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Journal of the Bethel Flag.

671 known before, as it respects a free trader. I never visited a ship of this description before, where I found the crew so uniformly consistent. The custom-house officers and others said, they had not heard an oath since they had been on board: this was certainly a very extraordinary thing, when the extent of the crew is taken into consideration, forty-four in number; one of whom said, "Our captain is a Christian and a father to us all, and were I to leave this ship, I don't know where I should find such another." A strange gentleman observed, on seeing so many sailors purchase the Scriptures so readily, and on seeing the captain interest himself so much in their spiritual welfare, "This is a sight I never witnessed before, and I never shall forget it." Sold twenty Bibles.

JOURNAL OF THE BETHEL FLAG.
(Continued from page 608.)

Friday, January 11.-Bethel meeting was held at Mr. G's. in Water-treet. The President of the Union opened the meeting with a few remarks, calling the serious attention of seamen, and others, to the object for which they had assembled. The exercises were the same as usual, and at the conclusion, tracts and books were distributed among the seamen, of whom there were fourteen present.

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Tuesday, 14.-Meeting was held at Mr. W's, Water-street. Rev. Messrs. Truair and Chase were present, and the latter commenced the exercises. Two of the committee addressed the meeting and prayed. One of them who had not been present before, said,—his heart rejoiced at what was doing for the benefit of seamen. Yes, (said he) 'tis for you who traverse the ocean that these meetings are held, and prayer offered up to Almighty God for your precious souls, which are precious to Christ who has suffered and died to redeem them. O, they are of infinite value. You labour night and day while crossing the ocean, for the safety of the ship which contains a cargo of immense value. But O, what is that to be compared to the value of your souls, which your bodies carry about across the trackless ocean from port to port. If you were as much concerned for the safety of your souls, and laboured as hard to conduct them to the haven of eternal rest, through Jesus Christ, as you do your ships and cargoes to the desired port, what happiness it would give? yes, happiness beyond description."

Another member said, "I feel for all in this room, and within the sound of my voice. I feel so much the importance of this meeting, I hope you will forgive me if I intrude on your patience. My dear fellow-immortals, I invite you to the care and practice of religion; it may seem strange that it should be necessary for me to plead the case with you; I cannot be silent-I am inviting you as rational creatures to embrace religion. O, that it may possess your souls with indignation against yourselves, that you embraced it no sooner. May I lift mine eyes and my soul to God, may I devote myself to him for your salvation. O, my dear brothers and sisters, go to the throne of grace, and there seek that grace which may suit your present cir

cumstances, and be effectual to produce the fruits of holiness and usefulness."

The value of the soul was earnestly presented by another member as a motive to holiness. He observed, "surely you may say, the sooner I give myself to Christ, the better; what though the residue of my days be cut off; what though I leave many expected pleasures in life untasted; is it not enough that what is taken from a mortal life, shall be added to a glorious eternity, and spend those days and years in the presence and service of Christ, in all my labours on earth. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of sal

vation," " &c.

The Rev. Mr. Truair then made a short address, with observations on what had been said, and urged them on the hearts and feelings of all present. A sailor then arose and said, "O, do forgive me for interrupting you, I cannot refrain from speaking. Glory to God for what my eyes see and ears hear. O, my dear shipmates, if you could feel the importance of these meetings, you would not put off repentance one moment longer."

The meeting was then closed with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Chase. Some of the reports of the Marine Bible Society, Port Society, and Bethel Union, the Christian Herald and Seamen's Magazine, and tracts, were distributed.

Tuesday, 21.-The number of seamen present was larger than usual, and more persons attended than could be well accommodated ; yet there was profound attention during the whole exercises. The chairman of the committee, (who favours us with reports of the Tuesday evening meeting,) in recording an account of the exercises of the evening, exclaims, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven! ‘A ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached unto heaven : and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it; and God said, arise and go up to BETHEL, and dwell there.""

