spiritual benefit. If something had been already done for them in this port, he considered that was an argument that more exertions should be made, and that Christians should now unite in promoting the spiritual benefit of a class who had strong claims on their sympathy and exertions.

The Rev. Mr. GOOLD proposed the next resolution-" That this meeting cordially approves of the principle and objects and agency of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society." The rev. gentleman then gave an account of the principles and operations of the society, and referred to the injurious effects which the immoral conduct of sailors inflicted on the cause of Christianity at the various missionary stations abroad, as reason why exertions should be made to promote the spiritual improvement of the seamen visiting this port. If they valued the salvation of perishing sinners, they should unite together for the promotion of this most important object.

The Rev. E. E. ADAMS, of Harve-de-Grace, said-Something has already been said of the principle and agency of the society whose claims we are met to advocate. The principle is this-that the society shall embrace all denominations of Christians holding the essential doctrines of the Protestant faith, and this is not merely in our constitution but in our agency. In our stations at home and abroad, we endeavour to maintain a union of effort. Christians of all denominations co-operate in the work. This is the fact in Havre, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and the Cape of Good Hope, as also on the Thames, where we employ a large number of agents. The objects of this society are twofold-the temporal and spiritual good of seamen. They need to be saved from intemperance and from dissipation, that they may be prepared for more direct spiritual influence. Then the great comprehensive object we have in view is the conversion of their souls to God. Then our agency. Our society has now 500 loan libraries for ships. Our agents also visit lodging-houses, and ascertain to which they can safely recommend seamen, warning them, at the same time, against those houses in which they would be likely to suffer either in body or soul. The effect of such visitation has been often very salutary on the inmates of lodging-houses. Our agents visit ships, distributing tracts and Bibles, conversing with the crews, holding prayer meetings on board, and inviting seamen to places of worship on land. Hundreds of vessels are in this way visited on the Thames every month. Generally upwards of sixty meetings are held in a single month. I have often attended such meetings and seen the delightful effects. It cannot be now said that seamen in England and the United States are neglected, though in other countries they are so. There are in the world above 3,000,000 of seamen (embracing sailors, marines and boatmen); of these more than 300,000 belong to England. There are now 16,000 seamen considered truly pious-a great proportion of whom have been brought to Christ through the instrumentality of societies for their good. The result of our efforts are great; many seamen have become temperate and steady men. Hardly a port in the United States is destitute of especial effort for seamen. The same may be said of England and Scotland, though not, alas! of Ireland, and of most other countries. Something has been done in Dublin by our Episcopalian friends, and we hope soon much more will be accomplished by a union of all evangelical denominations in this city and this country. The influence of the sailor abroad has been spoken of. Our missionaries all attest to this fact, that the greatest prejudices they meet among the natives of the Eastern ports are the result of our sailors' conduct. Williams was murdered by Islanders who had been abused by sailors from England. American sailors in China have not only been a great scandal to our country, but have done much to create feelings of hostility in the Chinese mind. Our missionaries in Canton say they have been disposed to walk backwards and cast a mantle over the degraded and polluted American seamen in Canton, that the pagans might not behold their shame. On one occasion, we are told that some natives were so disgusted with the conduct of our seamen, that from pure compassion they besought them to renounce Christianity! Heathen nations look upon our seamen as the representatives of our religion! They are not disposed to distinguish between our principles and our representatives: and often, when our missionaries address them on the doctrines of the Bible, they point to our seamen, and say, "These are your Christians!" The Lascars also, who are

