so abundantly feel the benefits of a religious press. At the same time, while it answers the same purposes among seamen, it serves to give them a general outline of what is going on in the religious and charitable world; and supplies them with interesting instruction and information, the consideration of which, during the solitary hours of the sailor's watch, will not only aid in elevating his views above sensual pleasures and temporal pursuits, but, like the pages of other religious tracts, may be used as a means, by the Spirit of Truth, to light the spark or keep alive the flame of vital religion. Many important advantages are accomplished by this publication, and the Directors would recommend its more extensive circulation as an object of great importance; and they would suggest the advantage which might arise, if ships, especially packets, were regularly to be provided with a copy at the expense of the

master or owners.

During the last year, the Society have printed an edition of fifteen hundred copies of the Seamen's Devotional Assistant, the expense of which was in part defrayed by a legacy bequeathed to them by the late Mrs. PERIT. The high character which this work had received from the friends of the cause in England, and a consideration that it might in many instances, by affording a facility for carrying on worship on board of ships, be the means of its being instituted there, and also be a real help to the devotions of pious mariners, were sufficient to induce the Board to adopt this measure. Copies of the work are for sale in various places.

Before going into a detail of the success of their efforts, the Directors feel bound briefly to notice those who are auxiliaries in the great labour in which they are engaged. The Bethel Union Society and the Marine Bible Society are so identified with this institution in the objects of our pursuit, and our labours all have so much the same tendency, that it is impossible for us to determine to which of them any particular good effect is owing; they therefore demand a brief notice on the present occasion.

The Bethel Union has proceeded in its useful labours, and has been the means of bringing the language of prayer and of religious exhortation to the ears of numbers, to whom probably it ever had been, and perhaps would otherwise have continued to be, a stranger. Prayer meetings have been held during the year in every week, and often for several evenings in every week, on board of ships in port, and during the winter at the boarding houses of seamen; and they have been attended generally with larger audiences than had been anticipated, and conducted with a degree of propriety very creditable both to the audiences and those by whom the meetings were carried on.

The Marine Bible Society has continued its useful services in supplying with Bibles the crews of ships and individual seamen about proceeding to sea: it is a matter however of regret, that from the scantiness of its funds, and other causes, its labours should not have been more extensive.

In proceeding to detail the effects which have attended the labours of the Society, it seems proper to advert to one circumstance which ought to be taken into view in an estimate of their success. It is, that whatever good effects do palpably appear to our view, yet we may be sure that we do not know the whole. The seafaring population on whom

our labours are administered, are mostly a transient population: they are occasionally present here and then return to their homes in distant countries; or if inhabitants of our city, they go off on the ocean, or to foreign climes, and many of them never return. What effect the preaching of the gospel has on these, no mortal will know until it shall be revealed at the last day: whether it have been the means of washing away sin in the blood of a Redeemer, or have stained the soul with wickedness of a deeper dye, none can know until the great Judge shall declare it. Yet if we may judge from what we do observe, and if we have reason to believe from its good effects on some, that others of whom we can know little are proportionally benefited, we may rest assured that we must not rate our success by its apparent extent.

The Directors have the pleasure to state, that the effects of their labours have been good, and that to an extent greater than they had expected.

The attendance at the Mariner's Church has generally been as large as that of most of the regular congregations in this city, and much larger than that of some of them. And your directors have in several instances had the pleasure, when casually over-hearing the conversation of seamen in the streets of our city as well as at other times, heard them speak in terms of grateful and familiar regard of their chuch. Their conduct in the church has with few exceptions been marked with propriety and earnest attention.

