hardened and profligate men. profligate and abandoned There is enough of vice on shore, but there you can get out of the hearing and away from the influence of what is evil. You can choose your comrades from the good and virtuous; but cooped up within the narrow confines of a ship the sailor must be a willing or an unwilling witness of all its scenes and be content with, perhaps, the worst companions. Let me ask you, then, is it wonderful that he should be intemperate, prodigal, dissolute and profane? No pains have been taken until lately to make him otherwise. On shore you have schools for the ignorant, libraries for the young, lyceums for the apprentice, institutes for the mechanic. You have lectures on science, lectures on religion, religious teachers, religious services and public opinion. All contribute to protect the morals, to enlighten the minds and to form the principles of men on shore. You have not only societies to prevent vice, but to reform the vicious-to reclaim the inebriate, and to bring back the wanderer into the paths of virtue-but, until lately, no attempt has been made either to instruct or reform the sailor. He has been left to sink deeper and deeper into the slough of profligacy, the subject of every body's abuse, but of nobody's compassion-reviled by all, aided by none. And this cruel indifference has made him reckless. Not respected by others, he has lost respect for himself-treated as a proscribed person, an outcast, he has abandoned himself to what he considers his fate, and losing all sense of shame, has wrought iniquity with greedi ness. I repeat, therefore, that sailors are unfortunate beings. They have been like ships foundering at sea, many a sail in sight, without any of them having humanity enough to lend assistance-like drowning mariners for whom nobody would take the trouble to lower a boat? What do I see? A vessel in distress-without aid her loss is cer tain, and the crew accordingly yield to despair. Such has been the effect of the indifference of the public to seamen's interests-it has made them desperate. But see-help arrives and the scene changes the crew work with animation and hope -their prospects brighten their damages are repaired and soon they are in a condition to move onward. And this has been the effect of such societies as that I advocate-their effect has been to encourage sailors to labor in the work of their own salvation. Were you to read their reports, you would find that sailors appreciate and second the exertions that are made in their behalf-that wherever churches are built for them they will at tend, that wherever ministers will visit them they will listen-that they receive tracts and other religious books with joy, and that they look upon the holy Scriptures as a more valuable guide than the compass by which they steer or than the chart by which they sail,-and there has been a corresponding result. He who accompanies the employment of his appointed means, with his prom ised blessing, has already crowned the efforts of these societies with astonishing success. Many from the abundance of the sea, have been converted unto God, and as a necessary consequence, reclaimed from vice. It is a sacred truth, that the readiest way of amending man's temporal condition, is by exalting his spiritual. Religion is followed by a train of attendant blessings-a glorious procession-she is clothed in white, the emblem of purity-a single flower, the well-known symbol of innocence and loveliness, adorns her hair, and as she advances, she extends her inviting hand to all. Temperance follows, she bears a goblet of pure water, clear as crystal and sparkling as the gem, her eye is radiant with life, her cheek blooming with health-her form active and her step buoyant. Charity follows leaning upon the arm of Virtue her figure concealed by an ample vail, and her eyes cast upon the ground. Domestic happiness follows. She is represented by a lovely woman, giving one hand to her husband and leading her child by the other. Industry and Abundance bring up the train-the one looks cheerful and contented, the other merry and joyous. She has golden wheat ears around her brow, and a girdle of green about her waist. Fruits and flowers are in her right hand, "and in her left hand riches and honor."# *We are requested to state that a building has been erected in New-Orleans called 'St. Peter's chapel for Seamen,' and a lot of ground by the side of it has been purchased whereon it is proposed to erect a 'Sailor's Home;' but means are required for this purpose, and the benevolent reader is informed that the author of this Sermon now in charge of the parish of Christ Church, New-Orleans, will thankfully receive any contributions towards this object which may be forwarded to his address.-ED. FALSE VOWS. BY DURANT DA PONTE, ESQ. YEARS have gone by since first I felt The fire that in my bosom burned, But time has shown how vain the thought, And with its rapid flight has brought But grief, and pain and sighing; Yet from my heart I cannot tear Thy form, that still is pictured there In colors all undying. How true was I, how false wert thou, "Tis I alone can answer now; The parting word is spoken. |