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Seaman's Nagazine.

He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they [sailors] glad because they be quiet; so he bring th them unto their desired haven. Psais.

ANNIVERSARIES.-PORT OF LONDON SOCIETY.

MONDAY, May 6, the Members and Friends of this Society assembled at the City of London Tavern, to celebrate their Fourth Anniversary. The Rt. Hon. Lord Gambier, on taking the Chair, remarked, that it was a truly delightful and joyful sight, to behold so many supporters of this excellent and highly useful Institution collected together to celebrate their Fourth Anniversary; and also, under Divine Providence, to assist in promoting the spiritual and eternal happiness of that valuable body of men, the British Seamen, whose long and tried services justly merited their utmost gratitude and most affectionate regards.-(Applause.)

The Rev. Dr. Newman then shortly implored the divine protection and favour, in a suitable address to the Throne of Mercy.

The Report commenced with adverting to the preaching on board of Ship, and proceeded to inform the Meeting that "at most of the out-ports of the United Kingdom, Seamen have now chapels devoted to their use. Preaching on board of private vessels has also greatly increased; and in various ways the moral and spiritual welfare of this interesting class of men has been promoted."

A letter is quoted, reciting the like measures adopted in the United States of America-particularly at Boston.

The unwearied exertions of " The British and Foreign Seamen's Friend Society," in establishing devotional meetings of Seamen under the Bethel Union Flag, is then honourably mentioned; and a small Society of the same nature said to be established at Gibraltar.

The Floating Chapel continues to be well attended, and an annual service has been established on the 4th of June, in honour of his late Majesty. Several anecdotes are then quoted to show the effects of religion upon Seamen, and the great moral change now taking place among them.

The Report being finished, the following gentlemen addressed the Meeting in favour of the great object of the Institution: viz. E. Philips, Esq. (High Sheriff for Wilts,) Rev. R. Hill, Sir G. Keith, Lieut. Fabian, R. N., Rev. Dr. Newman, Rev. Walter Griffith, Lieut. Gordon, R. N., Rev. Mr. Henry of Leith, Captain Allan, R. N., Rev. Messrs. Hooper, C. Hyatt, G. Evans, &c.

Mr. Marten, the Treasurer, read an abstract of the accounts, which, amongst other things, stated the gratifying fact, that 1367.

17s. 7d. had been obtained by the monthly collections from the sailors and others who went to hear the sermons delivered in the Floating Chapel.

The thanks of the Meeting were then given to the Chairman, who expressed his grateful acknowledgments, and exhorted them in the closing words of the Report, "Be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour in the Lord shall not be in vain.”

NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE Annual Meeting of this most interesting Society was held on Tuesday, May 7, in the King's Concert Room, which was completely filled by a most respectable assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. At 12 o'clock the Rt. Hon. Lord Gambier took the Chair, when the extensive platform was immediately occupied by a number of Noblemen, Military and Naval Officers, Clergymen, &c.

The Noble Chairman, in opening the business of the day, said, it was a gratifying circumstance to see so many meetings assembling to circulate the Word of God. There was nothing more important than the objects of this Society. Our soldiers were in need of the spring of life, and redoubled exertions were needful to supply the brave defenders of their country with that Word which so materially contributed to their welfare (Applause.)-The object of their assembling that day was to receive the Report of the last year, he should therefore propose that their esteemed Secretary do now read that document.

The Report was now read. It commenced by detailing the exertions and progress of the Society in the Army and Navy, where much good had been effected. It next noticed the support they had received from various Auxiliaries, particularly that at Portsmouth : and that they had been further aided by a liberal donation of 300l. from Edinburgh. The receipts and expenditure of the last year amounted to about 2,0501.; but there was a debt owing of 1,332. This balance against the Society prevented the Committee from their usual gratuitous distribution of the Scriptures; 8,631 copies, however, had been circulated, and the results were truly gratifying. The demands for them were very great. In the West Indies a Bible had been put up for sale, and a serjeant in one of the regiments had bid 11. for it; but a superior officer increased the bidding and purchased the book. The officers of the regiment afterwards procured another copy and presented it to him. The Report concluded by a call from the Committee on the benevolence of the public, to assist them in their important undertaking.

