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month from their wages for the purpose of maintaining such an asylum, in the confidence that it will be established under such regulations as will secure to the sailors as a body a participation in benefit equal to the extent of their contributions.

Captain Barber stated, that it was contemplated to expend about £.150,000 in providing the ground and the building, to be contributed by the shipowners. Mr. Young stated, that he had the written sanction of 182 masters and 115 mates-sanctions given with the utmost readiness and alacrity.

NECESSITIES OF SEAMEN.

BY MRS. SIGOURNEY.

THEY roam where danger dwells,
Where blasts impetuous sweep,
Where sleep the dead in watery cells,
Beneath the faithless deep;
Where tempests threaten loud

To whelm the shipwreck'd form ; ——
Show them a sky that hath no cloud,
A port above the storm.

Beyond the sabbath bell,

Beyond the house of prayer,

Where deafening surges madly swell,
Their trackless course they dare.
Give them the Book divine,

Heaven's chart so full and free,
That beacon 'mid the foaming brine,
That pole-star o'er the sea.

Where Satan holds his court,

Where fierce temptations reign,

From pole to tropic they resort,
Amid the lawless train.
Teachers of Christ! impart

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Your Shepherd's staff and rod:
Cry, "Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see their God.”

Amèrica.

Correspondence and Proceedings of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society.

INQUIRIES OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY.

To Ministers and Others residing in Sea-Port Towns and other Places resorted to by British and Foreign Sailors in the United Kingdom.

THE Directors of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, while deeply concerned to promote the spiritual interests of seamen throughout the whole world, are particularly solicitous to establish as far as possible an efficient system of religious instruction among sailors of all nations in our own ports. They cannot but indulge a lively hope of enjoying the co-operation of ministers and friends throughout the country in this important object.

In order to suggest any plan, and to call upon the church to carry it into execution, it is indispensable that they should be in possession of certain facts in reference to the evangelization of seamen in our various ports. With a view to avoid the expense and time that a visit to those places would require, they trust that the ministers and friends of religion will aid them in their design of adopting an efficient instrumentality for promoting the spiritual and eternal welfare of seamen, by kindly answering the following queries:

I. What number of sailors belong to and visit your port every year, distinguishing the supposed number of foreign sailors?

II. What means have you in operation for their religious instruction?

III. Have you a sailors' chapel, and a school for seamen's children?

IV. Do you consider that any thing more might be done, to promote this important object?

V. What are the further efforts that you would recommend to be adopted as likely to be useful?

VI. Could an association be formed in your town, to promote the evangelization of seamen ?

The Directors trust that these inquiries will awaken the attention of their friends, who are placed by Providence among a maritime population; and that they shall be favoured with a reply to them in the course of the

ensuing month. In order to avoid a number of replies from the same place, they would respectfully suggest the propriety of private Christians consulting with their respective pastors, and ministers and Christians of every denomination co-operating with each other.

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Your taste has often been displayed iu reference to ornaments of different kinds; amongst others, some of you have made various ornaments which adorn the mantle-piece, of the real utility of which we will say nothing. But we can now present you with something at once for ornament and for use,

A BOX,

to receive donations for the British and Foreign Sailors' Society.

We doubt not but these will become shortly as familiar as boxes for Missionary purposes; and we hope the female readers of the PILOT will send immediately and obtain one from the Committee-room, 2, Jeffreys' Square, St. Mary Axe. "Who hath despised the day of small things?" Feeling assured that this hint will not be lost, and the plan will be very productive,

I remain, Ladies,

Your servant in the Gospel,

A SAILOR'S FRIEND.

The above has been forwarded by a gentleman, who took twelve of the "donation boxes for the use of his friends.- EDITOR.

CAPTAIN B. AND HIS BETHEL FLAG.

SAILOR-PREACHERS of the Gospel are capable of being infinitely useful, under the Divine blessing, to their fellowseamen and the following extracts of a letter from one of

this class will be read with much pleasure; and the more so, as he has been furnished with a Bethel Flag, a supply of Tracts, &c, by the British and Foreign Sailors' Society.

"I this day (Oct. 20) received your letter, with the parcel of the PILOT, or Sailors' Magazine, at Sunderland." After various interesting details of his religious history and illness, he says, "Immediately I began to feel for my fellow-sinners, I was led to hold a prayer meeting with them, and the Lord wrought graciously upon many of them; and one of the family has left the world, giving evidence of her having gone to be with her Saviour. My health not recovering fast, I went from Donegal, where this transpired, and visited Caithness, where I preached for three seasons to fishermen and seamen, at which, during the herring or fishing season, sometimes my congregation exceeded three thousand; and many, I trust, will bless God for these opportunities to all eternity. After my health bettered, I got charge of a small vessel at Donegal, and continued to preach from port to port, which induced Captain M. of the Georgian, of Banff, to make me a present of an old Bethel Flag, which lay a considerable time in his vessel; but this was stolen from me shortly after. I have charge at present of the Alexander of Inverness, a coaster; and as my voyages are not long, I have more frequent opportunities of preaching to my fellow-men. I lay the vessel up for the winter season, and afford the time in preaching about the coast. I spent part of last winter in and about Banff and Macdorff, preaching for the most part to seamen and fishermen, with mutual profit. From principle I do not leave port on Sunday; and I have frequently seen the good of it in a temporal respect, getting to my port before those who sailed on the Sunday, although upwards of thirty hours at sea before me, with as good sailing vessels as mine. I am a member and advocate of the Temperance Society; smoke no tobacco and take no snuff; and my frame will stand more fatigue than those who do. I am strong and healthy. I am a local preacher in the Methodist connection. I trust you will soon know that I do not intend to impose upon you: 1 feel for my fellow-seamen, and wish, in some measure, to act in conjunction with your Sailors' Society; to hold correspondence, and to receive such information as will be of service in the good cause. Send me the Bethel Flag by one of the London traders to Inverness, packed in paper, with the direction, Donald B. of the Alexander, Inver

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ness.' Also send the rest of the numbers of your Magazine, and I will remit you the money any way you think best, and be a regular subscriber. You will be kind enough to write with the parcel, and give me such advice as you may think proper. I may not be able to help your funds much, but I may stimulate others; and hearty prayers and labours in the seaman's cause, which will, I trust, be increasing. I expect, by holding a correspondence with you, I shall be situated to do more for the neglected seamen in the north. I am just about to sail for Inverness, where I am to lay the vessel up for a season. Any communication from you will be gladly received, and will rea

dily find

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"Master of the Alexander, of Inverness, at Inverness.'

MONTHLY MEETING OF THE AGENTS.
December 11, 1835.

2, Jeffreys' Square, St. Mary Axe, London.

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Rev. T. Timpson offered prayer.

Read a resolution of the General Committee regarding the recommendation of the Agents at their last meeting, relative to the supplying of ships and seamen with Loan Libraries and books.

66

Resolved, That this meeting receives with much satisfaction the liberal resolution of the General Committee." Increasingly interesting as the monthly reports of the Society's Agents are, it will not be possible to give nearly the whole of them in the PILOT on various accounts, especially as so much of the correspondence of the Society demands publicity. It will, therefore, be necessary to present only extracts from the reports.

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