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BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


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The  design  of  the  present  publication  is  to  exhibit 
the  most  important  facts  pertaining  to  the  work  of  evan- 
gelizing seamen.  Besides  awakening  in  the  benevolent 
public,  generally,  a  deeper  interest  in  behalf  of  this 
cause,  it  is  hoped,  especially,  to  aid  pastors  in  present- 
ing it  to  their  congregations,  and  to  enable  others 
"  who  have  a  mind  to  wwk  "  to  engage  in  it  intelli- 
gently and  effectively.  We  bespeak  from  all  who  love 
the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  a  perusal  of  these  pages, 
and  such  aid  in  promoting  this  much  needed  charity, 
as  its  intrinsic  importance  may  seem  to  them  to  de- 
mand. 


THE 


EMBRACING  THE 


HISTORY,  RESULTS,  AND  PRESENT  CONDITION, 


OF  THE 


EFFORTS  FOR  THE  MORAL  IMPROVEMENT  OF  SEAMEN: 


BY  ISRAEL  P.  WARREN, 

^£trctar2  o.f     Slmcrttan  Seaman's  ^limts  %Sititt]a. 


NEW  YORK: 

S.  Ilallet,  Printer,  No.  107  Fulton  Street 


THE  SEAMEN'S  CAUSE. 


.  CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY  EFFORTS  FOR  SEAMEN  IN  ENGLAND. 


FIRST  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 

The  first  organized  efibrts  for  the 
spiritual  improvement  of  seamen  date  ! 
from  the  year  1779.    At  that  time  a 
body  of  troops  was  stationed  in  Hyde  : 
Park,  London,  to  preserve  the  peace 
of  the  city,  which  was  endangered  by 
political  excitement.     The  state  of 
morals  among  these  troops  was  so  de- 
plorable as  to  awaken  the  solicitude 
of  some  benevolent  individuals  of  the  : 
metropolis,  and  lead  them  to  attempt  ! 
a  reform  in  the  camp  by  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  Scriptures.    These  efibrts 
resulted  in  the  organization,  in  1780, 
of  "  The  Bible  Society,"  the  first  ever 
formed  for  the  express  and  sole  pur- 
pose of  circulating  the  Bible.  The 
object  speedily  awakened  an  interest 
among  the  clergy  and  other  persons 
of  various  denominations,   and  dis- 
courses were  preached  in  many  places 
in  its  behalf.    The  first  of  these  was  : 
from  the  very  appropriate  and  signifi- 
cant text,  1  Samuel,  IV,  7 :  "  And  the 
Philistines  were  afraid,  for  they  said,  God 
is  come  into  the  camp.    And  they  said, 
woe  unto  us  !  for  there  hath  not  been  such 
a  thing  heretofore.'''^    The  design  of  the 
institution  was  soon  enlarged  to  em- 
brace the  seamen  in  the  "British  navy,  \ 
and  in  the  service  of  the  East  India  \ 
Company,  and  subsequently  all  fisher- 
men and  mariners ;  and  in  1804,  its 
designation  was  changed  to  "  The 


:  Naval  and  Military  Bible  Society,"  in 
consequence  of  the  organization  of 
"  The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety," which  occurred  that  year,  and 
which  undoubtedly  owes  its  parentage 
to  the  former.  It  is  a  very  interesting 
fact,  that  all  the  modern  enterprises  of 
the  church  for  the  diffusion  of  the  Word 
of  God,  had  their  foundation  in  this 
movement  in  behalf  of  those  two 
needy  classes  of  men — the  soldiers 
and  sailors  of  Great  Britain.  The 
Naval  and  Military  Bible  Society  has 
prosecuted  its  labors  with  a  good  de- 
gree of  efiiciency.  During  the  first 
sixty  years  of  its  existence,  it  distri- 
buted about  360,000  copies  of  the 
Scriptures.  It  has  ever  been  a  popular 
institution  among  the  higher  orders 
in  England,  including  the  officials  of 
both  the  army  and  navy. 

FIRST  PRAYER-MEETINGS  ON 
SHIPBOARD. 

Though  much  good  may  have  re- 
:  suited  from  this  early  movement  for 
I  supplying  sailors  with  the  Bible,  it  is 
:  manifest  that  it  must  have  been  alto- 
gether inadequate  to  meet  the  spirit- 
ual wants  of  this  rapidly  increasing 
:  body  of  men.  Nothing  of  consequence 
further,  however,  was  done  for  this 
object  till  1814.    In  that  year  com- 
menced a  series  of  efibrts  in  their  be- 
half, which  at  length  matured  into  the 
:  present  system  of  operations  for  sea- 


4  FIRST  PRATER  MEETING  OX  SHIPBOARD. — THE  BETHEL  FLAG. 


men  throughout  the  world.  The  in- 
strument raised  up  by  Providence  to 
begin  this  work,  was  very  humble  and 
is  little  known  to  fame,  but  deserves 
to  be  enrolled  with  the  name  of 
Howard  and  Raikes,  as  among  the 
chief  benefactors  of  the  race.  His  name 
was  Zebulox  Rogers.  He  was  a  shoe- 
maker in  slender  circumstances,  the 
son  of  a  coal-measurer  employed  on 
board  the  colliers  in  the  Thames.  The 
manner  in  which  he  was  first  led  to  ; 
engage  in  the  work  is  narrated  by 
himself  with  great  simplicity  and 
modesty,  as  follows  : — 

"  Having  had  to  labor  much  under 
strong  convictions  for  sin  during  some 
months,  and  but  little  attention  being 
paid  me  by  professing  christians  from 
that  day  to  the  present,  I  have  endea- 
vored to  assist  any  persons  I  saw  un- 
der similar  religious  impressions.  In 
1814, 1  beheld  a  person  weeping  under 
a  sermon  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Chapel  at  Silver  Street,  Rotherhithe. 
"When  the  service  was  concluded,  I 
went  to  the  chapel-door  and  spoke  to 
him  with  much  tenderness  and  sym- 
pathy, taking  him  by  the  hand.  I 
found  his  name  was  Captain  Simpson, 
of  the  Friendship  brig.  We  soon  be- 
came well  acquainted  together,  and  I 
took  him  to  our  class  meeting.  He 
came  on  shore,  and  inv'ted  me  on 
board  his  vessel  the  next  voyage.  I 
asked  him  if  he  thought  his  people 
would  come  into  the  cabin  and  let  me 
pray  with  them.  The  captain  said : 
'  Go  and  ask  them.'  I  went  to  the 
half-deck,  and  told  them  they  were  all 
wanted  in  the  cabin.  '  Cabin,  sir !'  : 
they  said  with  surprise.  '  Yes,  all  of 
you.'  They  all  came.  I  read  and 
prayed  with  them,  and  got  the  captain 
to  pray  also.  We  had  one  more  prayer 
meeting  that  voyage ;  and  the  next 
voyage  when  he  came  up  we  had  ano- 
ther. The  Hammond,  brig,  laid  at  the 
Friend-ship's  quarter,  and  the  captain 
invited  me  on  Ixjard  her  to  hold  a 
meeting.  From  that  time  I  went  on 
until  now." 

This  first  prayer  meeting  on  ship- 
board, wa«  held  on  the  22d  day  of 
June,  1814.  The  encouragement  af- 
forded by  the  fayorable  beginning  led 


I  to  similar  meetings  on  other  vessels, 
mostl}-  colliers  from  Shields  and  New- 
castle. Besides  the  Friendship  and 
the  Hammond,  there  were  the  Robert 
and  Margaret,  the  Amphitrite,  the 
Xeno,  and  the  John.  The  captains  of 
these  vessels  were  pious,  and  in  con- 
nection with  Mr.  Rogers,  held  gener- 
ally two  meetings  a  week  as  they  ar- 
rived in  the  river.  After  a  time  it  was 
proposed  to  extend  them  to  other  ves- 
:  sels,  wherever  a  permission  for  that 
purpose  could  be  obtained  from  their 
masters.  The  blessing  of  God  mani- 
festly rested  on  these  efforts,  and  they 
:  began  to  attract  the  notice  of  the 
public. 

The  Bethel  Flag. 
It  became  necessary  to  adopt  some 
signal  to  apprize  the  crews  in  the  river 
on  what  ship  the  meeting  was  to  be 
held  for  the  night.  During  the  win- 
ter of  1816-17,  a  lantern  was  hoisted 
:  at  mast-head  for  that  purpose.  As 
:  the  Spring  advanced,  and  tlie  hour  ap- 
pointed occurred  before  dark,  some 
other  signal  was  found  requisite.  Mr. 
Rogers  accordingly  devised  a  Flag, 
having  a  blue  ground,  with  the  word 
Bethel  in  the  center,  and  a  star  rising 
in  the  east,  in  red ;  and  the  first  one 
was  made  by  his  sister.  It  was  first 
hoisted  on  Sabbath  afternoon,  March 
23,  1817,  on  board  the  Zephyr,  Capt. 
Ilindhulph,  of  South  Shields.  To  this 
device  was  afterwards  added  a  dove 
with  an  olive  branch.  This  was  the 
origin  of  the  well-known  "  Bethel 
Flag,"  from  which  religious  meetings 
:  for  seamen  have  taken  the  name  of 
:  Bethel  meetings,  and  churches  and 
chapels  both  afloat  and  on  shore,  have 
been  called  Bethel  churches,  or  sim- 
ply  "Bethels."  The  appropriateness 
of  the  term  apparent  to  all ;  they 
are  truly  "  God's  houses,"  and  have, 
like  the  place  in  which  the  patriarch 
wrestled,  been  often  filled  with  the 
manifestations  of  Jehovah's  presence 
and  glory. 


REV.  G.  C.  SMITU.— FIRST  PREACHING  ON  SHIPBOARD. 


5 


REV.  G.   O.  SMITH. 

The  time  liad  now  arrived  when  this 
work  was  to  assume  far  greater  dimen- 
sions and  importance.  Intelligence  of 
these  meetings  was  received  by  the 
Rev.  George  C.  Smith,  a  Baptist  cler- 
gyman then  on  a  visit  to  London,  who 
took  occasion  to  attend  one  of  them, 
and  there  made  an  appointment  to 
preach  on  the  next  evening.  To  this 
gentleman  is  undoubtedly  to  be  attri- 
buted the  honor  of  having  done  more 
than  any  other  man  to  awaken  public 
attention  to  the  wants  of  seamen. 
While  Mr.  Rogers  should  be  regarded 
as  the  founder  of  the  enterprise,  and 
a  very  active  and  self-denying  laborer 
therein  for  many  years,  still  it  was 
mainly  due  to  the  talents,  the  elo- 
quence, and  the  unwearied  activity  of 
Mr.  Smith,  that  it  was  brought  promi- 
nently before  the  notice  of  the  chris- 
tian community,  and  at  length  caused 
to  take  its  place  among  the  organized 
and  systematic  charities  of  the  age. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  London,  in 
1782.  At  a  very  early  age  he  became 
fond  of  reading ;  and  a  residence  of 
two  years  in  the  shop  of  a  bookseller 
and  publisher,  afforded  him  abundant 
opportunities  for  gratifying  his  inclina- 
tion. .But  the  miscellaneous  charac- 
ter of  his  reading,  acting  upon  an 
excitable  temperament,  rendered  him 
dissatisfied  with  his  position.  About 
this  time  he  lost  his  pious  father,  and 
came  greatly  under  the  influence  of  a 
brother  who  was  a  sailor,  when  he 
imbibed  a  strong  passion  for  a  sea- 
faring life,  and  finally  prevailed  on  his 
mother  to  consent  to  his  going  to  sea. 
He  was  regularly  indentured  as  an 
apprentice  for  seven  years  to  Captain 
Clark,  of  the  Brig  Betsey,  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  and  sailed  for  Surinam.  On 
arriving  at  that  island  he  was  im- 
pressed into  the  British  man-of-war 
Scipio.  He  remained  in  the  naval  ser- 
vice several  years  and  became  an  un- 


I  der  officer  therein.  At  length,  how- 
ever,  he  was  hopefully  converted  to 

I  Christ,  and  abandoning  the  sea,  enter- 
ed into  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel, 

Iand  was  settled  among  the  Baptists 
in  Penzance,  Cornwall. 
FIRST  PREACHING  ON  SHIPBOARD. 
About  1809,  Mr.  Smith  turned  his 
attention  particularly  to  the  moral 
condition  of  the  seamen  in  the  British 
Navy,  impelled  thereto  by  his  recol- 
:  lections  of  the  frightful  immoralities 
which  he  had  witnessed  among  them. 
;  He  preached  to  them  at  Dr.  Rippon's 
:  Chapel,  in  London,  and  made  tours  for 

! preaching  in  the  open  air  along  the 
sea-coast  and  through  the  country, 
besides  distributing  Bibles  and  reli- 
gious tracts.    It  was  on  his  return 
from  an  extensive  journey  of  this  des- 
cription, in  1817,  that  he  heard  of  the 
prayer  meetings  on  the  Thames  under 
i  the  Bethel  Flag ;  and  determined  at 
I  once,  in  company  with  Mr.  Philips, 
I  with  whom  he  was  staying,  and  who 
had  become  greatly  interested  in  the 
\  work,  to  attend.    An  account  of  what 
I  followed  is  given  by  Mr.  S.  in  his  own 
I  words  : 

"  We  went  on  board  the  Zephyr, 
\  Captain  Hindhulph.  I  went  as  a  pri- 
I  vate  character,  and  had  much  conver- 
\  sation  with  the  pious  captain.  I  re- 
I  tired  to  a  corner  of  the  cabin;  it  was 
I  soon  filled  ;  and  I  heard  about  a  dozen 
>  sailors,  to  my  utter  astonishment, 
<  in  prayer,  while  Mr.  Z.  Rogers  con- 
l  ducted  the  meeting.  I  was  so  much 
affected,  and  so  determined  to  promote 
I  and  extend  this  work,  that  I  pressed 
I  to  the  cabin  table  and  addressed  the 
I  men  with  many  tears,  saying  that  I 
I  also  was  a  redeemed  sailor. 
I  "  After  prayer  I  proposed  preaching 
to  them  the  next  night,  which  I  did 
I  on  board  the  John,  Capt.  Robinson. 

I  afterwards  preached  to  hundreds  of 
\  souls  from  the  ships  and  the  shore. 

At  this  time  the  idea  occurred  to  me 
\  of  establishing  a  floating  chapel  on  the 
I  Thames,  and  for  two  months  after- 
!  wards  I  continued  to  preach  to  sailors, 


FLOATING  CHAPEL. — OTHER  LABORERS. 


and  to  advocate  a  floating  chapel  in 
all  parts  of  London.  In  all  these  labors 
I  was  greatly  assisted  by  Messrs. 
Philips,  Thompson  and  Collins,  of  the 
Tract  Societ}'. 

The  newspapers  took  up  the  sub- 
ject, and  called  the  public  attention  to 
aquatic  preaching,"  as  they  called  it, 
on  the  Thames.  The  Surveyor  Gene- 
ral of  the  Custom  House,  I  was  in  hopes 
would  have  assisted  me  in  the  floating 
chapel  project,  he  being  a  pious,  zeal- 
ous, and  well-informed  man,  with 
whom  I  was  well  acquainted,  but  his 
avocations  would  not  permit ;  but  he 
gave  me  much  useful  advice.  Mr. 
Philips  and  myself  being  shortly  after- 
wards in  America  Square,  we  called 
on  Mr.  R.  H.  Martyn,  ship-broker,  and 
I  told  him  of  my  preaching  on  the 
Thames.  He  objected  to  this  ;  and  I 
suggested  the  idea  of  a  ship  being 
bought  and  converted  into  a  chapel. 
This  he  said  was  feasible,  and  I  then 
laid  before  him  all  ni}^  proceedings  and 
plans.  He  advised  a  prospectus  and 
a  meeting  of  friends  for  a  Society.  I 
entreated  him  to  draw  up  the  pros- 
pectus, and  I  would  show  it  to  those 
friends  who  had  acted  with  me.  He 
agreed  to  this,  and  in  a  few  days  sent 
it  to  me.  I  consulted  Messrs.  Philips, 
Thompson,  Collins,  Anderson,  Cowell, 
Cox,  and  several  others  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  returned  it,  saying  it  met  my 
entire  approbation.  Arrangements 
were  now  made  that  Mr.  Martyn,  as- 
sisted by  Mr.  Philips,  should  bring 
some  friends  together  and  have  a  pre- 
liminary meeting ;  and  as  I  was  going 
to  leave  London  for  the  winter,  I 
should  write  a  tract  I'or  circulation, 
and  continue  to  forward  to  a  provi- 
sional committee  all  my  ideas  on  the 
subject.  Thus  the  work  advanced,  I 
wrote  "  The  British  Ark ;"  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn published  it  for  the  new  Society, 
and  distributed  it  as  a  ship  broker  in 
cofiee-houses  and  on  the  Exchange, 
and  in  every  direction.  He  also  wrote 
in  the  Public  Ledger,  and  brought  the 
first  meeting  together." 

The  preliminary  meeting  was  held 
February  15,  1818,  which  was  well 
attended,  and  £50  was  subscribed 
to  further  the  object  in  view.  Shortly 
after  a  ship  was  purchased,  for  a  float- 
ing chapel,  of  300  tons,  at  a  cost  of 


£700.  On  the  18th  of  March  the  gene- 
ral meeting  was  held  in  the  London 
Tavern,  and  "  The  Port  of  London 
Societ}^"  was  organized — the  first  ever 
formed  to  provide  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  for  seamen.  The  newly 
purchased  ship  was  visited,  and  Mr. 
Smith  oflered  the  first  prayer  in  it, 
and  called  on  the  shipwrights  to  join 
him  in  singing  the  doxology.  In  a 
few  weeks  she  was  launched  and  towed 
to  her  moorings,  with  very  great  joy, 
by  multitudes  who  thronged  to  see 
her ;  the  flags  in  the  river,  at  the  re- 
quest of  Mr.  Rogers,  flying  in  honor 
of  the  occasion.  Mr.  Smith  preached 
on  board  during  the  succeeding  year 
with  great  eloquence  and  success,  as- 
sisted occasionally  by  ministers  of 
other  denominations.  The  services  in 
the  chapel  were  crowded,  and  large 
numbers  gave  evidence  of  being  sav- 
ingly benefitted  by  them. 

OTHEIl  LABORERS. 

In  all  these  efforts  to  provide  for 
seamen  the  regular  ministrations  of 
the  Gospel,  Mr.  Smith  was  strenu- 
ously supported  by  Mr.  Rogers, — not 
so  much  by  pecuniary  aid,  or  by  per- 
sonal influence,  for  Mr.  R.  was  but  a 
plain  laboring  man,  but  by  his  untir- 
ing zeal  and  faithfulness  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  Bethel  prayer  meetings. 
There  were  others  also  who  efficient- 
ly co-operated  with  them.  Mr.  Jen- 
nings, a  merchant  of  Rotherhithe,  a 
Wesleyan  local  preacher  and  class 
leader,  built  in  his  garden  what  he 
called  "The  Temple,"  and  gathered 
in  there  large  numbers  of  sailors  for 
religious  instruction.  At  one  time  he 
had  as  many  as  125  who  were  mem- 
bers of  his  classes,  and  between  300 
and  400  children  in  his  Sabbath  School, 
which  was  wholly  sustained  at  his  own 
expense.  In  addition  to  these,  Capt. 
Simpson  of  the  Friendship,  on  board 
which  the  first  prayer  meeting  was) 
held,  and  Capt.  Hindhulph  of  the  Ze- 
phyr, and  others  were  zealous  and  de- 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES.     SUMilARY  OF  RESULTS, 


7 


voted  co-laborers  in  the  same  cause. 
All  these,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Smith,  were  Weslejan  Methodists. 
It  is  due  to  that  denomination  to  say 
that  this  work  in  behalf  of  seamen 
was  originated,  and  carried  on  for 
nearly  three  years  by  members  of 
that  church  alone. 

ORGANIZATION   OF  SOCIETIES. 

The  London  Port  Society  was  form- 
ed with  reference  to  the  wants  of 
sailors  on  the  Thames,  and  was  there- 
fore a  local  institution.  The  success 
of  its  efforts  induced  Mr.  Smith  to 
turn  his  attention  to  other  ports. — 
Through  his  influence  a  public  meeting 
was  held  Nov.  12,  1819,  Sir  George 
Keith  in  the  chair,  and  another  soci- 
ety organized  called  "The  Bethel 
Union  Society,"  which  in  addition  to 
the  maintenance  of  religious  meetings 
on  the  Thames,  established  a  corres- 
pondence with  other  local  societies 
which  Mr.  Smith  caused  to  be  formed 
in  various  ports  of  the  kingdom. 

In  1820,  Mr.  S.,  indefatigable  in  his 
labors  to  promote  the  welfare  of  sea- 
men, commenced  the  publication  of 
the  "  Sailor's  Magazine,"  (of  London). 
It  was  established  at  his  own  personal 
risk  as  to  its  support,  and  was  con- 
ducted with  great  energy  and  good 
success  for  seven  years ;  when  in  con- 
sequence of  some  matters  of  dispute 
he  relinquished  it,  and  began  in  place 
of  it  the  "New  Sailor's  Magazine." 
These  publications  were  eminently 
useful  in  awakening  a  general  interest 
in  the  cause  of  seamen,  and  engaging 
in  its  behalf  the  charities  of  the 
Christian  public  both  in  England  and 
America. 

In  1825  was  formed  the  "London 
Mariner's  Church,  and  Rivermen's 
Bethel  Union,"  the  immediate  object 
of  which  was,  to  provide  a  church  for 
seamen  on  shore,  especially  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Thames.  Hitherto 
all  the  establishments  in  their  behalf 
at  London  had  been  afloat,  and  along 


the  southern  shore  of  the  river.  The 
enterprise  was  highly  successful.  A 
church  edifice  was  procured  and  Mr. 
Smith  became  the  pastor.  This  church 
became  the  center  of  a  very  extensive 
system  of  labors,  including  Sunday 
Schools,  Bethel  prayer  meetings,  tract 
and  book  distributions,  publishing  of 
magazines,  and  open  air  preaching  on 
the  wharves,  through  all  the  quarters 
of  the  metropolis  frequented  by  sea- 
men. He  instituted  also  a  very  ex- 
tensive correspondence  with  other 
British  ports,  with  America,  India, 
and  elsewhere  throughout  the  world. 

The  two  first  mentioned  societies 
subsequently  united,  assuming  the 
joint  name  of  "  The  Port  of  London, 
and  Bethel  Union  Society."  The  lat- 
ter took  the  name  of  the  "  British  and 
Foreign  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  or 
Mariner's  Church  and  Rivermen's 
Bethel  Union." 

The  benevolent  efforts  thus  inaugu- 
rated in  behalf  of  this  long  neglected 
class  were  eminently  favored  of 
Heaven.  The  work  spread  into  all 
the  principal  ports  of  the  empire,  and 
was  every  where  attended  with  the 
divine  blessing.  Mr.  Smith,  in  a  very 
noble  and  eloquent  address  to  the 
King  in  1828,  petitioning  for  the  abro- 
gation of  an  order  then  recently  is- 
sued by  the  Lord  High  Admiral,  pro- 
hibiting the  free  circulation  of  relig- 
ious tracts  in  the  navy,  states  summar- 
ily the  results  at  that  time  secured  : 

"  A  signal  universally  recognised 
and  called  the  Bethel  Flag  now  in- 
vites our  sailors  to  divine  worship,  in 
almost  every  port  of  the  kingdom  and 
of  the  world.  Mariner's  Churches 
and  Floating  Chapels  are  springing  up 
in  all  directions  throughout  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  of 
America.  '  Numerous  stations  are  oc- 
cupied for  instructing  sailors  and  fish- 
ermen, and  watermen  ;  day  and  Sab- 
bath schools  are  established,  reading 
rooms  are  hired,  lending  libraries  are 
formed,  an  increased  number  of  pious 
agents  are  going  forth  who  are  mces- 


8 


EARLY  EFFORTS  IN  AMERICA.    BOSTON.    NEW  YORK. 


santly  laboring  to  promote  religion  I 
and  morality  among  our  marine  hosts.  < 
who  have  nothing  but  a  bare  mainte-  I 
nance  in  return.  Some  thousands  of  ^ 
sailors  have  been  savingly  converted  i 
to  God  ;  nearly  five  hundred  masters  I 
of  merchantmen  have  family  prayers  j 
on  board,  when  weather  will  permit ;  i 
and  I  have  seen  Admirals,  Captains  < 
Commanders  and  Lieutenants,  who  s 
are  now  become  decidedly  pious  char-  I 
acters,  and  anxious  for  the  spread  of  i 
the  Gospel.  Ardently  desirous  of  pro-  \ 
moting  the  salvation  of  sailors,  the  > 
British  and  Foreign  Seamen  and  Sol-  I 
dier's  Friend  Society  has  labored  in  < 
season  and  out  of  season ;  and  did  s 
your  Majesty  know  the  immense  dif-  > 
Acuities  it  has  had  to  encounter,  and  i 
the  waves  through  which  it  has  been  \ 
compelled  to  struggle,  from  adversa-  ^ 


j  ries — from  pretended  friends — from 

<  treachery — from  decided  opposition — 
I  from  want  of  adequate  funds — and 

!from  a  daily  demand  of  more  agents 
to  carry  on  the  work, — you  would 
stand  astonished  at  what  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  it  has  acomplished." 

I      It  may  well  be  doubted  whether 

I  any  of  the  great  enterprises  of  benev- 

t  olence  can  show  more  cheering  results 

>  in  so  brief  a  period  than  this;  especially 
\  in  view  of  the  smallness  of  its  resour- 
i  ces,  and  the  few  men  of  wealth  and 

>  influence  connected  with  it.  The  work 
I  in  its  commencement  and  progress 

<  was  visibly  of  the  Lord,  verifying  as 
}  of  old  that  it  was  wrought  "  not  by 
\  power  nor  by  might  but  by  His  Spirit." 


CHAP" 

EARLY  EFFORTS  FOR 

Although  the  Bethel  prayer  meet- 
ings on  the  Thames  which  commenced 
in  1814,  had  been  attended  with  much 
success,  yei  little  was  known  of  them 
abroad  ;  and  no  far  as  can  be  ascertain- 
ed, they  had  no  direct  agency  in  sug- 
gesting the  first  movements  for  sea- 
men in  this  country.  The  latter,  no 
less  than  the  former,  had  the  merit 
of  a  spontaneous  origin,  or  rather  they 
were  both  the  outgrowths  of  that  ex- 
panding spirit  of  active  benevolence 
which,  under  God,  was  then  begin- 
ning to  be  developed  throughout  the 
Christian  world. 

In  May,  1812,  a  society  was  formed 
in  Boston,  called  "  The  Boston  Society 
for  the  Religious  and  Moral  Improve- 
ment of  Seamen."  It  had  in  view 
principally,  the  publication  and  distri- 
bution of  religious  tracts,  and  the  es- 
lablihhmcnt  of  religious  worship  on 
btjard  vcKsels.  Practical  dilliculties, 
however,  were  found  in  the  accom- 


ER  II. 

SEAMEN  IN  AMERICA. 

plishment  of  this  work,  growing  in 
part  out  of  the  war  then  existing  with 
Great  Britain,  and  the  Society  soon 

;  suspended  operations. 

;  In  the  summer  of  181G  some  of  tho 

'  members  of  the  Brick  Presbyterian 

;  Church,  New  York,  Rev.  Dr.  Spring's, 

1  were  in  the  habit  of  holding  prayer 

'  meetings  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city, 

s  in  the  hope  of  benefiting  such  classes 

\  of  the  population  as  did  not  frequent 

?  public  worship.    Some  of  these  meet- 

l  ings  in  Water  Street  were  attended 

^  by  a  few  sailors,  and  other  persons 

s  connected  with  the  shipping.  This 

\  suggested  the  idea  of  appointing  a 

>  meeting  specifically  for  seamen,  and 

<  the  first  one  of  the  kind  was  held  in  a 

S  house  then  standing  at  the  corner  of 

\  Front  Street  and  Old  Slip.   The  nieet- 

j  ing  was  successful,  and  was  followed 

">  by  others  of  a  similar  character,  which 

d  awakened  a  considerable  interest,  and 

I  led  to  a  participation  therein  by  chris- 


MARINE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.     ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  N.  T.  PORT  SOCfETY. 


9 


tians  of  other  churches  and  denomi- 
nations. 

The  Rev.  Ward  Stafford,  was  at 
that  time  engaged  in  missionary  la- 
bors in  behalf  of  the  poor  in  the  city, 
and  entered  into  these  efforts  for  sea- 
men with  much  zeal.  In  December 
1816,  the  project  was  conceived  by 
him  of  erecting  a  church  for  mariners 
in  New  York,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  receive  donations  for 
that  purpose.  The  way  however  was 
not  then  prepared  for  so  considerable 
an  undertaking,  and  the  object  was 
for  a  time  postponed.  But  the  inter- 
est which  had  been  awakened  in  this 
class  of  men  was  not  suffered  to  sub- 
side. On  the  14th  of  March,  1817, 
"  The  Marine  Bible  Society  of  New 
York"  was  organized,  designed  to 
furnish  sailors  with  the  Scriptures ; 
and  Mr.  S.  was  largely  engaged  in  the 
formation  of  similar  institutions  in 
other  ports.  This  society  continued 
its  very  useful  eflbrts  for  many  years, 
until  it  was  merged  in  the  New 
York  Bible  Society,  auxiliary  to  the 
American  Bible  Society. 

FORMATION  OF  THE  N.  Y.  PORT  SOCIETY. 

In  the  spring  of  1818,  Mr.  Stafford 
renewed  his  project  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Mariner's  Church,  and  at 
his  instance  a  number  of  merchants 
and  shipmasters  held  a  preliminary 
meeting  to  consider  the  subject.  The 
record  of  that  meeting  is  of  sufficient 
interest  to  be  given  in  full : 

"  New  York,  16th  April,  1818. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  sundry  persons  at  the  house 
of  Jonathan  Little,  Esq.,  to  take  into  consider- 
ation the  expediency  and  importance  of  adopt- 
ing measures  for  erecting  a  building  fo^  the  gratu- 
itous preaching  of  the  gospel  to  that  long  neglected 
portion  of  our  citizens,  the  Seamen;  Jonathan 
Little,  Esq.,  was  appointed  chairman,  and  Rens- 
selaer Havens,  Secretary. 

Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  to  make  a  faith- 
ful elibrt  to  accomphsh  this  desirable  object. 

Resolved,  That  the  Rev,  Ward  Stafford  be  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  draft  an  address  on  the 
subject  to  be  distributed  throughout  the  city. 

Resolved,  That  Mr.  Lewis,  Editor  of  the  Com- 
merc.-al  Advertiser,  and  Mr.  Dwight,  Editor  of  the 


Daily  Advertiser,  be  requested  to  prepare  and  in- 
sert in  their  respoctive  papers  short  pieces  stating 
the  deplorable  condition  of  our  seamen,  and  iSie 
benefits  which  would  result  from  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  measure  now  proposed  ;  and  that  Jlr. 
Stafford  be  requested  to  prepare  similar  notices 
for  the  other  public  papers. 

