loved the world, as to give his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."--John iii. 16. In this way provision is made for pardon, sanctification, and hope of glory. Through the value of the atoning blood of Christ, as a satisfaction to divine justice, and by the influence of the Holy Spirit, as the fruit of it, promised in answer to prayer, the vilest sinner can be saved.

Hence, while the gospel reveals a pardon, it requires a great universal change of character-a change of heart-shown in repentance, faith, prayer, and holy love both to God and man. "Ye must be born again."-John iii. 7. Such a change is absolutely necessary; and, for this reason, it is declared, that "neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."-1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Eph. v. 5. All hopes of heaven, indulged without this great change, are deceiving and vain,— they will end in the bitterness of everlasting disappointment.

Now the question put to you, my friend, must be personal,-Have you, who now read this address, experienced such a change? or have you, up to this time, neglected the great salvation? Perhaps you have added to your neglect of God, mockery and scorn! Perhaps you have boasted of your impiety! If so, your state and prospects are most awful-you are ready to perish-you must cry for mercy-there is no time to lose. Let me, then, from these facts, plead with you, as you are a sailor :

1. Yours is a very dangerous calling. How many die by shipwreck and the various accidents connected with the water! The storm may scatter! The vessel may prove unsound! No voyage can be undertaken without exposure to danger and death. You know one leak can sink a vessel: know, also, that one sin, unpardoned, can destroy your soul!

2. The suddenness often of a sailor's death, should be considered by you. He may have no warning. However young--however strong, he sinks in the mighty deep, and is seen no more. If prepared, sudden death is sudden glory. But how dreadful to meet death-sudden death—amidst oaths, and drunkenness, and revelry! In this case, it is the gate, not of heaven, but of hell: and a death so sudden may be yours!

3. A sailor's life is subject to many disadvantages, in regard to the means of grace. This you should consider, to improve so much the more those means which you possess. You go from many local influences of a happy kind, from the ordinances of God's house,-from the society of relatives and friends who might watch over you, and you are probably exposed to the enticements or persecution of evil companions, whom you cannot escape. What need, then, of caution and prayer of remembering him who seeth in secret, and who will bring every secret work into judgment?-Eccles. xii. 14.

4. A sailor, however, may be happy indeed, if God be his friend— for God can always bear his cry: he has power to protect, and mercy to bless all his servants,- he can calm the raging sea,-he can deliver

in the time of peril, or he can receive the departing spirit of the dying seaman to himself. Religion can support the mind in all circumstances; it can give living hopes in dying moments.

May this happiness, my sailor friend, be yours! Consider its importance. The day will come-it may be near-when, if you have it not, you will be miserable, without hope: your sins will pierce your heart, depriving you of support, and filling you with terror, when wellfounded peace of mind will be most needed. O remember! the door of mercy is now open,-but it will soon be shut!

Now is the time! God lends his ear

And waits for your request;

Come, lest he rouse his wrath, and swear

You shall not see my rest.

Let these important truths influence you, whether you are young or old. They will make life's morning happy-its evening calm and peaceful. Tell others of these things; seek to save their souls from death, and your own will receive a greater blessing. Eternity is in prospect! Farewell-may we meet in heaven!

A FRIEND TO SAILORS.

THE BETHEL HOUR.

We presume it is not generally known, (though reference is made to it in the number for January,) that the hour from seven till eight on the first morning of every month, (called the BEthel hour,) is set apart for special prayer on behalf of seamen. How delightful the thought, that hundreds, both on sea and land, are engaged at the same moment in " prayer and supplication" on behalf of this blessed object! And who would not, if possible, engage in such an exercise? Now, to those friends who cannot devote a separate season, we would suggest the propriety of fixing on this hour for private or family devotion, and of giving special prominence to this particular subject.

Importunate, believing prayer, will not be offered in vain. Many are the delightful instances furnished in the Society's periodical, that it has not hitherto been in vain nor can it be, while the promises of God are on record. "If two of you shall agree as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Prove me, now, saith the Lord, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing."

Fellow Christians !-God himself urges you to this delightful duty: -promises relative to the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom urge it-the shortness of life and the certainty of death urge it--the incalculable value of immortal souls, and all that is solemn in eternity

urge it the personal happiness and benefit arising out of the exercise itself urge it. "Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence :" plead, Ŏ plead, on behalf of the poor sailor, exposed to storm and tempest, and to sudden death! Plead that his eyes may be opened to see his spiritual danger,-that his heart may be impressed,-that his soul may be saved,—that he may become a witness for God—a light shining on the dark ocean-a preacher of righteousness wherever he goes. There is a deep impression in the best quarters for observation, that the set time to favour "the dwellers on the deep" is near at hand. Do we not now see the dawning of that day? The delightful instance recorded in last month's magazine, of "one hundred, to one hundred and fifty English captains and sailors congregated, every sabbath morning and evening, to praise their God," if it stood alone, would be sufficient to encourage to great effort and believing prayer on their behalf. God hath already done great things whereof we are glad.

May the day not be distant, when "they that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof, shall sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth." We believe" the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto him, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

A FRIEND TO SAILORS.

THE SAILOR AND THE MINISTER.

The late Rev. Mr. Griffin was once preaching, when he used the expression, "the Deity." A sailor, rising from his place, raised his hand with a sign of deference, and said, "Please yonr reverence, do you mean God Almighty?" To which Mr. Griffin replied, "I do, my friend-I do mean God Almighty." Since that time,” added Mr. Griffin, "I have seldom used that word as descriptive of God, but have spoken of him in the terms and phraseology alone by which he is distinguished in the scriptures."

