service, found there was no Bethel meetings in the port to which he belonged, and that he not only was a stranger to them, but destitute of the grace of God in the heart. I asked him if my brethren the missionaries should call and see him. He said no; he could "say his prayers himself." I saw evidently from his conversation he was afraid of death, and regarded a Christian visit as one coming to torment him before his time. May Christ have mercy upon his soul. PROVINCIAL AGENCY, RAMSGATE.Mr. JAMESON.-I am happy in being able to state that, during the last few months, there has been observable an increased attention to the things that make for their peace, among the seamen and fishermen of our port, than I have before noticed; and their attendance at the sailors' chapel with their families, has been in several instances very regular. One case deserves especial notice, that of a fisherman who used to be out at sea for a month at a time, when he did not care for the worship of God, but now, he generally contrives to be at home on the Lord's day, and with his wife and family is present at the hour of prayer. Another, who is a member of one of our chapels in the town, has lately, with his wife, given us his attendance, and these examples are doing good. Would to God they could be multiplied a hundred fold; for when seamen, who are servants of Christ, shall be found using their in fluence and their example to bring their fellow seamen under means of grace, much good may be expected, and nothing of superior importance could oc cupy their attention. We have been furnished with a new bible for the desk, and eight others for the use of the chapel, by Lieut. Simmons, of the Naval and Military Bible Society, who has just been here, and we are contemplating some improvements in the place itself. I find it very useful in teaching these men to expound the scriptures, and to get them to read the passages with me, and I find pains taken with them thus is not lost upon them or to them. Our tract distribution is regularly maintained, by the friends who work with me in this respect. And again, I must say that our great handmaid teetotalism is producing wonders in the port. Our magistrates are astonished at the reformation, for rarely a drunken sailor is found among the men. Indeed it has been the subject of remark among the magistrates, and they protect us in our efforts. Now do you know any good friend who will present us with a Bethel flag, ours is gone to pieces. We have had our flag-staff repaired and painted with new hallyards, but we want a flag. Perhaps you could make this known in your magazine, for the sooner the better, as the Autumn will soon be here, and that is often our best opportunity for doing good. WE SHALL MEET AGAIN. Yes!-we shall meet a few short years at most, A few more conflicts, and the race is run; Much is written and said, at the present day, about the church"the Church of Rome "- "the Church of England"-"the Church of Scotland"- "What is a church?"-"a church without a bishop,"&c.-An excellent pastor in London has written a beautiful tract entitled "Church in the house,"-for which he has the authority of the apostles, as you may see by reference to Romans xvi. 5, "Likewise greet the church that is in their house." And 1st Cor. xvi. 19, "Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house." And Colos. iv, 15, "Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house." And again, Philemon ii. "And to the church in thy house." Our saviour said to his disciples, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them." A church then is an assembly of Christians worshipping God, and observing the ordinances of the gospel-whether in a sanctuary, a house, or other place, which the greatest convenience, or absolute necessity, demands. "Church in the ship!"-Is there any sanction for that in the But a Bible? There was a time when all the piety of the old world was in a floating * In our magazines for February and March, 1844, two articles appeared under a similar title, but written by a different hand, N ark. Noah was a believer in the promises of God. He and his family were virtually, nay actually the church. They maintained the worship of the true God,-preserved all the ordinances then instituted— sacrifices offerings-prayers. This appears from the fact that in obedience to the divine command, he took of clean beasts by sevens into the ark, and that as soon as he went forth out of it, "he builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl and offered burnt offerings on the altar." The clean beasts were evidently taken by sevens for sacrifice during the prevalence of the deluge. But to be fully satisfied that the idea of a "Church in the ship” is recognised in the New Testament, turn to Matthew, viii. 23-26. "And when he was entered into a ship his disciples followed him. And behold there was a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered by the waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him and awoke him saying, Lord save us : we perish! And he saith unto them why are ye fearful, O, ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." Now it must be admitted that, if the disciples of Christ constitute the "body"—the church, there was once a church-nay "the church in the ship." And the head of the church was with them. There was virtually a church in the ship when the Puritans sailed for Holland, and afterwards for America, to escape persecution at home. They had all the inward marks of a true church, and maintained, so far as circumstances would allow, outward ceremonials of Christian brotherhood. In our floating