Mr. Wilberforce, M. P., in moving that the Report be received, adopted and printed, under the direction of the Committee," observed, that it required but little consideration to affirm, that we were rendering our fellow creatures the most important service in furnishing them with the Holy Scriptures; but it was peculiarly

important when directed to the soldiers and sailors. He hoped all differences on the subject were now done away, for every person must see the necessity and utility of diffusing religious instruction among the defenders of our country; they were not only exposed to the dangers of war, but to the greater mischief of immoral principles.(Hear!)-Would they allow the infidel to be more industrious in inculcating his pernicious doctrines than they were in works of benevolence and religion ?(Hear! and applause.)--To the men who had defended our country from the calamity of internal war and danger, we owed so much gratitude, that our utmost endeavours for their welfare could not fully repay them. When they were instructed in the knowledge of reading, the Society was bound to furnish them with the Bible, or they might devote their learning to a bad purpose. The enemies of religion, it was well known, had increased the issue of irreligious and sceptical works in proportion to the labours of institutions similar to the one they were now met to support.--(Hear, hear !)—The exertions of the Society should therefore be redoubled. Let the meeting remember that they were engaged in a great and glorious work; and the recollection that the nation was enjoying profound peace (a circumstance affording great opportunities,) should stimulate every person to prosecute their laudable endeavours to the utmost.-The Hon. Member sat down amidst loud cheers.

Captains Pickett, Pearson, Robinson; Major Stretton, Lieut. Gordon, Rev. Messrs. Stretton, Terrell, &c. then addressed the Meeting, which was closed, as usual, with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BIBLE SOCIETY.

The

THE fourth annual meeting of this Institution was held on Monday, May 13, at the city of London tavern, and was numerously attended. Shortly after twelve o'clock, lord Exmouth took the chair, supported by the earl of Rocksavage, sir C. Hawkins, bart. M. P. Mr. Wilberforce, M. P. the hon. Mr. Villiers, Mr. Grant, &c. report was read, detailing a number of instances of the cordiality with which Bibles had been received on board ships in the river Thames, and of the readiness of seamen to purchase them, where not distributed gratuitously. The total sale, during the last year, in London, amounted to 255 Bibles, and 89 Testaments; thirty of the former and twenty-four of the latter, had been sent to the duchess of Beaufort, patroness of the Ladies' Association, by her ladyship's desire, in aid of the Naval and Military Bible Society. The total distribution of the society, since February, 1818, was 6,203 Bibles, and 8,778 Testaments; so large a diffusion of the sacred Scriptures, to a class of men so long forgotten or neglected, has been productive of the most beneficial results. The earl of Rocksavage, Mr. Wilberforce, and several other gentlemen, addressed the meeting; and the usual votes of thanks being passed to the chairman, secretary, &c. a liberal subscription was made at the doors.

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LIVERPOOL SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY AND BETHEL UNION.—EXTRACTS.

JAN. 14-A member reports that, in a recent visit to the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Pool-lane, he learnt with much satisfaction that several of the poor people whose circumstances do not permit them to appear, as they suppose, sufficiently decent in their dress to attend a church or chapel, very often step into the Bethel prayer-meeting, and regularly attend the service on the Sunday evening.

Jan. 21, Company A.-A Seaman's wife, whose husband is at sea, attends the meetings regularly, and appears very much affected. She lives in the Park, a distance of a mile and a half, and is obliged to bring with her an infant at the breast. Another seaman's wife, whose husband is also at sea, regularly attends the Bethel Meetings, and is become a teacher in a Sabbath School recently opened. May not these and the other women who have thus attended by the seaside where prayer is wont to be made, be so many Lydia's, whose heart the Lord has opened to attend to the things spoken in the name of the Lord.