Resolved,  That  this  meeting  adjourn  subject  to 
the  call  of  the  chairman." 

An  adjourned  meeting  was  held 
May  22,  when  Messrs.  Little,  Lock- 
wood,  De  Forest  and  Stafford,  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  digest  a  plan 
of  future  operations.  On  the  5th  of 
June  they  reported  a  constitution, 
which  was  ^.dopted  and  the  society 
organized  in  form,  by  the  name  of 
"  The  Society  for  promoting  the  Gos- 
pel among  seamen  in  the  Port  of  New 
York."  Mr.  Little  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent, and  He  man  Avenll,  Esq.,  Secre- 
tary. It  was  incorporated  by  an  Act 
of  the  Legislature  -of  New  York,  in 
April  1819. 

It  being  impossible  to  commence 
operations  iinniediately,  Mr.  Stafford 
M'as  temporarily  supported  by  appro- 
priations from  the,"  Marine  Missionary 
Society,"  to  preach  to  seamen  as  he 
might  find  opportunity.  Bis  first 
meeting  was  held  in  a  small  school 
room  in  James  Street.  In  DeceinbtTj 
the  new  society  engaged  "  the  upper 
room  in  Mr.  Lindon's  Academy  in 
Cherry  Street,"  as  a  place  of  worship, 
and  appointed  Mr.  Stafford  a  regular 
preacher.  This  room  was  capable  of 
accommodating  400  persons.  The  at- 
tendance was  good,  and  the  success  of 
the  effort  very  encouraging.  In  six 
months,  more  than  800  seamen  called 
on  Mr.  S.  for  religious  conversation, 
or  to  procure  Bibles  and  tracts.  Their 
language  and  conduct  evinced  that 
they  appreciated  in  a  good  degree  the 
efforts  which  were  made  in  their  be- 
half, and  in  some  iastances  pleasing 

\  evidence  was  given  of  saving  benefit 

<  having  been  received. 

FIRST   mariner's  CUURCU, 

I      Encouraged  by  this  success  the  Port 


10 


FIRST  mariner's  CHURCH.    NEW  YORK  BETHEL  UNION. 


Society  ventured  in  February  1819,  to 
purchase  the  land  on  which  to  erect 
a  church  edifice.  The  limited  state  of 
their  funds,  however,  and  the  difficul- 
ty of  obtaining  assistance,  delayed  the 
erection  of  the  building,  which  was 
not  completed  till  the  summer  of  the 
following  year,  the  foundation  having 
been  laid  October  4th,  1819. 

This  edifice,  the  first  Mariner'^ s  Church 
ever  erected^  was  situated  in  Roosevelt 
Street,  near  the  East  Riv%r.  It  was  of 
brick,  fifty-nine  by  fifty-eight  feet  di- 
mensions, with  galleries  and  a  base- 
ment, and  cost  with  the  land  sixteen 
thousand  dollars.  It  was  dedicated 
to  the  service  of  God  on  the  4th  of 
June  1820,  a  day  memorable  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  seamen's  cause  in  this  coun- 
try. On  that  occasion  was  presented 
the  novel  spectacle  of  the  union  of  dif- 
ferent denominations  in  the  service  of 
the  same  pulpit.  Rev.  J.  M.  Matthews 
of  the  Ref.  Dutch  Church,  Rev.  Law- 
rence Kean  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  performed  the  ded- 
ication services ;  and  ever  since,  there 
has  been  maintained  a  like  freedom 
from  sectarian  prejudices,  in  the  regu- . 
lar  ministrations  to  seamen.  Here  a 
true  Evangelical  Alliance  was  exhibit- 
ed, a  quarter  of  a  century  before  the 
more  pretentious  organization  under 
that  name  was  conceived  of. 

Rev.  Mr.  Stafibrd,  the  virtual  found- 
er of  this  institution  was  engaged  as 
the  first  preacher  and  pastor  to  sea- 
men, but  continued  only  till  the  No- 
vember following,  when  he  resigned; 
and  the  Society  depended  for  a  time 
on  voluntary  supplies  from  various 
dergymen  in  the  city. 

In  March,  1821,  an  engagement  was 
made  with  Rev.  Henry  Chasp:,  who 
was  then  acting  as  agent  for  a  Wes- 
leyan  Seminary  in  New  England,  to 
devote  a  portion  of  his  time  to  labors 


\  in  behalf  of  seamen.  He  visited  them 
at  their  boarding-houses,  distributed 
Bibles  and  tracts,  and  held  frequent 
religious  meetings,  besides  preaching 
occasionally  on  the  Sabbath.  But  it 
was  felt  that  these  services  were  not 
enough,  even  though  the  pulpit  was 
fully  supplied,  and  that  something 
like  a  pastoral  work  was  indispensable 
to  the  desired  measure  of  success. 
Accordingly,  in  January  1822,  the  So- 
ciety employed  in  this  capacity  Rev. 
John  Truair,  late  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y.. 
who  was  expected  also  to  labor  as  far 
as  practicable  in  raising  funds.  His 
salary  was  to  be  provided  for  by  an- 
nual subscriptions  by  the  friends  of 
the  cause.  He  continued  in  his  post 
■performing  his  double  duties  as  pas- 
tor and  soliciting  agent,  with  great  ac- 
ceptance till  August  1825. 

Meanwhile  the  Society  receiving 
aid  from  the  "  United  Domestic  Mis- 
sionary Society,"  engaged  in  1823,  the 
whole  time  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chase  as  mis- 
sionary to  seamen ;  and  after  the  dis- 
missal of  Mr.  Truair,  he  was  in  April 
1826,  appointed  to  succeed  him  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Mariner's  Church.  In  this 
capacity  he  served  through  a  long  and 
highly  useful  ministry  of  nearly  thiity- 
three  years,  and  died  at  an  advanced 
age,  July  7,  1853.  His  memory  is 
precious  to  thousands  of  seamen  who 
have  been  benefited  by  his  labors. 

NEW  YORK   BETHEL  UNION. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  preceding 
statement,  that  the  first  efforts  for  the 
benefit  of  seamen  in  this  country,  took 
a  somewhat  different  form  from  those 
in  Great  Britain.  Nevertheless,  the 
inherent  appropriateness  of  the  Bethel 
prayer  meetings,  and  the  reports  of 
their  great  usefulness  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic  awakened  a  strong 
desire  that  similar  measures  should 
be  adopted  here.    Inasmuch,  how- 


NEW  YORK  BETHEL  UNION.  BETHEL  MEETINGS.  11 


ever,  as  the  N.  Y.  Port  Society  was  ) 
created  for  the  specific  purpose  of 
maintaining  a  Mariner's  Church,  and 

was  necessarily  a  local  institution,  it  | 

was  judged  expedient  to  organize  ano-  < 
ther  association,  which,  while  acting 
in  union  with  the  former,  should  be 

distinct  from  it.  Accordingly  in  May  < 
1821,    "  The    New  York  Bethel 

Union"  was  formed,  with  Divie  Be-  | 
thune,  Esq.,  for  its  President,  and  Mr. 

Horace  Holden,  Secretaiy.    The  first  \ 

prayer  meeting  on  shipboard,  was  held  | 
June  22d,  an  interesting  account  of 
which  appeared  in  the  first  Report  of 

the  Union.  \ 

On  Friday,  the  22d  of  June,  1821,  for  the  first  | 

time  in  America,  the  Bethel  Fiag  (n  present  from  \ 

the  London  Bethel  Union  to  the  Port  of  NevvYork  | 

Society,)  was  hoisted  at  the  mast-head  of  the  ship  5 

Cadmus,  Capt.  Whitlock,  lying  at  the  Pine-street  i 

wharf.  < 

In  the  morning  of  the  day,  the  Committee  were  S 

apprehensive  that  they  should  have  no  hearers.  > 

The  experiment  here  was  novel — the  issue  was  by  j 

many  considered  doubtful.  They  were  told  by  sev-  I 

era!,  who  are  "  wise  in  worldly  matters,"  that  a  s 

guard  of  constables  would  be  necessary  to  preserve  I 

order.    At  first  it  was  thought  advisable  to  hold  | 

the  meetings  in  the  cabin,  to  prevent  the  possibility  I 

of  disturbance.    On  arriving  at  the  vessel,  the  deck  | 

was  found  cleared,  an  awning  stretched,  and  all  \ 

necessary  preparations  for  holding  the  meeting  > 

there.  At  8  o'clock  the  president  opened  the  meet-  < 

ing  by  stating  the  object  and  plans  of  the  society,  | 

and  inviting  the  co-operation  of  captains  and  their  \ 

crews  in  promoting  the  benevolent  designs  of  the  \ 

society.  j 

The  Mariners'  (107)  Psalm  was  sung  with  great  ( 

animation  and  feeling,  and  seamen  were  immediate-  \ 

ly  seen  pressing  in  from  all  quarters.  After  prayer  | 

from  an  aged  ^ea  captain,  (Capt.  C.  Prince)  Dr.  I 

Spring  addressed  the  seamen  :  other  exercises  fol-  ) 

lowed.  The  vessel  and  wharf  were  crowded — order  < 

and  solemnity  prevailed  throughout — every  ear  was  s 

open,  every  eye  was  fixed.  Tracts  were  distributed  ) 

among  the  seamen,  who  received  them  with  grati-  | 

tude.  Every  circumstance  was  calculated  to  inspire  I 

the  Board  with  courage  and  confidence  to  go  for-  < 

ward."  I 

This  very  auspicious  beginning  was 
followed  by  other  meetings  of  equal 

interest  through  the  summer  and  au-  ^ 

tumn.    Notices  of  two  or  three  of  | 

these  are  subjoined.  \ 

"  June  28.  This  evening  the  Bethel  praj'er  meet-  \ 

ing  was  held  on  board  the  schooner  Haxall,  Capt.  < 

Holmes,  at  Coffee  House  slip.    The  number  of  5 

hearers  assembled  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  and  < 


on  the  wharf,  probably  exceeded  200,  utnoii;^^  whoii* 
we  were  pleased  to  see  a  number  of  merchttHtf, 
whose  interest  for  the  welfare  of  seamen  wdl  sniuJy 
be  excited  and  increased  by  witnessing  these  sol- 
emn, orderly,  and  interesting  meetings. 

Capt.  Holmes  addressed  his  brother  comnnind- 
ers  on  the  duty  and  importance  of  assembling  their 
crews  both  morning  and  evening,  and  reading  t>» 
them  a  portion  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  engaging 
in  prayer  ;  or,  where  this  latter  exercise  was  dis- 
pensed with,  from  any  peculiar  inability,  the  nail- 
ing of  the  Scriptures  should  never  be  o?ni(ied- 
We  have  since  been  informed  of  two  captains  whc- 
had  never  attended  to  the  duties  urged  upon  them 
so  affjctionately  by  Capt.  H.,  in  the  address  i-.hova 
alluded  to,  that  assembled  their  crews  that  very 
night,  and,  for  the  first  time,  read  to  them-  a  «h«ip- 
ter  of  the  Bible  and  prayed  with  them.  Two  other 
captains,  we  have  been  told,  have  since  followedl 
this  excellent  example. 

This  day  a  large  Lantern  was  presented  to  the 
Bethel  Union  to  be  hoisted  at  the  mast-head  (  f  ves- 
sels as  anight  signal  for  Bethel  Prayer  Meetings. 

Friday,  July  13tli.  This  evening  we  had  a  Bethel 
meeting  on  board  the  English  brig  Cambria,  Capt. 
Jenkins.  I  cannot  describe  the  blessed  eflTects  this 
meeting  had  upon  all  present.  After  many  h\ni- 
dreds  were  collected,  it  seemed  the  Lord  enclosed 
us  in  on  every  side  :  he  made  a  hedge  around  us, 
so  that  Satan  could, not  come  near  us.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  brig  led  in  prayer,  and  made  a  beauti- 
ful exhortation.  The  exercises  were  r-&rf<J>»'ed 
principally  by  ship-masters.  Many  who  were  pre- 
sent, when  leaving  the  wharf,  said  to  each  other, 
it  was  good  to  be  there  !" 

Tuesday,  August  21st.  This  evening  the  Bethel 
meeting  was  held  on  board  the  United  States  74 
gun  ship  Franklin,  Commodore  Stewart, '.ying  oft 
the  Battery.  A  committee  of  the  "  Society  ibr  pro- 
moting the  Gospel  among  Seamen,'"  united  with  a 
committee  of  the  Bethel  Union,  in  an  application  to 
Commodore  Stewart  for  the  use  of  the  ship,  which 
was  cheerfully  granted,  and  barges  were  provided 
to  convey  to  the  ship  the  committees,  several  cler- 
gymen and  citizens  who,  with  officers,  marines  and 
seamen  attached  to  the  Franklin,  composed  a  con- 
gregation of  nearly  eight  hundred  persons.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Spring  opened  the  meetyig  with  prayer. 
The  Rev.  Joseph  Eastburn,  who  preached  to  the 
seamen  in  Philadelphia,  delivered  a  short,  but  most 
ap[>ropriate  discourse ;  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Stough- 
ton,  of  Philadelphia,  closed  the  exercises  with 
prayer  and  benediction.  The  utmost  decorum  and 
solemnity  prevailed  throughout  the  exercises. 
Many  of  the  seamen  came  up  to  Mr.  East  burn  be- 
fore he  left  the  ship,  and  thanked  him  in  affection- 
ate terms  for  the  'many  good  things  he  had  told 
them.'  " 

As  the  winter  approached,  and  it 
was  no  longer  convenient  to  hold 
meetings  on  shipboard,  the}^  were 
transferred  to  frivatc  houses  in  the 
city.  Thus,  alternately,  during  sum- 
mer and  winter,  these  most  interestr 


12 


C\TT.  C.  PKIXCc.     SKA.MEN'S  SAVINGS*  BANK.  PrCIJOATlONS. 


ing  services  were  continued  for  several 
years,  until  at  length  they  becaiue  so 
nearly  identical  with  those  held  at  the 
Mariner's  Church,  that  the  two  organ- 
izations seemed  no  longer  necessary ; 
and  the  Bethel  Union  was  disconti- 
nued. It  is,  perhaps,  not  too  much  to 
say,  that  no  association  of  so  humble 
pretensions  ever  did  more  to  confer 
saving  benefits  on  needy  souls,  and  to 
glorify  God,  than  the  New  York 
Bethel  Union  during  its  brief  exis- 
tence. 

CAPT.  C.  PRINCE. 

It  is  scarcely  proper  to  omit,  in  con- 
nection with  these  efforts,  a  distinct 
notice  of  one  of  the  most  devoted  and 
efficient  laborers  in  them — Captain 
Christopher  Prince.  He  commanded 
for  man}'  years  a  ship  in  the  merchant 
service ;  and,  possessing  a  warm  heart 
and  devoted  piety,  he  entered  into 
whatever  measures  promised  to  bene- 
fit seamen,  at  once  and  with  all  his 
soul.  He  was  especially  active  in  the 
Bethel  prayer  meetings,  where  his 
prayers  and  addresses  were  often  of 
the  most  impressive  character.  His 
stated  reports  of  these  meetings  which 
were  published,  and  from  which  the 
foregoing  extracts  are  taken,  show  at 
once  the  most  ardent  devotion  to  the 
work,  and  indastry  in  its  promotion. 
His  name  deserves  grateful  recollec- 
tion, as  one  of  the  earliest  and  most 
faithful  friends  of  the  sailor. 

j-eame/s  savings'  bank. 

The  first  practical  suggestion  of  a 
savings'  institution  for  seamen  seems 
to  have  been  made  by  the  Liverpool 
Bethel  Union,  which  took  measures  to 
establish  one  in  that  port  in  182.'.  A 
similar  measure  was  proposed  by  the 
i:..ard  of  the  New  York  Bethel  Union 
iir  their  anniversary  in  January,  1824; 
a,nd  waH  subsequently  laid  before  the 
New  York  Port  Society,  as  a  suitable 
agency  to  (levisc  and  carry  it  in*x) 
effect.    Thia  Society  appoinUjd  a  cori- 


i  mittee  to  act  on  the  suggestion.  Va- 
rious delays  were  experienced  in  ac- 

>  coinplishing  the  object, and  committees 

I  were  from  time  to  time  appointed  till 

I  February,  1820,  when  a  charter  was 

I  obtained  from  the  Legislature,  and  the 

\  present  Seamen's  Saving  Bank  went 

\  into  operation  May  11th  of  that  year. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

I  It  was  early  felt  that  some  channel 
was  needed  through  which  to  commu- 
nicate with  the  public  in  relation  to 
the  work  undertaken  for  the  benefit 
of  seamen.    Arrangements  were  ac- 

;  cordingly  made  in  May,  1821,  by  the 
New  York  Port  Society  with  the  pub- 
lishers of  the  "Christian  Herald,"  a 
monthly  religious  magazine,  for  a  de- 

:  partment  in  that  work  to  be  called  the 
"  Seamen's  Magazine,"  filling  eight 
pages.  This  was  continued  three  or 
four  years,    ^'he  New  York  Bethel 

:  Union  also  commenced  in  January, 

:  1823,  a  little  four  page  octavo  monthly 
sheet,  called  the  "  Bethel  Union  Mes- 

;  senger,"  which  the  next  year  was  en- 
larged to  sixteen  pages,  and  named  the 
"  American  Sailor's  Magazine,  and 
Bethel  Union  Messenger."    In  1825, 

ithe  two  above  Spcieties  united  in  pub- 
lishing a  weekly  paper  of  eiglit  pages 
octavo,  named  the  "  Mariner's  Maga- 
zine," of  which  Kev.  Mr.  Truair  was 
editor.  None  of  these  works  was  of 
\  long  continuance.  The  latter  ceased 
with  the  dismission  of  Mr.  T.  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Mariner's  Church;  and  no 
permanent  publication  was  issued  till 
'  the  commencement  of  the  "  Sailor's 
Magazine."  in  1828,  by  the  American 
Seamen's  Friend  Society. 

p:auly  operations  in  otiiek  pouts. 
While  these  movements  in  behalf 
of  seamen  in  New  York  were  in  pro- 
gress, similar  ellbrts  were  also  begun 
in  other  ports.  Boston,  as  alr  eady  in- 
timated, enjoys  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  in  the  world  to  organize  an  asso- 
ciation for  this  purpose,  as  early  as 


OPERATIONS  IN  VARIOUS  PORTS.    HISTORY  A.  S.  F.  SOCIETY. 


13 


1812.  It  was  not  till  1816,  however, 
that  anything  effective  was  accom- 
plished. A  Society  was  then  formed 
which  soon  after  employed  Rev.  Mr. 
Jenks  as  preacher  to  seamen.  A  sim- 
ilar movement  took  place  in  Charles- 
ton in  1819,  another  in  Philadelphia 
in  the  same  year,  also  at  Savannah, 
1821,  Portland  and  New  Orleans,  1823, 
New  Bedford,  1825,  and  at  other  im- 
portant ports  about  the  same  time. 
The  general  character  of  these  opera- 
tions was  much  hke  that  of  those  in 
New  York.  Local  Port  Societies  were 
formed  to  establish  Mariner's  Churches, 
Bethel  Unions  to  conduct  the  Bethel 
prayer  meetings.  Marine  Bible  Socie- 
ties to  provide  the  Scriptures  for  sea- 
men, &c.  The  following  is  a  tabular 
view  of  some  of  the  earliest  of  the 
Mariner's  Churches,  with  the  time  of 
their  establishment,  and  the  names  of 
ministers  in  1831  : 

New  York,         1820,   Rev.  Henry  Chase. 
Boston,  1823,      "   W«l  Jenks,  D.  D.* 

Charleston,        1823,      "   Joseph  Brown. 

*  Ceased  in  1826  to  be  a  Seamen's  church 


Philadelphia,  1824,  Rev.  A.  H.  Dashiell. 

London,  (Eng.)  1825,  "  G.  C.  Smith. 

Baltimore,  1826,  "  Stephen  Williams. 

Boston,  (Meth.)  1828,  E.T.Taylor. 

Portland,  1829,  «  Robert  Blake. 

New  Orleans,  1829,  '*  G-ordon  Winslow. 

Boston,  (Mar.  C.)  1830,  "  J.  Greenleaf. 

From  the  "  Mariner's  Magazine"  for 
1825,  we  learn,  that  there  were  then 
in  existence  70  Bethel  Unions,  33  Ma- 
rine Bible  Societies,  and  15  Churches 
and  Floating  Chapels  for  the  benefit  of 
seamen ;  the  Bethel  Flag  had  circum- 
navigated the  globe ;  thousands  of 
sailors  had  been  hopefully  converted  ; 
and  the  cause  had  come  to  be  recog- 
nized as  among  the  important  and 
most  successful  charities  of  the  day. 

The  period  had  now  arrived  when 
the  work  in  this  country  was  to  take 
a  more  general  character,  and  prepa- 
rations were  to  be  made  to  supply  the 
means  of  grace  to  our  seamen  in  fo- 
reign ports.  To  efiiect  these  objects 
the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society 
was  organized;  the  history  of  which 
it  is  proposed  to  sketch  briefly  in  the 
next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  III. 

fflSTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  SEAMEN'S  FRIEND  SOCIETY. 


The  honor  of  originating  this  Insti- 
tution is  due,  chiefly,  to  the  Rev.  John 
Truair.  He  had  been  pastor  of  the 
Mariner's  Church  in  New  York  for 
three  and  a  half  years  preceding  Aug. 
1825,  and  during  the  latter  year  had 
conducted  the  "  Mariner's  Magazine." 
In  an  editorial  article  under  date  of 
July  23d,  the  first  suggestion,  so  far 
as  we  can  learn,  of  a  general  Society 
for  the  welfare  of  seamen,  appeared: — 
which,  since  it  is  interesting  to  see  in 
what  shape  precisely  a  new  enterprise 
of  benevolence  which  afterwards  at- 


tained dimensions  of  importance  first 
presented  itself,  is  worthy  of  preser- 
vation. After  alluding  to  the  other 
great  enterprises  then  being  under- 
taken for  the  advancement  of  Christ's 
cause  he  remarks : 

"  But  these  are  not  the  only  efforts  of  Christian 
beneficeace.  While  this  splendid  machinery  is 
extending  the  means  of  salvation  to  heathen 
tribes,  while  so  many  of  the  benevolent  and  zoa- 
lous  are  consecrating  their  e.nergies  and  their  re- 
sources to  extend  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  ta 
foreign  shores,  it  is  consoling  to  observe  that  a 
tender  and  tapulsive  concern  is  beginning  to 
operate  in  behalf  of  seamen.  In  many  of  our  sea- 
ports, societies  have  been  formed  under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  feeling,  and  suflftcient  has  already  been 


14 


ORGANIZATION*.     REV.  J.  TKUAIR. 


done  to  prove  their  utility  and  importance.  They 
are  yet  however  in  comparative  infancy,  and  have 
hitherto  derived  no  support  from  the  aids  which 
have  given  strength  and  influence  to  their  great 
contemporaries.  Few  in  number  and  feeble  in 
strength,  they  have  been  nearly  overlooked  amid 
the  splendor  and  interest  ol"  these  more  conspicu- 
ous operations.  Thus  circumscribed  in  their  means, 
and  without  concert  of  action,  their  usefulness  must 
continue  proportionably  limited.  With  no  certain 
or  legitimate  means  of  support,  and  depending  up- 
on  the  precarious  bounty  of  comparatively  a  few 
individuals,  (for  the  Christian  public  is  not  yet 
awake  to  the  importance  of  this  cause,)  these  So- 
cieties, which  are  undeniably  among  the  most  im- 
portant institutions  of  this  age  of  benevolence, 
must  decline,  and  would  probably  soon  become 
merely  nominal. 

"  In  seeking  for  some  means  to  prevent  such  a 
result  and  to  extend  the  usefulness  of  these  valua- 
ble associations,  we  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  a  general  union,  on  the  principle  of  the  Bible, 
Tract,  and  other  contemporaneous  institutions, 
would  secure  the  desired  object;  thus  producing  a 
concentration  of  effort,  and  a  unity  of  action  as 
well  as  of  design.  It  can  not  be  necessary  to 
dwell  upon  the  benefits  of  such  a  union,  as  they 
have  already  been  conclusively  demonstrated  in 
the  experience  of  other  societies.  It  is  our  object 
at  this  time  merely  to  throw  out  the  suggestion  in 
the  hope  that  the  friends  of  the  cause  generally, 
together  with  our  editorial  brethren,  will  take  it 
kito  consideration,  and  give  us  an  expression  of 
opinion  on  the  subject  The  plan  has  been  suc- 
cessfully tried  by  the  friends  of  seamen  in  England, 
atid  we  can  see  no  reason  why  we  can  not  have  an 
^'American  Seamen's  Friend  Society  and  Bethel 
Union." 

This  suggestion  was  favorably  re- 
ceived by  the  friends  of  seamen  gene- 
rally. In  September  following  a  com- 
munication appeared  in  the  same  pub- 
lication, signed  by  om  hundred  and 
fourteen  masters  and  mates  of  vessels, 
expressing  a  deep  interest  in  the  pro- 
motion of  morality  and  religion  among 
sailors,  and  a  hope  that  the  project 
of  a  National  Society,  on  the  principles 
of  the  other  general  institutions  of  be- 
nevolence in  this  country,  would  be 
carried  into  eflect.  The  plan  having 
also  been  recommended  by  others  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  a  public 
meeting  was  held  on  the  25th  Octo- 
ber to  take  action  in  the  premises. — 
The  official  record  of  said  meeting  is 
as  follows : 

"  At  a  large  and  respectable  meeting  of  the  citi- 
i4:ut  of  New  York  held  at  the  City  Hotel  on  Tues- 


day evening  the  25th  inst.  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ing into  consideration  the  propriety  of  adopting 
measures  preparatory  to  the  formation  ot  an  Amer- 
Seamen's  Friend  Society,  pursuant  to  public  no- 
tice, the  Hon.  Smith  Thompson*  was  called  to 
the  chair  and  Johk  R.  Hurd  appointed  Secretary. 
The  object  of  the  meeting  having  been  stated,  and 
several  letters  from  different  persons  in  some  of 
the  seaports  cordially  approbating  the  design,  be- 
ing read,  the  following  resolutions  were  unanimous- 
ly adopted. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  JIacauley  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  seconded  by  the  Rev,  C.  Gr.  Somers 
of  the  Baptist  Church, 

Resolved,  That  this  meeting  would  regard  with 
peculiar  interest  the  formation  of  a  National  Sea- 
men's Friend  Society  to  have  the  seat  of  its  opera- 
tions in  the  City  of  New  York ;  and  that  we  pledge 
ourselves  to  do  all  in  our  power  to  promote  the 
highest  prosperity,  and  the  most  extensive  useful- 
ness of  such  an  institution. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  McMurray,  D.  D.,  of 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  seconded  by  the 
Rev.  Nathan  Bangs,  D.  D.,  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church, 

Resolved,  That  the  Christian  public  be  invited  to 
co-operate  with  us  in  the  formation  of  such  an  in- 
stitution. 

On  motion  of  Captain  Brown,  of  the  U.  S.  Reve- 
nue Cutter,  seconded  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Morti- 
mer of  the  Moravian  Church, 

Resolved,  That  the  following  gentlemen,  to  wit : 
Hon.  Smith  Thompson,  Richard  Varick,  Theodore 
Dwight,  Wm.  W.  Woolsey,  Rev.  John  Truair, 
Francis  Hall,  Rensselear  Havens,  Ntyah  Taylor, 
Samuel  Candler,  R.  Brumley,  D.  W.  C.  Olyphant, 
R.  M.  Blatchford,  John  B.  Yates,  George  Douglass, 
Jeremiah  Taylor,  John  R.  Hurd,  Anson  G-.  Phelps, 
and  Silas  Holmes,  Esquires,  be  a  committee  to 
carry  into  eflect  the  views  of  this  meeting. 

Agreeably  to  the  arrangements  of  the  meeting,  a 
collection  was  then  made  to  de'ray  the  expenses 
of  the  committee  in  the  prosecution  of  the  object 
of  their  appointment,  which  amounted  to  thirty-five 
dollars. 

The  thanks  of  the  meeting  being  votedl  to  Mr. 
Jennings  for  the  use  of  the  room,  a  motion  to  ad- 
journ was  moved  and  carried. 

Smith  Thompson,  Chairman. 

John  R.  Hcbd,  Secretary." 

The  adjourned  meeting  was  held 
Jan.  11, 1826,  when  a  constitution  was 
adopted  and  officers  chosen. 

Rev.  Mr.  Truair  was  employed  as 
tlje  Agent  of  the  Society.  He  visited 
some  of  the  southern  ports,  collected 
some  funds,  and  prepared,  published, 
and  circulated  a  highly  animated  "  Call 
from  the  Ocean  "  in  behalf  of  long  ne- 
glected seamen.  This  powerful  ad- 
dress excited  in  the  minds  of  many  a 


*  Then  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  U.  S. 


4 

OFFICERS.     OPERATIONS  OF  THE  IST  YEAR.  15 


new  interest  in  this  class  of  men,  and 
a  strong  desire  to  rescue  them  from 
their  slavery  to  oppressive  landlords 
and  vile  companions.  But  at  this  time 
the  attention  of  the  christian  public 
was  much  occupied  by  other  subjects 
of  interest  and  there  seemed  no  room 
to  obtrude  the  claims  of  the  sailor 
successfully  upon  their  regard.  A 
small  number  of  individuals  retained 
the  form  of  the  Society,  hoping  to  re- 
susciate  it  at  a  favorable  opportunity. 

In  May,  1828,  a  new  organization 
took  place  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  ; 
an  Executive  Committee  was  appoint- 
ed and  a  determination  was  formed  to 
commence  the  work  in  behalf  of  sea- 
men without  delay.    The  officers  of 
the  Society  elected  at  this  time  were 
the  following : 
Hon.  Smith  Thompson,  President. 
Rev.  Chas.  P.  M'llvaine,  Cor.  Secy. 
Philip  Flagler,  Rec.  " 

Silas  Holmes,  Treasurer. 
Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,      Gen'l.  Ag't. 
Executive  Committee, 

Rev.  John  C.  Brigham, 

Rev.  C.  P.  Mcllvaine, 

Silas  Holmes, 

Reuben  Brumley, 

Rev.  J.  Leavitt, 

Timothy  D.  Williams, 

John  Wheelwright, 

Philip  Flagler, 

Jeremiah  H.  Taylor. 
Thus  through  great  exertions  was 
born  into  the  family  of  American  gen- 
eral charities  an  institution  which  if 
not  boasting  so  much  eclat  as  some,  has 
at  least  the  honor  of  supplying  a  va- 
cancy which  no  other  does.  It  is  the 
only  society  in  this  country  which  la- 
bors directly  for  the  benefit  of  Amer- 
ican seamen  away  from  our  shores. — 
Local  societies  are  sustaining  various 
efforts  in  their  behalf  at  home,  and 
some  other  institutions  extend  inci- 
dental aid  to  them  abroad,  but  the 
American  Seamen's  Friend  Society 


^  alone,  sustains  establishments  for  the 

^  spiritual  welfare  of  our  seamen  in 

•)  other  lands.    It  is  the  intermediate 

I  link  between  the  Foreign  and  Home 

\  missionary  work  of  the  Church,  bind- 

\  ing  the  two  in  one  chain  of  co-ope- 

\  rative  fellowship  through  which  the 

I  gospel  encircles  the  world. 

