FROM A SAILOR. Once on the raging seas I rode, The storm was loud-the night was dark; The wind, that toss'd my found'ring bark. Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem; It was the Star of Bethlehem. This is the experience of many a sin-burdened sailor; and is emphatically the experience of the writer of these lines. I had a praying mother!-and voyage after voyage brought me back to scenes of piety and deep-toned faith. But they brought me there only to interrupt and mar the joys of that peaceful breast. I was to her who bore me a grief; while her burdened soul in its agony would cry, "Lord, spare my erring son, and lead him to thy bleeding feet-save him from a watery grave, and his soul from eternal burnings!" And no doubt, while casting her care upon the Redeemer, she was led to feel that he cared for her. She would say to me when I left her, " My son, give God thy heart," in accents as tender as a mother's heart could speak; and bid me meet her in heaven, should we never meet again on earth. Often have I thought it would have been to me a source of unmingled joy could I have seen her before her departure, and heard from her lips the voice of maternal forgiveness; though this was denied, my sister told me, her last panting breath was spent in prayer for her wandering son; and her latest utterance, "All will be well with my child!" No doubt the Jordan was safely crossed, and He, who bought her with his own blood, received her to the saints' immortal home-the rest that remains for the people of God. Her son returned, and visited his mother's grave; he bathed it with his tears, while he felt in his soul the peace that Jesus gives. That peace he had found many months before while upon his knees, uttering the publican's prayer, when the dark forebodings of a troubled mind were lost in the hope of the mercy of God as it is in a crucified Redeemer. Ten years and more have fled away, and that hope is still as an anchor to his soul, both sure and steadfast; and he still hopes, through infinite mercy and rich grace, to meet his once praying, but now praising mother among the redeemed in the fair haven above. THE SAILORS' CHURCH. These verses, adapted to the locality of the Sailors' Church, have been copied from the Aberdeen Banner, and were originally the production of a Sailor. Ye Mariners, while safe on shore, In Wellclose Square our temple stands, This branch shall grow a fruitful tree, Oh, may thy faithful servants be No. 81 THE SAILORS' MAGAZINE. SEPTEMBER-MDCCCXLV. [NEW SERIES. Foreign and Domestic Entelligence. We have great pleasure in introducing to the notice of our readers the following letter, together with extracts from the report to which it alludes. What openings for usefulness among sailors are furnished to us by the extending commerce of our country. When will British Christians respond to the appeals made to them on behalf of these men in a manner proportionate to their claims? What might not be effected could we send to every port a faithful missionary, or render to every Seamen's Friend Society the aid they need. Calcutta, Union Chapel House, May 28th, 1845. TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY. Dear Sir, I have much pleasure in forwarding for your perusal and for the information of your committee, a copy of the Calcutta Christian Advocate containing the seventeenth report of the Calcutta Seamen's Friend Society. From that report you will be able to gather what we are doing in this, the capital of the East, for seamen. Our work is small compared with your's, though the field is large, but our means are limited. We could well employ two efficient seamen's missionaries, and put into circulation at least fifty more lending libraries, but we have not the means. Are you in a situation to help us, either by a grant of money, or books and tracts suited especially for seamen, or by a Bethel flag? Any or all of these would be acceptable; and if you can I am sure you will not fail to help us. We have here a Sailors' Home; and until recently we had a Temperance Sailors' Home. There are homes at Madras, Bombay, and Singapore. Seamen's Friend Societies at each of these ports. The Bethel flag has been hoisted, if societies have not been formed, at Macow, Hong Kong, Ning Po, Chusan, and Shanghai, in China. M I have just received papers from the Sandwich Islands, which report good progress among seamen in that part of the world. All this is cheering, and should lead us to thank God and take courage. Within my recollection how much has been effected for the temporal and spiritual welfare of sailors. Seamen's chapels, churches, homes, boarding-houses, societies, savings' banks, Bethel unions, &c., are to be found in every country; and yet how much remains to be done. How many thousands and thousands are yet without Christ in the world. I shall be happy to receive any pamphlets, reports, or magazines, of an interesting kind connected with your work. I will endeavour to reciprocate the favour, should any thing appear here interesting on the subject of sailors. Trusting that your work is prospering, with Christian salutations to yourself and the committee, I am, yours sincerely, Corresponding Secretary to the Calcutta Seamen's Friend Society. THE SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CALCUTTA SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY Was held at the Union Chapel, on Wednesday evening, the 