Afar o'er the ocean, the bright lights are gleaming By laying the top-stone, and unclosing the door. It, undamag'd remains, though the treacherous waves Of Love, pure, fraternal, embracing all nations, Shall, in whispers of peace, speak of Hope, even here. M. W. THANK YOU CAPTAIN. DEAR MR. MATTHEWS,—In reading Chart and Compass for June, I noticed the touching appeal to aid the Falmouth Bethel. In answer to the question, "Shall the Falmouth Bethel be Closed?" you have my reply by the enclosed P.O.O. for 10s.; also 10s. in aid of the Memorial Fund.-Yours faithfully, Schooner "Fairy Glen," Dublin, 27th July, 1882. W. H. WILLIAMS. CONVERSION AT GREAT YARMOUTH. REV. DEAR SIR,-Though I have lost some subscribers, or more properly expected to be regular subscribers, yet I have got twenty-four off. I now enclose P.O.O. for 4s. 10d., which, with 2d. for order, makes 5s., the amount of 30 Chart and Compass copies received. You will feel interested to know that our work here has gone on comfortably. Our meetings are composed exclusively of sailors, fishermen and their wives and children, all have kept up wonderfully during this hurried "bathing season," when everyone has so much extra work in order to earn money. A number of smackmen and their wives, as well as sailors and masters, have been saved since I came here. I shall only venture to give you one example. Mrs. wife of a master smackman, remained with others to sing after our prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, the 16th ult. She requested us to sing Hymn 210 in Sankey. I knew that for some time previous she had been under deep conviction for sin. Had you seen her beaming face, as I did, and heard the words of the third verse as she sang them, you could not have doubted that she felt and realized their truth "My sin-oh, the bliss of this glorious thought— My sin-not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,— Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul." Her accentuation and intimation of these lines seemed to electrify us all, and we sang the entire hymn, with a fulness and a pathos I have rarely seen or heard. She subsequently told me she was now the Lord's for ever. Hallelujah to God and the Lamb, now and for ever and ever, Amen and Amen.—I am, reverend dear sir, yours faithfully, RICHARD GILPIN. Rev. E. W. Matthews. A VISIT TO A TROOP SHIP. THE " Gravesend. J. CHAPMAN. MY DEAR SIR,-I herewith send you a revised list of the names of the collectors for our Auxiliary to the British and Foreign Sailors' Society:-Miss Wright, Master J. B. Barber, Miss Effie Brown, Miss Emily Brown, Miss Metcalf, Miss Preston, Mrs. Baxandall, Master R. B. Lawson, Master Felix Lawson, Miss Hilton, Miss Crayston, Mr. T. Cook, Mrs. Bleasedale. Six of the above are new collectors, who gave me their names at our Annual Meeting last week. But you need to send only three more magazines monthly, namely, to those whose names are ticked off. The others are members of families where the magazine is already received. Our Annual Meeting was held last week; Mr. Lyons visited us as usual, and advocated the sailors' cause effectively, and we had a very good meeting. Our collectors did well last year, having obtained £9 1s. 3d. The collection at the meeting was £2 Is. 3d., so that I hope that with the privatesubscriptions collected by Mr. Lyons, our total subscriptions will not be much short of £25. I believe the interest in the sailors' cause is growing in this town. May it continue to do so. Will you kindly send me some collecting books as soon as convenient. The sums brought in by our collectors for last year are asfollows:-Miss Wright, £2 12s. 6d.; Master J. B. Barber, £2 5s.; Miss Effie Brown, 8s.; Miss Metcalf, 15s.; Miss Preston, 13s.; Mrs. Baxandall, £11 2s. 9d.; Master R. B. Lawson, 15s.; £9 1s. 3d.; collection at public meeting, £2 1s. 3d.; total, £11 2s. 6d. Nautical aphorisms, from the common-place book of an old missionary to sailors. "Ten righteous men have saved a city: May not one truly praying soul have saved a ship?" "An anchor without a cable bent to it is of no more avail than the form of faith without the power. The one, if suddenly let down, without dreaming of its state, may cause the loss of the ship; but sudden death, in the other case, will inevitably prove the loss of the soul.” “A sailor's definition of a hypocrite is-'One who sails under false colours, or carries false papers:' and he depicts Poverty, as under bare poles, and a signal of distress flying; while Benevolence is keeping in sight, to relieve her the first opportunity." Rev. E. W. Matthews. J. BAXANDALL. WHITEHAVEN. DEAR MR. MATTHEWS,—I am very glad of the grand flag you sent to me. I must say I get on very well amongst the sailors. I take the Douay Testament with me, and then I can preach the Word to all. I had a good meeting with two crews of Roman Catholics. Hoisted the flag in the morning, then I got an old sailor during the day into the Bethel, to read God's Word and to talk and pray with. We have good meetings in the Bethel, I am only sorry the Bethel cannot be kept open for every-day refuge. For this grand work, once a week is very little for these poor fellows. The winning of souls is to me far more than selling books. Miss Walker buys special things for the sailors, and a young gentleman supplies me with reading for the sailors, so they are well cared for as far as reading goes.-I am, yours, G. W. MALTA. March 21st.