The attendance at the Bethel prayer meetings a circumstance intimately connected as an effect with the preaching in the church) has generally been respectable both in numbers and conduct. Some seamen have engaged actively in the devotional services on such occasions, and many have not only freely consented to, but in many instances requested Bethel meetings to be held in their boarding houses. The fact of meetings for prayer being held in seamen's boarding houses, with the consent or at the request of themselves or of the landlords, is no less true than it is encouraging to the friends to the promotion of the gospel among seamen. Three years ago, what would have been said of a proposal to hold a meeting for prayer on board of a ship? what to hold one at a sailor's boarding house? How would the individual have been characterized as an enthusiast and a visionary, who should have then predicted, that at this day such meetings would not only have been held but requested by seamen and the landlords? And how pleasing and encouraging is the actual state of facts on this subject. Although the plan needs further perseverance, yet it seems easy to see, that a beginning being made by the keepers of the boarding houses, the example will be followed by all who desire to be esteemed reputable in the line of their business, or to have the custom of decent orderly seamen, who alone can substantially make their business advantageous and agreeable; and that orderly boarding houses being thus formed, all seamen, in like manner, who desire or hope for comfort and decency in their places of abode, or are at all regardful of character, will seek houses of this description; and that the others will be frequented by those and those only who will make them dens of the most fierce and debasing passions. Decency, order and religious worship being introduced into the abodes of seamen on shore, will be imparted to their ships, and they will eventually as

'sume a character, superior, perhaps, to that of any other class in society. If we are charged as sanguine in these hopes, we would justify ourselves by saying that a fulfilment of them would be no more than an advance proportioned to that which has been made.

Several instances have occurred during the year in which seamen have professed to have been made the subjects of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, under the means of grace afforded through the efforts of this society and its above-mentioned co-operators. On several occasions numbers have been affected deeply at the exhibition of the truths of the gospel and their connexion with the final allotment of man. Something it is hoped will be found to have been effected in this respect, when all secrets shall be disclosed, and your Directors need much to have the duty always present before their eyes, to labour so far as may be in their power, that the good thus hoped for may be largely accomplished.

The Directors would conclude this part of their report by stating, that generally the character of seamen, within the limit of the operations of Christian benevolence, is improved and improving, and that, in their belief, a few years will witness a very great alteration in their moral and religious condition.

The Directors, while detailing the situation and success of their own labours, are happy to record the perseverance and activity with which the objects they have in view are pursued in various parts of their own considercountry and abroad. Along the Atlantic coasts almost every able place has its Marine Bible Society and its Bethel Union; and Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston and Savannah, have places of stated religious Bethel prayer worship for seamen, similar in their plans to our own. meetings are held in almost every port, and have been witnessed, as well in the infant seaports of Alabama, as the more ancient ones of Massachusetts, New-York and Pennsylvania.

Abroad and especially in Great Britain the efforts to meliorate the religious condition of seamen are continued with increased ardour. Floating chapels have been provided in various parts of Great Britain during the last year. Bethel meetings are becoming more and more common, and seamen are in some places forming themselves into associations for procuring the attendance of their fellow-mariners at these religious services; and indeed every thing seems to manifest an uncommon degree The Bethel Flag has of the divine blessing on exertions of this nature.

also been hoisted at Gibraltar on board of a Buenos Ayres national ship; and having thus taken possession of the key of the Mediterranean, we hope ere long to see it waving in triumph in every part of that great maritime region.

With all these topics of congratulation the Directors have cause for By the Treasurer's report it anxiety in the scantiness of their funds. will appear, that nothing has been done towards paying off the mortgage on their building: and such is the state of our subscriptions, and so few were and are our annual subscribers, that we have no permanent source to which we can look for money to meet the considerable current very expenses of the Society, or pay the interest of our debt. The Directors thus feel that all that they have done and all that they are projecting for the improvement of seamen are out of their power to establish; and

that a year might witness the sale of their building and the breaking up of all their best planned operations, and this in the midst of a great and wealthy commercial city, justly claiming the pre-eminence of all others on the western continent. They would hope, that as the success of the Society proves to the public both the importance and practicability of their designs, they will experience a greater share of its liberality and munificence. They feel that they have a right to demand of the public sufficient funds to carry their important objects into effect. And with a belief that the more extensive and vigorous their operations shall be, the more willing the public will be to support and encourage them; and in reliance on that good Providence which has hitherto carried them over every difficulty, for a continuance of its favour, your Directors hope to persevere; and to determine, that if they must eventually fail, they will suffer themselves rather to be overwhelmed by the extent and magnitude of their plans, discreetly projected, than to be lost through a timid and ineffective policy which shall attract no favour from man and no blessing from God.

(Signed)

JONATHAN LITTLE, President.