Jan. 23.--Upwards of 100 present. A minister gave a short exhortation. One Seaman, in his prayer, remarked, that he felt very thankful to God Almighty for bringing him to Liverpool, where he had had the opportunities of attending the Bethel prayer-meetings, which the Lord had made a great blessing to his poor soul. He prayed also for a Bethel Union which he heard had been lately formed in North Yarmouth, the place to which he belonged.-Tracts were delivered and thankfully received.

Jan. 26. -One of the auditory, a seafaring person, known to one of the members, was called upon to engage in prayer: he declined, evidently from diffidence of himself; but after an aged captain present had supplicated the throne of mercy and adored that God who had preserved him through all his life, this stranger immediately engaged in a most impressive prayer for a blessing on the Bethel Union, and for a blessing on all who go down to the sea in ships.

ANECDOTE. THE SHIPWRECKED MARINER.

THERE was living in the west of England a widow lady, who was left with a family of seven daughters and one son. The daughters paid that respect to her which was due to the parent that gave them birth; but the son proved disobedient and refractory. After using every means that duty and affection could devise, and all in vain, the thoughtless youth left the house of a fond parent, in hopes of finding pleasure on board a vessel. The poor widow's mind was perpetually agitated by the thoughts of her lost boy: every breeze that blew increased the anxiety, and seemed to bear on its bosom the sad tidings that her boy was no more! Being often called to the metropolis, she would inquire of every master or mate she met with, whether he could give her any intelligence of her son. On one oc

casion she met with a captain, and inquiring as usual of him if he knew such a person, describing her son, he very imprudently said, "he knew a person of the name and description, but that he was at the bottom of the sea; and if all like him were there it would be a good thing." The poor mother's heart was ready to break with grief from the violence of such a shock, and it was some time before she could recover. Agony preyed on her mind, and drank up her spirits at length she resolved to return to the country, and spend her days in a seaport town, where she could feed her melancholy by looking on that ocean that had devoured her child. Some time after she took up her residence in this place, there came to her door a poor distressed sailor, who asked relief, and urged his plea by telling her he belonged to a vessel that was wrecked, and only himself and one more escaped on some broken fragments of the ship to a desolate island. His tale interested her mind, and induced her to make further inquiry, when he told her he should never forget the time he spent on that island, nor the words of his companion. She then asked the name of his fellow-sufferer, when a name like that of her son was mentioned. Begging of him to describe his person, it appeared the very same. "But do you not mistake?" said the mother. "No," replied the man; "and, to convince you, I have his book in my bosom, and will show it you." Judge of her surprise, when, on opening the cover of a Bible, she discovered her son's name, written by herself! "Will you part with that book?" said "Not for the world!" answered the sailor; 66 as I closed his dying eyes he gave it me, requesting me to read its contents, telling me that he had found it his support in death, and enjoined me with his last breath never to part with it. I was then a stranger to its worth; but, by reading its solemn truths, I have learned to know the Lord, and worlds would not tempt me to part with it!"

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SEAMEN'S MEETINGS.-BOSTON.

THE spiritual interests of seamen are becoming more and more an object of deep concern with the pious. A meeting for seamen is held in Boston, on Central wharf, by the Rev. Mr. Jenks, every Lord's day morning, at 10 o'clock. At the same place, a Sabbath school is opened one hour before the commencement of public worship, for the benefit of all who are desirous of learning to read. On Sabbath evenings religious meetings are attended at several seamen's boarding houses; and the Rev. Wm. Collier preaches in a sail loft at the head of Liverpool wharf; entrance from Purchase-street.

Evening meetings will be attended on board those vessels on which the Bethel Flag is displayed during the day.

Seamen are respectfully invited to become members of the Marine Bible Society, of which the Rev WM. JENKS, No. 23, Pinckney-street, is corresponding secretary; EBENEZER PARKER, Esq. No. 24, Central Wharf, treasurer; and Mr. WM. MARSTON, No. 20, In

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