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Men may undervalue and even contemn religion, but they forget that to it, for not a few of the highest enjoyments of sense, they stand immediately indebted; and that but for religion the pleasures of this life would be immeasurably curtailed and impoverished.

EDWARDS AS A PREACHER.

When he preached, it was as if he had been let down from heaven to sound one of the seven trumpets, after which seven thunders were to utter their voices. He rehearsed the threatnings of his sovereign as if he had some peculiar right, and indeed he had, to tell on whom they would fall. He stood in the pulpit with a head unmoved, and a still hand, and what he had written, he had written. But his hearers looked up, and the tear stole down their cheeks, and they shook like aspin leaves, and on some occasions screamed aloud. A gentleman once remarked, that when in his youth he heard Mr. Edwards describe the day of judgment, he fully supposed that immediately, at the close of the sermon, the Judge would descend, and the final separation take place. During the delivery of one of his most overwhelming discourses, in the pulpit of a minister unused to such power, this minister is said to have forgotten himself so far, as to pull the preacher by the coat, and try to stay the torrent of such appalling eloquence by the question,- "Mr. Edwards! Mr. Edwards! is not God a merciful being, is he not merciful?”

EXTRACT FROM A SERMON TO SEAMEN.

"Stand in awe, and sin not." This awe of God, this love to him as a Father, this quick and ready sense and feeling in reference to sin, to whatever is contrary to his holy law, has a peculiar regard to the word of God. It is not-What saith man, what saith expediency, what saith self-interest, what saith a master, a ship-owner, but what saith the word of the Lord? Whatsoever it saith, that will I speak-that will I do. Thus was it with David-" My heart stands in awe of thy word," Ps. cxix. 161. All connected with the sea, as well as with the land, would fare better, were they to stand in awe of God's word. "Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy," is his express commandment. How then is it attended to by those whose business is in the great deep? Is it not an universal practice to set sail and heave ballast on the sabbath? And however conscientious the sailor, he must either lose his situation, or comply with the imperious_command of the master or ship-owner. Nor let it be affirmed, that I am ignorant of what can be said in favour of these two practices. I know

that the framework of society renders it difficult, and it may be dangerous, in a worldly point of view, to go out of the common way; but, my hearers, compliance with these two customs is just an attempt to serve God and mammon. The reasoning of the latter, of the deceitful, avaricious god, is plausible. If ye do not sail with the favourable tide of the sabbath, ye may not have another for many days; if ye do not heave ballast on the first day of the week, ye may lose your turn, and be forestalled in the market; if ye attend to the word of God, to the preachers of the gospel, who have no ships of their own, who do not understand the principles of trade, farewell to prosperity-you will assuredly be kept back from wealth and honour. But O how contemptible is all this fair speech to the pious sailor, when he hears a voice behind him, saying-"The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look," -will I prosper, feed, bless, protect-even "him that is poor and of a contrite heart, and that trembleth at my word." Little wonder that such an one prays that he may not arrive at the haven of Sunderland on a Sabbath-day. And, my hearers, I wonder not at the two thousand sailors who perish every year in the mighty deep; at the wrecks of so many vessels to be seen among the rocks, which protect us from the fury of the ocean,-rocks that are an emblem of God's own immutability, of that God who will not alter one word that proceedeth out of his mouth. O he will make you tremble at his judgments, if ye do not stand in awe of his word.

SUNDERLAND.

PHILOPAIS.

To the Editor of the Sailor's Magazine.

DEAR SIR,-Sunderland is much indebted to Captain Prynn, your agent, who visited us some time ago, in behalf of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. You must have seen, from our local papers, an account of his zealous and persevering exertions. Sermons, to which Sailors were invited, were preached on the morning and evening of eight Sabbaths, in the Presbyterian, Independent, Methodist, and Baptist Chapels. Several weekly subscribers have since been obtained; and I have, with my own hands, distributed hundreds of tracts to sailors, some of which have been read with tears, and I hope with profit. The above is a short extract of my sermon to sailors. I have been induced to send it, in the hope, that the practical grievances of pious sailors may be taken up by the British and Foreign Sailor's Society, at their next May Meeting, and then by every auxiliary in the kingdom. Any injunctions in reference to the Sailor's cause in this port will be attended to with pleasure by

Sunderland, 12th March, 1840.