brought over from the east, are left to beg, and to suffer, and afterwards to die, in London, and other large English ports. Those who survive to return, when they meet our missionaries in their native land, say, "We have been to your country, and were permitted to beg and starve. We know your Christianity!" Oh, my friends, shall we permit 3,000 of such men to be in London at once without an effort for them, whilst we send the gospel to their country. There they are, at the doors of the pious and the great-hearted of the land, inviting their Christian sympathies and support, and yet they are overlooked and neglected! Is this consistent? Is it like the true spirit of religion? The influence of seamen on our own population ought to be noticed. There is something extremely taking to a young lad in the bearing, the language, the calling of a sailor. The romance of a mariners's life deeply interests the young. How often do your children in port hear the polluting songs of seamen ? How often are their young hearts captivated by the talk, the marvellous stories of seamen? There is great danger. Oh, parents, beware! Watch over your children in this matter, and strive to bring seamen under an influence so healthful and safe that your children may not be contaminated by their presence and association. But let us look at the exposures and dangers of seamen themselves. On the sea, how often does a wave sweep them from the deck !-how often do they fall from the masthead to the deep devouring sea; how often are they enveloped in fire, and left to strive "alone with destruction;" how often are they cast upon frozen shores or on mountains of ice to die; and then, what suspense, what apprehension—even sometimes in the very sight of home; now they anticipate the moment when kind voices will greet them and kind faces smile on them-when they shall sit by the "ingle side," and talk with fond wives and delighted children, with aged parents and loving brethren; and in an hour what darkness, what helpless despair, what solitude on "the world of waters." Death is awful anywhere, and at any moment.

Come to the bridal chamber, death;
Come to the mother, when she feels

For the first time her first-born's breath;
Come when the blessed seals

That close the pestilence are broke,

And crowded cities wait its stroke.

Come in consumption's ghastly form,

The earthquake's shock, the mountain's storm ;

Come when the heart beats high and warm,

With banquet, song, and dance and wine,
And thou art terrible!

But on the ocean-in a tempest-at night-in the presence of distracted kindred !may we never know its agony. We wish to give these men something that will prepare them for their dangers—that is, the gospel: that will enable them to surrender their spirits as calmly in the tempest as in the still and silent chambers of home. Not long since a pious sailor was heard by his comrades in a wreck, singing—

Jesus, lover of my soul,

Let me to thy bosom fly;
Whilst the billows o'er me roll,
Whilst the tempest still is nigh.

Hide me, oh my Saviour, hide!
'Till the storm of life be past;
Safe into the haven guide-
Oh receive my soul at last!

And it was the last!-the last struggle !—the last voice, until he sang of seraphim. Then the dangers of seamen in port are still greater.

amid the choirs Their depravity

is beyond conception, and they are exposed to thousands interested in plundering them and reducing them to the utmost debasement. The hot-beds of crime and death are found in the long-rooms, the grog-shops, and the gin-palaces of our large ports. Instances have been known of seamen being robbed of £50 or £100 in a single day after their arrival. They are led to beer-shops and induced to drink, a poisonous drug is put into their beer, which, in the course of an hour, completely stupifies them. I have known instances of this kind, some of which have terminated in death! He then related some accounts which might blanch the cheek with horror of the awful system to which these poor seamen are exposed, and closed by urging the meeting to a persevering effort to save those fellow-creatures from the degraded and fearful influences to which they are exposed. Merchants, ministers, Christians of any rank— nay, all men who love their country should awake on behalf of those who go down to the sea. Let this island be surrounded by a pure, united, Christian band of labourers for seamen. The effect would be mighty upon the entire population.

SAM. GORDON, Esq., proposed the next resolution-"That a society be now formed to be called 'The Irish Seamen's Friend Society,' auxiliary to the beforenamed institution."

The Rev. JOHN WEST seconded the resolution, and said that in doing good to the seamen they should not end there, for wherever spiritual good was done to any portion of the people, it would extend beyond the original object.