14th of May. The meeting having commenced by singing, the Rev. J. Macdonald offered up prayer, and afterwards presided. The chairman having addressed the meeting, the secretary read the report, of which the following is the substance : The Committee of the Calcutta Seamen's Friend Society had hoped that the religious claims of seamen were well understood, and would have been generously responded to, by all classes in Calcutta specially, and North India generally, for all are under deep obligations to those who do business on the mighty waters. Many they have borne from the father-land in comparative poverty, and conveyed them back full of riches. In sickness, through their instrumentality, we are borne to the region where health floats on the breeze. Our children have they conveyed to a more genial clime for strength and education. The ship, like a thing of life, bounding over the ocean under their skilful direction, and the blessing of an all-wise Providence, bears to the arms of the expectant parent, the matured and hopeful child-to the future husband his loved one; to the desolate partner his renovated helpmeet. Letters, those links of friendship, works of art, science, morals and religion, news of every kind and degree from all parts of the world, pledges of social friendship, and tokens of commercial and political amity-all are under their influence borne to our shores, and without them what a land would this India be—its scorching sun would appear to burn more fiercely, and its pestilential plains seem yet more deadly. In the midst of all the delights of social life, let us never be unmindful of how much we owe to the sailor. Nor are these all the obligations under which we are laid to sailors; they toil and sweat to carry away to distant marts the rich produce of this country. To them are confided the immensely wealthy exports of this the metropolis of British India. Our princely merchants and their immense stores would be comparatively bound in fetters and irons, were it not for the sturdy sons of the ocean. Let the merchant then, in the midst of his gains, and in the hope of continued accessions, remember how much he is indebted to the sailor. Nor should the rulers of our country be careless in this matter, for they are a defence and bulwark to our colonies, as well as to the father-land, and are ever ready and able to maintain our rights on the ocean. The traveller, the man of science, the botanist, the mineralogist, the astronomer, all are laid under deep obligation to sailors. Let all such do their duty to the sailor. The Christian church, in its collective and especially in its missionary capacity, owes much to our seamen, both in the way of gratitude and responsibility; gratitude, for conveying to different parts of the world her heralds of salvation, responsibility, in looking well to this that they mar not by their guilty example the work of God in foreign lands. Let the church then remember her duty to sailors. The circumstances under which this brave and much neglected class of men confer these favours upon us in the prosecution of their duty, are such as to call for our sympathy and aid. A sailor's is a restless life, unfavourable to improvement or reflection-shut up in his floating home for more than two-thirds of his life, he has few opportunities for rational enjoyment or religious improvement. Associating only with his like, he naturally settles down into a limited if not low habit of thought and action, generous oft for want of a right knowledge of the value of that which he possesses; instinctively brave, unaccustomed to the ways of landsmen, with a determination, as he calls it, to enjoy life when he can, and with great physical energy,he is prepared when released from restraint, for every excess to which designing and guilty landsmen are prepared to tempt him. From boyhood accustomed to the same routine of active labour, and social deprivation at sea, and apparently pleasurable excitement on shore, he becomes the willing and passive dupe of one of the most wretched class of men which are to be found in the world-the crimps. - It is said that the sailor has in every port a home, but is it the home of friendship, rather is it not the home of the demon? Who are the first to welcome the sailor on every shore? Who appear to be anxious for his welfare and safety? Who profess to minister to his enjoyments? Who are the first on board to welcome him, and the last to bid him farewell? Who open their doors to him on shore? Who provide for him a home and food? Who obtain him a berth, or cash his notes? Whom does he know, and only know ashore, and hence only call his friend ?