THIS Society celebrated its anniversary on Tuesday the 4th inst. in the Mariner's Church. Indisposition preventing the attendance of the President, the chair was taken by Mr. John Westfield, Vice President, at half past seven o'clock, and the exercises were commenced with prayer by the Rev. Samuel Nott, junr. Daniel Lord, junr. esq. read the annual report (which will be found above) and on motion of the Rev. Henry Chase, seconded by Mr. Knowles Taylor, it was

Resolved, That the report be accepted, and printed under the direction of the Board of Directors.

On motion of Thomas Jarman, Esq. seconded by the Rev. John Truair,

Resolved, That the thanks of this Society be presented to the Rev. Clergy of the city and country who have rendered important services to the Society by preaching in the Church-to those Merchants who have patronized the Society by their countenance and support;-to those Ship Masters, Mates and Seamen, who have promoted the objects of the institution, and to all who have given of their substance, their labours and their prayers, to spread the Gospel among

seamen.

On motion of the Rev. Samuel Nott, jun. seconded by Mr. Elijah Pierson,

Resolved, That this Society view with deep solicitude the perilous occupation and neglected condition of Mariners in every part of the world, and especially of those who belong to, or visit this port:--That they do most affectionately and earnestly call upon their fellow-citizens in this port and upon Christians generally, to make renewed and vigorous efforts to furnish Seamen immediately with the means of having the Gospel preached to them.

The Rev. Messrs. Chase and Truair, and Messrs. Taylor and Jarman addressed the meeting and were followed by the Vice President in the chair, with a few pertinent remarks.

The resolutions were passed; a collection was taken up amounting to

about seventy dollars; and the meeting was closed with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Somers.

There was a large number of captains and seamen present, and the church was well filled.

We hope this report will be extensively read, and that the facts and arguments which it contains will make their due impression on the public mind. While it is a subject of congratulation that Christians in other parts of our country, and of the world, are, in many respects, treading the steps of this institution; it is matter of deep regret that in our own city the claims of this institution upon the Christian public, are not more generally felt and more readily met. We should not murmur, or repine, but be humbled before God, and call upon the Christian friends of seamen to unite with us in the exercise of more earnest prayer, and more zealous and persevering labour to aid the cause of the gospel among

seamen.

ORDINATION OF A BRITISH SAILOR.

Letter from Stephen Prust, Esq. to the Editor of the Seaman's Magazine, dated

Bristol, Eng. May 1, 1822. MY DEAR SIR-Yesterday the BETHEL FLAG waved all day at the mast head of the fine American ship Seine, Captain Erastus Williams, who obligingly spread her awning for the accommodation of a numerous assemblage of Christians of various denominations, her crew and passengers. Several sailors, ministers, and perhaps for the first time, a captain in the Royal Navy, Captain JOHN Banks, invoked the Divine blessing, safety, and protection for the Captain, officers, crew and passengers, on the deck of an American ship, in the most solemn, impressive, and affectionate manner-delighting every Christian heart by its appropriate fervour. May this commencement be reciprocated by American naval officers, on the decks of British ships,* till their only strife shall be-who can show the greatest love for souls, and bring the greatest tribute of glory to our adorable Immanuel.

To day has been a glorious day-a new era in the annals of seamen. Captain ANGUS, of Newcastle, a fine young man in the prime of life, a man of property, who has retired from the sea, studied for the ministry, resided in Germany, Hol. land, and France, to acquire the languages fluently, has been set apart as a MISSIONARY TO SEAMEN. The Rev. Mr. Pyer commenced the truly interesting service, by reading the 53d of Isaiah, and giving out the 19th Psalm of Dr. Watts-the Rev. Thomas Roberts asked the questions, and received the confession of faith from Captain Angus, who gave a detail of his religious experience from ten years of age, commencing with the prayers and instructions of a pious grandfather—his trials, temptations, and backslidings, during a career of many years, as apprentice, officer, and captain of a merchant ship, on board a man of war, in a French prison, on his march to which a French soldier sold him the remains of a Watt's Hymn Book, with which he was lighting his pipe, which was much blessed to him in the absence of other means of grace-the slighted counsel and advice of a pious elder brother, lost at sea off the Spanish Main; having previously given him several religious books, among which was Rev. John Newton's Life and Letters, which he read with increasing interest, when in the West Indies he heard of his bro

*In American ports. Ed. S. M