]         OPERATIONS  OF  THE  FIRST  YEAR,  EXD- 
\  ING  MAY,  1829. 

Sailor's  Magazine.    The  first  ob- 
ject to  which  the  attention  of  the  So- 
I  ciety  was  directed,  was  the  establish- 
ment of  a  permanent  publication  which 
should  bring  the  enterprize  they  had 

>  undertaken  before  the  community, 
I  and  awaken  a  deeper  and  more  gene- 
I  ral  interest  both  in  it,  and  in  the  con- 
I  dition  and  wants  of  seamen.    At  the 

<  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee 
I  on  the  14th  of  July,  it  was  resolved  to 
J  establish  a  Monthly  Magazine  of  32 

pages,  similar  in  character  to  the  Lon- 
s  don  Sailor's  Magazine ;  and  Rev.  Messrs. 

Brigham,  Mc  Ilvaine  and  J.  Brown, 
\  were  appointed  a  committee  to  issue 
the  first  number.  This  appeared  in  Sep- 
s  tember,  and  the  work  has  been  conti- 
nued without  interruption  to  the  pre- 
sent time.    Probably  no  other  agency 
\  has  done  so  much  to  advance  the  ob- 
I  jects  of  the  undertaking,  and  kindle 

<  through  the  country  at  large  an  inter- 
\  est  in  the  cause,  as  the  Sailor^s  Maga- 
zine, now  entered  on  its  thirtieth  an- 

\  nual  volume. 

<  General  Agent.  Upon  the  reor- 
\  ganization  of  the  Society  in  May,  the 
\  Rev.  Joseph  Brown,  the  Seamen's 
I  preacher  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  was  en- 

>  gaged  for  a  few  months  as  Agent.  He 
labored  \5ery  assiduously  in  the  cause, 

I  visited  several  places,  and  exerted 

I  himself  to  awaken  the  benevolent  to 

\.  do  something  for  the  sailor.  At  the 

;  expiration  of  his  appointment,  the  So- 

:  ciety  made  choice  of  Rev.  Joshua 

:|  Leavitt,  then  pastor  of  the  church  in 


16  FOREIGN  CHAPLAINS.     SECOND  YEAR. 


Stratford,  Conn.,  as  the  General  Agent. 
He  continued  to  act  in  this  capacity- 
till  December,  1832 ;  and  to  his  energy 
and  industry  are  the  Society  largely 
indebted  for  bringing  them  through 
the  difficulties  of  the  infant  enterprise, 
and  placing  it  on  a  footing  of  stability 
and  prosperity. 

Foreign  Chaplains.  It  was  one  of 
the  leading  objects  of  this  Society  to 
institute  agencies  in  foreign  ports  for 
the  benefit  of  our  seamen  there,  and 
next  after  the  establishment  of  the  Ma- 
gazine it  was  the  first  loork  undertaken 
to  be  done.  In  December,  1828,  the 
Executive  Committee  having  received 
several  communications  on  the  subject, 
opened  a  correspondence  with  the  Se- 
cretary of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  which 
led  to  a  determination  to  send  a  chap- 
lain *as  soon  as  possible  to  Canton.  The 
following  resolutions  adopted  in  Feb- 
ruary ensuing,  present  the  views  of 
the  Committee  at  that  time  upon  the 
general  subject. 

"  The  Executive  Committee  of  the  American 
Seamen's  Friend  Society  have  recently  adopted 
tlio  following  resolutions  as  a  sort  of  general  ex- 
pression of  their  plans  and  determinations. 

1.  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  Com- 
mUtec  the  shortness  of  the  time  that  sailors  remaii. 
at  home,  and  their  unrestrained  exposure  to  temp- 
tation while  in  our  ports,  forbid  the  hope  of  a  very 
general  reformation  among  them  by  means  of  do" 
mestic  operations  alone. 

2.  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  American 
Seamen's  Friend  Society  to  adopt  measures  for 
exciting  and  combining  the  exertions  of  pious  sea- 
faring men  of  all  ranks  to  extend  the  influence  of 
Christian  worship  and  instruction  on  board  of  all 
vessels  at  sea. 

3.  Resolved,  That  it  ia  the  appropriate  province 
of  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  to  insti- 
tute missiooR,  and  send  out  sea  missionaries  to 
those  principal  foreign  ports,  frequented  by  Ameri- 
can seamen,  which  are  not  furnished  with  gospel 
institutions  accessibfe  to  our  sea-faring  brethrea 

4.  Resolved,  That  relying  upon  the  blessing  of 
God  and  upon  the  support  ol  our  lellow  Christians, 
the  Cornmiiiee  are  determined  to  institute  a  sea- 
Bo's-sion  among  some  of  the  Spanish- American 
ports,  and  another  in  the  port  of  Canton  in  China, 
and  others  in  other  ports,  as  soon  as  suitable  per- 
Wins  can  be  found  to  occupy  those  stations,  and 
the  neccKsary  funds  shall  bo  provi-'.ed. 

5.  Resolved,  That  tiio  Executive  Committee  res- 
pectfully and  earnestly  invite  the  co-operation  and 
gMpport  of  all  benevolent  pcriions  both  inland  and 


;!  on  the  sea- board  in  these  important  undertakings, 
:    either  by  the  formation  of  auxiliary  Seamen's 

Friend  Societies,  or  by  a  direct  contribution  to  the 

funds  of  this  Society." 
<  Attest,  Philip  Flaglex. 

s  Rec.  Secretary. 

Receipts  and  Expenditures.  The 
;  Receipts  of  the  Society  during  the 
,  year  were,  from  sales  of  the  Magazine, 
I   1^177  37.    From  donations,  ^1,037  01. 

Total,  ^1,214  38.  The  expenses  were 
;  ^2,150  44. 

second  year.  1829-30. 
I  The  Sailor's  Magazine  under  the 
I  editorship  of  Mr.  Leavitt,  increased  its 
I  patronage  till  it  became  nearly  self- 
\  sustaining.  Its  regular  edition  was 
\  two  thousand  copies,  furnished  to  sub- 
I  scribers  at  $1  50  per  annum. 

Chaplain  to  Canton.    The  impor- 
5  tant  object  of  sending  out  a  "  sea  mis- 
>  sionary,"  as  it  was  termed,  was  still 
I  kept  in  view.    The  attention  of  the 
I  Society  was  first  called  to  this  object 
I  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  English 
I  missionary  at  that  port.  The  debased 
I  moral  condition  of  seamen  visiting 
there,  with  others  of  the  foreign  popu- 
I  lation  had  been  frequently  made  by 
him  the  subject  of  remark  in  his  let- 
ters. In  1827,  he  addressed  an  earnest 
I  appeal  to  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  for  help; 
remarking    incidentally  that   "  the 
churches  of  the  TJ.  States  have  not 
yet  sent  to  this  land  any  christian  mi- 
I  nister  either  for  the  heathen  or  for 
I  their  own  people."    About  the  same 
time  also,  he  sent  a  very  feeling  letter 
!  to  the  Committee  of  the  Bethel  Union 
in  London,  in  which  he  says  : 

"  A  preacher  is  wanted  at  Wham- 
poa,"  (the  anchorage  for  ships,  about 
eleven  miles  from  Canton.)  "  Some  of 
:  the  Company's  Captains  read  prayers 
:  on  board  their  own  ships  on  Sundays, 
and  Capt.  Croker  has  read  a  sermon 
from  Doddridge  under  the  Bethel 
j;  Flag ;  all  of  which  cheers  our  hearts 
:  in  these  regions  of  idolatry  and  super- 
stition.   Still  a  faithful  and  devoted 


FIRST  CHAPLAIN.     THIKD  TEAR. 


minister  for  the  fleet  is  greatly  to  be 
desired.  The  churches  of  the  United 
States  enjoy  facilities  for  supplying 
one  ;  and  I  have,  through  a  devoted 
christian  here,  written  to  America,  to 
induce  some  man  mighty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
to  come  among  us  for  a  season.  Such 
at  present  is  the  condition  of  things  in 
reference  to  the  sailors." 

In  the  fall  of  1829,  a  merchant  of 
New  York  engaged  in  the  China  trade, 
expressed  himself  desiro.us  of  sending 
out  a  missionary  from  this  country  to 
labor  for  American  seamen  and  resi- 
dents in  China,  and  ultimately  if  found 
practicable,  for  the  introduction  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  population  of  that 
country.  Just  then  Rev.  David  Abeel, 
a  promising  young  minister  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  was  recom- 
mended to  the  Committee  for  that 
post.  He  was  appointed  accordingly, 
and  embarked  for  Canton  in  the  ship 
"  Roman,"  on  the  I4th  of  October — 
the  first  chaplain  for  seamen  ever  sent 
from  our  shores.  He  had  also  a  con- 
tingent appointment  from  the  Ameri- 
can Board  to  enter  into  their  service 
there,  whenever  he  should  seem  called 
to  it  in  Divine  Providence. 

In  reference  to  this  undertaldng, 
the  Executive  Committee  say  in  the 
Second  Annual  Report, — "  When  we 
consider  that  the  introduction  of  the 
religion  of  Christ  among  the  vast  popu- 
lation of  China  and  Japan,  is  the 
greatest  and  most  difficult  enterprise 
remaining  for  the  church  before  the 
millenium,  we  can  not  but  regard  it 
as  a  token  of  good  to  the  American 
Seamen's  Friend  Society,  that  God  has 
permitted  and  called  us  to  bear  so  di- 
rect and  important  a  part  in  the  early 
stage  of  this  great  work.  The  com- 
mittee joj'fully  accept  it  as  an  intima- 
tion of  the  honor  which  may  here- 
after come  upon  our  infant  institution, 
if  its  conductors  are  not  deficient  in 
faithfulness  or  ability  to  render  it  an 


efficient  instrument  in  promoting  the 
glorious  triumphs  of  the  Redeemer." 

OTHER  EFFORTS. 

In  addition  to  this  foreign  work, 
the  committee  employed  an  intelli- 
gent layman,  to  visit  the  line  of  the 
Erie  Canal,  and  explore  the  condition 
and  wants  of  the  boatmen  engaged 
upon  it.  His  report  was  an  interest  - 
ing document  and  created  a  deep  im- 
pression that  something  must  be  done 
in  their  behalf. 

It  was  the  hope  of  the  founders  of 
the  Society  to  do  something  to  secure 
the  observance  of  public  worship  on 
board  of  vessels  at  sea.  "  To  facili- 
tate this  desirable  object  the  commit- 
tee, in  connection  with  the  New  York 
Port  Society,  prepared  a  new  and  en- 
larged edition  of  the  Seamen's  Devo- 
tional Assistant  and  Mariner's  Hynj?is. 
It  was  a  choice  selection  of  near  GOO 
hymns,  with  suitable  forms  of  prayer 
for  different  occasions  at  sea. 

A  memorial  was  presented  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  U.  S.  on  the 
subject  of  naval  chaplaincies,  recom- 
mending an  increase  both  in  the  num- 
ber of  chaplains,  and  also*  in  their  sal- 
aries. 

RECEIPTS  AND  EXPENDITURES. 

The  receipts  of  the  Society  for  the 
second  year  were  from  sales  of  Maga- 
zine ^1,159  78.  Donations  ^3,000  04. 
Total  ^4,159  82.  Expenses,  ^3,876  88. 
3d  YEAR.— 1830-1. 

Canton.  Mr.  Abeel  arrived  at  Can- 
ton Feb.  16,  1830,  and  officiated  thro' 
the  ensuing  summer  as  the  chaplain 
of  the  foreign  residents  in  that  port, 
also  among  the  American  shipping  at 
Whampoa.  His  appointment  was  de- 
signed from  the  first  chiefly  as  an  ex- 
perimental one,  and  though  his  ser- 
vice was  brief,  it  was  in  this  respect, 
in  a  high  degree  satisfactory.  It 
demonstrated  the  practicability  and 
usefulness  of  such  labors  in  foreign 
ports,  and  decided  the  Board  of  Trus- 


18 


DCTEBNAL  -WATERS.    FOURTH  YEAR. 


tees  to  prosecute  this  work  both  at 
Canton  and  elsewhere  as  extensively 
as  their  resources  would  permit.  Mr. 
Abeel,  according  to  the  understanding 
when  he  left  this  country,  resigned 
his  chaplaincy  in  December,  and  en- 
tered into  the  service  of  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.,  and  was  long  known  as  one  of 
the  most  efficient  and  devoted  mis- 
sionaries of  that  society. 

Other  Stations.  Applications  were 
received  from  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
and  from  the  JNIediterranean  for  the 
appointment  of  Chaplains,  and  it  was 
determined  to  respond  to  them  as 
soon  as  suitable  men  could  be  found. 

Internal  waters  of  the  U.  S.  In 
July,  1830,  Rev.  Gordon  Winslow 
was  employed  to  visit  the  Canals, 
Lakes,  and  Rivers  of  the  West,  and 
organize  Bethel  institutions  there. — 
His  tour  was  interesting  and  highly 
euccessful.  Societies  for  the  benefit 
of  sailors  on  those  waters  were  form- 
ed at  Syracuse,  Detroit,  and  other 
places,  and  several  hundred  dollars 
subscribed  for  the  cause.  It  was  the 
commencement  of  those  operations  in 
behalf  of  the  sailors  and  boatmen 
which  have  since  been  successfully 
prosecuted,  particularly  by  the  Amer- 
ican Bethel  Society  at  Buffalo,  and  the 
Western  Seamen's  Friend  Society  at 
Cleveland. 

Having  completed  his  tour  along 
the  western  waters,  Mr.  Winslow,  by 
direction  of  the  Executive  Committee 
repaired  to  New  Orleans  where  he 
labored  through  the  winter,  as  minis- 
ter of  the  Bethel  church  in  that  port. 

Sailor's  Home.  A  beginning  was 
made  towards  providing  funds  for  the 
erection  of  a  house  in  New  York  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  seamen. — 
Besides  furnishing  board  for  them,  it 
wa.s  contemplated  to  make  it  the  cen 
ter  of  all  the  societies  and  agencies 
operating  in  behalf  of  that  class  of 


men.  The  sum  of  ^135  was  contri- 
buted by  a  few  persons  for  this  ob- 
j  ect.  The  receipts  for  the  year  includ- 
ing the  ^135  above  mentioned  were 
^5,124  15.  Expenditures  1^5,114  61. 
4th  year.— 1831-2. 

Chaplains.  The  most  assiduous  en- 
deavors of  the  Board  were  employed 
to  procure  suitable  men  to  send  out 
to  foreign  ports.  But  the  young  men 
who  were  coming  into  the  ministry 
had  none  of  them  turned  their  atten- 
tion to  this  field,  and  it  was  found  im- 
possible to  send  out  any  during  the 
year.  Three  however,  were  appoint- 
ed, to  sail  at  an  early  date. 

New  Orleans.  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow 
was  again  sent  to  supply  the  Mari- 
ner's church  in  that  important  port. 
By  his  exertions  a  Seamen's  Friend 
Society  was  formed  there  and  a  board- 
ing house  opened  under  happy  auspi- 
ces. A  reading  room  and  register  of- 
fice were  also  opened  which  were 
productive  of  much  good. 

Inland  Waters.  Rev.  John  Sayre 
was  appointed  in  April  to  labor  at 
Oswego  in  behalf  of  the  sailors  on 
Lake  Ontario.  His  agency  was  great- 
ly blessed;  " many  captains  and  sea- 
men, with  their  families  were  led  to 
religion,"  and  a  ver}^  favorable  impres- 
sion was  made  among  those  employed 
in  navigation  throughout  the  Lake. 

Though  the  apparent  operations  of 
the  society  this  year  were  small,  they 
were  not  without  importance.  "  They 
have  been,"  says  the  Annual  Report, 
"  to  a  great  extent  of  a  new  charac- 
ter. The  field  was  large.  Much 
ground  was  to  be  broken.  Few  la- 
borers were  ready  to  enter  into  the 
service,  and  most  of  these  were  en- 
tirely inexperienced.  Instruments 
were  to  be  sought  out  and  their  at- 
tention directed  to  the  subject.  Pub- 
lic confidence  was  to  be  secured,  and 
plans  devised  and  circulated  for  ob- 


FIFTH  YEAR.     SIXTH  YKAB.  19 


taiiiing  the  necessary  co-operation. — 
It  is  obvious  therefore  that  much  ef- 
fort was  to  be  expended  in  preparato- 
ry work.  Of  this  nature,  in  a  peculiar 
manner  have  been  the  labors  of  the 
past  year.  And  in  this  respect,  the 
committee  are  happy  in  expressing 
their  belief  that  the  society  has  made 
encouraging  progress." 

The  receipts  of  the  Society  for  the 
4th  year  were  ^5,670  94.  Expenses, 
^5,541  23. 

5th  year— 1832-3. 

Canton.  Key.  Edwin  Stevens  was 
ordained  June  7,  and  sailed  shortly 
after  for  Canton,  where  he  arrived  af- 
ter a  voyage  of  116  days.  On  his  ar- 
rival he  found  fifty  vessels  in  port  and 
many  more  than  he  could  use  were 
offered  for  service  on  the  Sabbath. — 
From  70  to  100  attended  worship. — 
He  commenced  also  a  weekly  service 
among  the  factories  on  shore.  During 
his  passage  out,  besides  some  serious- 
ness among  the  sailors,  a  fellow  pas- 
senger, a  physician,  hopefully  embra- 
ced the  Saviour. 

Honolulu.  In  November  Rev.  John 
DiELL  embarked  as  chaplain  to  Ameri- 
can seamen  at  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
He  was  accompanied  by  a  wife  of  kin- 
dred spirit  and  carried  out  with  him 
materials  for  erecting  a  chapel,  with 
apartments  for  the  residence  of  his 
family  and  a  reading  room  for  seamen. 
He  also  carried  out  a  library  for  this 
object  containing  new  books  to  the 
value  of  $500,  besides  large  quantities 
of  pamphlets  and  papers. 

Havre.  In  July  Eev.  Flavei.  S. 
Mines  with  his  wife  sailed  for  Havre, 
France,  and  commenced  a  Station  in 
that  important  port  in  behalf  of  the 
Society.  He  soon  gathered  a  respect- 
able congregation  in  a  small  chapel 
rented  and  fitted  up  for  the  purpose, 
and  was  permitted  to  witness  a  dozen 
or  more  cases  .of  hopeful  conversion, 


<  two  of  them  among  shipmasters.  A 
\  church  was  organized  consisting  of 
I  twenty-four  members,  and  a  Sabbath 
I  School  established  embracing  fifteen 
\  teachers  and  twenty-five  scholars. — 
>  The  prospects  of  the  enterprise  were 
I  very  flattering. 

I  Inland  Waters.  Three  of  the 
I  preachers  on  the  western  waters,  un- 

<  der  the  superintendence  of  the  local 
I  Societies  were  appointed  and  in  part 
1  sustained  by  the  Board  the  present 
\  year. 

I  Secretary.  Rev.  Joseph  Brown 
I  was  appointed  Corresponding  Secre- 

<  tary  of  this  Societ}-  in  place  of  Rev. 
:  C.  P.  M'llvaine  who  had  resigned. — • 
:   Rev.  J.  Leavitt  also  resigned  his  posi- 
tion as  General  Agent,  and  Editor  of 

;   the  Magazine. 

I      The  receipts  of  the  year  were  iijQ,- 
881  14.    Expenditures  ^9,985  41. 
6th  year. — 1833-4. 
\      Canton.    Rev.  E.  Stevens. 
^      Havre.    Rev.  F.  S.  Mines..  After 
Making  a  very  promising  beginning 
in  his  labors,  Mr.  M.  was,  at  the  ur- 
I  gent  solicitation  of  the  "  French  Com- 
l  mitte"  at  Paris,  released  from  the  ser- 
I  vice  of  the  society  to  become  the  min- 
I  ister  of  the  Protestant  congregation 
I  of  that  city. 

Honolulu.  Rev.  J.  Diell.  Mr.  D. 
I  and  his  family  arrived  safely  May  1, 
I  1833,  and  was  very  cordially  received 
'  not  only  by  the  foreign  residents  and 
I  missionaries  but  also  by  the  king  and 
chiefs.  The  chapel  and  dwelling 
s  house  which  had  been  sent  out  were 
I  erected  in  August,  the  former  48  by 
30  feet  in  dimensions,  and  capable  of 
I  accommodating  an  audience  of  500. 
I      Smyrna.    Rev.  J.  Brewer,  Mission- 

<  ary  of  the  Am.  Board  at  this  place 
I  performed  a  voluntary  service  in  be- 
I  half  of  seamen  durnig  the  year.  Two 
I  hundred  dollars  were  appropriated  to 
j  aid,  in  conjunction  with  an  expected 


SEVENTH  YEAR.     EIGHTH  YEAR. 


appropriation  in  England,  in  the  erec- 
tion of  a  chapel  for  seamen. 

Batavia.  Rev.  Mr.  Medhurst  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society  labor- 
ed occasionally  for  the  benefit  of  sea- 
men at  this  port. 

Con.  Secretaky.  He  v.  Joseph  Brown 
the  Cor.  Secretary  of  the  Society,  died 
Sept.  6,  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Green- 
leaf,  Pastor  of  thfe  Mariner's  Church 
in  Boston,  was  appointed  his  successor. 

Society's  House.  Further  pro- 
gress was  made  towards  providing  a 
building  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  various  agencies  operating  for 
seamen.  A  liberal  subscription  was 
made,  a  site  was  selected  and  pur- 
chased, ^9,000  paid,  and  the  property 
mortgaged  for  the  balance  of  ^10,000. 
TJie  commercial  embarrassments  of 
the  times  however  prevented  an  im- 
mediate completion  of  the  undertak- 
ing. 

Auxiliary  Societies  to  the  num- 
ber of  forty- two  had  now  been  organ- 
ized, most  of  which  made  annual  re- 
mittances to  the  funds  of  the  Societ}^ 

Receipts,  including  ^7,550  57  for 
the  Society's  house,  ^15,941  72.  Ex- 
penses §15,715  22. 

7th  year. — 1834-5. 

Canton.  Rev.  Mr.  Stevens  con- 
tinued his  labors  very  faithfully  and 
with  encouraging  success.  Public 
worship  was  held  on  twenty  two 
American  ships,  and  in  some  of  them 
foi"  many  Sabbaths  in  succession;  in 
numerous  instances  also  on  board  of 
Enf,iish  vessels.  The  prejudices  which 
iir.it  impeded  this  work  were  begin- 
ning to  disappear,  and  the  labors  of 
the  chaplain  were  received  generallj'' 
with  great  acceptance. 

Havre.  Rev.  David  De  Forest 
Ely  succeeded  Mr.  Mines  at  this  sta- 
tion, the  latter  continuing  his  services 
until  Mr.  E's  arrival.    A  subscription 


was  commenced  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  a  chapel. 

Honolulu.  Mr.  Diell's  labors  were 
continued  with  evidences  of  the  di- 
vine blessing.  The  chapel  and  read- 
ing room  were  ojjened  and  several 
seamen  were  hopefully  converted  to 
God.  One  of  them  had  resided  at 
the  island  34  years,  and  had  never  at- 
tended any  religious  meeting  in  that 
entire  period. 

Smyrna.  Rev.  Mr.  Brewer  conti- 
nued his  services  in  behalf  of  seamen 
in  connection  with  his  missionary 
work. 

Havana.  Rev.  J.  A.  Copp  was  sent 
out  in  January  as  an  agent  of  the  So- 
ciety for  the  purpose  of  exploring  that 
port  with  a  view  to  the  establishment 
of  Bethel  operations.  The  intolerance 
of  the  government  alone  formed  the 
chief  obstacle  to  so  doing  in  a  port 
visited  by  about  1,000  American  ves- 
sels, and  10,000  American  seamen  an- 
nuall}'. 

New  Orleans.  Besides  visiting 
Havana,  Rev.  J.  A.  Copp  spent  some 
time  in  this  city  to  aid  the  friends  of 
the  cause  in  an  effort  to  finish  a  Mar- 
iner's Church. 

Mobile  Bay.  Rev.  Albert  Wil- 
liams was  appointed  to  commence  a 
station  in  this  important  port  of  the 
South;  and  preached  through  the 
winter,  sometimes  to  sailors  and  boat- 
men at  the  city,  and  at  other  times  on 
shipboard  in  the  Bay.  The  move- 
ment was  favored  by  the  citizens  of 
Mobile,  and  a  local  society  formed  to 
aid  in  its  support. 

Receipts  ^12,152  87.  Expenditures 
^12,242  5G. 

8th  year. — 1835-6. 

The  labors  of  Mr.  Stevens  at  Can- 
ton, Mr.  Ely  at  Havre,  Mr.  Diell  at 
Honolulu,  and  Mr.  Brewer  at  Smyrna, 
were  continued  as  heretofore. 

Marseilles.    Rev.  Charles  Rock- 


NINTH  YEAK. 


21 


WELL  had  been  sent  out  the  year 
previous  to  commence  a  new  station 
in  this  important  port  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, but  upon  his  arrival  concluded 
to  accept  an  invitation  he  had  receiv- 
ed to  remain  as  chaplain  on  board  the 
U.  S.  frigate  Potomac,  upon  which  he 
had  sailed.  To  supply  the  vacancy, 
Mr.  Ely  was  now  requested  to  remove 
to  Marseilles,  and  Rev.  Eli  N.  Saw 
TELL  appointed  to  succeed  him  at 
Havre. 

Rio  Janeiro,  This  station  was  now 
for  the  first  time  occupied.  Rev. 
Obadiah  M.  Johnson  was  ordained  as 
seamen's  chaplain  and  arrived  there 
Jan.  20,  commencing  bis  labors  with 
favorable  indications. 

Lahaina.  Two  years  since  a  read- 
ing room  for  sailors  had  been  opened 
in  this  place  by  the  missionaries  re- 
siding there,  and  some  special  atten- 
tion given  to  the  large  number  of  sea- 
men, principally  in  the  whaling  busi- 
ness who  resorted  annually  to  the 
Pacific.  The  support  of  that  reading 
room  was  now  assumed  by  the  Society 
and  an  agency  in  behalf  of  seamen  es- 
tablished. 

Arrangements  were  also  made  with 
missionaries  resident  at  Calcutta, 
Batavia,  and  Singapore  for  such  la- 
bors for  the  good  of  seamen  in  those 
respective  ports  as  they  might  be  en- 
abled to  render. 

Sailor's  Home.  The  original  plan 
for  a  house  to  accommodate  the  offices 
of  seamen's  institutions  was  enlarged 
to  embrace  a  Home  for  the  sailor  also, 
and  ^1,000  were  subscribed  by  a  be- 
nevolent individual  for  its  erection 
provided  the  requisite  amount  should 
be  raised  before  the  close  of  the  year. 
This  was  at  once  undertaken,  an  addi- 
tional lot  of  ground  purchased,  and  a 
resolution  passed  to  erect  the  building 
as  soon  as  practicable. 


Receipts,  exclusive  of  donations  for 
the  Home,  ^13,047  00.  Expenditures 
^13,365  76. 

9th  year.— 1836-7. 

Canton.  Mr.  Stevens,  according  to 
an  understanding  when  he  left  this 
country,  resigned  his  chaplaincy  and 
entered  the  service  of  the  A.  B. 
C.  F.  M.,  continuing  however  to  per- 
form ^he  usual  labors  for  seamen,  un- 
til a  little  before  his  death  which 
occured  at  Singapore  Jan.  1,  1837. 
After  this  event  the  station  remained 
vacant  till  1847.  The  pecuniary  em- 
barrassments of  this  period,  and  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Anglo-Chinese 
war  in  1839  were  the  chief  causes  of 
this  suspension.  Some  efforts  were 
made  for  seamen  during  this  period 
by  Mr.  Abeel,  and  the  other  Mis- 
sionaries resident  at  Canton. 

Havre. — Mr.  Sawtell's  ministry  at 
this  port  was  much  blessed.  The 
Chapel  was  thronged  with  hearers, 
and  a  new  and  more  convenient  place 
of  worship  was  found  to  be  necessary. 
A  building  was  procured  on  lease  and 
fitted  up  for  the  purpose.  A  consid- 
erable number  of  seamen  gave  evi- 
dence of  being  savingly  impressed  by 
the  truth. 

Marseilles  — Mr.  Ely  at  Mar- 
seilles was  encouraged  with  similar 
success.  Having  obtained  the  consent 
of  the  authorities,  he  proceeded  to  en- 
gage and  fit  up  a  room  for  public  wor- 
ship ;  in  which  he  was  assisted  by  the 
English  and  American  Consuls  ay  well 
as  by  many  merchants,  ship  masters, 
and  some  others, who  contributed  near- 
ly enough  to  cover  the  expenses. 

The  stations  at  Honolulu,  Smyrna, 
and  Rio  Janeiro  were  continued  as 
heretofore. 

Cronstadt. — At  the  solicitation  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Knill  of  St.  Petersburg, 
and  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Sailor's 


22  TENTH  TEAR.     SAILOR'S  HOME. 


Society  in  London  the  society  deter- 
mined to  establish  a  station  in  this 
important  port  of  the  North.  Rev.  J. 
C.  Webster  was  appointed  chaplain. 

New  Orlea>s.  —  Rev.  Harmon 
LooMis  was  commissioned  by  the  So- 
ciety as  seamen's  chaplain  at  this  port, 
and  commenced  his  labors  in  January. 
The  old  Mariner's  Church  was  taken 
down  and  preparations  commenced  for 
the  erection  of  another.  A  tempo- 
rary chapel  was  provided,  and  a  Port 
Society  organized. 

Missionary  efforts  for  seamen  were 
continued  at  Batavia,  Singapore,  and 
Lahaina. 

Receipts  ^10.561,66.  Expenditures 
$14,803  63. 

10th  year.— 1837-8. 

This  was  a  year  of  unparalled  pe- 
cuniary embarrassment,  in  which  this 
Society  in  common  with  all  its  sister 
institutions  was  crippled  in  its  re- 
sources and  compelled  to  contract  its 
operations.  Mr.  Ely  of  Marseilles,  and 
Mr.  Johnson  of  Rio  Janeiro  were  re- 
called from  their  stations. 

At  Havre,  Mr.  Sawtell  labored  with 
good  success.  He  was  much  embar- 
rassed for  the  means  of  defraying 
the  expenses  of  the  new  chapel,  and 
at  length  made  a  visit  to  England 
where  he  was  cheered  with  hberal 
sympathy  and  aid.  The  debts  were 
extinguished,  and  the  work  was  en- 
abled to  be  carried  forward  without 
further  interruption. 

