ther's death, and which he affectionately recommended his brother sailors to buy and read, though they sold a shirt to obtain it. The Rev. T. S. Crisp, offered up an admirable Ordination Prayer previous to the laying on of hands. The venerable Dr. Ryland gave a most impressive and catholic-spirited charge from "The love of Christ constraineth us"-several appropriate hymns were sung, and the Rev. Mr. Griffiths, missionary from Sierra Leone, concluded with prayer, It was a glorious and gratifying season of refreshment from the presence of the Lord, I trust, to the numerous seamen, ministers, ladies and gentlemen assembled in the SEAMAN'S FLOATING CHAPEL, who could not separate till 9 P. M.

He intends preaching to seamen all round our extensive seaboard in England, Ireland and Scotland; and then visit foreign countries on the same delightful errand of stirring up Christians to care for the souls of seamen, and that valuable class to seek salvation for themselves in the only appointed way through the blood of the Lamb.

I could not retire to rest, till I sent you this very hurried, imperfect and inadequate sketch of this important ordination of the FIRST MISSIONARY TO SEAMEN.

Yours, &c.

SINGULAR CONVERSION OF A SEAMAN.

To the Editor of the Seaman's Magazine.

DEAR SIR-I doubt not your readers are acquainted with the origin of the interesting colony on Pitcairn's Island. A late number of the Christian Observer mentions that religious tracts, &c. had been sent to them from Calcutta. Since these were probably received, one of our whaleships touched at the Island, and the Anglo-natives coming on board, began to examine the whalemen about their Christian experience. One of them was seized with remorse to think he had lived in a Christian land and was unable to answer a single question of these supposed heathen. He soon after experienced religion, and returned to profess his love for Christ, and acknowledge the instruments of his conversion. He says they spend a great proportion of their time in praising God, and seem to take all their delight in it. O the wisdom and grace of God! who could have thought that the outrageous mutiny on board the Bounty would be the occasion of raising up a Christian community in the centre of the Pagan world, where, fortified by nature against all the assaults of persecution, they can send out the Gospel through all the region round about, and even promote the salvation of our own countrymen. The minister at the Sandwich Islands is destined to exert a powerful influence on the whalemen, and I hope the time approaches when they will be converted to Christ. A. M. Nantucket, May 22d, 1822.

JOURNAL OF THE BETHEL FLAG.

(Continued from p. 32.)

Tuesday Evening, May 21, 1822. The Bethel Flag had been flying all day at the mast head of the ship Empress, Capt. Sutton, in the Charleston trade, and the Bethel Lantern was hoisted in the evening. The exercises were commenced at 8 o'clock, and continued about one hour. Three prayers, and three short addresses, insterspersed

with singing, and reading the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, were attended to with the greatest seriousness and propriety. A seaman, a hopeful subject of the grace of God, (through the instrumentality of these meetings within the last few months) gave a simple relation of God's dealings with his soul, and in an affectionate and pathetic manner, urged his seafaring brethren present to attend these meetings, by which he hoped he had been brought to a knowledge of his state as a sinner, and to a view of, and reliance upon, the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Friend that loveth at all times, and was especially such in times of trouble and distress. There were seventy or eighty seamen and citizens present, and all seemed deeply solemn. The Committee are much encouraged in their labour, and trust their exertions for poor sailors will not be in vain.

Tuesday 28. This evening the meeting was held on board the ship Cincinnatus, Capt. Champlin, in the London trade. The committee report that there was a large number present, and the exercises were conducted as usual. Rev. Dr. Bates, President of Middlebury College, a minister from Virginia, of the Methodist Church, and a member of the committee, each addressed the meeting. Mr. Benedict, from Princeton College, and two others, engaged in prayer. Great decorum prevailed. After the distribution of Tracts a sailor went to the chairman and informed him that a great change had taken place in his mind within a few months; and he appeared so overcome with a sense of the Divine compassion that he could scarcely speak. The committee feel much encouraged in the prospect of greater usefulness, which lies before them.