The exercises as usual, consisted of prayer, exhortations, and singing. An aged member of the committee, who has followed the seas thirty or forty years of his life, addressed his shipmates in nearly the following terms. "O, brother-seamen, how often have you cast a longing eye towards those shores to which you were bound, and wished to pass the sea, the boisterous, unpleasant, dangerous sea, that separated you. What is that to be compared to the shores of eternal bliss? O that some glad tidings be may carried to heaven from this room to night, where angels will rejoice, and saints shout aloud with joy. "The Lord has condescended to make you a short visit this evening. Is it not delightful to behold this gate to heaven, and will it not be more so to enter into it? Is it not delightful to receive the visits of Jesus for an hour; and will it not be infinitely more so to dwell with him for ever? O that we could all say, Lord when I dwell with thee, I shall dwell in holiness, for thou art holiness; I shall dwell in love, for thou thyself art love; I shall dwell in joy, for thou art the fountain of joy. Lord Jesus come quickly, and now, while we are in the house of God, and near to the gate of heaven, give us now admittance, and never be separated from thee in time or eternity."

(To be continued.)

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PRACTICAL HINTS ON THE FIRESIDE INSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN.

THERE is no parent, who would not be gratified with having his children become not merely useful, but intelligent and interesting members of society. Most parents betray the desire to see them early regarded as possessed of superior genius. We have observed, that the most sprightly and forward children become, almost of course, the subject either of excessive admiration, or of carping envy. Those who admire, commonly attribute their superiority to native genius; while those who envy, ascribe all, and much more than all, to their superior advantages. Neither of these judgments will be found to be correct; but of the two, we are persuaded that the more unfriendly one is commonly nearest the truth. Without indulging any desire to flatter the vanity of those conceited parents, who have decided that their children of course are, and must ultimately prove themselves to be, splendid geniuses, we could wish to see all impressed with the belief, that their youthful charge are endowed with capacities for incalculable improvement. No one can know, till the experiment is fairly made, to what they are capable of attaining. It is surely an instinctive circumstance, that a considerable number of the young, who were once judged to be natively deficient in wit and enterprise, are observed to become substantial and useful citizens; while those of the opposite character, but too frequently disappoint the expectations of all. It may indeed, with some appearance of reason, be questioned, whether native genius, or the capacity to become a proficient in the knowledge or exercise of some useful calling, is not imparted with nearly an equal hand. The character of most men certainly receives much of its complexion, from the circumstances in which they are called to act. Above all, it is notorious, that the agency of parents and guardians, in preparing the young by their instruction, for spheres of activity and influence, and thus fixing upon them a character of some kind, is momentously effective. It is with this impression, that we wish to submit a few remarks to parents on the subject of family instruction.

It is then obviously the mistake of many parents, that they afford no daily, practical instruction to the younger members of their household. We consider this a mistake, because it certainly springs from VOL. IX.

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no want of affection to their little ones, and is far from being an intentional neglect. We see them expending daily some portion of their leisure moments, in augmenting the toys, or even sharing the innocent pastimes, of their children. But having condescended to act the child for the amusement of the young, they are content to leave them in quiet possession of their ignorance. They are satisfied with merely delighting the infant minds, which they ought assiduously to inform and cultivate. This deficiency is never made up, by the conversation which obtains in the family; because this conIt respects versation is entirely adapted to the older members. chiefly those avocations, characters or events, which exceed the comprehension of the young. They are thus necessitated to gain most of their practical information of men and things, either from their literary teachers or their more knowing companions.