At  Honolulu,  the  present  year  was 
signalized  by  the  organization  of  the 
"  Oahu  Bethel  Church."  Nine  per- 
sons resident  at  that  place  with  the 
chaplain  and  his  wife  ei^tered  into  co- 
venant with  God  and  with  each  other, 
and  were  constituted,  with  the  aid  of 
the  missionaries,  a  distinct  church.  This 
was  the  first  church  organization  es- 
pecially designed  for  seamen,  which 
was  gathered  in  foreign  lands.  Evi- 


dences of  the  divine  blessing  have 
rested  upon  it  from  its  beginning,  and 
many  seamen  have  found  a  spiritual 
home  within  its  fold.  A  considerable 
number  were  hopefully  brought  to 
Christ  during  the  year. 

Lahaina. — The  missionaries  propos- 
ed to  place  the  seamen's  cause  at  this 
port  on  a  more  permanent  basis  by 
removing  the  old  reading  room,  and 
erecting  a  new  building,  devoted  to 
sundry  purposes  of  the  mission  and  to 
a  reading  room,  chapel  and  vestry.  A 
subscription  was  begun  for  the  pur- 
pose of  efi'ecting  this  object. 

Interesting  reports  were  received  of 
the  results  of  labors  for  seamen  at  Ba- 
tavia and  Singapore ;  and  some  atten- 
tion was  given  to  the  work  in  Cadiz, 
Antigua,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and 
Sydney.  Mr.  Webster  continued  his 
labors  at  Cronstadt,  aided  as  before 
by  an  appropriation  of  £50  from  the 
British  and  Foreign  Sailor's  Society  in 
London. 

Sailor's  Home. — Though  owing  to 
pecuniary  embarrassments,  and  other 
obstacles  the  work  of  erecting  the 
contemplated  building  was  deferred, 
it  was  resolved  to  delay  no  longer 
opening  a  boarding  house  for  seamen. 
Accordingly  the  house  No.  140  Cher- 
ry St.,  was  leased,  and  opened  under 
the  direction  of  Capt.  R.  Gelston,  on 
the  10th  October,  for  the  reception  ol 
boarders.  539  seamen  were  accommo- 
dated there  up  to  May,  1838,  of  whom 
90  signed  the  temperance  pledge,  and 
38  deposited  in  the  aggregate  .^2,000 
in  the  Savings  Bank,  not  one  of  whom 
ever  deposited  a  dollar  before. 

Ship  Libraries. — The  practice  was 
commenced  of  furnishing  vessels  with 
libraries  of  books.  During  this  year 
and  the  last  80  vessels  were  supplied 
in  this  way,  most  of  them  bound  on 
long  voyages. 

Receipts,  including  1^1,083  49  for 


ELEVENTH-THIRTEENTH  YEAR.     DEATH  OF  MR.  DIELL. 


23 


Sailor's  Home,  ^14,173  15.  Expendi- 
tures ^15,452  84. 

11th  YEAR.— 1838-9. 

The  stations  at  Honolulu  and  Havre 
were  continued  as  formerly.  Canton 
and  Marseilles  still  vacant. 

Calcutta  Rev.  James  Penny 

was  employed  as  chaplain  here,  in  the 
joint  support  of  this  sdbiety,  and  the 
Calcutta  Seamen's  Friend  Society.  A 
Floating  Bethel  was  provided,  and  a 
Seamen's  Home  opened. 

At  Singapore. — A  Sailor's  Home 
was  established,  and  regular  services 
for  seamen  maintained  by  the  resident 
missionaries. 

The  station  at  Cronstadt, — it  hav- 
ing been  ascertained  that  it  could  be 
more  conveniently  conducted  by  a 
British  chaplain — was  transferred  to 
the  British  and  Foreign  Sailor's  Socie- 
ty, assisted  still  by  an  appropriation 
from  this  society. 

Incidental  aid  was  furnished  to  pro- 
mote labors  for'  seamen  at  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  Cadiz,  Rio  Janeiro,  and 
Antigua.  The  whole  number  of  sta- 
tions occupied  in  vvhole  or  part  by  the 
society  the  present  year  was  fifteen. 

Another  temperance  boarding  house 
was  opened  in  New  York  for  seamen, 
and  the  whole  number  boarding  at 
the  two  during  the  year  was  2,300. 

Receipts  $12,651  11.  Expenditures 
$11,137  86. 

12th  year.— 1839-40. 

Honolulu, — Mr.  Diell's  health  fail- 
ed him  in  the  fall  of  1838,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  suspend  his  labors,  his 
place  being  temporarily  supplied  by 
the  missionaries  residing  in  that  city. 

The  pecuniary  embarrassments  of 
the  society  induced  the  Board  to  ap- 
point Rev.  Mr.  Sawtell  of  Havre,  fi- 
nancial secretary,  to  devote  his  time 
to  the  raising  of  funds.  So  earnest 
however  was  the  remonstrance  which 
arose  from  the  American  and  English 


residents  at  Havre,  against  his  remov- 
al, that  the  purpose  of  the  Board  was 
relinquished,  requesting  only  his  ser- 
vice in  this  country  for  a  few  mouths 
to  assist  in  the  raising  of  funds. 

At  Cronstadt,  arrangements  were 
made  to  maintain  a  chaplain  at  the 
joint  expense  of  the  British  and  Amer- 
ican S.  F.  Societies,  and  Rev.  Ezra  E. 
Adams,  was  sent  out  in  that  capacity. 

At  the  other  ports  heretofore 
mentioned  labors  for  seamen  were 
continued  either  by  this  society,  or  by 
missionaries  and  others  in  correspon- 
dence with  them. 

The  funds  of  the  society  were 
much  depressed  at  this  time,  and 
their  operations  were  proportionally 
curtailed.  The  receipts  for  the  12th 
year  were  $9,397  67.  Expenditures 
$10,372  89. 

13th  year— 1840-1. 

Honolulu.  Mr.  Diell's  health  con- 
tinuing feeble;  he  was  advised  to  take 
a  sea  voyage  for  his  benefit.  He  sail- 
ed for  Canton  in  April,  1839,  and  from 
thence  to  New-York.  In  January 
following  he  embarked  for  his  return 
to  his  station.  But  a  short  time  after 
his  arrival  sufficed  to  show  him  that 
his  work  there  was  done.  On  the  3d 
of  Dec,  1840,  he  again  sailed  for  the 
U.  States,  but  he  rapidly  declined,  and 
at  length  died  at  sea  Jan,  18th,  1841,  at 
the  age  of  thirty  two.  The  following 
testimony  concerning  him  by  Capt. 
W.  L.  Hudson  of  the  U.  S.  Exploring 
Expedition  will  show  something  of 
his  character  and  usefulness  in  the 
station  he  had  occupied. 

"From  all  I  can  gather  here,  flir.  DIell  has 
proved  himself  a  zealous  and  efficient  laborer  not 
only  on  ship  board,  but  in  the  chapel,  until  com- 
pletely prostrated  by  disease.  I  cannot  be  mistak- 
en as  to  the  judicious  course  he  has  pursued 
amongst  the  various  classes  of  the  shore  commu- 
nity as  well  as  with  those  of  my  own  more  tran- 
sient and  migratory  class  whose  only  gatherings 
from  the  droppings  of  the  sanctuary  you  well 
know  are  too  much  "  like  angel's  visits  few  and 
far  between."   Mr.  D,  has  won  the  confidenc  e  and 


24 


FODRTEENTU  YEAR.     COMPLETIOX  OF  SAILOK'S  HOME. 


affection  of  all  wiUi  whom  I  have  made  him  a  sub- 
ject of  conversation,  and  my  inquiries  in  relation  to 
this  worthy  and  truly  pious  man  have  been  neither 
fe»'  nor  confined  to  any  particular  class.  Tiiat  his 
labors  have  proved  a  blessing  to  many  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  and  that  he  has  continued  to  perform 
them  beyond  the  period  when  prudence,  a  failure 
of  strength  and  the  exhaustion  of  his  whole  system 
nad  admonished  him  of  the  consequences,  is  equal- 
ly true.  But  animated  by  the  love  of  God  and 
immortal  souls  he  has  felt  and  acted  as  one  who 
was  willing  to  fall  a  martyr  in  the  glorious  cause 
of  reclaiming  the  homeless  wanderers  of  the  deep  : 
and  it  may  be  truly  said  that  he  has  ''fought  a  good 
fight." 

Havre.  Mr.  Sawtell,  during  his 
visit  to  this  country  applied  himself 
to  the  work  of  raising  funds  for  a 
chapel  at  this  station.  His  efibrts 
were  successful,  ten  thousand  dollars 
having  been  collected  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

Cronstadt.  Mr.  Adams  pursued 
Lis  labors  under  the  joint  direction  of 
the  British  and  American  Seamen's 
Friend  Societies,  with  considerable 
success.  During  the  winter  when 
navigation  in  the  Baltic  is  suspended 
he  labored  in  England  in  raising 
funds. 

Sydney.  This  was  a  new  station 
occupied  for  the  first  time,  the  present 
year.  A  Bethel  Union  had  been  form- 
ed'there  a  few  years  previous,  and 
application  made  by  them  for  aid. — 
Rev.  M.  T.  Adam,  who  had  been  a 
missionary  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Benares,  was  appointed 
chaplain,  and  sailed  for  his  distant 
sjtation  in  October. 

Sailor's  Home.  Three  boarding 
Louses  were  now  in  operation  in  New 
York  under  the  auspices  of  the  socie- 
ty, one  of  them  for  colored  seamen, 
and  were  accomplishing  much  for  the 
spiritual  good  of  the  sailor. 

The  property  which  had  been  pur- 
cha.sed  some  years  before  for  the  pur- 
pose of  erecting  a  building  to  be  call- 
ed the  Sailor's  Home,  and  to  contain 
various  offices  for  the  benefit  of  sea- 
men, being  thought  unsuitable  for  the 


object,  was  sold,  and  the  site  of  the 
present  Home  190  Cherry  Street,  was 
purchased.  A  grant  of  $10,000  was 
made  by  the  State  in  aid  of  the 
proposed  institution, and  arrangements 
were  made  for  the  speedy  erection  of 
the  building. 

Rev.  John  Spaulding  of  Peoria,  111., 
was  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Socie- 
ty- 

Receipts  for  the  year,  $12,292  55. 
Expenditures  $8,8G0  21.  Bal.  of  debt 
still  unpaid,  $1,742  90. 

14th  year.— 1841-2. 

Honolulu.  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Damon 
of  the  Andover  Theo.  Seminary,_was 
ordained  and  commissioned  as  chap- 
lain at  Honolufu,  and  sailed  for  that 
port  March  10,  1842. 

The  joint  support  of  the  stations  at 
Cronstadt  and  Sydney  was  continued, 
and  extended  also  to  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  The  Emperor  Nicholas 
gave  permission  for  the  erection  of  a 
place  of  worship  for  seamen  at  Cron- 
stadt; and  the  corner  stone  of  a  chapel 
at  Havre  was  laid. 

GoTTENBURG  and  Stockholm. — 
Two  pious  Swedish  Sailors  converted 
to  Christ  in  New  York  were  this  year 
sent  to  their  native  countr}'-  to  labor 
in  behalf  of  seamen.  Their  names 
were  Frederic  0.  Nelson,  and  Olof 
Peterson.  They  were  a  striking  mon- 
ument of  the  grace  of  God  in  their 
own  personal  experience,  and  equally 
so  in  being  raised  up  to  a  service  of 
eminent  usefulness  in  the  cause  of  the 
Redeemer.  They  were  commissioned 
by  the  Board  to  labor  under  the  di- 
rection of  Rev.  Geo.  Scott,  of  Stock- 
holm. 

Sailor's  Home.  The  present  year 
is  to  be  remembered  for  the  comple- 
tion of  this  institution  which  for  so 
many  years  had  been  in  contempla- 
tion. The  corner  stone  was  laid  Oct. 
14j  and  the  building  was  finished  rea- 


FIFTEENTH  TEAR.     CHA.PEL  AT  HAVRE.  25 


dy  fox*  occupancy  in  the  spring  follow- 
ing. Capt.  Gelston  wlio  liad  kept  the 
two  boarding  houses  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Society,  removed  to  the 
new  Home  on  the  1st  May  with  220 
boarders.  Rev.  Henry  Chase  was 
present  and  conducted  family  service 
on  the  first  morning,  and  the  house 
commenced  its  career  of  usefulness 
under  the  happiest  auspices. 

15th  Year.— 1842-3. 
Honolulu.  Mr.  Damon  reached  his 
destination  on  the  19th  Oct.,  and  en- 
tered on  his  work  with  cheering  pros- 
pects. Dec.  3d,  he  reported  two  sai- 
lors as  already  rejoicing  in  hope  of  sal- 
vation. 

Havre.  The  chapel  for  seamen  was 
completed  and  dedicated  to  divine 
worship  Nov.  27.  The  presence  of 
God  seemed  at  once  to  descend  and 
fill  the  place.  Seamen  and  citizens 
crowded  to  worship,  and  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit accompanied  the  preaching  with 
his  converting  power.  At  this  time 
Mr,  Sawtell  refceived  a  call  to  another 
department  of  labor,  and  through  fear 
that  he  would  leave  them,  the  mem- 
bers of  his  congregation  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  Board,  an  extract  of 
which  will  show  the  character  of  this 
work,  and  the  estimation  in  which  he 
was  held  in  that  city. 

"  But  now  that  the  erection  of  the  American 
Church  is  the  occasion  of  an  unhoped  for  revival, 
such  as  your  country  has  often  witnessed,  but 
which  hitherto  has  been  unknown  in  this  place ; 
now  that  we  see  not  only  seamen  of  all  classes,  but 
numerous  citizens  of  every  rank  in  society  crowd- 
ing to  the  church,  anxious  to  hear  the  word  of  God 
expounded;  now  that  numbers  of  Mr.  Sawtell's 
hearers,  wnose  piety  had  till  then  laid  dormant, 
suddenly  awakened,  to  arise  and  set  to  work  in 
the  Lord's  vineyard  with  an  energy,  which  can 
only  be  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  when,  gentle- 
men, we  witness  such  effects  of  Mr.  S.'s  labors 
how  can  we  remain  silent.  0,  that  you  could  but 
see  the  changes  produced  in  this  place  by  the 
means  of  the  man  you  have  sent  hither  !" 

This  appeal,  for  the  time,  was  effec- 
tive, and  Mr.  S.  remained  at  his  post. 


{  Cronstadt.  Mr.  Adams  and  his 
\  wife,  under  the  rigors  of  a  Russian  cli- 
5  mate,  were  compelled  to  retire  for  a 
1  season  to  the  South  of  England,  where 
he  continued  usefully  employed  in  the 
j  service  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Sai- 

<  lor's  Society. 

GoTTENBURG  and  Stockholm.  The 
s  two  sailor  missionaries  laboring  in 
I  these  ports  were  greatly  blessed.  "  In 
]  a  single  year,  one  of  them  is  reported 
to  have  been  instrumental  in  the  hojK- 
^  ful  conversion  of  more  than  a  hundred 

<  souls .'"  In  the  cause  of  temperance, 
I  and  in  the  distribution  of  Bibles  and 
\  tracts,  they  were  eminently  useful. 

<  Cape  Town.  Rev.  Dr.  Adamson, 
I  President  of  the  S.  African  College, 
\  preached  to  seamen  on  shipboard,  and 
:   a  chapel  capable  of  seating  400  persons 

was  erected.  In  these  efforts  the  A.  S. 
I  F.  Society  co-operated  with  the  South 
I  African  Instruction  Society,  and  with 

<  benevolent  individuals-  resident  at  the 
j  Cape. 

s  SvDNEY.  Mr.  Adam  continued  the 
I  usual  labors  of  a  chaplain  at  this  place. 

>  A  small  appropriation  was  made  in 
\  aid  of  the  seamen's  cause  at  Amster- 
dam, and  appeals  for  help  were  receiv- 

j  ed  from  Antwerp,  Constantinople,  Chi- 
\  na,  Lahaina  and  Havana, 
s  In  the  survey  of  the  cause  at  home 
I  and  abroad,  the  Board  say  in  their 
I  Annual  Report :  "  The  last  has  been 
I  the  brightest  year  that  ever  shone 
\  upon  the  sea.  Such  results  have  ap- 
I  peared  as  make  angels  and  men  glad. 
I  The  attempt  to  gather  them,  is  like 
I  drawing  ashore  the  net  cast  by  the 
s  fishermen  disciples  on  the  right  side  of 
the  ship.    Even  before  they  are  ga- 

>  thered  and  the  number  told,  another 
I  and  another  ship  arrives,  freighted 
I  with  new  and  rich  moral  treasures 

from  the  sea.  The  Holy  Spirit  has 
I  descended  on  the  sea  and  along  its 
s  shores." 


26  SIXTEENTH  TEAR.     SEVENTEENTH  YEAR. 


Receipts  ^13,072  70.  Expenditures  ^ 
^10,846  52. 

16th  Year. — 1843-4.  ! 

This         was  one  of  mucli  interest  \ 

to  the  seamen's  cause.  The  work  was  | 

prosecuted  at  the  several  stations  with  \ 

interest  and  unusual  success.  I 

At  Havre,  Mr.  Sawtell  resigned  his  | 
post,  and  returned  for  a  season  to  this 

countr)\    Ilis  place  was  supplied  by  > 

Rev.  E.  E.  Adams,  who  had  now  re-  \ 

covered  from  the  effects  of  the  climate  | 
at  the  North,  and  who  was  received 

with  favor  at  this  important  port.  < 

GOTTENBURG  AND   STOCKHOLM  WCTC  \ 

still  signalized  for  the  remarkable  dis-  \ 

plays  of  divine  grace  in  connection  \ 

with  the  labors  of  Nelson  and  Peter-  > 

son*    Says  the  Annual  Report : —  ] 

"  Whole  districts  of  country  have  become  tern-  ) 

peratc  through  his  (Nelson's)  instrumentahty  ;  and  ? 

the  numerous  Temperance  Societies  formed,  num-  \ 

her  from  50  to  500  members  each,  \ 

During  the  season  when  there  are  few  sailors  in  < 

port,  we  have  seen  him  making  a  three  month's  j 

tour  into  the  interior,  traveling  533  English  miles,  ! 

mostly  on  foot  through  forests  and  mountains,  snow  ' 

and  ice.    He  assumes  not  the  title  or  office  of  a  ; 

preacher,  but  that  of  a  book  pedlar,  and  in  this  ! 

humble  capacity  tells  the  story  of  the  cross  wher-  ' 

ever  he  can  find  ears  to  hear  and  hearts  to  feel. —  ; 

And  these  have  not  been  wanting.  In  many  histan-  1 

ces  persons  were  converted  to  Christ  in  families  ; 

where  he  tarried  but  a  little  season.   In  one  place,  : 

he  left  some  20  spiritual  children,  in  another  about  ' 
50,  and  in  four  other  places,  about  200." 

Havana.  Special  contributions  were 
made  at  several  places  to  establish  a 
mission  to  this  very  important  port. 
But  besides  sending  an  agent  to  ex- 
plore the  field,  nothing  was  done. 

At  Amsterdam,  Sydney,  and  Hono- 
lulu, the  work  was  continued  as  usual. 

The  Board  say  in  their  Report : 

"  A  review  of  the  labors  of  the  Society  the  pa^t 
year  alorig  our  shores  and  in  foreign  ports,  reveals 
the  most  gratifying  results.  At  every  foreign  sta- 
tion, we  hear  of  more  or  less  seamen  brought  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  while  in  some  of  our  own 
ports,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  descended  like  the  dews 
upon  Ilerrnon,  like  the  dews  upon  the  mountains  of 
Zion.  But  the  most  striking  illustrations  of  the 
mercy  and  grace  of  God  have  been  witnessed  at 
Bca.  Away  on  the  deep,  God  lias  moved  in  a  mys- 
terious way  his  wonders  to  perform.  The  ileck, 
the  cabin,  the  forecastle,  have  become  as  occasion  , 
required,  the  places  of  prayer,  and  praise,  and  ex- 


hortation ;— also,  places  where  humbled  and  weep- 
ing sailors  have  sought  their  Saviour.  *  *  *  ♦ 
In  cue  vessel,  we  find  five  sailors  recently  born 
again.  In  another  eight  out  of  ten  in  the  forecastle 
are  praying  and  singing  praise  to  God  every  morn- 
ing and  evening.  In  another,  ten  hopefully  con- 
verted to  God  in  a  fortnight.  In  another,  seven- 
teen in  a  week ;  and  in  several  others,  the  entire 
crews,  masters  and  officers,  apparently  new  crea- 
tures in  Christ  Jesus.  One  of  these  claims  to  be 
"  the  happics:  ship  that  floats ;"  and  another, — 
"  heaven  begun  below." 

Receipts,  including  J$3,525  special 
donations  to  the  Sailor's  Home  ^18,745 
78.  Expenditures,  including  ^9,547  82 
for  the  Home,  §19,963  36. 

17th  year  1844-5. 

Rev.  Harmon  Loomis  was  appointed 
Associate  Secretary. 

Eew  changes  in  the  stations  occur- 
red during  the  year.  The  station  at 
Sydney  was  discontinued,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  small  number  of  Ameri- 
can seamen  resorting  to  that  port. 

At  Lahaina  where  a  limited  work 
had  for  some  years  been  conducted 
by  the  missionaries,  a  Seamen's  Chap- 
el was  now  completed,  and  Rev.  Lor- 
in  Andrews  appointed  by  this  Socie- 
ty as  their  chaplain. 

In  presenting  their  "  summary  of 
results"  from  the  cultivation  of  this 
field  the  managers  enumerate,  "a 
general  increased  confidence  in  the 
practicability  of  the  work  with  a  cor- 
responding interest  and  energ}^  in  pro- 
secuting it,"  "  the  manifest  and  most 
delightful  progress  of  temperance  at 
sea  and  on  shore,"  "  a  greater  regard 
for  the  Sabbath  and  its  better  obser- 
vance," "  the  fact  that  the  sea  is  be- 
coming a  field  where  fruits  unto  eter- 
nal life  are  matured  from  seed  else- 
where sown,"  "an  increased  desire 
for  the  Bible,"  "  and  a  signal  outpour- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit  making  many 
of  the  sons  of  the  sea  the  sons  of  the 
most  High." 

Receipts,l^l6,501  01.  Expenditures, 
."^17,357  02. 

18th  year. —1845-6. 
At  Honolulu  and  Lahama  the  labors 


NTN'ETEENTH  TEAR. 


of  tlie  cliaplains  continued  witli  good 
success.  Mr.  Andrews  having  been 
appointed  a  Judge  by  the  Hawaiian 
Government  resigned  his  charge,  and 
was  succeeded  temporarily  by  the 
Rev.  C.  Forbes  of  the  Am.  Board.— 
About  350  whaling  ships  arrived  in 
these  ports  during  the  year,  having  an 
aggregate  of  from  8,000  to  10,000  sea- 
men. 

At  Havre,  Mr.  Adams  in  the  last 
two  years  had  within  his  sphere  of  in- 
fluence not  less  than  14,000  seamen, 
to  some  3,000  of  whom  he  preached 
the  gospel,  and  distributed  valuable 
publications.  4,500  tracts  thus  dispos- 
ed of  were  from  his  own  pen,  and 
printed  mostly  at  his  own  expense. 
In  addition  to  his  efforts  for  seamen 
10  English  and  Irish  laborers  were 
hopefully  brought  to  Christ. 

Mobile  Bay.  The  attention  of  the 
Board  was  directed  to  this  important 
port  where  from  50  to  80  vessels  of 
the  largest  class  were  usuall}^  at  an- 
chor through  the  winter,  engaged  in 
cotton  freighting  with  some  15,000 
seamen.  Besides  aiding  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  chaplain  Rev.  A.  M'Glas- 
HAN,  indpient  measures  were  com- 
menced for  providing  a  Floating  Beth- 
el, to  serve  both  as  a  chapel,  and  hos- 
pital in  the  bay. 

The  Home  work  of  the  society 
continued  much  as  in  former  years. 
The  Sailor's  Home  in  New-York  was 
maintained  with  good  success,  and 
with  the  happiest  influence.  Many 
hopeful  conversions  were  witnessed 
both  here  and  in  the  Colored  Sailor's 
Home,  which  was  conducted  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Board. 
Receipts  from  Collections  ^17,236  43 
"  Legacies       10,185  81 

"  Mag.  and  Hymn 

Book  1,509.36 

^28,931  GO 

Expenditures      -      -      28,291  92 


TWENTIETH  YEAK.  27 


19th  YEAR— 1846— 7. 

Nothing  worthy  of  very  special 
mention  occurred  during  the  present 
year.  All  the  stations  were  continued 
as  heretofore,  and  applications  for  new 
ones  were  made.  The  Swedish  Sai- 
lor Missionary  at  Stockholm  retired, 
and  another,  Mr.  A.  M.  Ljungberg 
(Youngberg)  appointed  to  take  his 
place.  "Not  one  of  our  chaplains," 
remarks  the  Board,  "  has  allowed  the 
last  twelve  months  to  pass  without  re- 
peated thanksgivings  to  God  for  the 
obvious  effects  of  divine  truth  on  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  seamen." 

Receipts  ^17,515  74.  Expendi- 
tures ^18,908  72. 

20th  YEAR— 1847— 8. 

Canton. — After  ten  years'  suspen- 
sion, this  very  important  station,  the 
first  occupied  by  this  Society  was  re- 
sumed. Rev.  George  Loomis  of  Lima, 
N.  Y.,  arrived  at  Whampoa  Jan.  30. 
Accompanying  him  were  26  Chinese 
sailors  who  had  come  to  New  York  in 
the  Junk  "  Keying."  They  had  ship- 
ped for  Java,  but  having  lost  their  way 
they  found  themselves  after  a  voyage 
of  212  days  in  this  port.  Here  they 
were  found  by  a  fellow  countryman 
who  could  speak  English,  and  taken 
to  the  Sailor's  Home  where  they  were 
cared  for,  supplied  with  the  Chinese 
New  Testament,  enrolled  their  name? 
in  Chinese  characters  as  members  of 
the  Marine  Temperance  Society,  and 
at  length  embarked  in  company  with 
Mr.  Lt)omis  for  their  homes. 

Honolulu. — Mr.  Damon  reported 
an  increased  attendance  of  seamen  at 
the  Bethel,  and  its  enlargement  so  as 
to  seat  200  more  hearers, — of  the  pro- 
gress of  temperance  and  general  im- 
provement among  sailors  and  increas- 
ed encouragements  in  his  work. 

Lahaina. — Mr.  Forbes  returned  to 
this  country  on  account  of  sickness  in 
his  family,  and  Rev.  Townsend  E. 
Taylor  was  sent  out  to  fill  his  place. 


28 


TWENTY-FIRST  TEAR. 


HiLO. — For  the  accomodation  of  the 
3,000  or  4,000  seamen  annually  resort- 
ing to  this  port,  a  Bethel  Chapel  had 
been  erected,  and  Rev.  Titus  Coan, 
missionary  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  and 
pastor  of  the  largest  Christian  Church 
in  the  world,  performed  a  regular  vo- 
luntar}^  service  in  behalf  of  seamen. 

Havre. — Mr.  Adams  in  consequence 
of  the  sickness  and  death  of  his  wife 
was  absent  in  this  country  for  fceveral 
months.  On  his  return  he  resumed 
the  work  amid  encouragement  of  suc- 
cess, and  several  cases  of  inquiry 
among  sailors  ensued. 

Marseilles.  Rev.  Geo.  H.  Hast- 
ings sailed  from  New  York,  Oct.  9,  to 
establish  a  station  at  this  port,  under 
a  joint  commission  from  the  Am.  S.  F. 
Society  and  the  Am.  and  For.  Christ- 
ian Union. 

The  labors  of  Nelson  and  Ljungberg 
were  continued  in  Sweden  with  their 
usual  energy  and  success. 

Bordeaux.  Under  the  auspices  of 
the  Protestant  Society  of  France,  Rev. 
T.  L.  Schiep  labored  among  the  4,000 
Protestant  seamen  resorting  to  this 
port,  and  was  aided  by  an  appropria- 
tion from  their  Board. 

Valparaiso.  Rev.  David  Trum- 
bull, joint  chaplain  of  the  Am.  S.  F. 
Society  and  Am.  and  Foreign  Christ- 
ian Union,  opened  a  Bethel  for  ser- 
vice a:mong  4,000  seanofen  annually  re- 
sorting to  this  port. 

Havana.  Rev.  Jabies  R.  French 
Went  to  Havana  in  February  to  com- 
mence labors  among  the  seamen  visit- 
ng  there. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Pease  was  also  commis- 
sioned to  explore  the  other  principal 
ports  in  the  West  Indies  with  a  view 
to  operations  in  them. 

Receipts,  ^23,933  05.  Expenditures, 
^23,900  30. 

21sT  year.— 1848-9. 

Cj  nton.    Mr  Loomis  on  his  arrival 


commenced  the  labor  of  establishing 
a  floating  Bethel  at  Whampoa,  in 
which  both  seamen  and  residents 
participated  with  much  liberality. — 
His  congregations  on  shore  were  large 
and  attteutive. 

Honolulu.  The  labors  of  Mr. 
Damon  are  briefly  described  in  the 
Annual  Report  as  follows;  "In  his 
annual  intercourse  on  ship-board  and 
in  his  tetudy  and  reading  room  with 
from  6,000  to  10,000  seamen,  of  not 
less  than  ten  different  nations;  in 
preaching  to  them  the  Gospel ;  in  dis- 
tributing among  them  Bibles,  relig- 
ious books  and  tracts ;  in  issuing  for 
them  monthly  2,000  copies  of  the 
"Friend";  in  maintaining  an  exten- 
sive correspondence  with  them  and 
their  friends;  superintending  an  in- 
teresting Sabbath  School;  visiting 
weekly  the  sick  in  the  two  hospitals, 
and  the  deserters  and  mutineers  in 
the  common  prison  ;  in  keeping  alive 
the  subject  of  temperance  ;  in  raising 
an  average  of  ^1,000  per  annum  for 
is  paper,  and  of  late  some  $2,500  for 
the  necessary  enlargement  of  the 
chapel,  it  is  obvious  that  he  must  be 
as  busy  as  any  sailor  in  a  gale  clawing 
off  a  lee-shore,  or  any  minister  of  the 
gospel  in  his  parish." 

Lahaina.  Mr.  Taylor  with  his  wife, 
the  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Thurston, 
missionary,  born  on  the  Islands,  reach- 
ed his  station  July  14,  and  entered 
upon  his  work  with  much  energy  and 
acceptance. 

At  Hilo,  Mr.  Coan  still  continued  his 
abundant  labors,  preaching  often  to 
congregations  of  seamen  equal  in  size 
to  many  congregations  in  New  Eng- 
and.  , 

Havre,  Bordeaux,  Marseilles. — 
Messrs.  Adams,  Schiep,  and  Hastings 
pursued  their  work  at  these  several 
ports  of  France  with  good  success, 
and  with  honor  to  the  Society  and  to 


TWENTY-SECOND  YEAR. 


29 


the  country.  Said  the  latter  :  "  The 
character  of  our  dear  America  is  now 
the  study  of  the  old  M^orld.  States- 
men will  judge  us  by  our  writings,  our 
laws,  and  the  statistics  of  government, 
but  the  common  people  on  these 
shores  will  judge  us  by  our  navy  and 
merchant  service  ;  and  earnest  labor 
in  behalf  of  our  seamen  is  of  unspeak- 
able importance  in  the  great  efibrt  to 
evangelize  these  papal  countries." 