Tuesday, April 16. Bethel meeting held at No. 317 Water-street. Thirty seamen present. Two of the men at first appeared trifling, but before the meeting closed, all were very serious. After appointing a meeting for the next week at the same place, a sailor said to the chairman," I do not know whether you are a minister or not, but I was so well pleased with what you said, that I will attend next week and bring you some money."

On Monday the 10th inst. in the morning, the Bethel Flag was hoisted on board the brig Phoebe Ann, capt. Holmes; and when evening arrived, and the flag could be no longer seen, it was succeeded by a light on the topmast head, which announced what was to be done below. About eight o'clock a large party of ladies and gentlemen went on board, and found an awning on the deck; under which a Bible was placed on the companion way, and chairs and seats were placed around for the accommodation of visitors. Soon after eight o'clock the service was commenced by singing a Hymn, during which sailors flocked on board in crowds. One of the committee then offered up a short and appropriate prayer, the object of which was to invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit on the meeting, aud an especial blessing on our seafaring brethren.

This was succeeded by others, who prayed; and by several short but solemn exhortations of several ministers of the Gospel, of different denominations, who assisted in this interesting service; among whom was the Rev. Mr. Sewall, of Maine. Upwards of 100 persons were present (principally seamen) in the brig and on the shore near it, and the most profound attention was paid by all.

THE third train of thoughts upon the Fire Alarm was drawn from the Firemen.

The first thing I shall notice in them is, their promptitude to go at the watchmen's cry of fire! They always hold themselves in readiness to turn out at a moment's warning, be their previous engagements what they may. Let their employment be what it will, every thing is laid aside, and they immediately prepare themselves, by their fire clothes and hats, for any hardships which they may have to encounter. No hesitation, no reasoning as to expediency, and no delay is suffered to retard them for a moment; but with all possible despatch, they seek the place of danger, to render such assistance as the case may require.

An excellent example this, thought I, for the common disciples of Jesus Christ to follow, when called by Zion's Watchmen to encounter the difficulty and danger incident to a faithful exertion to save souls from the fire of hell. If such an example were followed by Christians, we should never hear them saying, "I pray thee have me excused" nor would the plea be made,-I have so many worldly avocations, and so much business on my hands, that I have no time to visit and warn sinners of their danger, and thus try to pull them out of the fire. Nor should we hear the cry so often made, when any thing more than ordinary is done to promote vital godliness in our congregations, that there is no such pressing danger in the situation of the wicked; that if they only use the means of grace, and quietly wait God's time, there will be no danger in their case! Nor yet again should we hear so much about being prudent; nor be cautioned so much against enthusiasm, when there is some little feeling manifested concerning the state and danger of the wicked. There may, indeed, be the sound of a going in the midst of a town or a city, as in the tops of the mulberry trees in Israel, (2 Sam. v. 24.) and thus the people of God, every one of them, called to bestir themselves, and do valiantly for their Lord and Saviour; and yet they too often say, "The time is not yet come," to build the house of the Lord. (Hag. i. 2.) We must wait God's time, and he will then Voм. IX.

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build up Zion in all her glory. If called to action they say, they do not feel, and they are dependent on God to make them feel, and they shall wait till he is pleased to work this in them! Would such excuses do for the watchmen and firemen of a city? But the doctrine which the Christian pretends to plead as his excuse, is as true in all its extent, in relation to the fireman in his employment, as it is in relation to the Christian in regard to his duty; yet he never pleads it; nor should the Christian: as the fireman would not deserve confidence, should he act on such a principle; so neither does the Christian, when he acts upon it. Let every Christian, then, learn from the fireman, to make every thing in which he is engaged, subservient to the kingdom of God, and the alarms which he gives; and in this way obey Jesus Christ, and rest on his promise--" Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you!" (Matt. vi. 23.) Fly then, Christians, and cease not to rescue sinners, while the spirit of grace is poured out upon you!

