I have no doubt, but that any revival, which we have any of us seen, or which has of late years been experienced by the church, might, with the proper application of means put into the hands of the church for that end, be revived; but that I am able to point out the best means I will not pretend. I do not know a better way, or of any more promising means, to effect the object in question, than for both minister and church, to prove God according to the spirit of Mal. iii. 10. and see if from that day he will not bless them. Hag. ii. 19. If they find, at any time, that the church, or even that their revival wants reviving, it may be profitable for them, in their individual, as well as in their collective capacity, to examine themselves, whether they have not transgressed another command of Jesus Christ; Mat. vi. 33.; and also, whether unbelief in regard to the annexed promise, has not been at the bottom of the transgression ?—If they want the blessing, let them learn to feel that the commands and promises are to them, and then learn to believe, that where the one is obeyed, the other will be fulfilled. In this manner, I would have them become familiar with such commands and promises as the following. Ley. xxvi. 3, 10, 12. How exactly this tallies with the fact, 2 Chron. xxxi. 10. The promise in the 128th Psalm is not among the least of the thousands to them that fear God. See verses 4-6. This seems nothing less than a revival al

* Errata.-In the article referred to, p. 467, 4th line from the bottom, for " renew," read "revive ;" and in the 5th line from the bottom, for " renewing," read reviving.

VOL. IX.

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ways. With the facts before us that the Lord never deals with his people merely in temporal things, we might profitably contemplate Prov. iii. 9, 10. The duty enjoined in Mal. iii. 16. is not sufficiently observed to receive, in all its richness and variety, the annexed promised blessing. You will readily see, therefore, that I imagine it to be necessary to revive a revival, for ministers and Christians, to believe, without doubting, what God has spoken, and to obey, without reserve, whatever he commands. They ought to have their hearts and conversation in heaven, or employed about heavenly things. They should find time, not to speculate and dispute about religion; but to converse much with each other, and also with sinners, on the immense subject of their eternal interest; visit from house to house; "pray and never faint." In one word, if any people want a revival revived let them ask it believing. Matt. vii. 7. and 21, 22. In all these things let both minister and people sow, and reap as they sow. 2 Cor. ix. 6-8, 11.

In another part of your letter, you ask, "Must the Spirit be necessarily withdrawn after a season?" If there be any necessity in the case, which does not arise from the wickedness of his people, it seems to me that it must exist in God. I suppose, however, that no Christian will deny but that God is able to save to the uttermost, or that his grace is sufficient for all the exigencies of his people. If then the supposed necessity exist in God, it should seem, that it must be in his willingness to give the Spirit to his people; but in regard to this, let us be willing that Jesus Christ should decide it. See what he says in Luke xi. 13. I am led, therefore, not only from this, but also from all the imitations and promises of the Bible to believe, that there is, on the part of God, the most perfect willingness that his people should always be holy, and without blame before him in love; and, consequently, I can see no necessity in God, why the Spirit should be withdrawn, provided always, that his people be faithful in his covenant. But if the necessity be only in the wickedness of his people, then it should seem only necessary for them to forsake their wickedness to remove the necessity for the withdrawment of the Holy Spirit. This will also serve as an answer to your next question, "Whether there is not hope of his continuance if our feelings and conduct be right?" In the case here supposed, if he be a Holy Spirit, there is not only hope, but there is also certainty of his continuance. John xiv. 15-17.

But in regard to your next question, although in the speculations of Christians in reference to it there may be some diversity of opinion, yet we say, let the truth of God decide it. The question is, "If our feelings and conduct be wrong, may we not as well repent and obtain pardon now, as at any future time?" I confess I do not see why we may not. It is certain that we may repent now if God have not forbidden us to repent now; and that he has not we may be assured from Acts, xvii. 30. If the question be in regard to our ability to repent now, I would remark, that it is quite time that Christians had ceased to call the truth of it in question, as it is unquestionably true, that to many the day of judgment will give a most tremendous answer to it!

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