Stockholm.  Gottenburg.  The  mis- 
sions to  these  ports  were  prosecuted 
as  heretofore.  At  Gothland,  in  the 
Baltic,  a  new  mission  was  commenced 
by  Mr  John  Lindelius,  a  sailor  con- 
verted at  New  York  by  means  of  Bax- 
ter's Call,  given  him  by  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  this  Society. 

Havana.  Mr.  French  found  an  am- 
ple field  of  usefulness  in  this  port,  al- 
though restricted  by  the  intolerance 
of  the  government  chiefly  to  efforts 
on  ship-board.  A  reading  room  how- 
ever was  opened  on  shore  and  many 
sick  and  dying  seamen  were  supplied 
with  the  consolations  of  the  gospel. — 
Mr.  Pease  at  St.  Thomas  in  addition 
to  the  regular  duties  of  his  mission, 
performed  a  journey  of  inquiry  to 
Laguayra  aud  Caraccas  in  South  Amer- 
ica, distributing  the  Scriptures  and 
preaching, — the  first  Protestant  ser- 
mons ever  heard  in  those  cities. 

Valparaiso.  Mr.  Trumbull  labored 
as  heretofore  at  this  port  under  tlie 
joint  direction  of  the  Am.  S.  F.  Soc.'y, 
and  the  Foreign  Evangelical  Society. 

New  Orleans.  Rev.  C.  M.  Nickels 
the  highly  acceptable  chaplain  at  this 
port  was  supported  in  part  by  this 
Society.  The  "New  Orleans  Sea- 
men's Home  Association  "  was  organ- 
ized for  the  establisment  of  a  Home  in 
that  city. 

Mobile  Bay.  Mr.  McGlashan  re- 
ported several  interesting  conver,sions 


0  occurring  among  sailors  under  the  la- 
\  bors  of  that  station  during  the  year. 
\  Sailor's  Home.  The  Board  con- 
s  gratulated  the  friends  of  seamen  on 
the  increasing  prosperity,  and  useful- 
ness of  this  institution.  Capt.  Ed- 
ward Richardson,  to  whose  instru- 
;  mentality  the  cause  is  largely  indebted 
j  in  various  ways,  renewed  his  engage- 
;  ment  as  its  superintendent.  To  his  ef- 
;  forts  is  to  be  ascribed  the  leading  agen- 
;  cy  in  the  establishment  of  the  Home, 
;  and  under  his  successful  management 
;  great  good  was  accomplished.  Many  a 
;  homeless  and  friendless  seaman,  found 
;  here  a  home  and  friend,  and  what  is 
;  more,was  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
!  the  "  better  friend"  above.  The  num- 
I  ber  of  boarders  for  the  year  was  3,635, 
j  and  for  the  seven  years  since  its  be- 
I  ginning  25,554. 

;  The  receipts  for  the  year  were 
I  $18,369  39.  Expenditures,  $18,497  90. 
I  22d  year.— 1849-50. 

I      The  operations  of  the  society  were 

continued  as  in  former  years  with  the 

following  exceptions: — 
\      Rev.  Mr.  Loomis  resigned  his  post 
I  at  Canton,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 

Edward  H.  Harlow. 

<  Rev.  Mr.  Pease,  at  the  request  of 
\  the  Board,  left  St.  Thomas  to  com- 
I  mence  a  chaplaincy  at  Rio  ^Janeiro, 
\  and  the  vacancy  at  the  former  place 
I  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
>  Newton. 

\  Rev.  Mr.  Hastings,  finding  his  way 
j  hedged  up  at  Marseilles  discontinued 
s  his  labor  there,  and  was  appointed 
s  chaplain  to  the  U.  S.  Legation  at 
I  Rome. 

\      Capt.  Richardson  resigned  his  post 
5  as  Superintendent  of  the  Sailor's  Home 
I  in  New  York,  and  was  succeeded 
therein  by  Capt.  Matthew  Sayre. 

<  Receipts,  $23,912  29.  Expendi- 
\  tures,  $23,706  93. 


30  twkxtt-tuird  year. 

23d.  year.— 1850-1. 
Canton.  The  floating  Bethel  wliich 

had  been  constructed  under  the  aus- 
pices of  Mr.  Loomis  was  completed, 
at  an  expense  of  1^6,000.  It  contain- 
ed a  chapel  with  seats  for  300  per- 
sons, a  reading  room  and  library  of  300 
volumes,  besides  apartments  for  the 
residence  of  the  chaplain.  Services 
on  shipboard  were  held  for  several 
Sabbaths  at  Shanghai,  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Bridgman  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
with  much  acceptance. 

GoTTENBURG.  Through  the  intol- 
erance of  the  Swedish  Government, 
Mr.  Nelson  the  indefatigable  mission- 
ar}"  to  that  country  was  compelled  to 
cease  his  labors  for  seamen  there. — 
He  was  thrown  into  prison,  tried,  con- 
demned, and  banished  from  the  king- 
dom for  the  sole  crime  of  preaching 
and  distributing  religious  books  !  On 
the  eve  of  his  departure  he  wrote, 
"  1  am  happy  that  I  have  been  allow- 
ed to  labor  in  my  humble  way  in  Swe- 
den, more  than  eleven  years,  Glory 
be  to  God  !  Souls  have  been  convert- 
ed through  such  an  unpolished  shaft, 
and  not  a  fcv.'  of  those  are  already  in 
heaven.  I  shall  now  commence  at 
Copenhagen  as  soon  as  I  am  driven 
from  Sweden.  And  it  shall  be  my 
greatest  joy  to  serve  a  society  so 
eminently  christian  and  above  party 
feeling  as  the  American  Seamen's 
Friend  Society.  I  will  therefore  with 
the  help  of  God  endeavor  to  give  my- 
self more  fully  to  the  work  of  Christ 
among  seamen  wherever  I  come." 
During  the  period  of  his  labors  seve- 
ral million  pages  of  tracts,  and  more 
than  ten  thousand  copies  of  the  Bible 
were  distributed  by  him,  and  some 
hundreds  of  souls  were  hopefully 
brought  to  Christ. 

Havana.  Mr,  French,  owing  part- 
ly to  his  health,  and  parti}*  to  political 
disturbances  in  that  port  was  compel- 


TWENTY-FOUUTH  TEAR.  , 

led  to  leave  this  station.  lie  labored 
:  subsequently  for  seamen  as  an  agent 
:  in  New  England,  and  chaplain  at 
I  Portland,  Me.,  till  his  death  early  in 
[  1857. 

!      Rev.  Henry  M.  Parsons  was  sent 

!  to  Havana  in  his  place. 

I      No  other  changes  worthy  of  note 

!  occurred  in  the  operations  of  the  so- 
ciety during  this  year.  In  summing 
up  the  results  of  their  work  the 
Board  speak  of  them  as  "  fruits  which 
the  angels  might  covet  the  privilege 

I  of  gathering.  Ample  returns  for  all 
the  bread  cast  upon  the  waters; 

I  abundant  encouragement  to  sow  be- 
side all  waters  with  a  far  more  libe- 

s  ral  hand." 

Receipts,  ^20,399  91.  Expendi- 

I  tures,  ^20,446  57. 

24th  YEAR— 1851-2. 
;      The  changes  this  year  were  the  fol- 
;|  lowing: — 

:|  Rio  Janeiro.  Mr.  Pease  had  been 
;  compelled  by  the  prevalence  of  the 
\  yellow  fever  in  this  port  to  return, 
I  and  Rev.  J.  C.  Fletcher  was  appoint- 

<  ted  this  year  to  take  his  place. 

\  Panama.  A  new  station  was  com- 
s  menced  at  the  Isthmus,  w^here  in  con- 
>  sequence  of  the  greatly  increased 
I  California  travel  several  thousand  sea-^ 
I  men  now  resorted  annually.  Rev. 
\  Joseph  Rowell  was  appointed  chap- 
l  lain  to  this  port. 

San  Francisco.  Rev.  IJli  Corwin 
was  sent  to  commence  a  station  in 
;j  this  growing  port  of  the  Pacific. 
I  St.  Helena.  An  appropriation 
I  was  made  by  the  Board  to  aid  in  the 
\  support  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Bertram  as  a 
\  laborer  for  seamen  at  this  Island. 

<  Havana.  A  law  of  the  Spanish 
I  government  requiring  residents  of 
5  more  than  three  months  to  domiciliate^ 

I  and  making  it  indispensable  as  a  pre- 
:|  requisite  that  they  professd  them- 
selves on  oath  to  be  good  ccUholics 


TWENTY-FIFTH  YEAR.     TWEXTY-SIXTH  TEAB.  31 


compelled  Mr.  Parsons  to  remove 
from  this  most  important  field. 

GoTTENBURG.  After  Mr.  Nelson's 
banishment  from  Sweden,  a  sailor  as- 
sociate of  his,  E-  Erikson  was  appoint- 
ed colporteur  and  missionary  in  his 
place.  Mr.  N.  retired  to  Copenhagen, 
and  commenced  his  work  there  with 
his  usual  zeal  and  devotion. 

Keceipts,  $23,417  00.  Expendi- 
tures, $22,641  01. 

25th  year.— 1852-3. 

The  number  of  the  stations  and  la- 
borers of  the  society  this  year — com- 
pleting the  first  quarter  of  a  century 
of  its  existence — was  as  follows : — 

SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 
Honolulu, 


Lahaina, 

HiLO, 


Canton, 


S.  C.  Damon. 
S.  E.  Bishop. 
T.  Coan. 
CHINA. 

E.  H.  Harlow. 
SOUTH  AMERICA. 
Panama,  J.  Rowell. 

Valparaiso,  D.  Trumbull. 

Rio  Janeiro,         J.  C.  Fletcher. 

FRANCE. 
Havre,  E.  E.  Adams. 

Marseilles,  M.  J.  Mayers. 

Bordeaux,  J.  L.  Schiep. 

BALTIC  COASTS. 
Copenhagen,         P.  0.  Nelson. 
Gothland,  J.  Lindelius. 

Stockholm,  A.  M.  Ljunberg. 

GoTTENBURG,         E.  Eriksou. 

OTHER  PORTS. 
St.  Helena,  J.  M.  Bertram. 

St.  John,  N.  B.,     E.  N.  Harris. 

The  labors  of  these  chaplains  con- 
tinued much  the  same  as  in  former 
years.  The  difficulties  of  the  work, 
from  a  variety  of  causes,  were  pecu- 
liarly great,  and  the  successes,  though 
but  moderate  in  amount,  were  all  that 
could  be  expected.  Not  a  few  of  the 
sons  of  the  ocean  were  brought  to 
Christ,  and  a  general  impression  for 


good  eflected  on  our  commercial  ma- 
rine. 

The  receipts  of  the  25th  year  were 
$24,263  99;  expenditure  $23,732  10. 
26th  year.— 1853-4. 
Valparaiso.  Rev.  D.  H.  Wheeler 
acted  as  chaplain  to  seamen  in  this 
port  during  the  year,  Mr.  Trumbull 
being  principally  devoted  to  the  for- 
eign residents  in  the  city.  Mr.  W. 
subsequently  removed  to  Aspinwall 
on  the  Isthmus,  and  commenced  a 
new  station  there. 

Callao.  Rev.  F.  W.  Bill  was  ap- 
pointed chaplain  to  Callao  and  the 
Chincha  Is.,  but  died  shortly  after  en- 
tering upon  his  duties  there.  He  was 
a  promising  man,  and  his  death  was 
much  lamented. 

St.  Thomas.  Rev.  Elisha  Whit- 
telsey  was  appointed  chaplain  to  this 
station  in  place  of  Mr.  Newton,  re- 
signed. 

Copenhagen.  The  devoted  Nel- 
son, who  had  labored  here  since  his 
expulsion  from  Sweden,  was  now  call- 
ed to  conduct  over  one  hundred  of  the 
persecuted  Christians  of  his  native 
country, — many  of  them  the  fruits  of 
his  labor — in  a  new  exodus  to  a  land  of 
liberty.  He  arrived  with  his  flock  at 
New  York,  having  had  an  interesting 
work  of  grace  on  the  voyage  among 
passengers  and  crew;  and  departed 
with  them  to  the  Western  States, 
where  he  has  since  labored  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  his  countr}' men. 

Mr.  P.  E.  Ryding  was  appointed  to 
succeed  Mr.  Nelson  at  Copenhagen. 

St.  John,  N.  B.  Aid  was  granted 
to  support  a  chaplain  in  this  port  dur- 
ing the  last  year.  $20,000  were  sub- 
scribed by  the  citizens  of  the  place, 
and  $6,000  granted  by  the  Provincial 
Parliament  for  the  erection  of  a  Sail- 
or's Home. 

Receipts  $26,173  39.  Expenditures 
$27,389  60. 


32 


TWEXTY-XINTII  YEAR.     TUK  SAILOR'S  HOME. 


27th  year.— 1854-5. 

28th  year.— 1855-6. 
Few  changes  occurred  in  the  work 
of  the    Society  during   *hese  two 
years. 

The  stations  at  Canton,  Rio  Janeiro, 
Bordeaux,  Gottenburg,  and  St.  Tho- 
mas became  vacant.  The  operations 
at  the  remaining  stations  were  pur- 
sued in  the  usual  manner  and  with  the 
usual  success. 

The  receipts  of  the  27th  year  were 
822,510  19.  Expenditures  §22,810  40. 
Receipts  of  28th  year,  §22,254  39. 
Expenditures  §21,567  73. 

29th  year. — 1856-7. 

Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding  resigned  his  of- 
fice as  one  of  the  Secretaries  on  account 
of  his  health,  and  Rev.  Israel  P.  "War- 
ren was  appointed  as  his  successor. 

Havre.  Mr.  Sawtell,  who  had  pre- 
viously served  as  chaplain  at  this  port, 
returned  thither  sooc  after  the  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  Adams,  and  was  wel- 
comed to  his  former  field  with  great 
cordiality.  His  labors  have  been  high- 
ly acceptable  and  useful. 

Canton.  After  the  departure  of 
Mr.  Harlow  this  station  remained  va- 
cant, except  as  occasional  services  were 
rendered  by  the  missionaries,  until 
the  appointment  of  Rev.  James  C. 


Beecher,  youngest  son  of  Rev.  LyiAan 
Beecher,  D.  D.,  who  arrived  at 
"VVliampoa  September  3,  1856.  He  en- 
tered upon  his  labors  with  high  ex- 
pectations, but  the  war  between  the 
English  and  Chinese  commencing,  he 
was  obliged  to  flee  from  Canton  to 
Hong  Kong.  The  Bethel  was  burnt 
by  the  Chinese.  Mr.  B.  commenced 
preaching  at  Hong  Kong,  and  at  the 
last  accounts  was  just  completing  a 
new  floating  Bethel  there. 

The  stations  at  St.  John,  Copenha- 
gen, Gothland,  Marseilles,  Aspinwall 
Valparaiso,  Honolulu,  Lahaina,  Hilo, 
together  with  Mobile  Bay,  and  one  or 
two  home  ports,  were  continued  by 
the  Society  as  heretofore.  During 
the  year  also  Rev  Ola  Helland  labor- 
ed as  a  joint  missionary  of  this  Society 
and  of  the  New  York  Port  Society 
among  the  Scandinavian  seamen  of  N. 
York. 

Sailor's  Home. — Capt.  D.  Tracy 
took  charge  of  the  Home,  May  1, 
1853.  The  whole  number  of  board- 
ers from  the  beginning  of  this  institu- 
tion, was,  May  1,  1857,  50,093.  Dur- 
ing the  last  year  an  interesting  revi- 
val was  enjoj^ed  among  the  seamen 
boarding  at  the  Home,  in  connection 
with  'jhe  several  Bethels  in  this  city. 

Receipts  for  the  year,  §22,812  35. 
Expenditures  §25,488  92. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SAILOR'S  HOME. 

Thfe  subject  of  providing  good  )  and  converting  sailors,  it  was  found 
boarding-houses  for  seamen  very  >  that  their  usefulness  was  greatly  par- 
early  forced  itself  upon  the  attention  |  alyzed  by  the  deleterious  influences 
of  the  benevolent  wlio  were  laboring  {  connected  with  the  boarding-liouses, 
in  this  cause.  However  successful  j  and  other  places  of  cliicf  resort  to 
might  be  the  Bethel  prayer  meetings  j  tliis  class  of  men  in  the  large  cities, 
and  shipboard  preaching  in  reforming  j  Many  were  prevented  by  them  from 


LAND  SHARKS.     EFFORTS  TO  PROVIDE  HOMES. 


33 


coming  within  the  reach  of  religious 
efforts,  and  many  more  who  had  been 
in  some  degree  impressed  by  such 
efforts,  were  in  these  places,  seduced 
again  into  their  former  habits  of  dissi- 
pation and  vice. 

LAND  SHARKS. 

Few  people  not  personally  acquaint- 
ed with  maritime  affairs,  have  any 
very  correct  idea  of  that  genus  of  car- 
nivorous animals  which  sailors  fami- 
liarly designate  "  land  sharks,"  a 
family  described  by  neither  Cuvier 
or  Agassiz.  They  are  the  proprietors 
or  agents  of  the  boarding-houses,  grog- 
shops, gambling  dens,  and  brothels, 
which  are  supported  in  great  part  by 
preying  upon  sailors.  When  a  crew 
arrives  in  port,  and  are  paid  off,  they 
are  surrounded  by  these  pests,  w^ho 
by  artifices  in  which  they  are  adepts 
persuade  the  men  to  go  with  them  to 
their  haunts.  There  they  are  plied 
with  liquor,  their  hard-earned  wages 
are  inveigled  away  under  the  pretense 
of  safe  keeping,  or  exhausted  by 
chaises  for  board,  &c.,  ad  libitum. 
Many  of  these  houses  are  furnished 
with  prostitutes  of  the  low^est  grade. 
Intemperance,  licentiousness,  profani- 
ty— every  vice  which  ministeio  to  the 
depraved  passions  of  men  flourishes 
here  with  hot-bed  luxuriance.  The 
sailor  who  enters  them  is  kept  till  his 
money,  and  perhaps  his  clothing,  is 
gone,  and  nothing  more  can  be  got  out 
of  him — then,  diseased  in  body  and 
mind,  he  is  turned  into  the  street,  or 
compelled  at  the  u-ill  of  the  landlord 
to  ship  himself  for  another  voyage? 
while  his  advance  w^ages  are  taken  by 
his  plunderers  to  add  to  their  unholy 
gains. 

In  one  instance  a  vessel  returning 
from  a  foreign  voyage,  with  only  six- 
teen hands  on  board,  had,  before  they 
could  get  on  shore,  thirty-two  tavern 
keepers  of  the  lowest  grade  come  on 


^  board,  to  solicit  the  sailors  to  go  witli 
I  them  to  their  houses.    In  another 
\  case,  as  a  ship  arrived  from  a  success- 
ful whaling  voyage,  a  landlord  offered 
I  a  gentleman  fifty  dollars  and  a  new 
coat  if  he  would  persuade  the  crew  to 
take  up  their  abode  in  his  house.  The 
gentleman    very   properly  refused. 
I  The  landlord,  however,  induced  most 
I  of  the  men  to  go  with  him.    In  a  few 
\   days  nearly  all  had  given  him  an  order 
for   their  respective  shares  of  the 
\  cargo,  amounting  to  three  hundred 

1 dollars  each,  and  very  few  of  them 
had  anything  to  show  for  their  eight- 
een months  hard  toil.    It  had  been 
filched  from  them  or  squandered  in. 
i  consequence  of  drink.    These  are  only 
samples  of  cases  which  might  be  ad- 
\  duced  to  any  extent  in  illustration  of 
\  these  abuses. 

\  Of  course  it  is  not  affirmed  that  all 
?  sailor  boarding-houses  are  of  this  sort. 
\  At  the  present  time  there  are  proba- 
\  bly  over  two  hundred  in  all  in  the 
j  city  of  New  York,  of  which,  perhaps^ 
I  twenty  or  twenty-five  are  strictly  tern- 
\  perate  and  respectable  housos,  or 
5  about  10  per  cent,  of  the  whole.  It 
is  supposed  that  the  proportion  is  not 
greater  in  other  sea  ports  of  our  coun- 
?  try,  and  is  undoubtedly  much  less  iu 
\  those  abroad. 

EFFORTS  TO.  PROVIDE  HOMES. 

)      It  was  to  rescue  seamen  from  the 
power  of  these  landsharks  that  efforts 
I  to  provide  Sailor's  Homes  wore  mainly 
undertaken.  These  efforts  were  nearly 
I  simultaneous  in  their  beginning  in  this 
I  country  and  in  England.  In  the  latter, 
\  the  ruins  of  the  Brunswick  Theater, 
)  at  London,  which  had  been  destroyed 
I  by  fire,  were  purchased,  and  a  building 
>  erected  thereon,  which  is  still  con- 
I  tinued  as  an  excellent  vSailor's  Home^ 
It  is  known  as  "  The  Brunswick  Man- 
j  time  Establishment,"  Y*^ell-st.,  London. 
I  Docks. 

\      The  first  successful  movement  of 


S4  ERECriOX  OF  SAILOR'S  UOME. 


his  kind  in  America  was  at  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  during  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
Joeeph  Brown,  the  efficient  friend  of 
the  sailor.  The  next  was  at  Portland, 
and  others  followed  successively  at 
Boston,  Baltimore,  Providence,  and 
Philadelphia. 

It  was  one  of  the  objects  distinctly 
contemplated  in  the  organization  of 
the  America  Seamen's  Friend  Society 
to  "  promote  boarding-houses  of  good 
character."  At  fii-st  it  was  thought 
that  this  end  might  be  secured  by 
oflWiug  inducements  to  existing  land- 
lords to  remove  their  liquor  bars  and 
conduiet  their  houses  in  a  manner  satis- 
factory to  the  friends  of  virtue.  This, 
however,  was  soon  found  to  be  im- 
practicabte.  The  gains  of  the  old  sys- 
tem were  too  great  to  be  oounterba- 
Unced  by  an}'-  inducements  which  it 
«r*s  in  the  power  of  the  Society  to 
present,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to 
establish  new  houses  under  their  ex- 
etMiive  control.  At  length  the  house, 
140  Cherry-street,  was  leased  and 
opened,  as  heretofore  stated,  on  the 
10th  October,  1837,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Capt.  Roland  Gelston.  The  suc- 
cess of  this  experiment  was  such  that 
a  second  sioailar  house  was  opened  in 
November  of  the  next  year,  in  James 
Slip.  The  two  houses  were  together 
capable  of  accommodating  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  boarders. 

fii-ILOK'fi  HOME. 

The  evident  good  results  which  fol- 
lowed from  these  houses  prompted 
soiAi  after  to  a  much  jnore  considera- 
ble undertaking.  For  several  years 
the  project  had  licen  entertained  of 
erecting  a  large  building  in  which  to 
establish  the  offices  of  all  .Qie  associa- 
. lions  of)erating  in  behulf  of  seamen, 
and  some  funds  had  lx;en  contributed 
for  this  purpose.  The  oriKiual  plan 
wsl»  now  modified  so  as  to  .embrace 
.only  a  boarding-house  of  iunple  dimen- 
sions. The  money  refjuisitc  -for  this 
.purpose  was  raised  chiefly  ,  m  tUis.oity, 


j  The  proprietor  of  a  large  printing- 
I  office  generously  bestowed  ^1,000,  as 
I  a  thank  offering,  for  the  preservation 

>  of  his  establishment  from  fire,  after  a 
'  conflagration  had  broken  out  in  it. 

Liberal  sums  were  contributed  by  sev- 
eral of  the  leading  merchants.  A  loan 
;  of  {$10,000  from  the  Mariner's  Fund 
s  was  procured  from  the  State.  The 
s  house  was  completed  and  ready  for 
I  occupancy  on  the  1st  of  May,  1842. 
s  This  edifice— the  Sailor's  Home — 
s  occupies  two  lots  of  land  in  Cherry 
I  Street,  being  50  feet  in  front  and  175 
I  in  depth.  The  main  building  is  50 
[  feet  square,  and  the  wing  in  the  rear 
;  25  by  120 feet;  the  whole  being  five 
[:  stories  high  above  the  basement.  It 
contains  the  usual  apartments  of  a 

>  hotel,  and  has  accommodations  for 
'•:  some  250  boarders.    Besides  these 

there  is  a  reading-room  well  furnished 
I  with  books  and  periodicals,  and  a 
[.  chapel.    The  entire  cost  of  the  land, 

building   and  furniture    was  about 

^;  14,000. 

This  establishment,  under  the  ad 
ministration  of  its  excellent  Superin- 
;  tendents,  Capts.  Gelston,  Richardson, 
Say  re  and  Tracy,  has  been  instru- 
mental, under  Providence,  of  accom- 
I  plishing  all  that  was  reasonably  ex-^ 
I  pected  of  it.    It  has  from  the  lirst  had 
I  many  difficulties  to  contend  with.  The 
I  jealousy  and  bitter  hostility  of  the 
I  land  sharks  have  been  ever  arrayed 
'  against  it;  in  its  early  stages,  threat- 
ening even  physical  violence  against 
it  and  its  inmates.    The  experiment 
being  a  new  one,some  things  have  had 

>  to  be  learned  by  experience  as  to  its 
I  most  efiicient  and  economical  manage- 
I  ment.  Still  it  has  held  on  its  way  of 
I  usefulness  and  prosperity.  The  bless- 
/  ing  of  Heaven  has  ever  rested  upon 

it,  and  many  it  is  believed  have  found 
it  the  gate  of  heaven  to  their  souls. 
In  their  Annual  Report  for  1844, 
;   the  Board  say  : 

<  "  Tlio  iiumbor  of  boardcrH  within  tlio  year  ending 

<  tlic  l»t  inst.  is  4,114.   or  tliCHC  about  ciglit-tcnthi 


USKFUI-NESS  OF  TUE  HOME.     SHIPWRECKED  AND  DESTITUTE  SEAftfEN.  35 


have  attended  the  weekly  temperance  meetings, 
iiiiil  oiic-lialf  the  weekly  prayer  meetings  held  in 
the  lioiise.  An  average  of  one-third  have  attend- 
oil  at  morning  and  evening  family  worship,  while 
at  least  scvcn-teiiths  have  frequented  the  house  of 
God  on  the  Sabbath.  It  has  been  a  most  pleasing 
6ight  on  a  Sabbath  morning  to  see  from  one  to 
two  hundred,  all  trim  and  steady,  turn  out  to  hear 
the  Gospel  preached.  More  than  half  of  the  board- 
ers have  given  the  Sailor's  Pledge  to  abstain  en- 
tirely from  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  and  so 
far  as  wc  know,  the  pledge  is  almost  invariably 
kept.  Under  such  influence.*  several  of  these  men 
—how  many  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life  will  show — 
have  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus. 
***** 
"  On  being  introduced  into  the  Home  the  men 
find  themselves  at  once  in  the  midst  of  the  best 
men  of  their  own  class.  If  slovenly  in  their  per- 
sons, they  are  constrained  to  adopt  habits  of  neat, 
ncss.  If  profane  and  vulgar,  their  improper  lan- 
guage is  at  once  rebuked.  If  heedless  and  reck- 
less, they  soon  learn  to  be  provident,  and  respect 
themselves.  If  intemperate,  in  a  majority  of  in- 
stances, tliey  have  been  reclaimed.  If  spendthrifts, 
in  many  instances  they  have  listened  to  good  ad- 
vice and  saved  their  money,  either  by  supplying 
their  own  necessities,  or  sending  it  to  comfort  the 
heart  of  some  loved  mother  or  friend,  or  depositing 
it  in  tlw  Seaman's  Saving  Bank.  More  than  $50,- 
000  have  been  deposited  in  the  saving  banks  in  this 
city  within  the  past  year,  and  $14,997  sent  to  their 
friends,  by  these  boarders  at  the  Home.  If  care- 
less on  the  subject  of  the  soul's  salvation,  under 
the  influence  of  the  temperance  and  religious 
meetings,  as  they  have  heard  one  and  another 
and  another  of  their  shipmates  tell  of  their  wan- 
derings from  God,  of  their  convictions  for  sin,  of 
their  deep  distress  turned  into  unspeakable  joy  on 
believing  in  Jesus,  the  tears  have  started  down 
their  weather-beaten  cheeks-,  and,  like  the  fisher- 
men sailors  of  the  sea  of  Galilee, they  have  straight- 
way left  all  and  followed  Christ.  Others,  awaken- 
ed by  the  conversation  of  a  pious  sliipmate,  or  the 
Bible  in  their  rooms,  have  knelt  by  the  couches 
furnished  by  the  hand  of  female  kindness,  to  con- 
fess their  sins  to  God,  and  obtain  pardon.  Scores 
of  living  examples  of  temperance  and  godliness 
sufficiently  illustrate  the  influence  of  the  Home  on 
its  inmates." 

One  interesting  evidence  of  tlie  use- 
fulness of  this  institution  was  found  in 
its  influence  in  diminishing  crime  in 
the  city.    The  same  report  says : 

"  The  records  of  the  Marine  and  Police  Courts 
in  this  city  furnish  some  eloquent  facts  on  this  sub- 
ject. Fn  the  former,  suits  against  seamen  for  assault 
and  battery  have  diminished  at  least  two-thirds ; 
while  in  the  latter,  prosecutions  against  them  have 
(llminished  witliin  a  year  or  two  at  least  fifty  per 
eent  Ca-es  of  larceny  or  stealing,  on  their  part, 
are  of  very  rare  occurrence.  Wilhm  the  year  end- 
ing January  1st,  1844,  1,988  persons  were  brought 
before  tho  police  court  for  the  crime  of  intoxication, 
and  not  fifty  of  the  whole  number  were  sailors  !— 


\  On  an  average,  not  one  sailor  a  week  out  of  tho.se 
here  in  a  year,  is  brought  before  a  court  of  justice 
charged  with  crime.  A  marvelous  change  whci'i 
we  consider  their  previous  habits,  and  their  multi- 
;  plied  temptatior.s  to  sin  !  A  cheering  compliment 
',  and  a  rich  reward  to  those  who  have  e.xpended 
their  time  and  money  to  promote  the  social  and 
moral  improvement  of  seamen,  for  in  so  doIn|' 
they  have  most  eflfectually  secured  the  general  * 
good." 

Regular  family  devotions  are  held 
daily  at  the  Home,  at  which  all  the 
boarders  are  invited  to  be  present.  A 
I  weekly  prayer  meeting  and  a  weekly 

>  temperance  meeting  are  also  held, 
I  which  are  generally  well  attended.  It 

is  very  interesting  to  observe  the  walls 

>  of  the  chapel  hung  with  certificates 
I  of  membership  in  the  Marine  Temper- 
I  ance  Society,  in  neat  gilt  frames,  be- 
longing to  sailor^  who  have  there 
signed  the  temperance  pledge,  and 
gone  to  practice  its  principles  amid  the 
temptations  of  foreign  ports. 