The second thing I observed in the firemen was their endeavours to excel each other in their exertions to rescue and save from ruin. Every man strives to get first to his engine--every company strives first to get to the fire--and every individual endeavours to excel his companion in their attempts to rescue property from the flames, and to put a stop to the raging of the devouring element; and they cease not until their strength fails them, or the destruction is stayed. And how does this tell upon the character of common Christians, or rather professors of religion? What an awful reproof to those who are, when called upon to do something for the salvation of souls, perpetually excusing themselves, and putting all the labour upon others, as though the increase of Zion's sons was not a common interest to the saints of God. If the above example were followed by all Christians, and they were as emulous of excelling each other in doing their duty, we should never hear the excuse made, when called upon to perform it, " It belongs to some other person, and not to me, to go to this sinner, and to try to bring him to Christ." Nor should we hear it so often pleaded as an excuse--" I am not qualified for it, and it is not my calling!" for if a man be not qualified for the duties of a Christian, he is not a Christian; for "if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not." (2 Cor. viii. 12.) Nor yet again, should we hear the plea, "I have done more than many others, and it is not right that I should thus constantly labour, while many others do nothing; and therefore I will rest awhile, and let others do who have done little or nothing in this good work." This objection is often made both in regard to labour and charity; and has, with many, a very controlling influence--but firemen, if they ever think upon it, they do not act upon it nor should the Christian. Nor, lastly, would the excuse, " I am needed somewhere else," ever be adduced by a Christian, if he would follow the example of the firemen. Where are firemen wanted except where the fire is? And where are the Christians, in all the Christian armour, and the Spirit of their Master,

wanted more, than where sin abounds? Let every Christian then, in the time of God's visitation, be as emulous to excel each other in saving men from hell, as the firemen are to excel each other in deeds of valour to save lives and property from the rage of the devouring fire. O Christian! learn from the fireman how to act for your Lord, and thus take away the reproach from the Christian name, which neglect has thrown upon it, and which has destroyed, rather than saved, the souls of thousands!

The third thing I observed in the firemen, is, the hazard which they will run to be faithful. They are often seen in the most perilous situations: on ladders raised against the sides of burning buildings— rushing into flaming rooms to bring out a sufferer--and maintaining their station amidst falling walls, timber, and showers of fire, when their lives are in the utmost danger!

From this, I thought, Christians might learn an important lesson. Christianity did once lead its friends to be faithful to their Lord, and to the souls of their fellow-men, when it actually exposed them to every insult, torture, and death, and they would not neglect their duty, nor betray the cause, to save even their own bodies from the fire. But now, when, by the laws of the land, every man may profess and love Christ, and yet sit under his own vine and fig-tree, and none dares to jeopardize his person or his property; when, in one word, there is no danger of encountering any thing but the obloquy of the wicked; saints will not do their duty. They cannot bear reproach, and they think and say, that they had better not mention any thing about religion to their wicked companions, than to be reproached for Christ's sake; and to have their names to be taken up in the lips of talkers, and be made the drunkard's song. They must not be rude, in the world's sense of that word; and, consequently, sinners do evil without reproof from them, because every thing is rude with them which disturbs their carnal pleasures, and stupid attachments to the world. It is often, moreover, said, that Christians are not called to sacrifice their reputation, in the eyes of the world, for the sake of religion. Yet it is true, that the love of the world, and the love of God, never go together; and if any thing of this world, or even our own life, be loved and sought more than Christ by any, do they deserve the name, or possess the character, of Christians? (1 John ii. 15.-Luke xiv. 26.) If a sinner be rich, proud, and a despiser of Christ, he must, on the common principle of action among Christians, be left to perish, without warning, because Christ's disciples cannot bear his reproach: and thus also the name of Christ is blasphemed, because his professed friends are so unwilling to take up their cross and follow him wherever he leads, and obey him in whatever he commands. Let the Christian reader look at the firemen in the midst of the thickest danger, and ask himself if this be not a good example for him? And was he made a new man in Christ Jesus, that he should speak of what God has done for his soul, only among his friends; and give warning to none but them, of the misery which he must know is coming upon the wicked? Where should the eross of Christ be more displayed, but where sin most abounds? Of