JAMES S. BLACKWOOD, Esq., said he rose to move the last resolution, appointing the committee of this society; and he was glad to see that the names already on the list represented most of the various denominations. He should have desired, indeed, to see more of the names of clergy of the Established Church amongst the number; but though few as yet there, they were not unrepresented, and he hoped that by virtue of the power of addition given to the committee, many others of that denomination would soon be joined to them. His friend, Mr. Adams, whom he was glad to call his friend, had informed him that he had called upon several of the clergymen alluded to, whom their absence from home had prevented his being able to see in the short space of his present visit. There was no desire to make this a sectarian or a rival society to any instrumentality now in existence. On the contrary, it was desired to include Protestants of all denominations, whether ministers or members, and to deal in the kindest and best spirit of co-operation and union with any existing instrumentalities for the good of seamen. When Mr. Adams had called upon him and mentioned the subject, he was anxious that the Rev. Andrew Campbell, of the Mariners' Church, who had under his control and management an Episcopalian Mariners' Society for the port of Dublin, should be taken into their consultations, and have the feeling of that gentleman and the vested interests of that Episcopal society of twentytwo years' standing respected. All the gentlemen engaged in the present undertaking were anxious that this should be so, and the Rev. Mr. Campbell very kindly attended at a preliminary meeting which had been held to arrange the proceedings. From that gentleman's information it was apparent to all parties, that though a good deal had been done there was still room for further instrumentality. Mr. Campbell, of course, had no wish to disparage his own society, and, with a great deal of modesty as well as candour, put forward his own exertions, which it was quite apparent were so great as very few individuals were singly capable of making. But still, even in respect of the port of Dublin, it was evident that further instrumentality was desirable, and when they took a survey of Ireland the case was still more plain. It appeared that the only point of contact between the British and Foreign Sailors' Society and Ireland was in the port of Newry, where something of agency was established. In their report for this year, the society express their regret that hopes which they had previously entertained of doing something more in Dublin and in Ireland had been disconcerted, so that the port of Newry was the single instance of their agency in this country. And with respect to other agencies, he believed that, excepting Belfast and something in Cork, there was nothing worthy of note attempted in Ireland for the sailor's benefit. Here there was a plain case for exertion. It was probably known to most persons then present that meetings had been recently held in this city for the

rev.

purpose of promoting Christian union, and for the joint evangelising action of all denominations of Protestants. In attempting to arrange the carrying out of this idea they had been met by some difficulties. It was apparent to all that the vast and growing agencies of darkness in Ireland demanded to be encountered by an antagonist agency of light. It was also apparent that to make this agency effectual, a greater union of true Christians was needed; but, as he had said, there were difficulties in the way not easily overcome. There were dioceses and parishes, and vested rights and existing instrumentalities, which wise men would not rashly interfere with. These things required much deliberation previous to action, upon the shore at least, so that he could not help regarding it as a circumstance ordered by God in his providence, when after many prayers, a field of action had been unexpectedly offered where those difficulties did not exist. The Rev. Mr. Adams had been sent to Dublin with this proposition of an evangelising agency by united Protestants in respect to a most important section of society, where their exertions would not interfere with vested rights, or dioceses, or parishes, or existing instrumentalities. The sea and the sailor were free from those difficulties which beset united action upon shore, and he trusted that if they lived to meet on the anniversary of the society at this time twelvemonth, they would present an united phalanx of all classes of Protestants, and be able to give a good account of their work. He moved the resolution with pleasure:-"That the following be members of the committee, with power to add to their number:-The Revs. W. H. Cooper, Richard Dill, John Drury, George Gould, W. B. Kirkpatrick, M'Guire,- Massaroone, Charles Minchin, Wm. Urwick, D.D., John West, William Wilson, J. S. Blackwood, Esq., LL.D., Wm. Carson, Esq., P. D. Hardy, Esq., Captain Johns, R. N., Alexander Parker, Esq., John Parker, Esq., Matthew Pollock, Esq., Dr. Singleton."

The Rev. W. O'CROGGON Seconded the resolution; and, referring to a subject alluded to by previous speakers, stated from his own experience as a missionary in the Ionian Isles and other parts of Greece, that the immoral conduct and character of Protestant seamen were a great obstacle to the progress of the gospel amongst the Greeks. These, when argued with about the corruption of the Greek churches, never failed to retort the immoralities of Protestant seamen. Care should therefore be taken so to improve their character, as that, instead of being a reproach to the gospel, the seamen of England might become missionaries themselves of the truth.