>  It  has  from  the  first  been  the  de- 
\  sign  of  the  Board  to  make  the  Home 
\  as  far  as  possible  a  self  sustaining  in- 
j  st)tution.  Many  sailors  however  come 
\  into  port  in  utter  destitution,  having 

lost  by  shipwreck,  or  other  casualty 
all  their  resources.     It  would  not 
comport  with  the  designs  of  the  So- 
ciety, or  with  the  demands  of  com- 
mon charity  to  turn  these  away  from 
its  doors.     The   pittance  of  a  few 
days  board,  and  perhaps  an  article  or 
I  two  of  necessary  clothing  has  been 
I  furnished  in  such  cases,  till  they  were 
!  able  to  procure  a  new  shipment.  The 
I  aggregate  amounts  thus  furnished  to 

>  sailors  unable  to  pay  for  their  accom- 
j  modations,  has  in  some  years,  been 
I  large.  The  rent  received  for  the  use 
;  of  the  clothing  store  connected  with 
;  the  house,  is  appropriated  to  this  ob- 
;  ject,  and   now  nearly  equals  it  in 

;  amount,  leaving  as  an  actual  cost  to 
:  the  Society,  little  but  the  repairs  and 

other  incidental  expenses  of  the  buikl- 

ing. 

The  whole  number  of  boarders  in 


the  Lomes  tinder  tbe  care  of  the  So- 
ciety, and  the  number  of  shipwrecked 


and  dc> 

titute  seamen  who  have  re- 

ceived  charitable  aid, 

are  as  follows : 

yi:A!;. 

WUOLE  NO. 

WRECKED  &  DEST. 

First  fioilic  opened  Oct.  10,  1837. 

1837-8 

530 

not  reported. 

18:^.8-0 

17G1 

do 

18:;a-40 

not  reported  do 

] 840-1 

do 

do 

18J1-2 

do 

do 

Soilor-s  Home  opened  May  1,  1842. 

18J2-0 

2978 

not  reported. 

184  ;-4 

4114 

217 

1844--) 

3910 

550 

184.J-G 

3820 

300 

'840-7 

3419 

not  reported. 

18i7-8 

3003 

do 

1848_'J 

3035 

do 

18 !'»_//) 

2421 

92 

\H:y^  \ 

2525 

105 

1851-2 

3027 

218 

1852-3 

3069 

200 

1853-4 

3400 

140 

1854-5 

3800 

98 

1855-0 

3300 

142 

1850-7 

2940 

159 

Total  in 

S.H.  50,093 

2221 

<  The  number  of  boarders  accommo- 
I  dated  prior  to  the  opening  of  the  new 
I  sailor's  home  was  not  far  from  7,500. 
3  The  whole  number  of  shipwrecked 
?  and  destitute  assisted  has  probably 
^  been  about  3,500. 

<  THE  COLORED  £AIL0R*8  HOME. 

I  Since  1838,  this  Society  has  also 

]  aided  in  the  support  of  a  Home  for 

\  colored  seamen,  an  institution  which 

^  has  done  much  for  the  temporal  and 

]  spiritual  welfare  of  that  class.  The 

<J  number  of  boarders  resorting  thither 

^  has  averaged  about  200  per  year. 


37 


CHAPTER  V. 

LOCAL  SOCIETIES 


SAILOR'S  HOME,  PORTLAND. 


The  American  Seamen's  Friend 
Society  is  the  only  institution  in  this 

country  which  embraces  in  its  field  of  \ 

operations  American  seamen,  wher-  \ 

ever  found,  at  home  or  abroad.  Co-  h 

operating  with  it,  however,  are  nu-  \ 

merous  societies,  some  auxiliary  to  it  < 

and  some  independent,  which  per-  \ 

form  a  local  work,  chiefly  in  the  places  \ 

only  where  they  are  situated.    Some  \ 

brief  notice  of  these  is  necessary  to  \ 

give  any  thing  like  a  complete  view  < 

of  the  entire  work  as  it  is  now  car-  i 

ried  on  in  this  country.  i 

1.   AUXILIARY  SOCIETIES.  | 

We  classify  as  such  those  which  are  ^ 

connected  with  the  Am.  S.  F.  Society  \ 


by  mutual  agreement^  specifying  the 
nature  of  their  connection,  and  tho 
particular  mode  in  which  they  co- 
operate in  the  common  cause.  All  of 
them  are  independent  in  the  manage- 
ment of  their  own  affairs. 

1.  Maine  Seamen's  UxiOxV. 
This  society  was  organized  in  1849. 
Its  efforts  have  been  directed  chiefly 
to  the  support  of  the  Bethel  and  the 
Sailor's  Home,  at  Portland,  botli  of 
which  have  been  conducted  with  a 
good  degree  of  success.  The  parent 
society  has  for  some  years  made  a 
small  annual  appropriation  in  aid  of 
the  Bethel.  About  GOO  sailors  have 
been  accommodated  yearly  at  the 
Home. 


38 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES. 


SAILOR'S  HOME.  BOSTON. 


2.  Boston  Seamen's  Friend  Society. 

By  its  constitution  this  is  "  a  Branch 
of  the  Am.  S.  F.  Society."  It  was 
organized  in  1828,  the  same  year  with 
the  latter,  and  has  pursued  its  course 
of  usefulness  uninterruptedly  to  the 
present  time.  It  supports,  1.  The 
Mariner's  church,  of  which  Rev.  E. 
Kellogg  is  now  the  efficient  pastor, 
and  which  consists  not  only  of  a  house 
of  worship  but  a  regularly  organized 
body  of  nearly  one  hundred  members, 
mostly  seamen.  An  interesting  Sdb- 
bath  school  of  150  pupils  is  connected 
with  it.  2.  The  Sailor's  Home,  99 
Purchase-street,  Mr.  J.  O.  Chany, 
Superintendent.  This  was  erected  in 
1802,  and  is  an  excellent  building  for 
the  purpose,  accommodating  nearly 
3,0(X)  boarders  per  annum.  The 
whole  number  received  for  the  past 
eleven  years  is  23,394.  An  exten.sive 
tract  and  Bible  distribution  is  carried 
on  in  connection  with  the  church  and 
the  Home. 

By  the  terms  of  their  agreement 
the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  this 
Kofiety,  llev.  S.  \V.  Hanks,  is  District 
SecreUry  of  the  A.  S.  F.  S.  for  Mawsa- 


chusetts.  His  labors  for  the  cause 
J  extend  also  into  Vermont  and  New 
^  Hampshire. 

<[      3.  The  New  York  Port  Society. 

>      This  society  is  auxiliary  to  the  A. 

J  S.  F.  S.  only  as  it  receives  from  the 
latter  a  specified  share  of  the  collec- 
tions for  the  common  cause  m  the 
cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and 
as  the  two  jointly  maintain  a  mission- 
ary to  the  Scandinavian  seamen  who 
resort  here  in  considerable  number.';. 

The  origin  and  early  history  of  this 
society  have  been  already  recounted. 
Its  efforts  are  principally  directed  to 
the  support  of  the  Mariner's  .Church, 
corner  of  Catherine  and  Madison  Sts. 
of  which  Rev.  C.  J.  Jones,  is  pastor. 
Although  regular  public  worship  had 
been  maintained  by  this  Society  more 
than  thirty  years,  yet  a  distinct  clmrch 
was  not  organized  untill  March  185G. 
It  numbered  at  that  time  CO  members. 
Since  then,  the  influences  of  the  Di- 
vine Spirit  have  been  almost  continual- 
ly enjoyed.  Many  sailors,  notwith- 
standing the  degradation  and  all  the 
unfavorable  influences  to  wliich,  as  a 
cla.ss  they  are  exposed,  have  been 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES. 


39 


hopefully  converted,  raising  the  pres-  j 

ent  membership  of  the  church  (1858)  | 
to  about  250,  the  greater  part  of  whom 

united  on  profession  of  their  faith.  | 

Three  services  for  preaching  are  < 
held  on  the  Sabbath,  one  of  them  in 
Norwegian,  besides  morning  and  af- 
ternoon prayer  meetings,  and  the  Sab- 
bath school,  and  a  Bible  class  for  > 
colored  seamen.     Several  industrious  | 
assistants  visit  the  sailor  boarding 
houses  and  invite  as  many  as  they  < 
meet  to  attend.     The  forenoon  of  \ 
every  week  day  is  devoted  by  Messrs.  I 
Jones  and  Holland,  to  the  reception  ) 
of  calls  from  sailors  for  religious  con-  \ 
versation  and  prayer.     The  names  of  \ 
the  visitors  are  entered  in  a  book,  \ 
words  of  afi'ectionate  inquiry  and  coun- 
sel addressed  to  them,  the  temperance  s 
pledge  administered  when  practicable,  5 
and  a  package  of  tracts,  a  Testament 
or  religious  book  placed  in  their  hands.  | 

Three  regular  weekly  prayer  meet-  \ 

ings  are  held,  one  in  Norwegian ;  aiso  i 

a  teacher's  meeting,  on  Saturday  eve-  \ 

ning.  s 

4.  Pennsylvaxia  Seamen's  Friend  \ 

Society.  | 

The  operations  of  this  association  \ 

are  confined  mostly  to  the  mainten-  i 

ance  of  the  Sailor's  Home,  204  South  \ 

Front-street.     About  1,200  seamen  i 

are  annually  accommodated  here,  and  > 

share  in  all  the  advantages  connected  I 

with  this  excellent  establishment.  < 

By  arrangement  with  the  American  | 
S.  F.  Society,  during  the  past  year,  | 
the  Secretary,  Rev.  Geo.  Hughes,  is  S 
District  Secretary  of  the  former  and  ^ 
is  employed  in  behalf  of  both  in  Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware,  Maryland,  and  ' 
part  of  New  Jersey. 

5.  Mobile  Bethel  Society.  > 

Ihe  port  of  Mobile  is  second  in  im-  \ 

portance  in  the  south,  only  to  New  | 

Orleans.    It  is  one  of  the  great  cen-  1 

ters  of  the  cotton  trade,  having  some  \ 


s  25,000  seamen  resorting  thither  annu- 
ally. 

A  Bethel    Church    and  Sailor's 
I  Home  are  sustained  by  this  Society 
\  in  the  city,  and  in  connection  with 
:  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  So- 
ciety, a  floating  Bethel  and  Hospital 
in  the  Bay.    The  shipping,  owing  to 
I  the  shallowness  of  the  latter,  for  the 
]  most  part  lie  here,  15  or  20  miles  from 
the  city.    The  great  importance  of 
\  this  station  has  induced  the  American 
I  Society  to  grant  to  it  a  liberal  support, 
i  rendering  it  one  of  their  principal 
s  stations  on  our  coast, 
s      Rev.  A.  McGlashan,  who  has  for 

>  many  years  labored  in  this  port,  has 
I  now  a  commission  from  the  A.  S.  F.  S. 
\  as  Secretary  for  the  Southern  Statesv 
I        6.  American  Bethel  Society. 

The  early  efforts  of  the  A.  S.  F.  S. 
to  awaken  an  interest  in  behalf  of 
\  sailors  and  boatmen  on  the  Inland 
I  Waters  have  been  already  mentioned. 
]  These  operations  at  length  led  to  the 
I  formation  in  1836,  of  the  American 
\  Bethel  Society,  located  at  Buffalo, 
<  which  became  by  vote,  in  184C,  "  an 
\  affiliated  Branch  of  the  American  Sea- 
I  men's  Friend  Society."  Its  Secretary, 
s  Rev.  T.  Stillman,is  "  District  Secretary 
\  of  the  A.  S.  F.  S.  for  Western  New 
York." 

From  fifteen  to  twenty  chaplains 
I  and  missionaries  are  employed  by  this 

>  society,  chiefly  upon  the  lakes,  rivers 
I  and  canals  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
I  A  flourishing  Bethel  is  sustained  at 
I  Buffalo.  On  the  Erie  Canal  are  mis- 
I  sionary  stations  at  Lockport,  Brock- 
port,  Rochester,  Syracu5,«e,  Utica, 
Schenectady  and  West  Troy  ;  on  the 

1:  Northern  Canal  at  Whitehall;  also  on 
5  the  Morris,  and  Delaware  and  Raritan 
Canals  in  New  Jersey.  A  chaplain 
I  has  labored  on  the  Hudson  River,  and 
\  during  a  part  of  the  year  a  colporteur 
I  has  visited  among  the  canal  boatmen 


40 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES. 


in  the  vicinity  of  Coenties  Slip,  New 
York.  The  work  which  has  been 
performed  at  these  various  stations 
has  been  peculiarly  laborious  and  dis- 
couraging, but  the  blessing  of  God 
has  obviously  attended  it,  and  hun- 
dreds of  souls  have  hopefully  been 
brought  to  the  Saviour. 

At  Albany  an  independent  Bethel 
is  sustained  chiefly  by  residents  of 
that  city,  and  by  Sabbath  collections. 
Rev.  J.  Miles,  Pastor. 

7.  The  Western  Seamen's  Friend 
Society. 

This  is  an  auxiliary  of  the  Am. 
Bethel  Society,  and  is  located  at 
Cleveland,  0.  Its  field  is  even  more 
extensive  than  that  of  the  latter,  em- 
bracing the  waters  of  the  entire  coun- 
try west  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

Bethels  are  maintained  at  Pitts- 
burgh, Cincinnati,  Cleveland,  Sandus- 
ky, Toledo,  Detroit,  Chicago,  and  St. 
Louis.  Missionaries  and  colporteurs 
are  laboring  also  on  the  Upper  Lakes, 
on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers, 
the  "Wabash  and  Erie  Canal,  &c.,  &c. 
The  whole  number  of  laborers  in  the 
employ  of  the  Society  is  something 
over  twenty. 

An  arrangement  has  recently  been 
effected  between  this  Society  and  the 
A.  S.  F.  S.,  looking  to  a  more  active 
co-operation  between  the  two,  which 
it  is  hoped  will  increase  the  resources 
and  efficiency  of  both. 

2.  INDEPENDENT  SOCIETIES. 
1.   Salem  (Mass.)  Bethel. 

This  is  maintained  by  contributions 
from  the  churches  and  individuals  of 
different  denominations  in  that  city, 
b}^  the  Sabbath  collections  in  the  Be- 
thel, and  the  rent  of  a  part  of  the 
pews  and  of  the  cellar. 

There  is  a  Female  S.  F.  Society  in 
that  city  which  raises  a  small  sum 
annually  for  the  relief  of .  distressed 
teamen  and  their  families. 


2.  Boston  Port  Society. 
This  institution  supports  the  Sea- 
men's Bethel,  North-Square,  which 
has  long  been  under  the  ministry  of 
Rev.  E.  T.  Taylor,  better  known  to 
all  sailors  as  "  Father  Taylor." 

3.  Boston  Seamen's  Aid  Society. 

This  is  an  association  of.Ladies  hav- 
ing in  charge  the  Mariner's  House, 
North-Square,  and  clothing  store  con- 
nected with  it.  About  1,800  boarders 
are  accommodated  here  yearly.  Char- 
itable aid  is  furnished  to  the  widows 
and  families  of  seamen,  also  to  the 
shipwrecked  and  destitute  at  the 
House.  Its  income  apart  from  the 
sale  of  goods  at  the  store  is  about 
^1,000  per  annum. 

4.  Boston  Baptist  Bethel  Society, 
supports  the  Baptist  Bethel ;  Rev.  P. 
Stowj  Chaplain. 

5.  Free  Church  op  St.  Mary's  for 
Sailors,  Boston. 
This  is  an  Episcopal  "  parish  for 
Sailors,"  supported  by  "  the  free  will 
ofl'erings  of  its  friends."    Rev.  John 
P.  Robinson,  Rector. 

6.  Marine  Mission  at  Large  ; 
an  independent  mission,  conducted  by 
Capt.  T.  V.  Sullivan,  Missionary,  Bos- 
ton. 

7.  New  Bedford  Port  Society. 

The  Seamen's  Bethel,  Rev.  M.  Howe, 
Pastor,  is  supported  by  this  society, 
and  a  Home,  by  the  Ladies  Branch  of 
the  same. 

8.  Episcopal  Society  for  Seamen, 
New  York. 
Under  the  care  of  this  body  are  two 
Floating  Bethels,  one  in  the  East  and 
the  other  in  the  North  River,  a  "  Mis- 
sionary at  large,"  and  the  "  New  Sai- 
lor's Home,"  338  Pearl  Street.  The 
average  attendance  at  the  Bethels  is 
about  110  each.  800  seamen  are  ac- 
commodated annually  at  the  Home. 
The  operations  of  the  Society  are  pro- 
secuted with  vigor  and  success. 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES. 


41 


9.  Methowst  Missions  fou  Seamen, 
New  York. 

The  missionary  department  of  the 
N.  Y.  Conference  sustains  the  follow- 
ing institutions :  1.  The  Swedish  Float- 
ing Bethel,  N.  R.,  Rev.  0.  G.  Hed 
Strom,  Pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  As- 
sistant. 2.  The  Cherry  Street  Chapel, 
Rev.  Wm.  Corbitt,  Pastor.  3.  The 
William  Street  Bethel,  Atlantic  Dock, 
Brookljm,  Each  of  these  is  flourish- 
ing, and  is  well  sustained.  The  Swe- 
dish Bethel  in  particular  has  been 
greatly  prospered.  Ilore  than  1000 
Scandinavians  have  been  hopefully 
converted,  and  some  35  missionaries, 
raised  up  there,  of  whom  three  or  four 
are  now  laboring  in  the  Fatherland, 
and  the  rest  among  the  Swedes  and 
Danes  of  our  own  country. 

10.  American  Baptist  Bethel  Society, 
New  York. 
For  many  years  a  Baptist  Mariners 
Church  has  been  sustained  in  Cherry 
Street,  Rev.  Ira  R.  Steward,  Pastor. 
To  give  this  increased  strength  and 
efBciency,  the  above  Society  was  orga- 
nized in  1857.  It  has  entered  on  its 
work  with  very  encouraging  pros- 
pects. 

11.  The  Marine  Temperance  Society, 

New  York. 

This  organization  was  formed  in 
1833,  and  has  been  eminently  instru- 
mental in  doing  good  to  the  sailor. 
More  than  31,000  names  are  enrolled 
as  members. 

Very  efficient  labors  for  seamen  are 
also  performed  by  the  N.  Y.  Bible  and 
Tract  Societies  in  distributing  among 
them  the  Scriptures  and  religious  read- 
ing, and  supplying  vessels  bound  on 
voyages  abroad. 

12.  Bethel,  Main  Street,  Brooklyn. 
Rev.  Wm.  Burnett  conducts  a  ser- 
vice for  seamen  here,  which  is  sustain- 
ed by  contributions  from  friends  in 
that  city. 


13.  The  Eastburn  Bethel,  Phila- 
DELrniA, 

Rev.  J.  B.  Ripley,  Pastor.  This  is 
sustained  by  an  Association  named 
after  the  venerable  Joseph  Eastburn, 
one  of  the  first  preachers  to  seamen  in 
that  city. 

The  Episcopalians  and  Methodists 
have  each  a  Bethel  in  Philadelphia. 
14.  Philadelphia  Sabbath  Association. 

This  Society  has  a  two-fold  object, 
the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  the  Sab- 
bath generally,  and  the  missionary 
work  on  the  canals.  Six  or  eight  mis- 
sionaries are  laboring  for  the  latter ; 
performing  a  much  needed  work  among 
the  thousands  of  boatmen  employed 
on  the  lines  of  internal  navigation  in 
thatState. 

15.  Seamen's  Union  Bethel  Society, 

Baltimore, 
Sustains  a  Bethel  and  Seamen's 
Home.  A  Ladies  S.  F.  Society  affords 
relief  for  the  shipwrecked  and  desti- 
tute at  the  Home. 

16.  Sailor's  City  Bethel,  Baltimore, 
Supported  by  the  Methodist  Confe- 
rence. 

17.  Bethel,  Alex^indria,  Va. 
Under  the  auspices  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association. 

18.  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  Norfolk, 

Virginia. 

19.  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  Wil}j;ing- 

TON,  N.  Carolina, 
Conducts  a  Bethel  and  Sailor's 
Home,  the  latter  having  about  700 
boarders  per  annum. 

20.  Charleston  Port  Society, 
Charleston,  S.  C. 
This  is  one  of  the  oldest  societies 
for  seamen  in  this  country,  and  has 
ever  prosecuted  its  work  with  much 
efficiency.  A  Bethel  and  Horn"  are 
under  its  care,  the  latter  accommoda- 
ting about  600  boarders  j^early. 

21.  Savannah  Port  Society,  Savan- 
nah, Ga. 

Maintains  a  Bethel  j  and  the  Savan- 


It 


LOCAL  SOCIETIES. 


NAH  Female  S.  F.  Society,  a  Sailor's 
Home.  The  latter  has  about  1000 
boarders  annually. 

22.  New  Orleans  Seamen's  Friend  So- 
ciety, N.  0. 
There  is  a  small  Bethel  and  a  Sai- 
lor's Home  in  this  city,  but  both  of 
them  are  in  a  languishing  condition. 
The  cause  very  much  needs  a  resusci- 
tation in  this  large  and  most  impor- 
tant port  of  the  South. 
23.  Ladies  Seamen's  Friend  Society, 
San  Fbancisco,  Cal. 

This  society  was  organized  in  June, 
1856,  the  first  on  the  Pacific  Coast  in 
behalf  of  seamen.  It  conducts  a  Home 
which  though  in  its  infancy,  is  full  of 
promise  for  the  future. 

A  Bethel  has  been  built,  and  has 
lately  been  transferred  to  the  care  of 
the  American  S.  F.  Society. 

The  following  table  will  give  a  sum- 
mary view  of  the  cause  in  this  coun- 
try, embracing  the  number  of  chap- 


lains, missionaries  and  colporteurs  la- 
boring for  seamen ;  the  places  of  wor- 
ship maintained,  with  the  average  at- 
tendance on  each;  the  number  of 
Homes  in  operation  and  their  yearly 
average  of  boarders,  and  the  ordinary 
annual  receipts  of  each  society.  It  is 
not  intended  to  represent  these  state- 
ments as  exact, — many  of  them  are 
only  estimated  from  the  best  data  at 
hand.  They  may  serve,  however,  as 
an  approximate  view  of  the  cause, 
showing  with  sufficient  accuracy  what 
is  done  by  the  christian  public  in  this 
interesting,  and  productive  field  of 
benevolence. 

In  the  preceding  account  we  have 
not  included  the  hospitals  for  seamen, 
and  other  establishments,  charitable 
or  otherwise,  of  a  similar  character. 
There  is  a  considerable  number  of 
these,  and  they  are  doing  much  to  re- 
lieve the  physical  necessities,  and  of- 
ten to  benefit  the  souls  of  those  who 
"  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships." 


societies. 


4^ 


A.  S.  F.  SOC.  AND  ITS  CONNECTIONS. 


American  Seamen's  Friend  Soc, 
Maine  Seamen's  Union, 
Boston  Seamen's  Friend  Society, 
New  York  Port  Society, 
Pennsylvania  Sea.  Fr'd  Society, 
Mobile  Bethel  Society, 
American  Bethel  Society, 
Western  Seamen's  Friend  Society, 

A.  S.  F.  Soc'y  and  Connections, 


Stations 
1 
1 
4 


abroad. 


2 
20 

30 


1 
1 
1 

2 
15 
20 


58 


40 


150 
300 
400 

250 


3,500 
COO 
2,800 


1,200 
1,200 


9,300 


$20,000 
*G00 
5,000 

*4,000 
1,000 

*2,000 
8,000 

15,000 


$  55,600 


*  Ziclusive  of  amount  received  from  A.  S.  F.  8. 


INDEPENDENT  SOCIETIES.     RESULTS.  48 


INDEPENDENT  SOCIETIES. 


Salem  Bethel, 

1 

1 

200 

____ 

1,000 

Boston  Port  Society, 

\ 

200 

■ 



3,000 

"     Seamen's  Aid  SocietVj 

1 

1,800 

*2,000 

"     Baptist  Bethel  Society, 
"     Church  of  St.  Mary's, 

\ 

200 

2,000 

1 

\ 

150 



1,200 

"     Mission  at  large. 

X 

1 



1,500 

Bpflfnrd  Port  Societv. 

2 

200 

1 

500 

1,200 

TInY<5f»nr>fll  Sopiptv  for  Sea..  N.  Y.. 

300 

1 

800 

5,000 

Methodist  Missions,  N.  Y,, 
American  Baptist  Bethel  Society, 

500 

6,000 

2 

250 

1,500 

Eastburn  Bethel,  Philadelphia, 

220 

O  AAA 
2,000 

PliilnrJplnTiifl  Sfl,bbatli  Association. 

3,500 

Episcopal  Bethel,  Philadelphia, 

2 

1,000 

Methodist     "  " 

2 

1,000 

Seamen's  Union  Bethel,  Baltimore, 

2 

200 

1 

800 

1,000 

Sailor's  City  Bethel,  " 

1 

1 

200 

1,000 

Alexandria  Bethel, 

ioU 

1  AAA 
i,OOU 

Norfolk  Seamen's  Friend  Society, 

Wilmington    "        "  " 

1 

1 

200 

1 

700 

1,200 

Charleston  Port  Society, 

\ 

250 

oUl' 

O  AAA 
2,00U 

Savannah  Port  Society, 

2 

200 

2 

1,000 

2,000 

New  Orleans  Sea.  Fr'd  Society, 

150 

500 

1,200 

San  Francisco  Sea.  Fr'd  Soc, 

150 

600 

3,000 

Total  Independent  Societies, 

31 

29 

9 

7,300 

^44,300 

Am.  Sea.  Fr'd  Soc.  and  connections, 

58 

40 

6 

9,300 

55,600 

89 

69 

15 

16,600 

^99,900 

*  Exclusive  of  sales  of  clothing. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

RESULTS. 


There  are  peculiar  difficulties  in  the 
attempt  to  exhibit  the  results  of  the 
work  which  has  for  more  than  forty 
years  been  carried  forward  for  the 
moral  improvement  of  seamen.  Among 
all  other  classes,  the  fruits  of  such  la- 
bors are  gathered  within  organizations 
which  give  them  at  once  both  visi- 
bility and  permanence.  The  mission- 
ary can  point  us  to  his  church  of  con- 
verted heathen,  to  his  Sabbath 
schools,  temperance  societies,  institu- 
tions of  education,  and  the  like.  These 
are  tangible  evidences  of  the  work 


I   done  by  him,  and  of  the  divine  bless- 
!  ing  attending  it.  And  these,  once  es- 
tablished, become  efficient  instru- 
ments of  further  progress.  They 
>  tend  to  perpetuate  themselves,  and  at 
\  the  same  time  to  affi)rd  a  vast  increase 
\  of  power  in  aid  of  more  extended  la- 
bors among  the  surrounding  masses. 

To  a  small  degree  only  is  this  prac- 
ticable  among  seamen.  Their  ever- 
changing  circumstances  render  perma- 
nent organizations  among  them  near- 
ly impossible.  When  converted,  many 
^  of  them  unite  with  the  churches  in 


44 


HINDBAXCES.    SEAMEN  REGARDED  AS  MEN. 


their  native  town,  or  where  their  fa- 
milies reside,  and  many  abandon  the 
sea  altogether,  and  no  longer  appear 
in  any  statistics  pertaining  to  marine 
siSairs.  Others  who  connect  them- 
selves with  Bethel  churches,  are  soon, 
in  their  continual  wanderings,  lost 
sight  of,  so  that  the  records  of  these 
churches  give  no  evidence  of  the  actual 
number  of  seamen  professing  Christ. 
The  same  thing  holds  true  of  Sabbath 
schools,  and  temperance  societies,  etc. 
Institutions  of  education,  of  mutual 
improvement,  and  the  like,  which 
serve  as  exponents  of  social  progress 
in  established  communities,  are  in  the 
nature  of  things  not  to  be  looked  for 
among  seamen. 

It  is  doubtless  owing  to  this  fact  in 
part,  that  the  seamen's  cause  has  never 
acquired  that  prominence  and  eclat 
with  the  public  at  large,  which  are 
possessed  by  some  other  enterprises 
of  benevolence.  It  can  not  point  to 
such  splendid  visible  achievements  as 
the  christianization  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  the  regeneration  of  the  Nes- 
torian  churches,  or  the  conversion  of 
whole  villages  in  India.  And  though 
it  is  believed  that  the  actual  fruits  re- 
sulting from  its  efforts,  in  proportion 
to  the  means  employed,  are  not  infe- 
rior even  to  those,  still  because  less 
apparent  and  sho  wy^  they  have  attract- 
ed less  attention  and  the  cause  itself 
has  never  been  supported  by  the 
churches,  as  its  intrinsic  merits,  and 
the  actual  amount  of  good  achieved 
by  it  demand. 

HINDRANCES. 

The  same  causes,  also,  which  render 
it  difficult  to  exhibit  accurately  the 
results  of  these  labors,  operate  great- 
ly to  impede  those  labors  themselves. 

A  crew  which  is  in  port  to-d'iy  with 
an  opportunity  to  attend  divine  ser- 
vice, may  another  Sabbath  be  a  thou- 
sand miles  away,  and  for  many  weeks 


or  months,  may  not  again  be  able  to 
hear  the  preaching  of  God's  word. 
During  all  this  time,  they  are  expos- 
ed to  peculiar  temptations — vile  asso- 
ciates, vile  conversations,  vile  books, 
vile  examples  in  officers,  tend  to  drive 
away  all  serious  impressions,  and 
strengthen  them  in  habits  of  evil. 
Arriving  in  a  foreign  port,  where  save 
in  comparatively  few  instances,  there 
is  no  chaplain  or  church  of  Christ  to 
care  for  them,  they  encounter  all  the 
vices  that  can  corrupt  and  destroy  the 
soul.  Meanwhile,  they  are  too  oft 
subjected  to  abuse  in  almost  every 
form, — beaten,  plundered,  cheated, 
preyed  on  by  land  sharks,  and  neglect- 
ed by  those  whom  they  serve,  they 
become  almost  inevitably  reckless  and 
hardened  It  is  in  circumstances  thus 
adverse,  that  the  work  of  evangelizing 
seamen  is  necessarily  carried  on.  The 
wonder  is  not  that  they  are  as  a  body 
degraded,  but  rather  that  any  among 
them  are  reached  by  the  Gospel,  and 
brought  to  the  feet  of  Christ. 

It  is  obvious  from  what  has  been 
said,  that  benevolent  efforts  for  sea- 
men must  be  expended  upon  indivi- 
duals, rather  than  on  the  mass.  There 
is  not  enough  unity  and  coherence  in 
the  entire  body,  to  permit  of  general 
measures  designed  to  influence  them 
directly  as  a  whole.  Individuals  can 
be  and  are  reached  by  tke  saving  in- 
fluences of  the  truth,  and  the  aggre- 
gate number  of  these  may  be  great, 
while  the  mass  present  few  signs  of 
improvement,  and  indeed  may  be  ac- 
tually deteriorating.  That  aggregate 
amount  of  good  has  been  very  large  ; 
eternity  alone  can  disclose  the  whole. 


The  following  then  may  be  men- 
tioned as  among  the  most  valuable 
fruits  of  these  benevolent  efforts. 