-" Egypt," No. 11 Troop Ship, took in from Malta about 2,000 troops for the Cape of Good Hope. Sailed at 5 p.m. Sent on board 140 tracts and three Chart and Compass Magazines on Sunday afternoon; and to-day distributed myself twenty tracts and some of Mrs. Best's letters; also sold to one of the pious soldiers (a Wesleyan) six English Testaments, which he intended to give away to his comrades to read on the voyage. Visited also a large English steamer with much success. I had been the means of some spiritual good to the chief-engineer about two years ago, and I am glad to say he is still holding on his way heavenward. He was exceeding glad to see me-took me into his cabin, and purchased three Chart and Compass Magazines. The captain, too, was an old friend; but he was not on board, so I told them I would go and visit some other steamers and then call again, which I did, and found the captain had arrived. He also received me very cordially. I showed him a Chart and Compass volume. He said, "I will have that." After chatting for some time about good things, he asked me to stay and take a dish of soup with him, but I begged to be excused, having promised to be home about one o'clock. He shook handsvery heartily, and we parted-he to his dinner and I to my home. I gave away on board this steamer fifteen tracts, besides some other publications, sold three Chart and Compass Magazines and one volume. April 24th.-Sold two Italian Bibles to two sailors at the "Home," and gave them sixty Italian tracts to distribute among the Italians and Sicilians, whither they are going. The men are pious man-of-war's-men, and are going out with the British fleet to several Italian ports. May the Holy Spirit accompany these silent messengers, that into whomsoever's hands they fall, they may prove a blessing. Met with the cook of a yacht to-day whom I had known as a boy twenty-four years ago; tears gathered in his eyes as I called to his remembrance past scenes. [Our good missionary, Captain Stephens, is recruiting his health at Buxton, under medical treatment. We hope funds will come in for the Steam Launch, so as to justify the Directors in giving the order for the same.-ED.] FALMOUTH. April 8th, 1881.-I spent much of the day with fishermen, seeking to lead them to Jesus, and inviting them to our Bethel services. In the evening the Bethel was crowded. Two or three gospel addresses were given with good effect. Many earnest prayers were offered by converted fishermen and others. The singing of Sankey's hymns was lively. Penitent inquirers were to be found in all parts of the Bethel. What a blessed three hours service this was. Several (five of whom were fishermen) professed to obtain peace through faith in the Lord Jesus. The hearty shake of the hand from the newly converted fishermen was all but sufficient to unscrew one's hand from the wrist. April 10th, 1881.-To-day we had three services in the Bethel and two open-air services near the quay. A goodly number of fishermen attended. The converted fishermen rendered valuable help. Several persons under deep spiritual concern requested an interest in the prayers of believers. Before this service closed several fishermen professed conversion. The Bethel seemed full of heaven. April 24th, 1881.-To-day we had very large congregations at the Bethel, and a good open-air service. We had some inquirers, one of whom found peace. I spent some time with a young dying sailor, at the Sailors' Home. I had paid him several visits through which he had been led to trust fully in Jesus. On entering the sick-ward, I found the young man's father, who I had written for, at the request of his sick son. Many were the thanks the broken-down father gave for my attention to his son, and my letters to himself. The dying youth, seeing his father in tears, said, "Don't weep dear father, I am so happy in Jesus, dear Mr. Bailey, under God, has led me to the Saviour. We shall meet in heaven, dear father. I wish my dear mother and sisters were present, but they will come to me in heaven." Finding the dear youth was rapidly sinking, I, in prayer, commended him and his to the Lord. Soon after he departed in peace. January 30th, 1882.—To-day I had a long conversation with a shipwrecked crew, composed of English, Welsh, and Swedes. I invited them to our Bethel services. They attended, not only on the Sabbath, but also on the week evenings. Before leaving Falmouth, they expressed a wish to see me. They expressed hearty thanks for the benefit they had received under our services, also with the conversations I held with them, and the copies of Scriptures and good books I had given them. They insisted on giving twelve shillings toward our mission expenses. I told them it was against my will to receive a donation from men in their circumstances. They would give it, kindly saying, "If we come to Falmouth again we will find you out, dear friend, and will give more to the good cause, good-bye, pray for H. V. BAILEY. us." President Mrs. J. H. TRITTON. Rev. E. W. MATTHEWS, Shadwell, London, E. OUR MISSION IS TO SAVE. Those wishing to aid in the rescue by signing articles can be furnished with cards by the Secretary at one penny each, or six shillings per 100. Members enrolling one hundred will become Vice-Presidents of the Union. To encourage workers in all parts of the world, short, pithy articles bearing on the progress of temperance, both afloat and ashore, may be sent to the Secretary for Chart and Compass Sailors' Magazine. We wish to work with all friends of temperance and those local societies willing to co-operate with us. The picture is very significant. See the wreck of intemperance and the lifeboat going to the rescue. Glance at the flag and study its words in the teaching of the one chart-" Bethel (Gen. xxviii. 10, 22) Temperance (Rom. xiv.) Union (John xvii.)" We do thank God for the great tidal wave of Gospel Temperance passing over the land. How many ships, as well as shops, and many another field, have been swallowed! THE DEATH OF THE MAN WHO SWALLOWED THREE BRICKFIELDS AND EIGHT HOUSES. THE British Workman for January, 1877, contains the sad story of the man when living. So exact was the representation of "dirty Jack" that a policesergeant brought a copy of the British Workman to me, a few days after it was published, and said, "I know who wrote this, and who it is intended for, though the initials are false. The story of that man's life is not half so bad as it should be. Why, I cut him down, when he was trying to hang himself, twice in our police cells. I hope," said the sergeant, "he may get hold of it, and it may help him to mend his ways, for drink has robbed him of home and peace, and it has clothed him with rags. I tell you," added the sergeant," three parts of the cases that come before the bench arise through drink." |