—Our rulers? Our merchants, our men of science, art, literature, our chaplains, ministers, missionaries? Comparatively few even of the latter, and of the former, alas none! Who then are the professed friends of the sailor in Calcutta? The crimps. Where do they take their dupes to? The punch house-the brothel-their way leads down to death. How do they shew their friendship? By inflicting robbery, ill-treatment, disease and often death. These dens of infamy, the punch houses, are filled with our brave seamen, lured to their abominations by the crimps. How few of them are seen in our places of worship, or in our resorts for rational amusement. Calcutta is preeminently guilty in the matter of crimping, and its effects are here more dire perhaps than in almost any other port in the world. Deeply and solemnly impressed with the wretched condition of seamen visiting the port of Calcutta, the committee of the Seamen's Friend Society have endeavoured for years past to the utmost of their ability to extend the blessings of religion to seamen of all classes and nations. For seventeen years the committee have prosecuted their arduous labours, preaching the gospel on board the floating chapel-visiting through their agency, since that agency was established, the ships in port, for the purpose of warning the guilty, reclaiming the erring, strengthening the weak, inspiring the dubious, and building up the man of God in his most holy faith. In the distribution of the holy scriptures and religious tracts in various languages, and the works of some of our best English authors, and in the formation and distribution of loan libraries, the committee have engaged to the extent of their pecuniary ability. The committee regret to state that though the Calcutta Seamen's Society is the only institution caring for the spiritual wants of the sailor in all northern India, its funds have always been sadly inadequate to the plans contemplated, and even not commensurate to sustain one floating chapel, one unordained agent, and the other very limited means for warning and saving the souls of seamen. From the vast resources of all classes in this city, the largest annual income of the society has not exceeded some four thousand rupees. A sum that has often been expended on one public entertainment. Nor as far as the recollection of the present Committee extends, can they remember one mercantile house subscribing to the society in its capacity of a firm, nor have our rulers, or those who move in the higher and more wealthy circles, except a solitary few who are forward in every good work, aided in the least degree, the committee in their efforts to reform and bless the sailor. Nor has the Christian church, either felt for or acted towards this too much neglected class of men. Some of the missionary body have cheerfully preached the gospel on board the floating chapel on Sabbath days, and without their services but little could have been done for the spiritual welfare of these men; but not one church, in its church capacity, has had a single collection in aid of the funds of the society, and what is to be feared, and this is the more lamentable, that these churches feel but comparatively little interest in the spiritual welfare of a class of men to whom all are under such deep obligation. Few ever ask concerning the progress of God amongst them; they obtain but little sympathy in our public services, The annual meetings of the society have generally bee n but indifferently attended, and during the last two years with an increased commerce in the port, and an increasing demand on their energies and funds, the committee have had to contend with a diminishing income. During the past year the agency has been sustained, and the committee hope not without the accompanying blessing of the Lord. Mr. R. W. Chill (the agent) in connexion with his other labours conducts the week-day evening service, and occasionally, when a minister cannot be obtained, officiates on the sabbath-day. The committee regret that Mr. Chill, owing to continued indisposition has not been enabled to prosecute his labours so regularly and devotedly as he could have desired. They are happy however to state, that in the midst of much weakness and always with a willing mind, when able, he has during the year visited 136 ships,— has distributed of the sacred scriptures, English Bibles 137, Swedish Bibles 2, English Testaments 80, Swedish Testaments 2, Italian Testament 1, Total 222; Prayer Books 3, English Tracts 3137. A CONVERTED SWEDISH SAILOR. The accompanying statement of the conversion of a Swedish sailor, forwarded by the agent of the society to the secretary of the Bible association, and printed in the last report of that institution, will be gratifying to those who have sympathy with the angels, who rejoice over one sinner that repenteth. My dear sir, I have to apologize for the delay in answering your letter of the 14th instant, conveying to me certain queries respecting the circulation of the Bible. Since my work is not among the native population, but seamen visiting the port of Calcutta, my first answer, and the other which I shall give to your other queries can have respect to them only. Ever since my becoming the agent to the Seamen's Friend Society, I know of only one instance of conversion from the simple and direct perusal of the word of God. A Swedish sailor who had come out here in an American ship, and who but a few weeks ago left this port, on his first arrival having learnt that I had given to another sailor, a countryman of his, a Swedish Testament, wrote the following letter to me, requesting that I would let him have a Bible. A CONVERTED SWede. To the Minister of the Seamen's Bethel. Dear sir,-Excuse me, if you can, for thus intruding upon your notice. I am a Swedish sailor on board of the American ship and am desirous of getting a Swedish Bible or Testament. I understand you gave one of my countrymen one two weeks ago, and I shall be happy to have you give me one if you can. Yours truly, I did so; and shortly afterwards he was taken severely ill, and was removed to Dr. Mitchell's hospital; where while reading the scriptures, a sin of a heinous |