1.  Seamen  have  come  to  be  regard- 


A  PUBLIC  CHARITY.     INTEMPERANCE.     LICENTIOUSNESS.  PROFANITY. 


45 


ed  as  men  having  the  rights,  interests 
and  destinies  of  other  men.  Once 
there  was  little  protection  for  them 
either  inlaw  or  public  sentiment ;  and 
for  their  souls,  almost  literall}'',  no  one 
cared.  Now,  though  their  rights  are 
too  often  violated,  it  is  without  the 
sanction  of  the  laws,  and  when  expos- 
ed, it  awakens  the  indignation  of  the 
community,  as  against  any  other  crime. 
Much  has  been  done  both  by  legisla- 
tion and  by  benevolence  to  improve 
the  condition  of  the  sailor  on  ship- 
board, and  to  provide  hospitals  and 
asylums  for  him  in  sickness  and  old 
age.  Especially  has.it  come  to  be  re- 
membered that  he  has  a  soul ;  that  he 
needs  the  benefits  of  religion  as  well 
as  other  men,  and  may  be  converted, 
and  made  an  heir  of  heaven. 

2.  The  moral  improvement  of  sea- 
men has-come  to  be  admitted  among 
the  ]}yhUc  and  regular  charities,  of  the 
church.  It  was  much  to  secure  for 
them  a  recognition  as  men — it  is  more 
to  have  gained  for  them  a  place  in 
those  benevolent  labors  of  the  Gospel 
which  are  the  peculiar  glory  of  our 
day.  Not  a  few  of  those  who  daily- 
pray  for  the  coming  of  Chris^'^'-^'tng- 
dom,  forget  not  to  add  a,.r  .^uest,  that 
the  abundance  of  the  ^^as  may  be  con- 
verted to  him.  numerous  churches 
a  stated  time  i^< assigned  for  collections 
in  behalf  of  the  cause.  Local  chapels 
are  built  and  sustained  in  the  seaports 
for  their  benefit.  It  is  true,  that  the 
amouM  of  prayer  and  means  bestowed 
on  /fliis  object,  is  far  less  than  it  should 
bf^^  but  a  good  beginning  has  been 
r  lade.  We  trust  that  the  next  twen- 
ty-five years  will  witness  a  great  ad- 

/vance  in  this  most  deserving  charity. 

/  3.  In  many  respects  there  have 
been  important  reforms  in  the  habits  of 
sailors.  There  is  far  less  intemperance 
than  formerly.  Once  the  dail}'-  spirit 
ration  was  served  out  to  all  seamen, 


j  both  commercial  and  naval — now,  it  is 
s  believed,  not  an  American  merchant 
>  ship  can  be  found  \vhich  furnishes  li- 
quor for  the  ordinary  use  of  her  crew. 
Even  in  the  navy,  where  the  spirit 
(  ration  is  not  yet  abolished,  very  many 
seamen  voluntarily  decline  to  receive 
it.    Th©  temperance  pledge  has  been 
signed,  and  faithfully  kept  by  hun- 
dreds of  thousands.  Notwithstanding 
I  the  abounding  temptations  of  every 
\  port,  there  are  very  many,  both  offi- 
I  cers  and  men,  who  maintain  habits  of 
\  unimpeachable  sobriety,  and  reap  the 
I  attendant  blessings  of  health,  of  indus- 
I  try  and  respectability. 
\      A  similar  reform  has  taken  place  in 
I  habits  of  licentiousness.  This  is  indeed 
still  the  one  paramount  vice  of  sailors, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  so  prevalent  and 
s  unblushing  as  it  once  was.    Prior  to 
I  the  beginning  of  efforts  for  seamen  in 
England,  it  was  the  custom  there, 
when  a  man-of-war  arrived  in  port,  for 
I  troops  of  abandoned  women  to  flock 
j  on  board  and  take  up  their  quarters 
there,  with  the  open  permission  of 
both  ofiBcers  and  the  government,  ren- 
S  dering  the  ship  literally  a  floating  So- 
dom.   Nothing  of  the  kind,  of  course, 
would  be  tolerated  now  for  a  moment. 
I  Many  captains  take  their  families  with 
I  them  on  their  voyages,  with  the  hap- 
I  piest  results  on  the  morality  and  order 
I  of  the  vrhole  crew. 
I      Profanity  has  greatly  diminished. 
{  Once  it  was  regarded  as  impossible  to 
I  command  a  ship  without  the  help  of 
I  oaths.    Now  there  are   vessels  on 
I  which  not  an  oath  is  heard  in  an  en- 
<  tire  voyage. 

5  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  these  and 
I  kindred  vices  still  a':ound  among  sea- 
I  men.  We  shall  have  occasion  liere- 
?  after  to  speak  of  this  matter  with 
greater  particularity,  to  show  their 
I  disastrous  influence  upon  the  people 
J  whom  they  visit  in  foreign  lands, 


46 


ECONOMY  AND  PilUGALITY.  CONVERSIONS. 


Notwithstanding  this,  however,  it  can 
not  be  questioned  by  any  one  conver- 
sant with  the  state  of  things  forty 
years  ago,  that  there  has  been  a  vast 
improvement  in  this  respect  during 
that  period.  Even  if  the  great  body 
of  seamen  show  little  evidence  of 
change,  it  is  still  true  that  the  num- 
ber of  individuals  who  maintain  an 
honorable  reputation  for  morality,  is 
very  much,  increased. 

4.  As  a  natural  result  of  this,  there 
has  been  not  a  little  change  in  their 
habits  of  economy  and  frugality .  For- 
merly, seamen  squandered  their  hard 
earnings  upon  their  vices,  with  scarce- 
ly an  exception.  Consequently,  when 
disabled  by  sickness,  or  casualty,  or 
for  any  cause  thrown  out  of  employ- 
ment, they  and  their  families  were 
utterly  destitute,  and  often  exposed 
to  the  utmost  suffering.  And  though 
carelessness  and  improvidence  will 
probably  ever  be  characteristic  traits 
of  the  class,  still  many  of  them  have 
learned  to  preserve  their  wages,  and 
accumulated  a  snug  little  competence. 
The  establishment  of  Savings  Banks 
for  seamen,  has  greatly  conduced  to 
this  result.  One  in  New  York  alone, 
has  now  on  deposit  about  two  and  a 
half  millions  of  dollars  belonging  to 
seamen.  Similar  institutions  else- 
where have,  doubtless,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, a  much  greater  amount.  The 
value  of  these  results  not  only  as 
shielding  the  sailor  against  want,  but 
also  as  elevating  him  in  his  own  res- 
pect, and  still  further  promoting  habits 
of  sobriety  and  virtue,  has  been  very 
great. 

5.  But  the  chief  of  all  the  fruits  of 
benevolent  effort  for  the  men  of  the 
sea,  is  found  in  the  conversion  of  souls. 
It  was  once  regarded  as  nearly  equi- 
valent to  a  contradiction  to  say,  that 
a  sailor  was  a  christian.  And  when 
the  first  Bethel  prftyer  meetings  were 


held  on  the  Thames,  and  seamen  were 
heard  employing  the  language  of  de- 
votion and  piety,  it  was  a  matter  of 
pleasing  astonishment,  as  when  of  old 
the  deaf  heard,  and  the  dumb  spake. 
By  the  blessing  of  God,  it  is  now  nei- 
ther a  novelty  nor  a  wonder. 

It  is  impossible,  for  the  reasons  al- 
ready mentioned,  to  give  any  definite 
statistics  on  this  point.  On  our  own 
Atlantic  coast,  there  are  from  twenty 
to  twenty-five  organized  churches  for 
seamen,  and  perhaps  as  many  more  on 
our  inland  waters,  and  half  that  num- 
ber under  the  care  of  our  chaplains 
abroad.  The  aggregate  membership 
of  these  churches,  is  probably  from 
six  to  eight  thousand.  If  compelled 
to  conjecture  how  many  are  connected 
with  other  churches  in  this  or  other 
countries,  we  might  perhaps  name  an 
equal  number  for  these.  We  speak 
now  of  American  seamen  only.  This, 
however,  is  but  mere  conjecture, 
affording  at  best  only  an  approxima- 
tion to  the  actual  facts  in  the  case. 

The  history  of  God's  work  of  grace 
among  seamen,  if  it  could  be  written, 
would  be  one  of  especial  interest. 
Ti.  '^r  peculiar  natural  traits  of  charac- 
ter, their  diversified  and  romantic 
course  of  life,  and  the  vast  variety  ol 
circumstances  which  shape  and  modi- 
fy their  experiences,  all  tend  to  give 
marked  and  peculiar  features  to  their 
piety.  The  work  of  conviction  in 
their  hearts  is  usually  deep  and  tho- 
rough. There  is  comparatively  little 
self-righteousness  to  keep  them  away 
from  Christ.  The  sailor  knows, — too 
oft  by  a  bitter  outward  experience 
of  its  consequences — that  he  is  a  sin- 
ner. He  has  generally  few  specula- 
tive difficulties  to  obstruct  his  course. 
Naturally  frank  and  confiding,  when 
he  is  made  to  see  Christ  as  the  reveal- 
ed Saviour  of  sinners,  he  is  prompt  to 
embrace  Him.    Nor  is  it  a  divided 


INSTRUMENTALITIES.  REVIVALS. 


47 


homage  wliicli  he  bestows.  He  throws 
himself  unreservedly  at  His  feet.  He 
is  prompt  in  all  the  duties  and  sacrifi- 
ces which  religion  requires.  He  will 
pray,  will  t&lk  with  a  brother  sailor, 
will  give, — -just  as  in  his  days  of  impe- 
nitence he  sinned, — with  all  his  heart. 
The  annals  of  the  Gospel  can  present 
no  nobler  specimens  of  a  warm,  gener- 
ous, self-forgetting  consecration  to 
Christ,  than  are  often  witnessed 
among  seamen. 

The  immediate  instrumentalities 
which  have  been  employed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  their  conversion,  are 
similar  to  those  which  have  been  bless- 
ed to  other  men.  Sometimes  it  is  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures,  or  a  tract,  or 
a  religious  book,  which  has  fallen  in 
their  way.  Sometimes  it  is  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word  in  some  service  on 
ship-board,  or  in  the  Bethel  which 
they  have  chanced  to  visit,  some- 
times the  afiectionate  expostulation  of 
a  pious  shipmate  or  friend.  Shipwreck 
or  a  narrow  escape  from  death,  or  some 
other  of  the  remarkable  providences 
in  which  a  sailor's  life  so  abounds,  has 
often  been  the  means  of  subduing  his 
heart  in  penitence  and  gratU-^ide.  In 
the  hospital,  when  dis^Med  by  acci- 
dent or  sickness,  V;  fias  received  the 
friendly  counst^s  of  a  chaplain,  who 
pointed  hin^**  to  the  Physician  that 
cures  mor6  than  bodily  ills.  In  the 
Home, /te  has  found  kindness,  has 
come/  under  the  genial  influence  of 
christian  society,  and  been  led  to  form 
^w  habits  of  sobriety,  which  ulti- 
jjmately  ripened  into  a  true  and  radical 
renovation  of  the  heart. 

The  ever  changing  circumstances  of 
sailors,  it  is  obvious,  are  unfavorable 
to  revivals  of  religion^  at  least  to  the 
same  frequency  and  extent  as  are  en- 
joyed in  more  stable  communities. 
Conversions  occur  for  the  most  part  in 
individual  cases  only.    Sometimes  a 


5  work  of  grace  has  spread  through  an 
\  entire  crew,  and  the  beautiful  specta- 
\  cle  has  been  witnessed  of  oflBcers  and 
I  men  together  bowing  themselves  in 
I  daily  worship,  and  together  entering, 
\  by  public  profession,  the  church  of 
:  Christ.    Nor  are  revivals,  notwith- 
standing the  disadvantages  referred 
to,  unknown  among  sailors.  Thewin- 
I  ter  of  1857-8  will  long  be  remember- 
I  ed  for  the  work  of  grace  extended 
through  most  of  our  seaports,  in  con- 
I  nection  with  that  more  general  work 
I  which  so  remarkably  pervaded  the 
\  whole  land.    In  numerous  cases  crews 
I  arrived  in  port,  even  from  long  voy- 
\  ages,  under  manifest  impressions  from 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  their  first  act 
I  has  been  to  seek  the  place  of  prayer 
and  religious  instruction.     In  New 
I  York  nearly  every  one  of  the  seamen's 
I  churches  received  large  accessions  of 
members,  and  hundreds  went  to  sea 
rejoicing  in  hope  who  had  not  oppor- 
I  tunity  to  profess  Christ  before  they 
I  left.    And  no  where,  it  is  believed, 
I  were  there  more  of  the  features  which 
I  mark  a  genuine  work  of  God's  Spirit 
>  — the  solemnity,  the  sobriety,  the  in- 
I  telligent  assent  to  truth,  and  the  pure 
j  fruits  of  holiness  in  the  life — than 
I  were  witnessed  in  this  revival  among 
j  seamen. 

When  we  thus  cast  our  eye  over  the 
results  which,  with  the  Divine  bless- 
;   ing,  forty  years  of  effort  for  this  class 
;   of  men  have  secured,  we  are  con- 
\  strained  at  once  both  to  gratitude  for 
the  past,  and  hope  for  the  future. 
\  These  results  indeed  cannot  be  fully 
\  known  till  eternity  presents  us  the 
I  grand  consummation  of  all  the  things 
of  Time.    Much  as  still  remains  to  be 
\  done,  the  benefits  already  achieved 
\  in  this  great  enterprise  of  christian 
'  charity,  will  compensate  a  thousand 
fold  the  pittance  of  labor,  of  time,  and 
of  expense  which  they  have  cost. 


48 


IXFLCEXCE  OF  WICFiD  SEA^IEN. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


CONNECTION  WITH  THE  PROGRESS  OF  RELIGION  IN  THE  WORLD. 


The  work  of  evangelizing  seamen,  ^ 
in  addition  to  the  interest  arising 
from  the  character  and  necessities  of 
the  men  themselves,  has  a  second  as- 
pect  of  scarcely  inferior  importance,  | 
growing  out  of  the  influence  which 
.seamen,  as  a  class,  exert  upon  the 
world.    It  is  due  to  a  just  estimate  of  | 
the  cause,  to  take  some  notice  of  this 
topic. 

That  a  body  of  men  so  numerous, 
so  active,  and  having  so  free  inter-  \ 
course  with  every  nation  of  the  world, 
should  wield  an  immense  influence  of 
some  sort  upon  the  world,  is  obvious 
at  a  glance.  Conceive  of  a  fleet  of  full 
THIRTY  THOUSAND  VESSELS,  and  nearly 
HALF  A  MILLION  OF  MEN,  and  quadru- 
pling itself  in  numbers  every  twenty- 
flve  years,  sent  forth  from  America  ? 
alone,  to  visit  every  nation  on  the  | 
*globe  ;  to  bear  our  flag,  emblem  of 
freedom  and  Christianity,  to  every  \ 
shore;  and  by  example  and   direct  > 
eff'ort,  as  well  as  through  the  trans-  j 
actions  of  commerce  to  impress  them-  | 
selves  upon  the  moral  condition  of  all  | 
people  5 — and  we  need  nothing  more  to  > 
show  the  magnitude  of  that  power 
which  they  must  exert,  and  the  vast 
importance  of  making  it  a  power  for  \ 
good,  and  not  for  evil. 

We  know  not  how  this  subject  can  < 
better  be  exhibited,  than  by  giving 
some  examples  of  this  influence,  of  | 
both  kinds.  I 

INFLUENCE  OF  WICKED  SEAMEN.  | 

The  history  of  the  conduct  of  un-  j 

principled  sailors  abroad  presents  a  | 

dark  chapter  of  human   depravity,  j 

Were  not  the  facts  attested  by  the  most  J 


unimpeachable  authority,  we  migh* 
hesitate  as  to  their  truth.  A  sample 
of  them  is  all  that  we  shall  give ; 
and  that  only  because  of  a  painful 
conviction,  that  without  it,  the  chris- 
tian public  can  not  know  how  urgent 
the  necessity  of  labors  for  seamen,  Hot 
only  for  their  own  sakes,  but  from 
regard  to  the  honor  of  our  country, 
and  to  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  world. 

At  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

Soon  after  Christianity  had  obtain- 
ed a  footing  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
a  law  enacted  by  the  chiefs  prohibit- 
ed native  females  from  visitmg  ships 
for  licentious  purposes,  as  had  been 
the  custom  undertheirheathen  usages. 
This  law  was  exceedingly  obnoxious 
to  many  crews.  The  missionaries 
were  regarded  as  the  cause  of  the  en- 
actment, and  the  greatest  insults  and 
abuse  Tere  heaped  upon  them  in  con- 
se^aence.'^  The  following  statement 
of  what  occuri*t:d,  is  abridged  from 
Newcomb's  Cyclopedia  of  Missions. 

"On  otie  occasion,  the  crew^^pf  a  whale  ship 
marched  to  the  liousc  of  a  niission3ry  in  a  com- 
pany, 40  in  number,  armed  wiUi  knivcsxinid  witlia 
hiack  flay  flying,  domandinji:  with  oaths  and  exe- 
crations that  he  should  connent  to  tfceir  domands. 
In  another  case,  when  the  missionary  was  oi'.'>?i>;<- 
cd  in  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  in  the  sick-roon.''  of 
a  cliiel",  he  was  assailed  by  six  or  seven  sailors  bi'- 
loiifjin;^  to  a  schooner  of  our  Navy,  armed  witli 
knives,  demanding  the  repeal  of  tho  law,  and 
Ihreateninjf  to  tear  down  the  house  if  it  were  not 
doric.  After  a  scene  of  confusion,  during  which 
they  broke  nil  the  windows  in  front  of  the  house, 
they  were  constrained  to  retire,  when  they  directed 
their  course  towards  the  house  of  (he  missionary. 
He,  alarmed  for  his  family,  altemptfsd  to  reach  his 
house  before  them  by  anf)tlu?r  way,  but  fell  into 
their  hands,  and  very  narrowly  escaped  with  his 
life,  rescued  by.  he  natives.  Tlie  same  evening, 
their  commander     tlead  of  restraining  his  crew, 


INFLUENCE  OP  WICKED  SEAMEN. 


49 


or  apologizing  for  the  outrage,  called  on  the 
chiefs,  and  declared  that  the  prohibition  should 
come  off ;  that  he  was  determined  not  to  leave  the 
Islands  till  the  law  was  repealed.  The  head  chief 
being  sick,  some  of  the  others  yielded  to  their 
fears,  and  a  connivance  at  a  breach  of  the  law  was 
the  result.  In  the  dusk  of  the  evening  of  the  next 
day,  a  boat  with  females  passed  along  the  harbor, 
and  a  shout  arose  among  the  shipping  at  the  glo- 
reoMS  victory  they  had  obtained." 

Such  scenes  were  many  times  en- 
acted at  the  Islands.  On  one  occasion 
the  Governor  of  the  village  was  ab- 
sent, and  the  place  was  in  charge  of  a 
female  chief,  who  directed  the  women 
to  flee  with  her  to  the  mountains, 
which  they  did, — all  the  females  from 
a  town  of  4,000  inhabitants,  fleeing 
om  the  violence  and  lust  of  sailors 
from  Christian  lands ! 
At  the  South  Sea  Islands. 

The  English  missionary  Williams, 
at  a  public  meeting  in  London,  said  : 

"  Only  think  what  would  be  the  effect  upon 
your  missionary  stations,  if  every  ship  that  visited 
them  carried  pious  captains,  officers  and  men  !  In- 
stead of  which,  they  come  to  our  beautiful  islands, 
looking  forward  to  the  gratification  of  every  vile 
passion,  and  at  times  there  is  an  inundation  of 
wickedness  brought  upon  us  by  them." 

At  the  Micronesian  Islands. 

Eev.  Mr.  Doane,  of  the  A.  B.  g.  F. 
M.,  says :  ^  • 

"  I  cannot  close  this  communi'-ijiion  without  first 
making  aa  appeal  for  the  jphinds  west  of  us.  The 
largest  part  of  the  population  of  the  Caroline 
group  is  there,  not  l^ss,  we  have  reason  to  believe, 
than  sixty  thou^nd  souls.  And  the  population 
upon  these  i/iTands  has  not  yet  been  visited  by 
ships,  excej^  to  a  small  extent.  The  inhabitants, 
we  suppojte,  are  mostly  free  from  a  knowledge  of 
foreign^ :<-ices.  But  this  state  of  things  cannot  con- 
tinue/ Not  many  years  longer  will  snch  a  people 
be  found  there.  Ships  are  beginning  to  look  in 
thCat  direction  for  whales.  Already  the  report  is, 
^hat  about  many  of  them  good  sperm-whaling 
ground  is  to  be  found..  And  when  ships  visit 
them,  alas  for  the  people !  Foreigners  will  make 
their  home  there,  and  will  introduce  their  vices  ;  so 
that  when  we  get  ready  to  make  a  beginning,  we 
shall  find  the  people  corrupted  and  wasting 
away." 

Rev.  Mr.  Snow,  in  a  communication 
to  the  Board,  after  referring  to  the 

arrival  of  one  vessel,  the  ,  and 

the  scenes  which  followed,  says  : 


"  I  assure  you,  I  have  hardly  ever  had  a  more 
sinking  feeling  of  utter  despair  for  our  people  and 
our  cause,  than  I  experienced  that  morning.  All 
the  trying  experience  of  the  past  four  years  came 
rushing  in  with  such  force,  as  to  quite  unnerve 
me." 

Eev.  Mr.  Sturges  of  the  same  mission, 
writes : 

"  Shipping  is  upon  us,  and  as  we  expected,  the 
natives  are  strongly  tempted.  At  this  place  there 
are  four  houses  for  the  accommodation  of  beastly 
sailors,  all  kept  by  foreigners,  the  chief  of  whom  is 
from  New  England.  Not  long  since,  one  of  my 
Sabbath  congregations  was  much  disturbed  by  the 
confusion  attending  upon  the  efforts  of  this  man  to 
take  some  girls  who  had  fled  from  his  premises. — 
He,  and  a  company  of  kindred  spirits,  with  loaded  ' 
muskets  pursued  the  fugitives,  and  captured  them. 
This  violent  mode  of  getting  victims  for  licentious 
captains  and  sailors,  is  now  the  only  effectual  one. 
This  same  man  from  New  England,  went  two 
years  ago,  with  a  gang  of  natives,  and  shot  down  a 
fellow  foreigner  !  He  has  repeatedly  threatened 
us,  but  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord  has  suffered  no 
evil  to  come  upon  our  persons  from  him.  Our  hu- 
man natures  are  sometimes  rather  fretful,  and  we 
almost  wish  a  man-of  war  would  come  to  take  care 
of  such  murderers  ;  yet  we  try  to  feel  no  anxiety 
about  these  matters,  especially  as  we  see  how  fast 
God  is  bringing  the  wretches  to  punishment,  by 
means  of  one  another.  We  hope  and  pray,  that 
the  fleet  will  be  small  this  year.  We  find  the  na- 
tives so  wild  when  two  or  three  hundred  sailors 
are  let  in  loose  among  them,  as  to  interfere  greatly 
with  our  work." 

Rev.  Dr.  Gulick,  missionary  at  As. 
cension  Island,  in  a  solemn  appeal  ad- 
dressed "To  Christian  owners  of  whale 
ships,"  says : 

"  You  may  not  be  fully  aware,  that  most  of  the 
ships  which  j'ou  are  interested  in  sending  to  thi? 
ocean,  are  the  most  disgusting  of  moral  pest- 
houses.  Not  only  are  the  sailors  given  to  every 
crime,  but  the  captains,  with  nearly  all  their  oflS- 
cers,  practice  in  these  seas  vices  similar  to  those 
which  brought  righteous  destruction  on  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah.  Several  captains,  whom  Christians 
have  engaged  to  take  charge  of  their  vessels  in 
the  Pacific,  have  thrown  deadly  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  the  missionary  work  on  this  island.  Your 
property  and  your  agents  have  been  active  in  pro- 
moting the  basest  intemperance.  Some  of  your 
ships  sell  distilled  spirits  here  on  every  visit,  and 
some  buy  it.  Your  ships  have,  in  our  harbors,  been 
so  unblushingly  peopled,  from  forecastle  to  cabin, 
with  those  who  only  gather  there  for  sin,  that  I 
have  visited  them  with  the  deepest  loathing ;  and 
what  shall  I  say  of  the  emotions  of  my  family,  as 
we  have  been  obliged  to  pass  in  full  view  of  such 
scenes  1  Some  of  your  captains  have  assisted  in 
the  demoraUzation  of  some  of  our  most  promising 
pupils;  and  most  of  them  stand  as  far  yloof  from 

4 


50 


the  n^ssionary  aud  his  cause  as  possible.  Nearly 
all  your  ships  brin*;  to  these  shores  muskets  and 
powder,  thus  ftimishing  fit  iiistruuieuts  to  the  pas- 
■^ions  of  this  people,  for  murdering  women  and 
:bi!dren  In  so-called  "  wax," 

One  hundred  and  twenty-eight  vessels  have 
touched  at  Ascension  Island  since  the  first  estab- 
tisbmeot  of  this  mission,  in  September,  1852  ;  and 
the  nine  digits  would  more  than  represent  the 
number  of  captains  who  have  proved  themselves 
Firtuous !" 

He  urges  also,  that  public  attention 
in  America  should  be  called  to  these 
abuses : 

**  The  great  body  of  Christians  in  the  whaling 
porta  of  New  England,  should  be  awakened  on  the 
subject.  Their  responsibility  is  fearful,  while  they 
suffer  themse  Ives  to  have  such  an  agency  in  dcso- 
.ating  our  beantiful  Islands,  and  in  peopling  the 
regions  of  despair." 

At  Canton. 

Rev.  Dr.  Parker  in  a  letter  address- 
ed to  Dr.  Reed,  of  London,  says  of 
seamen  there : 

"  Frequently  some  who  come  to  Canton  get  in- 
toxicated and  lie  in  the  streets  in  the  filth,  or  ex- 
posed to  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun,  the  deri- 
sion of  the  idolaters  that  pass  by.  At  such  times 
it  seems  desirable  to  go  backwards  and  throw  a 
veil  over  the  scene,  and  preferable  to  view  the  long 
queue  and  tawny  complexion,  than  to  sec  your  na- 
tion and  religion  thus  represented." 

At  Hong  Kong. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Beecher  Chaplain  of  the 

A.  S.  Friend  Soc,  writes  of  Canton 

and  Hong  Kong : 

"  There  are  no  two  ports  in  China  which  together 
would  present  so  wide  a  field  for  chaplain  labor. 
And  I  believe  there  are  no  two  ports  which  to- 
gether can  show  the  amount  of  licentiou.«ness  and 
beaiitly  degradation,  which  is  so  rife  in  this.  The 
whole  public  street  through  which  I  walked  to  my 
chapel,  is  lined  on  both  sides  with  brothels,  and 
the  sidewalks  crowded  with  foul  prostitutes.  There 
is  an  unblushing  effrontery  to  vice  here  that  would 
Hhock  any  one  not  accustomed  to  it,  and  surely  it 
ia  enough  to  dishearten  any  ministor  to  think  that 
every  sailor  he  invites  to  his  church  mutt  run  the 
gauntlet  of  all  these  foul  birds  of  j)rey  before  he 
can  reach  the  chapel  door." 

Jn  Syria. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hebard,  Missionary  at 
I^init,  J^ays : 

"1  am  more  an<l  more  convinced  of  the  impor- 
Ubc«  of  teamen  to  the  cause  of  missions.  They 
•  couiieclmg  link  between  Christiana  and  the 
JMstben,  anf),  unkitgt  converted,  will  scatter  firo- 
braoda,  arrowH,  and  death,  ui>on  the  shores  of  every 
i^UaiKl  and  continent.  Buch  haa  been  their  indu- 
cBce  hiibcrto  upon  the  heathen  that  much  effort^ 


(    on  the  part  of  the  missionaries,  is  requisite  to  coun- 

\   ternct  their  pernic.ous  example  and  lewd  practices. 

\  The  work  of  converting  the  world  will  be  greatly 
impeded,  unless  the  cliaracter  of  seamen  is  radi- 
cally changed.  You  might  as  soon  th:nk  of  culti- 
vating a  flower  garden  under  the  branches  of  the 
poisonous  upas,  as  raise  up  plants  of  righteousness 
in  the  polluting  and  soul  destroying  atmosphere 

$   of  seamen." 

I  At  Marseilles. 

Rev.  Mr.  Mayers,  Chaplain  of  this 
\  port,  says : 

"I  cannot  forbear  referring  again  to  the  cap- 
tains in  general :— their  conduct  is  a  great  stum- 
bling block,  doubtless,  in  the  way  of  the  seamen. 
Few  are  serious,  the  "  many"  walk  the  broad  way — 
>   avowed  unbelievers,  and  even  such  as  are  at 

<  home  "professors,"  think,  as  many  have  admitted 
\  to  me,  that  abroad,  away  from  their  families  and 
)  parlors,  they  may  take  license  and  follow  a  mul- 
1   titue  to  do  evil.   I  need  scarcely  tell  you,  how 

<  such  conduct  tells  upon  the  crews,  over  whom 
s   they  tyrannize  so  frequently." 

I  At  Havre. 

I  Rev.  Mr.  Sawtell,  in  an  elaborate 

I  exhibition  of  the  abuses  and  degrada- 

I  tion  existing  in  American  vessels,  says: 

;  "  No  gentleman  from  the  United  States,  who  has 
\  made  himself  at  all  acquainted  with  the  unenviable 
I  notoriety  of  our  sailors  in  such  ports  as  Liverpool, 
s  London  and  Havre,  if  he  has  one  spark  of  patriot- 
l  ism  or  national  pride,  will  not  feel  that  something 
i  ought  to  be  done,  and  that  speedily,  to  change  the 
\  character  of  our  seafaring  men.  Ho  cannot  but 
I  feel,  that  their  present  character  is  a  national  dis- 
;  grace.    He  must,  ho  does  blush  for  his  coun- 

itry  as  ho  walks  the  streets  of  these  cities,  and 
listens  to  the  oaths  and  curses,  and  horrible  impre- 
cations—the bacchanalian  songs  and  frightful  how- 
lings  in  the  streets,  and  in  their  drunken  orgies, 
and  then  is  told  sarcastically,  "  These  are  your 
American  sailors."  Ah,  there  is  here  in  Havre 
>  a  terrible  significancy  in  those  very  words ;  they 
grate  harshly  upon  the  ear— they  are  frightful 
sounds— the  very  utterance  of  those  two  words, 
"  A7nerican  sailors,"  makes  the  i^outest  heart 
:  quail,  and  decent  women  and  children  shudder,  and 
;  all  move  cautiously  and  warily,  as  if  amid  pit-falls. 
Yea,  as  if  hovering  around  the  very  pit  of  hell." 