66

THE PIOUS HOME.

How beautiful is the pious home! Religion is there seen, perhaps in its beauty, rather than in its majesty; if not in its grandest outlines, in its nicest pencilings, and softest delineations; if not the throne, still the royal footstool. For though it well knows how to contend, it better loves repose. Like the petrel, it can breast the storm; but more truly resembles the halcyon, brooding in her calm. Here it is real. They who are around us, with a quick-sighted perception, feel it genuine. They behold it infusing itself into all the little acts of life, and filling up the scene. It is the domestic atmosphere which supports each breath -speeds each pulse-transmits each sound,-the soft transparence of every smile and tear,—the life of all!

CORRESPONDENCE.

CONDITION OF SHIPWRECKED SAILORS.

We invite special attention to the following communication from an old and brave veteran in the service of his country. The subject on which Major Dalzell has employed his pen, deserves the most serious consideration, both from the legislative body and the public at large. We have often wished that a separate fund could have been opened in connexion with the Sailors' Society, to aid the shipwrecked and distressed. The applications for relief in such circumstances are numerous. But let us hear the Major :

REV. AND DEAR SIR,-Having lately been in correspondence with our friend Capt. Sir J. N. Willoughby, I stated to him a few remarks relative to shipwrecked sailors, who have been the objects of my deepest sympathy, ever since leaving the service of my king and country, in the year 1824. All that such an obscure individual as I can do, in so important a case, will be of small avail; however, little as it may be, I am willing to do any thing that may tend to the removal of so disgraceful a stain from my beloved country, with the hope that some one, more fit in every respect, will be provoked by my folly to take it in hand.

Although I had not the honour of being a sailor, yet being intimately conversant with them when in the Royal Marine Service for nearly thirty years, (just about half of my life,) it affords me delight to learn that any thing is doing for the temporal, but more especially the spiritual benefit of sailors and soldiers. It rejoices my soul to hear from month to month, (by the Sailors' Magazine,) of the good work, which began after a long night of unfeeling neglect—still going on among sailors. May it go on!-yes, it shall go on, until the abundance of the seas be converted to Jehovah Jesus, our Saviour!

One of the greatest hinderances to the good work in which the British and Foreign Sailors' Society are engaged, is the wandering of sailors all over the country when shipwrecked. Can nothing be done to put an end to this great evil? What a disgrace to this great maritime nation, thus to neglect so important a part of her population, in the day of their most bitter calamity, leaving them to shift for themselves!

It is nearly two years since I submitted a plan to government, through a member of parliament, by which this evil might be remedied; the substance of it was, to stop a certain sum monthly from each class of sailors, according to their pay or wages, to provide a fund, to be placed at the disposal of the collectors of the customs at every port in the empire, to enable them to send shipwrecked sailors to their respective homes by the most direct route. Something in this way would put an end to what is so pernicious to sailors themselves-so great a disgrace to us as a nation, and prevent many an awful crime being laid to the charge of our brave and generous seamen by those wretched vagabonds who pass themselves off as shipwrecked sailors. Surely justice ought to be done to these most deserving

men, who, in providence, unavoidably suffer so much hardship from the very nature of their profession. I feel persuaded that no true British tar would object paying towards such a fund, thus giving him a right to be treated with that prompt humanity, which so deplorable a case requires, as that of the shipwrecked mariner. Surely every naval officer, especially, and their children should take up their cause, every one professing the feelings of humanity ought to do so,-above all, every patriot, (if there be such left among us, now that WILBERFORCE is no more) and every lover of his country, ought to come forward to do what he can to wipe out such a foul blot from his country's annals. Had my lot been cast in the great city-so long as life and the use of reason were given, those at the helm should have no rest till it was done away with.

You may make what use you please of this; and wishing every success to the important labours of your valuable society,—

I remain, Rev. and Dear Sir, most faithfully yours,

Glenae House, Oct. 15th, 1840.

D. DALZELL.

"CAN ENGLAND REFUSE?"

A Letter addressed to the Editor.

In a former number we inserted an appeal, under this designation, on behalf of our objects in general, but especially in favour of the erection of a Metropolitan Seamen's Chapel and Schools: and now we are happy to find that the subject has awakened the attention of some of our readers, as the following letter will show :—

"CAN ENGLAND REFUSE?" SIR,-She ought not, but answer to the spirited appeal made to her in the October Magazine. She may, however, do what I fear, --she may decline, and leave the work to others to effect it at a more distant time. When I see, in six months, not £600 raised towards the object in view—the erection of a Metropolitan Seamen's Chapel and Schools-I much fear it will be so. What then is to be done? "Take courage," and examine whether another course may not be adopted, equally effectual. The present temporary place is so very inadequate and expensive, that another must be obtained. But I am satisfied this may be done with the present sum of money in hand.

Sir,-Souls must not be left to perish for want of accommodation,-nor are we to tempt the Spirit of all grace, by waiting till we can build on freehold ground— and a splendid building. Where is our faith, and where our hope? Cannot our Father in heaven give to our children and grand-children wherewithal to complete what their parents undertook in faith to commence?

Sir, I am nearly fourscore years of age, and I have witnessed but too many failures in charitable societies, in connexion with efforts to build. I trust we shall not be swamped in this manner; and am, Sir, your humble servant,

A FRIEND TO SEAMEN.

October 14th, 1840.