The Rev. Mr. KIRKPATRICK called the attention of the meeting to the substance of the resolutions that had been passed, and, after a few further observations from the Rev. Mr. Adams, the doxology was sung, and the meeting separated, A collection, amounting to about £8, was taken up on the occasion.

INTEMPERANCE IN THE MERCHANT SERVICE.
BY J. DOUGALL, ESQ.

It is self-evident, that in order to bring a voyage to a safe and speedy termination, the vessel should not only be good and well-found, but the officers and men should be competent, vigilant, and steady. The condition of the vessel is not a more important consideration than the character and conduct of those who have charge of her. Yet, almost all the attention of passengers, shippers, and underwriters is directed to the former, and little, or none of it to the latter, although it be a wellknown fact that more vessels have been lost through drunkenness than from being unseaworthy. Strong drink has different effects upon different men; one is rendered

sleepy and careless, another bold and foolhardy; one sees danger doubled, another sees none at all. In all cases, however, its effect is to disturb and confuse the faculties, physical and mental, which God has given us for our preservation, and which sailors in particular require to have in good order and frequent exercise. Cases occur probably in every voyage, such as a gale coming on when much canvass is set, or approaching shore, or running through icebergs in thick weather, when the master should be in full possession of his faculties. Now, if at this time he be carousing below, or sleeping off the influence of drink in his berth; or, if he come up with a confused head and lack-lustre eye, is it likely that every thing will be done for the safety of that ship? Let us add intemperance among the crew, and perhaps the man on the look-out asleep, and the danger is evidently increased ten-fold. Yet these are not imaginary dangers. Intemperance is well known to be common among the men, and if the subject were investigated it would be found lamentably prevalent among the masters also. There are captains who appear to be active and sober in port, who perhaps lie intoxicated in their cabins for a week at a time, when out at sea; and a much greater number drink hard without reducing themselves to positive intoxication. Innumerable instances might be brought forward to illustrate the truth of what I have said, I shall only mention one or two; a vessel, with a number of cabin and steerage passengers, made the Banks of Newfoundland on a Saturday night. The emigrants, as was then customary, bought rum from the steward to make merry with in the steerage. The sailors got their bottle to drink "sweethearts and wives" in the forecastle. It began to blow hard, and the captain went on deck, and ordered sail to be shortened, but no sailor was to be found, for they and the emigrants had got drunk, and they were fighting in the forecastle. The mate was called, but he was with the rest, and in the same condition. The captain let go the haliards of the sails that should be taken in, and went forward to separate the combatants, which he effected with great difficulty, after being severely handled himself. The man at the wheel had to remain all night, no one being in a condition to relieve him. In another vessel, which had reached the river St. Lawrence, the sailors and emigrants found access to some liquor, and several times fought with handspikes or whatever weapons they could find. The captain fought with them, and I was assured by one of the passengers, that the scene was like a hell upon earth, and their escape from fire and shipwreck was almost miraculous. The vessel grounded two or three times, and the pilot was completely disregarded. In a vessel bound from India to London, the captain took to the bottle and his bed, and did not rise till his liquor was exhausted, when being near the Cape of Good Hope, he put in for a fresh supply, and staid fifteen days. He then repeated his former conduct till near the coast of England, when his liquor being again exhausted, he put into the Isle of Wight for no other purpose than to procure another supply, When a pilot came aboard, he ordered him off, saying he could pilot the vessel himself. The pilot, however, took charge, and sent him below. By a singular coincidence the mate of this vessel was a drunkard, and the second mate died, and she was navigated home by two apprentices who were learning navigation, with the assistance of an officer of the army, who, with his family were passengers aboard, and who procured the captain or mate's instruments by stealth. A fine new ship, laden with emigrants, was burned a short time ago by a candle falling among some ardent spirits that had been spilled in the spirit-room, and all the property, and several of the lives on board were lost, indeed,