Mr.  'S.  narrates  a  particular  instance 
of  maiming,  as  coming  to  his  notice  in 
the  hospital,  and  recoi-ds  the  Englisli 
Surgeon  who  had  care  of  it,  as  saying : 

"(),  your  American  sailors  are  terrible  follows,  a 
constant  terror  to  the  police  officers  themselves, 
biting,  tearing  aid  devouring  each  other,  like  so 
many  wild  beasts,  keeping  mo  half  of  my  tlme» 
mending  and  patching  them  up.  Why  don't  you 
man  your  noble  ships  with  a  different  and  a  better 
class  of  men  t  You  Americans  are  Justly  proud  of 
:  your  ships,  and  proud  of  keeping  them  neat,  and 
in  fine  trim— how  docs  it  happen  then,  that  as  a 


GOOD  ACCOMPLISHED  BY  SEAMEN. 


51 


nation,  you  do  not  take  more  pride  in  the  appear- 
ance and  character  of  the  men  that  work  themi" 
So  thought  I,  but  what  could  I  say  1  What  re- 
ply tiould  I  make?  0,  with  what  poignancy  and 
bitterness  of  soul,  do  we  have  to  take  such  humili- 
ating and  scathing  interrogatories !  How  does 
the  blush  of  shame  crimson  the  cheek  of  every  true 
American  as  he  sees  with  his  own  ej'cs  herds  of 
these  filthy,  ragged,  swearing  rowdies  emerging 
from  the  dark  dens  and  brothels  of  the  city,  howl- 
ing about  the  streets,  a  terror  to  all  decent  people, 
and  theu  notice  the  curling  lip  of  scorn  and  con- 
tempt, as  the  passing  stranger  is  informed,  that 
they  are  nothing  more  than  "  American  sailors" 
— a  phrase  expressive  of  the  very  essence  of  all 
that  is  degrading,  loathsome,  and  frightfully  wick- 
ed \n  man.  What  a  blot,  what  a  stigma  upon  our 
national  character.  Is  there  any  cure  1  can  there 
be  found  a  remedy  for  this  plague  spot  upon  our 
natiopal  escutcheon"? " 

These  extracts, — which  might  be 
multiplied  to  any  extent, — are  enough, 
and  more  than  enough  to  show  us 
what  is  the  influence  exerted,  the 
world  over,  by  wicked  seamen.  It  is 
an  influence  which  should  make  us 
blush  for  our  country  and  our  name. 
We  would  not  indeed  affix  the  stigma 
of  such  guilt  upon  our  whole  mercan- 
tile marine,  for  we  know  that  nobler, 
and  better  men  do  not  exist,  than  many 
who  are  attached  to  this  service.  Still, 
enough  is  undoubtedly  true  to  awaken 
in  every  patriot  and  Christian  the  ut- 
most grief,  and  prompt  to  immediate 
and  earnest  efibrt  for  the  improve- 
ment of  our  seamen.  ^  Iiow  long  will  it 
take  to  convert  the  world  through  the 
agency  of  missions,  if  the  very  shores 
on  which  Christianity  is  struggling  for  a 
footholdj  are  to  be  thus  deluged  with 
crimcF,  perpetrated  by  natives  of 
Christian  lands,  upon  which  even  the 
h(^athen  look  with  horror  ? 

GOOD  ACCOMPLISHED  BY  SEAMEN. 

We  gladly  turn  to  a  more  cheering 
view.  Small  as  is  the  number,  compar- 
atively of  pious  sailors,  and  little  as 
commerce  has  identified  itself  hither 
to  with  the  progress  of  religion,  we 
can  still  point  to  an  amount  of^good 
effected  through  this  instrumentality, 
not  only  great  in  itself,  but  as  show- 


,  ing  most  impressively  what  may  be 

I  done  by  it,  and  what  will  be  done 

<  when  the  "ships  of  Tarshish"  shall 
\  wait  for  Zion. 

S  VANCOUVER. 

\  It  is  not  known  that  this  celebrated 

<  English  navigator,  was  a  religious  man, 

<  — yet  there  is  reason  to  believe  that 
I  he  was  the  instrument  indirectly  of 
\  the  overthrow  of  idolatry  in  the  Sand- 

>  wich  Islands,  and  the  consequent  pre- 

>  paration  for  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
I  tianity.    Says  Mr.  Newcomb,  (Cyc.  of 

Miss.): 

I  "  Capt.  Vancouver,  who  visited  the  Islands  in 

I  1792, '93  and  '84,  gave  the  king  much  good  ad- 

\  vice,  as  well  as  some  valuable  presents,  and  be- 

\  fore  leaving,  is  reported  to  have  said  to  him  : 

5  '  There  is  a  God  above  in  heaven,  and  if  you  de- 

?  sire  to  worship  him,  when  I  return  to  England  I 

\  wilt  entreat  his  majesty  to  appoint  for  you  a  cler- 

Igyman  ;  and  when  he  comes  you  must  renounce 
your  tabu  system,  which  is  false— there  are  no 
earthly  deities.'  Kamehameha  died  May  8, 1819, 
a  few  months  before  the  Missionaries  sailed  from 
Boston.   *   *   He  is  said  to  have  spoken  to  his 

i  chiefs  during  his  last  sickness  of  throwing  off  the 

\  restraints  of  tabu  when  he  should  recover.  The 

<  testimony  of  foreigners  residing  at  the  islands  had 

<  been  often  given  against  the  system  " 

/  His  son,  who  succeeded  him,  and  his 

<  favorite  wife,  with  the  concurrence  of 
I  several  of  the  chiefs,  at  length  took  de- 

<  cided  ground  in  favor  of  the  change. 

>  Opposition  was  manifested  by  a  portion 

>  of  the  chiefs, — a  war  ensued,  in  which 
\  the  party  of  the  idolaters  was  defeat- 
\  ed,  and  the  revolution  was  complete. 
\  "  The  Islands  were  without  a  religion, 

<  waiting  for  God's  law." 

PERSONAL  EFFORTS. 

\  It  is  a  characteristic  of  sailors  when 

\  converted,  that  they  are  prompt  to 
engage  in  efforts  for  the  conversion 
of  others.  Rarely  is  the  light  kindled 

I  in  them,  to  be  put  under  a  bushel.  In 

j:  every  method  of  Christian  instrumen- 

I  tality,  by  example,  and  by  direct  la- 

;  bor,  at  the  Bethel,  the  Home,  on  ship- 

;  board,  and  in  the  foreign  port,  there 

;  is  an  aggregate  amount  of  good  accom- 

:'  plished  by  them,  surpassed  by  no 

\  others  of  the  same  number. 


52 


TRACT  AND  BIBLK  DISTRIBUTIOM. 


Many  pious  sailors  have  devoted 
themselves  exclusive!}*  to  the  service 
of  Christ  as  colporteurs,  tract  distri- 
butors, &c.,  and  many  have  become 
ministers  of  the  Gospel.  In  the  win- 
ter of  185G-7,  a  common  sailor,  board- 
ing at  the  Home  in  New  York,  labored 
assiduously  among  the  seamen  at  that 
institution  and  elsewhere,  and  in  a  few 
months  was  instrumental  in  the  hope- 
ful conversion  of  nearly  sixty  souls  

Not  a  few  of  the  most  successful  chap- 
lains now  preaching  the  Gospel  in  our 
own  and  foreign  ports,  were  first 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
upon  the  sea.  One  such,  who  came  a 
few  years  ago  into  New  York  before 
the  mast,  and  was  converted  here,  re- 
turned subsequently  to  his  native 
land,  where  he  is  now  preaching  the 
Gospel  with  great  success,  and  has  ga- 
thered more  than  a  dozen  evangelical 
churches,  embracing  several  hundred 
members.  At  the  Swedish  Bethel 
in  this  city,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Hedstrom,  himself  a  sailor,  thirty 
^nissionaries  have  been  raised  up,  who 
are  laboring  with  their  countrymen  in 
this  land,  and  three  or  four  who  have 
returned  to  preach  Christ  in  the 
fatherland. 

TRACT  AND   BIBLE  DISTRIBUTIOX. 

One  oftthe  most  interesting  methods 
by  which  good  is  accomplished  through 
our  seamen,  is  the  distribution  of 
evangelical  books,  particularly  among 
Catholics.  Under  the  auspices  of  the 
New  York  City  Bible  and  Tract  So- 
cieties, this  work  is  now  being  prose- 
cuted very  extensively.  The  follow- 
ing particulars  furnished  by  Mr.  J.  S. 
Picrson.  Marine  Agent  of  the  N.  Y.  B. 
S.,  will  afford  some  idea  of  its  impor- 
tance and  success. 
emUjrant  ships. 

About  250,000  emigrants  annually 
come  to  this  country  from  Europe. 
Large  supplies  of  books  are  furnished 
to  the  vesJMfls  engaged  in  this  busincsK 


for  distribution  to  the  passengers  dur- 
ing the  voyage.  One  of  the  command- 
ers of  long  experience,  gives  a  graphic 
description  of  the  work  of  distribu- 
tion. 

Do  you  ask  me  whether  Catholics  will  take 
your  books  in  yooil  faith  and  read  them?  I  wish 
you  could  be  present  some  pleasant  Sunday  morn- 
ing, when  I  give  them  out,  and  see  for  yourself.  I 
lirst  look  round  among  the  passengers  to  find  the 
right  persons  to  help  me  ;  and  that  is  easily  ascer- 
tained, by  noticing  who  are  the  ones  thatbnng  out 
tlieir  Hibles  and  Prayer-Books  to  read.  At  first, 
when  the  passengers  gather  around  the  package, 
the  idea  is  that  they  are  for  sale.  There  is,  con- 
sequently, a  little  shyness;  but  as  the  books. are 
examined,  purses  are  drawn  out  here  and  there, 
and  the  question  is,  '  IIow  much  money.  Captain  1' 
When  I  answer,  '  Nothing ;  these  books  are  sent  to 
you  by  good  peoj)le  in  America,  your  friends,'  you 
ougiit  to  sec  the  sensation,  the  expressions  of  won- 
der and  delight,  and  the  rush  to  get  copied-  It  is 
hard  work  to  make  a  decent  distribution.  That 
they  should  find,  every  man,  something  in  his  own 
language,  surprises  them.  'IIow  is  this,  Capt.  ^ 
are  there  Ilollariders  in  Ainerical  Do  the  Ameri- 
cans speak  German  V  Then  you  will  see  them  gc 
lorward  with  the  prizes,  and  string  themselves  in 
<;ron[)3  along  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  and  on  the 
forecastle,  to  read.  And  when  they  have  been 
read,  and  re-read,  and  exchanged,  those  little 
books,  believe  me,  arc  stowed  away  carefully  in 
their  chests,  to  be  preserved  as  invaluable  me- 
mentos of  the  kindness  of  friends  whom  they  have 
never  seen,  the  first  kindly  greeting  from  the  laud 
towards  which  were  turned  all  their  thoughts  and 
expectations." 

Another  captain  writes : 

"The  books  and  tracts  have  always  been  care- 
fully distributed,  <,usually  the  first  pleasant  Sab, 
bath,)  and  so  far  as  I  had  opportunities  of  judging- 
have  always  been  read  and  preserved.  It  was  no 
uncommon  sight  to  sec  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
persons  scattered  about  decks,  and  all  attentively 
perusing  whatever  had  been  distributed  among 
them.  That  they  were  carried  away  with  them 
from  the  ship,  is  evidenced  from  the  facf  that  in 
cleaning  out  the  between  decks,  while  mluiy  old 
books,  both  French  atid  German,  would  be  left  ho- 
hind,  1  do  not  nsmember  to  have  found  any  of  I'ho 
societies'  publications,  with  the  exception  ol  a  few 
tracts.  No  doubt  many  arc  destroyed,  but  still  I 
think  that  the  larger  part  are  carried  away,  and 
spread  broadcast  over  the  West. 

"  My  profession  are  not  remarkable  for  jMety  or 
veracity,  yet  I  think  that  all  |)r()miseH  to  distribute 
are  generally  kci)t,  and  that  the  books  and  tract.n 
reach  those  for  whom  they  arc  intended,  and  an; 
almost  always  road  and  preserved.  The  good 
which  they  may  elTect  cannot  bo  measured  in  titne, 
but  surely  in  the  great  harvest  day,  we  sluill  kiiov 
if  it  has  been  in  vain  that  we  thus  cast  our  broa'J 
upon  the  waters.  Is  it  not  ^  hopeful  sign  tl>u9  to 
lucc-t  the  Btiaiigcr  on  the  world's  highway,  and 


TRACT  AND  BIBLE  DISTIIIBUTION.  53 


place  ill  his  hand  the  great  Cliarter  of  human 
liberty'?  It  may  Irccjueiitiy  be  done,  but  I  have 
never  seen  a  sailor  destroy  or  throw  away  a  Bible." 

The  extent  to  wliich  these  distri- 
butions are  carried,  will  be  seen  from 
the  following  table  of  emigrant  ships 
supplied  during  the  year  ending  Nov. 
1857. 

249  vessels  bound  to  Liverpool, 


80 

u 

u 

London, 

61 

(C 

<( 

Havre, 

50 

u 

u 

Antwerp, 

19 

u 

u 

Rotterdam, 

97 

u 

u 

Bremen, 

49 

u 

a 

Hamburg, 

4 

u 

u 

Glasgow. 

Total,  609  vessels  ! 
Foreign  shijys  arriving  in  New  York. 

A  sample  of  the  distributions  on 
board  these  ships  is  the  following : 

"Among  the  foreign  shipping  supplied  this  month 
is  the  Peruvian  brig  Julia,  and  the  Chilian  bark 
Centro  America  ;  also  some  eight  Italian  ves  els. 
Upon  these  last,  however,  I  have  been  able  to  do 
but  little,  most  of  them  being  from  Naples  or 
Sicily,  where  the  Bible  is  still  a  prohibited  book. 

Upon  the  bark   ,  from  Palermo,  I  found  an 

intelligent  crew,  generally  desiring  the  Bible,  but 
afraid  to  take  it.  The  mate  went  through  in  lively 
pantomiiTie  with  a  description  of  the  search  to 
which  each  man  would  be  subjected  on  the  ves- 
sel's return— shirts,  boots,  coat-linings,  &c.,  for 
such  revolutionary  papers ;  and  expressed  witlj  a 
few  significant  gestures  what  the  result  would  be 
if  any  were  discovered— fetters  on  the  wrists,  per- 
haps a  rope  around  the  neck,  or  a  musket  brought 
deliberately  to  a  level.  I  made  the  best  arrange- 
ment possible  under  the  circumstances,  by  giving 
to  a  bright  sailoi-- whom  the  crew  put  forward  as 
their  spokesman,  an  Italian  New  Testament  with 
a  set  of  tracts,  for  him  to  read  aloud  to  the  others 
on  Sundays,  as  long  as  the  voyage  lasted  ;  which 
plan  wa%  acquiesced  In  with  a  general  expression 
ot  satisfaction.  A  copy  of  the  Bible  was  bestowed 
in  a  sirjiiilar  manner,  and  cordially  received  by  the 

capta^ii  of  the  Neapolitan  brig   .    As  the 

voyage  home  is  a  long  one,  by  way  of  Belfast  and 
Constantinople,  there  will  be  some  four  or  five 
nio(;(ths  for  the  perusal  of  the  volume,  before  it 
wi^:  be  necessary  to  part  with  it ;  which  can  easily 
done  at  the  latter  place. 

/ "  Rarely  have  I  been  more  warmly  welcomed 

tifian  I  was  upon  the  Austrian  bark  ,  from 

jTrieste.  'There  were  but  two  of  the  crew  on  deck 
/when  I  came  on  board.  These  had  no  sooner 
iread  fairly  the  title-page  of  the  Italian  Bible,  than 
j  they  ran  forward  for  their  money,  shouting  as  they 
/  passed  the  hatchway  to  their  comrades  at  work 
/  in  the  hold,  '■Sacra  Bibbia!  Sacra  Bibbia!'  This 
brought  up  ail  hands  ;  and  I  was  in  a  moment  the 


centre  ot  a  group  of  swarthy  faces,  reading  aloud 
^  gesticulating  and  bargaining.  Some  were  from 
.'■  Venice,  and  spoke  proudly  of  the  late  revolution- 
;  ary  struggle  there,  in  wliich  they  had  taken  part. 
'  They  were  mightily  pleased  with  the  shrewd  little 
'  tract  entitled,  '  Why  does  your  priest  forbid  you 
^  to  read  the  Bible  7'  My  sales  were  seven  Bibles 
;    and  eight  Testaments. 

I  "  On  the  Portuguese  brig  Enrica,  from  Lisbon, 
I   my  sales  were  nineteen  Portuguese  Bibles ;  and  on 

<  the  bark  Flor  de  Vez,  of  the  same  nation,  Isold 
J   thirteen  copies,  of  which  five  were  lettered  on  the 

>  cover  with  the  name  of  the  purchasers,  (all  of  the 
I  crew,)  and  intended  for  family  Bibles  at  home. 
(  Also  gave  Testaments  to  three  negroes  on  the 
\  Portuguese  brig  Honoria,  from  Duarte,  on  the 
\   Western  coast  of  Africa. 

i  "On  my  second  visit  to  the  Portuguese  brig 
I    Mattos  Terciero  with  Bibles— my  first  and  prepar- 

<  atory  visit  having  been  with  tracts — I  was  received 
\  most  cordially  by  the  crew  ;  one  man  putting  his 
\  arm  about  me,  and  patting  on  the  back,  as  I  stooj)- 
)  ed  over  my  books,  with  an  affectionate  "  Bom 
}  homem  !'  I  sold  four  Portuguese  Bibles,  and  gave 
\  to  such  as  had  not  money  to  buy,  eight  Testaments. 
I  "  Had  most  encouraging  success  upon  a  Brazilian 
I    bark,  of  Rio,  selling  in  three  visits  no  less  than 

1'^  eighty-eight  Portuguese  Bibles,  and  fifty  Testa- 
ments. Almost  each  one  of  the  crew  bought  one 
Bible,  some  two,  and  the  black  cook  six  copies.  A 
passenger  also  purchased ;  and  the  captain  and 
mate  took  several  dozen  copies  between  them.  I 
had  the  pleasure,  also,  of  forwarding  to  the  Amer- 
l  ican  Tract  Society  orders  for  more  than  one  hun- 
\   dred  of  their  bound  volumes  in  Portuguese." 

The  number  of  foreign  vessels  thus 
1  visited  during  the  year,  was  54. 

I Books  sent  to  Catholic  Ports. 
No  part  of  this  work  of  distributing 
evangelical  books,  is  more  interesting 
than  that  which  is  done  through  the 
\  medium  of  vessels  visitiiig  foreign 
I  ports,  especially  in  Papal  lands. 

I  "  Of  the  reports  I  am  constantly  receiving  of  sue- 

\  cessful  distributions  at  Roman  Catholic  ports,  the 

<  following  may  serve  as  a  sample :  The  Swedish 
',   mate  of  the  schooiicr  ,  from  a  port  in  Cuba, 

>  says  that  an  American  cooper,  who  was  passen{Ter, 
I  took  the  Spanish  supplies  with  him  a  hundred 
?  miles  into  the  interior,  and  on  his  return  stated 

<  that  the  greatest  eagerness  was  manifest  for  them. 
\  On  another  vessel  from  Cuba,  1  learn  that  a  Mr.  F., 
\  a  Spanish  planter  with  an  American  wife,  took 

>  thankfully  most  of  the  package,  to  carry  up  to  dis- 

>  tribute  on  his  large  sugar  estate.  On  a  brig  from 
}  Cienfuegos,  the  mate  speaks  of  a  Spanish  Testa- 
\  ment  in  the  cabin  being  read  quite  through  by  the 

<  custom-house  officer  in  charge,  before  he  left  the 
5  vessel.  On  a  Havana  packet,  the  intelligent  Por- 
I  tuguese  steward  informs  me  that  the  Spanish  Bible 
j  he  bought  of  me  for  a  friend,  he  gave  to  a  priest 
J  there,  on  his  urgent  solicitation  made  privately 

<  through  a  third  party.   From  Captain  B.,  of  same 


54 


Ykact  and  bible  distribution. 


Tessel,  I  hav  received  $2  12,  for  Spanish  Bibles 
eoU  at  Havana.    Cai>taiii  J.,  of  the  Danish  brig 

 ,  long  itUeresled  in  this  work,  calls  at  the 

dcpositury  to  buy  three  Spanish  Bibles  for  residents 
at  Iliimacoa,  Porto  Rico.    From  the  late  capUiin 

of  the  brifr  ,  I  hear  of  French  Testaments 

and  tracts  jrratcfully  received  at  the  French  penal 
settlement  of  Cayenne,  on  the  Spanish  main.  On 
another  vessel,  I  hear  of  distributions  in  Italian 
and  French,  at  Messma  in  Sicily,  at  Brest,  a  naval 
Elation  in  France,  and  in  Constantinople — all  in  one 
voyage." 

"Captain  S.  of  the  bark   ,  says  that  on  a 

recent  voj'age  to  a  port  on  the  south  side  of  Cuba 
most  of  liis  Spanish  supplies  went  into  the  interior. 
'The  people  used  to  come  down  in  the  night  for 
them,'  he  says.  On  another  vessel,  from  Cuba,  I 
hear  of  the  captain's  taking  a  trip  to  a  town  in  the 
centre  of  the  island  and  carrying  the  Spanish  sup- 
plies with  him.  On  passing  another  brig,  also  from 
tha  south  side  of  Cuba,  was  hailed  by  the  mate 
with,  '  Oh,  Mr.  Pierson,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  !  I 
have  a  long  yarn  to  spin  with  you  about  those 
books  you  gave  me  to  distribute  last  voyage.  I 
never  gave  away  any  with  so  much  satisfaction. 
I  never  saw  such  a  demand  for  them.  I  gave  a 
couple  of  Testaments  to  custom-house  officers, 
and  immediately  I  began  to  have  calls  for  them 
from  the  sliorc.  They  came  down  like  sheep  !  I 
boanled  the  other  American  vessels  in  port,  and 
collected  what  I  could  find  ;  but  there  was  not  half 
enough  to  supply  all  who  wanted.  Do  see  that  an 
ample  supply  is  sent  by  the  next  vessel  going 

thither.'   Captain  L.,  oi"  the  bark  ,  from  Ma 

tanzas,  brings  me  $1  75  for  Bibles  sold  there  last 
voyage.  Says  another  captain  :  '  They  are  get- 
ting quite  civilized  out  there  by  your  books.  I 
had  to  go  up  to  your  place  and  buy  eight  dollars' 
worth  last  voyage.  Let  me  have  a  lettered  Spanish 
Bible  for  the  cabin  of  my  new  vessel,  and  I  will 
pay  you  for  it '  " 

"  The  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  a  pious 
Swedish  captain  gives  an  account  of  the  distribu- 
tion, at  a  Spanish  port,  of  supplies  placed  in  his 
hands  by  mj'self  in  January  :— 

" '  I  am  astonished  at  the  great  hunger  that  is 
here  shown  after  the  Word  of  Oo«l,  as  also  at  the 
very  great  reverence  and  thankfulness  with  which 
Ihe  books  an  '  ♦.racts  have  been  received.  Some  of 
Ib^  pcopl-  .16  back  with  presents  of  fruit;  and 
one  of  then,  gave  me  an  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary^ 
to  show  me,  as  I  suppose,  that  he  was  by  no  means 
withfiut  »ome  religion,  ft  is  very  hard,  that 
scarcely  two  out  of  twenty  of  the  working 
cUases  here  can  read.  Many  of  the  htreets  here, 
I  am  Borry  to  «ay,  are  occupitd  on  both  sides  by 
lewd  women,  and  one  day  I  thought  it  best  to 
make  a  mibsionary  tour  through  these  streets. 
So  I  tofjk  a  large  ijuatiti'y  of  tracts  with  me  to  dis- 
Iributf;  among  thern.  All  were  .tiiken  with  deep 
Interest  l»y  them  ;  bnta»(I  am  very  little  at  home 
in  the  BpaniHh  I  could  say  hut  little  to  those  un- 
happy creaturci! — only  m>w  the  iced  of  the  Word 
of  0'>d.  •  •  •  1  gave  a  8i»aniHh  Bible  to  oue 
of  I  ho  cuntom  houiic  rjfflcer*.  When  lie  saw  what 
tKK>lc  it  waa  he  l>ecame  indew;rif>ably  happy,  and, 
with  thankfulnefia  clrifped  hi»  handa  together, 
l«oke<)  up  to  beaven,  and  praiaed  God." 


"  Supplied  the  ship   ,  bound  on  a  trading 

voyage  to  the  Pacific  ports  of  Central  America. 
For  three  voyages  now  this  vessel  has  done  good 
service  in  conveying  to  those  regions  more  than 
one  hundred  dollars  worth  of  Spanish  Scriptures 
and  tracts.  These  the  captain  has  taken  in  charge, 
selling  or  giving,  as  the  opportunity  presented,  to 
the  merchant  with  whom  he  had  business,  to  the 
planter  whom  he  was  visiting  at  his  farm  far  up 
among  the  mountains,  to  the  village  school  in  the 
interior,  and  sometimes  to  the  village  '  padre' 
himself." 

"  Was  warmly  greeted  to-day  by  Captain  C,  of 
the  bark  Minnetonka,  just  returned  from  Mada- 
gascar and  the  East  coast  of  Africa,  and  furnished 
by  myself  last  year  with  a  grant  of  Scriptures 
from  the  American  Bible  Society,  for  use  in  those 
remote  regions.  ,  To  quote  his  expression,  •  every 
thing  came  in  just  right !'  The  French  Bibles  and 
tracts  were  given  mostly  on  the  coast  of  Madagas- 
car, at  the  French  trading  stations ;  Portuguese 
Bibles,  though  not  much  in  demand,  were  very 
acceptable  gifts  to  a  few  Portuguese  soldiers  at 
Portuguese  settlements  on  the  African  coast,  near 
Mozambique  and  Zanzibar ;  and  the  Arabic  Tes- 
taments were  given  to  a  number  of  Mussulman 
Hindoos  from  India,  on  the  same  coast." 

January  18, 1858.— Captain  of  the  packet  brig 

 ,  running  regularly  to  a  small  port  in  Brazil, 

where  there  are  no  agents  or  missionaries  of  any 
of  our  evangelical  societies,  and  no  Protestant 
preacher,  calls  at  the  office  of  the  New  York 
Bible  Society  with  some  $25  received  for  Bibles 
sold  there,  last  voyage,  and  with  nine  letters  in  Por- 
tuguese, ordering  altogether  60  Portuguese  Bibles, 
and  200  of  the  American  Tract  Society's  Portu- 
guese Spelling  Books,  an  excellent  volume  of  some 
90  pages  containing  Scripture  lessons,  hymns, 
catechism,  &c.  This  is  a  specimen  of  the  trade 
that  has  been  going  on  for  several  years  in  a 
smaller  degree  between  the  Bible  and  Tract  So- 
cieties in  New  York  and  some  of  these  smaller 
ports  on  that  coast,  originating  in  the  circulation, 
by  captains,  of  tracts  and  Testaments  there,  and 
now  settled  into  a  steady  demand.  Every  vessel 
that  comes  from  that  coast  brings  requests  for 
Bibles  and  good  books  ;  and  the  fleld  may  be  said 
to  be  white  for  the  visit  of  the  misi  onary  and  the 
Bible  agent,  mainly  through  the  voluntary  colport- 
age  of  captains. 

The  scope  of  these  distributions  in 
foreign  Roman  Catholic  ports,  by 
our  American  vessels  is  show.n  by 
the  number  and  position  of  the  ports 
thus  reached.  Thus  in  the  month  of 
December,  1857,  101  vessels  wore 
supplied,  bound  to  ports  as  follows : — 

CUBA. 

Xibara,       ^  Havana, 
Matanzas,  Cienfucgos, 
Car<lenaB,  Trinidad, 
bagua  la  Grande,  St.  Jago. 

Ncuvitas, 

MARTI.'VIQUK. 

St.  I'ierre. 


TRACT  AND  BIBLE  DISTRIBUTION. 


gaudaloope. 


Point  a  Petre. 

St.  Johns, 

Arroyo, 

Ponce, 


PORTO  RICO. 


Humacoa, 
Mayngiiez, 


ST.  DOMISGO. 


Jacmel, 

Port  au  Platte, 

^  MEXICO. 

Tampico, 

San  Juan  de  Nicaragua. 

VENEZUELA. 

Cuidad  Bolivar, 
Porto  Oabello, 

BRAZIL. 

Bahia, 
Pemambuco, 


Port  an  Prince, 
Aux  Caves. 


Vera  Cruz. 


Maracaibo. 


Rio  Grande, 
Rio  de  Janeiro. 


Montevideo. 


BUENOS  AYRRS. 


IN  THE  PACIFIC. 


Callao,  Acapulco. 
Valparaiso, 

RIVER  CONGO  ON  S.  WEST  COAST  OF  AFRICA. 
CAPE  DE  VERDE  ISLANDS. 

CANARY  ISLANDS. 
IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN. 

fliarseilles,    ,  Alicante, 
Palermo,  Constantinople, 
Cadiz,  Smyrna. 

The  following  table  will  give  a 
summary  view  of  the  number  of  ves- 
sels which  have  been  employed  in 
these  benevolent  distributions  during 
the  last  three  years  : — 


Foreign  ves- 

Emigrant 

Vessels  to 

sels  in  N.  Y. 

ships. 

foreign  ports. 

1855 

42 

509 

316 

1856 

42 

508 

397 

1857 

54 

605 

697 

136 

1694 

1410 

The  importance  of  the  work  thus 
performed  cannot  well  be  over  esti- 


mated. If  the  influence  of  ungodly 
seamen  is  deplorable,  we  can  point, 
on  the  other  hand,  to  more  than 
THREE  THOUSAND  VESSELS 
which  in  three  years  past  have  gone 
from  a  single  port  to  engage,  more  or 
less,  directly  in  the  service  of  Christ. 
Eternity  alone  can  disclose  the  bles.s- 
ed  results  of  this  service. 

"  Our  object,"  says  Mr.  Pierson, 
"  is  not  only  to  do  good  to  the  sailor, 
but  to  persuade  him  to  use  his  un- 
rivalled facilities  for  doing  good  to 
others.  We  wish  to  give  him  the 
missionary  spirit^  and  to  equip  him 
suitably  for  his  work.  Much  has 
been  done  in  this  direction,  but  to  the 
eye  of  courageous  Christian  faith,  it  is 
only  enough  to  show  how  much  more 
can  be  done.  Is  it  too  much  to  hope 
for,  that  the  time  may  come  when 
almost  every  vessel  sent  forth  by  our 
Christian  merchants,  or  accessible  to 
outside  preparation,  will  be,  while  it 
stays,  a  little  center  of  light  in  every 
heathen  or  Roman  Catholic  port 
which  it  visits,  doing  something  to 
spread  abroad  that  light  which  we 
believe  is,  in  God's  own  time,  to  cover 
the  earth?  And  does  it  not  seem 
proper,  too,  that  the  Christian  mind  of 
this  city,  which  owes  its  importance 
and  wealth  to  conunerce,  should  busy 
itself  specially  with  the  problem,  how 
that  commerce  may  be  sanctified  to 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel  abroad,  at 
those  points  from  which  this  wealth 


comes 


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4 


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