PH

-S.

THE HIGHEST PEAK OF LEBANON.

[From the Memoir of Mrs. S. L. Smith, late af the American Mission in Syria.]

Just after sun-down I stepped out of my tent, and going a few paces towards the west, upon the brink of a deep valley, one of the most sublime views met my eyes that I ever saw. A rich bed of superb white clouds, rolling together and curling their tops in the air, in the most fantastic forms, filled the valley, occasionally breaking from each other, sufficiently to discover to me the grandeur of the depth below. Beyond them stretched the glorious sea, its outline nearly obscured by the blending of its waters with the brilliant tints of the western sky. As I stood alone, gazing upon this almost unearthly scene, the distant voices of the mountaineers pursuing their occupations upon the declivities below, came up through this magnificent array of mountain drapery, and produced a most singular effect upon my senses. I almost imagined myself to be the inhabitant of another sphere, stooping down to discover the pursuits of an inferior world, whose occupants little imagined what glories were above them.

Mr. Smith and myself took a walk at sunset, the air being mild, and the clouds brilliant. The foliage of the distant grove of palm trees gave surpassing beauty to the scene. Unlike other trees, when viewed from a distance, their outline is distinct but graceful. Pompey's pillar, in its simple beauty, rose behind those elegant clusters. We stood upon a slight elevation, just as the sun dipped his last lines below the horizon, when a discharge of small guns from the fleet in the harbour was heard, followed by the evening tattoo. Immediately we perceived the flags of the minarets hoisted, and from a small door on the south side towards Mecca, which opens into a gallery near the top, appeared the criers, whose voices we distinctly heard, as they resounded through the soft air of an Egyptian evening. The whole scene was impressive, yet affecting.

THE COMMERCE OF ANCIENT GREECE.

(Continued from page 78.)

The founding of colonies is a grand means of extending trade, and at the same time of promoting the benefits of civilization; and numerous colonies were sent out by the Athenians for the express purpose of trading with the mother-country. The chief of these was Amphipolis, (now Emboli,) mentioned in Acts xvii. on the river Strymon, near Philippi, in Macedonia. This last province, with others adjoining, comprise the present Roumelia in European Turkey. The colonists have extended their trade on all sides, and monopolised the whole commerce, as they held the key of the Strymon, from which nothing could

sail without their consent. Immense quantities of timber were felled in Mount Rhodope, and floated down the river: with this the Athenians built their navy. They retained this colony till the time of Philip, who took it from them. The island of Samos, on the coast of Asia Minor, was another Greek colony, and much frequented by pirates-a reputation which it still preserves. The city of Samos was a place of great consequence. It was remarkable for a mote 1200 feet long, which formed a safe shelter for vessels from the south wind, so that it must have made great advances in commerce to have had the disposition to build such a work. Herodotus says, that they traded to Egypt and to Spain, before the other Greeks were acquainted with those countries; and that one of their ships, on its passage to Egypt, was once driven beyond the pillars of Hercules (straits of Gibraltar) to an island called Tartessas, which abounded in gold. They were so ignorant of its value, he says, that they allowed the Samians to carry home with them sixty talents, or about 13,000 pounds worth. Samian earthen-ware was in great repute, and always used in the more splendid entertainments.

The principal colonies in the Black Sea, were Heraclea and Byzantium. This last (now Constantinople) was founded about 400 B. C. Its beautiful harbour, from the rithes which every wind wafted into it, and its resemblance to a stag's horn, obtained the name of the Golden Horn. Thus favoured by nature, and strengthened by art, it was crowded with merchants, and enriched by a flourishing commerce; its harbour was free of access and perfectly sheltered from winds, and attracted to it ships from all the nations of Greece. Its situation enabled

it to subject the foreign trades to heavy duties, and even to stop the supplies of corn on which so many millions were depending. On this account the different states were rivals for its friendship. Besides grain and fruit, the Byzantines were renowned for skill in curing fish; and their fisheries produced them great wealth.