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We speak not now, it will be observed, of that literary instruction, which may be obtained at school. Many parents are perhaps too anxious to have their children learned, who think very little of rendering them usefully intelligent. Nor do we refer to the formal instructions in the great principles of Christianity, which every pious parent will be sure to impart. Our remarks apply particularly to the filling up of those moments of leisure from other occupations, which most parents regard as due to their offspring; to that familiar, fireside conversation, which may be rendered appropriate, highly delightful and profitable to the young. We wish to convince parents

of their bounden duty to hold frequent conversations with these little stammerers, and to supply them, as they advance in years, with that kind of knowledge, which neither their experience nor their other instructions can be expected to afford. No accurate acquaintance with the sciences, nor very extensive acquaintance with the world, is requisite to do this. Experience and observation, are, of themselves important qualifications for the task. The most illiterate parent possesses suficient measure of these, to render his intercourse with his infant children both interesting and instructive.

But none have cause to omit this instruction of their offspring. Such neglect is not only unnatural, as it withholds from them what some of the inferior animals are observed to impart to their young, the knowledge by which they may provide for themselves; but most unpardonable, as it exposes them to every species and measure of evil. Let such neglecters consider, that all the useful knowledge among men, is acquired knowledge; and that what is morally right and useful, has need to be perseveringly inculcated, to be practically felt and retained; that the mind which is not carefully furnished with useful thoughts, must either remain miserably vacant, or become a receptacle of such as are trifling and destructive.

But while many parents are too much in the habit of omitting this familiar instruction of their children, there are others who diligently teach their children what might better be omitted. It is an unfortunate notion, which some appear to have imbibed, that any species of knowledge is preferable to ignorance; and almost any, select and valuable enough for a child. To this it must doubtless be attributed,

Practical Hints on the Fireside Instruction of Children. 675

that many are at so great pains to render their infant charge expert only in what may serve to display their persons, and amuse their older acquaintance. It is far more painful than astonishing, to a considerate person, to witness the manœuvres of some of these little pets; to perceive how anxiously they have been drilled into those ephemeral accomplishments, which have inflated their little minds with self-conceit, and rendered them intolerably troublesome, without adding one mite to their stock of useful knowledge. An early attention should certainly be given to the manners of the young. They should be taught to be submissive to parents, guardians, and instructers; respectful to their superiors, and benevolently polite to all. But to make a parade and sort of exhibition of their exterior accomplishments; to call them forth into the parlour to bow or to sing, and especially to dance and be praised, is to give them the fatal impression, that they are to regard themselves as the end of all their doings; and such trifling attainments, as the most serious business of their lives; it is to create within them an early aversion to solid and useful accomplishments.

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We admit that the knowledge of children inust be limited, not only to a comparatively small number of subjects, but to a superficial acquaintance with some of them. It does not, however, follow, that they must be restricted to such as are, in themselves, either ridiculous or useless. God has graciously accommodated much of his works, and of his inspired word, to the capacities and obligations of children. It is quite as easy to amuse and instruct them with some description or story taken from the Bible, as it is to fill their minds with distressing fears or stupid wonder, by accounts of murderous giants and malignant hobgobblins.. It is as easy to furnish their minds with useful facts, and practical truths, as to lead them into fairy land, and minister only to their selfishness and pride. A child may be usefully conversant with some of the most exalted subjects. Let those who have never made the experiment, test the capacity even of very little children, for moral and religious improvement; and they will probably be astonished at the extent and sublimity of their views. If," said a child seven years old, to his twin brother, "God fills heaven, as our master has told us to-day, there is no place left for you and me. We cannot go to heaven if we are good." "Do you not think," was the reply of his little brother, "that you see that man walking yonder?" "Yes." 66 Does your think stop him?" "No." "Well, God is like your think, he wont stop any body, if he does fill heaven." If we are not greatly deceived in this view of the subject, there are consequences of a very serious nature connected with the early direction of the mind to worse than trifling objects. Parents greatly mistake, who imagine, that their first instructions of the young, can have no practical bearing towards the habits and pursuits of useful life. Very greatly do they err, whose intercourse with their younger children, is merely a partaking with them in their infantile sports. It is a course fearfully calculated to sink their future character, and aid in disappointing the fondest expectations.

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But we too often observe, that parents who bestow no inconsiderable pains to inform the minds of their children on the most necessary

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