sanctuaries for seamen we have worshipping bodies of Christians; we have the ordinances of church fellowship, and discipline. There is such a thing, therefore, as "a church in the ship." It is not a novelty, it is not an innovation; it has been sanctioned by the authority of Christ. I do not, however, wish to speak of organizations, but rather of the practical idea of a church-of real, active piety on ship-board. There may be prayer in the ship. A pious sailor, no doubt, meets generally with much difficulty in observing the duties of a Christian. He may find it difficult to pray. Yet I have known pious men who prayed even on the mast-head. And I am sure that when the heart is warmed with the spirit of devotion, it will find, even on board ship, a place where it can hold fellowship with God. There ought to be prayer-secret prayer; and it ought to be constant and earnest in pro portion to obstacles thrown in its way. There may be social prayer. A pious captain ought to lead in social devotions; to have a system of religious worship-the reading of scripture, and exhortation, or some mode of service adapted to the circumstances of all on board, and to the proper discharge of secular duty. Such masters there are. I could mention scores with whom I am personally acquainted, and whose influence as praying men has done as much for the reformation of seamen as any other instrumentality whatsoever. A captain has just left our port, who makes it a law on board, that social worship shall be maintained, whether the men attend it or not. They are always invited; some attend, others oppose. Not many months since, a pious captain visited us who was full of his first love and zeal. His services on shipboard were blessed to some of the crew, and his influence on all was such as to lead them to the sanctuary while in port. Hardly a month passes without bringing accounts of the effects of religious worship at sea. Recently the Christian and missionary world have been delighted with the departure of ships manned, from the master to the cabin-boy, with pious men; and bearing to the heathen isles the messengers of mercy. Ah yes! If anywhere in the world there have been fervent prayers, and holy purposes, and high religious courage, and tender communions, and sweet songs of praise, and thrilling convictions, and rich experience of God's presence, and triumph in death, all these have been felt and witnessed at sea. These pages will not allow me to multiply instances, or enter into details. They therefore address themselves practically to pious seamen. You ought to maintain piety on board for your own sakes. You are happier. The dangers and difficulties of your calling are more calmly and effectually met. There is more peace within you and around you, and you have a more full and free command of your powers. Pious Admirals have borne witness to the superior courage of Christian sailors in the hour of battle; and the history of storms and wrecks, every year, proves the might of pure religion in the hour of peril and of fear. Nothing else can fill the soul with such triumph, and the lips with such songs, when the poor body goes down to the depths; or when fire marches in desolation on the deck; the flame waves in fury from the wasting sails and trembling masts; and on the "wide world of waters man seems "alone with destruction!" وو (To be continued). THE SAILOR HOME AT LAST. BY REV. JOHN DOWLING. It was in the winter of 1842, and during an interesting revival of religion in a New England congregation, of which the writer was then pastor, that a pious father rose nearly at the close of an evening meeting, and spoke, in substance as follows:- Brethren, I wish you to pray for my first-born son; he has been a wild and wayward youth, but the child of many prayers. For the last eight or ten years, that is, from the age of thirteen, he has been a wanderer on the deep; he has passed through many perils and hardships, sometimes been brought to the very brink of the grave; but an unseen hand has preserved him. Till within a few days he has continued careless and indifferent to the concerns of his soul; but at length his mind seems tender, and we have begun to hope that the Spirit of God is at work on his heart. But, brethren, to-morrow he sails as an officer of a ship for China; and exposed as he will be to the temptations of a sailor's life, I tremble for his welfare. Brethren, pray for my first-born son!' On that evening many a heartfelt prayer ascended to God for the sailor son, in which the praying father most heartily joined; but the object of these prayers sailed on the morrow, without a hope. Months rolled away, and still the prayers of a father and a mother followed that wanderer on the ocean wave, and hope was mingled with anxiety, doubt, and suspense. A year had passed away, and that father was permitted to exclaim, Brethren, rejoice with me; my son which was dead is alive again, he was lost and is found.' A letter had arrived with the joyful news that he had found the pearl of great price, and had been baptized in China, by the Rev. Mr. Shuck, a Baptist missionary from America. Oh,' said he in this letter, I have indeed rolled sin as a sweet morsel under my tongue, but God's protecting hand has been over me for good.' Then, after referring to the day of his baptism, 'O, it was a day of joys to my soul! A lovely, pleasant morning, and I did feel such a sweet peace; a peace that the unregenerate know nothing of. Since then I have literally, like the eunuch, A few weeks longer, and the wanderer had returned, and in the circle of his friends and home was permitted to gone on my way rejoicing.' |