Till the time of Philip, the father of Alexander, Macedonia had little connexion with the other states of Greece; but from that period, it came to be considered as an influential port. The Greeks, indeed, regarded the inhabitants as savages; and the latter could not look without jealousy on the foreigners, who came to settle on their native soil without their permission. It extended in Philip's time right across, from the Adriatic to the Black Sea. The soil was fruitful, and abounded in corn, wine, and oil, and it was very rich in mines of all kinds of metal. The most valuable and productive mine of gold was found in Mount Pangœus. Philip first drove the Athenians from this colony at the mouth of the Strymon, and then took possession of it himself--retaining the miners in his service. By working them skillfully, he made the mines so valuable, that he drew from them annually, says Diodorus, one thousand talents of gold. When the Romans afterwards reduced Macedonia, they forbade the inhabitants to work these mines, but permitted them to manufacture any other metal.

The island of Rhodes deserves our notice. The city itself was built on the east side of the island, after the designs of the architect

who built the Piraeus about a hundred years later. It possessed an excellent harbour; at the entrance were two rocks fifty feet apart, on these the famous Colossus was placed. The arsenals were well stocked and strongly defended,—its walls supported by towers, and the whole city presented a picture of wealth and magnificence. For a long time the Rhodians had applied to navigation, and were masters of the Mediterranean. Their maritime code was considered so good, that it became the standard for all the trading nations in that part of the world. As their commerce increased, they founded settlements in many places; at Parthenope, in Italy,-Agrizantum, in Sicily,-Rhodes, on the Spanish coast near the Pyrenees. Their vessels were celebrated for lightness and speed, the excellent discipline observed on board, and the professional skill of their captains and pilots.

Till the time of Alexander, the Rhodians enjoyed tranquillity—their wealth and commerce increased. They submitted to this conqueror without resistance, but as soon as he was dead, they asserted their independence. But a calamity awaited them; -a dreadful inundation swept away a greater part of the city. This misfortune seems to have encouraged them to attend still more diligently to commerce;-they soon rebuilt the city, and repaired their losses, maintaining a strict neutrality with other states, so that they were enabled to profit by every circumstance. But in the war between Antigonus and Ptolemy, the former insisted they should side with him,-this they declined;-and his fleet blockaded Rhodes. War was now inevitable, and great preparations were made on both sides. Antigonus committed the attack to his son Demetrius, with a fleet of 200 war-ships, 40,000 troops, and 1000 transports laden with all sorts of stores. The ships were manned principally by pirates and mercenaries, who hoped to partake in the plunder of the city. After a long and memorable siege, however, the valour of the inhabitants prevailed, and Demetrius was compelled to make peace with them.

They were after this involved in a war with the Byzantines. The latter had determined to lay a toll on ships trading to the Euxine, to defray a tribute which they were obliged to pay to the Greeks. Under these circumstances, the Rhodians, who were much aggrieved by this imposition, declared war; and after ravaging their coasts with a strong fleet, the Byzantines agreed to take off the toll. Their success in this war was counterbalanced by an earthquake, which threw down the Colossus, and destroyed the arsenal. But as they were much esteemed by their neighbours, with their assistance they soon recovered from their losses. Hiero, king Syracuse, exempted them from all duties; and Ptolemy gave them timber and supplies enough for one hundred ships. Other powers granted them equal privileges, and made them presents, so that it was not long before they recovered their former opulence. In the war with Philip of Macedonia, the Rhodians sided with Rome, and in conjunction with the fleets of their allies gained several victories over Philip. They had their usual success too, in a contest with Hannibal, part of whose fleet they captured, and blockaded the rest in the harbours of Pamphilia.

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