been seeking thee these three years, but I have found thee this night, &c.' while others were crying to him that is able to save; but I believe the result of this meeting will only be known in the day of eternity. Praised be the Lord! By request of the friends present, another meeting of the same kind was held in the other Pool on the following evening, on board the Alexander, assisted by Captains Goodchild, Burn, Williams, and several others; a minister from the shore; also Messrs. Maddox and Waldon. It was said that upwards of fifty sailors were present. I was informed next morning, that one notorious swearing sailor returned to his ship to pray.

"We have had several of these meetings since, and have always found the presence of the Lord in them in a remarkable manner. I feel constrained to mention two, which we held on Wednesday and Thursday last. The first was held on board the Waterwitch, and was accompanied with an evident blessing of the Spirit of God. The cabin was crowded, and reminded me of the dedication of the Temple when the Divine presence filled the place. An appropriate address was given by Brother Waldon, from 'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out;' after which we went to prayer, when captains, mates, and even boys engaged. One sailor, evidently unaccustomed to prayer, gave vent to his troubled heart in these emphatic words: O Lord, I have sinned against you, but you have had mercy upon me many a time; do not let me go to hell when I die, for the sake of your dear Son Jesus Christ. One instance of mercy excelled all the rest, and concluded this blessed meeting: A captain having been in great distress of mind for several days, had not slept for three nights, and when he rose in the morning he was tempted to take a pistol and blow out his brains. He came to our meeting in the evening; and, while listening to the artless prayers of those who were, like himself, seeking mercy through the blood of the Cross, his hard heart was melted, and he broke forth into praise to Ilim who had delivered him from so great a death, and openly declared what the Lord had done for his soul; so this meeting concluded very reluctantly, and the same captain requested that the two flags might be hoisted again the following day on board his ship, which was done for the first time, and a meeting similar to the other succeeded. Thus I may say the Lord hath revived his work, and it is marvellous in our eyes: may He receive the praise, to whom alone it is due.

"I am happy to state, that during the last month I have been enabled to perform my labours as follows: I have obtained twenty-eight ships for Agents, visited about two hundreds ships on the river, also in the St. Katherine and London docks, canals, &c.; held sixteen services myself afloat, visited the boarding-houses and streets with tracts, and distributed 1,640 tracts; had the pleasure to dedicate three new ships to the Bethel cause. I would add, that I have obtained six ships for meetings held by Mr. English and others at Greenwich, and I believe they have engaged about as many more for themselves, and all of their meetings were well attended."

Scilly, North Shields, Appledore, and other reports, will appear in the PILOT for December.

DONATIONS, COLLECTIONS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS IN OCTOBER, 1837.

c. WOOD, PRINTER, POPPIN'S COURT, FLEET STREET.

OR

SAILORS' MAGAZINE.

NEW SERIES.

FOR DECEMBER, 1837.

SEAMEN IN THE ROYAL NAVY.

"BRITAIN'S GLORY," it is readily acknowledged, consists, in a high degree, in her numerous, skilful, and nobleminded seamen. Every thing, therefore, which can be done for them by the public, to promote their improvement and welfare, temporally and spiritually, they have an undoubted right to claim. And while the Patriots of Britain make it their frequent boast of our being a "Christian nation," whatever is possible to be effected for seamen should be done promptly and generously, to make them not only nominally but truly Christian.

Seamen in the Royal Navy of Great Britain labour under serious disadvantages in relation to their Christian privileges; and many feel deeply grieved on reflecting upon the peculiar circumstances of privation, and the serious abridgment of their religious liberty. We cannot, therefore, wonder at the appearance of the two remarkable letters, to which these observations are introductory, copied from recent numbers of the Patriot newspaper; or at the letter referred to in the Record newspaper: we rather feel surprised that there have not been more complaints of the evil lamented; as that grievance is a subject of heartfelt sorrow to pious officers in the navy. Many of our readers will perhaps be astonished to learn, that even captains in the Royal Navy are not permitted to circulate religious tracts or books of their own selection, among their crews, except such as have been approved by Dr. Cole-not even those of the Religious Tract Society: such, however, is the fact: and not many months ago we were informed of a captain of this excellent class, who found himself involved in serious difficulties, by the fact being reported to some in office, of his having provided certain other religious tracts for those under his command.

Pious captains and admirals in the Royal Navy should 2 G

VOL. IV.