little book she urged upon my attention, often (in the course of the afternoon) putting it into my hands, saying, it would do me good if I would read it. Ah! James,' said she, it is written by one as young as yourself, dear boy! how often he visited me before he went away. It did my heart good to see him come in. O, James, I wish you could see him-I wish you were like him.' I still took the book out of her hand, as often as she handed it to me, but as surely laid it down again in some new place where I thought she would not see it, hoping by this to get away without. But she had kept a sharp look out, and just as I was stepping out of the door, she again put it into my hand, charging me most solemnly to take it to sea and read it. I felt angry at her, but had no help but to take it. Accordingly I pocketed it, and as soon as I reached the ship threw it into my chest, and thought no more either of it or of her. I was bound for India, and after being long at sea, it being Sabbath, and the weather fine, and nothing to do, time appeared tedious, and with a view to find something to divert my mind, I went below and began to search my chest, in hopes to find something that would do it. This little book, sir, came into my hands, and as I had not read it, and knew nothing it contained, and remembering all that aunt said about the writer, my curiosity felt excited, and I sat me down upon the lid of my chest to read it. But O! sir, I had not read long in it, when it would be impossible for me to describe what, and how I felt! It was advices to Sabbath School Children. I remembered I too had been the privileged scholar of a Sabbath School; and it, and my former pious teachers, my pious parents, and my godly relations, all appeared to stand up around me, and I felt as if I saw them and heard them, accusing me, condemning me, and weeping over me. Their many advices, admonitions, and prayers-all the pains that God and man had taken to make me good, and all my sinfulness and wickedness, crowded upon my remembrance and conscience at once. I felt I was lost-lost, I thought, beyond recovery: I had no hope-I wept-I was afraid I would be heard, or I would have cried aloud. I thought my heartstrings must break by the inexpressible anguish I felt, and dare not give utterance unto. I tried to pray, yet feared to do it. Something told me it was too late-God would not hear me now- -I had sinned away the day of grace, and His mercy from my soul. O, sir, what an hour this was! The hand of a holy and sin-avenging God I felt upon me, and his terrors affrighted me—' the wormwood and the gall' (of that season) my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is troubled in me.' I had none to help me and I knew all on board would mock me. I feared them-I feared God most—but I expected pity nor compassion from either-I knew not what to do. There I sat (the book by my side) wringing my hands and crying, in fear of my shipmates coming down and finding me thus, but most fearing the wrath of an offended God. After a while, I took up the book again, and proceeded to read onward. A ray of hope crossed my mind, but so weak-yet I encouraged it, and it gave me some hope to pray, after which I wiped my eyes as well as I could, and went on deck - but I could not laugh, could not join in their profane song-could not swear, as when I went below. They observed some change, and they began their sinful taunts and reproaches of me. • Jem sure has got among the breakers'- ' he finds himself cast away upon a desolate island'-' he is wrecked on a lee shore and perishing' he has either been weeping for his lass, or praying for his soul,' &c. &c. &c. I was as one dumb before them - attended to my duty, and made no reply at all. Every day when I could find an opportunity, did I read the little book, and weep and pray, stowed away out of sight in my hammock; and it was not long before I was enabled (I hope) to believe in Jesus Christ to the saving of my soul. Sir, you know, but no words of mine can describe the peace, the joy, the blessedness I then felt. Well does the Apostle say, it is a joy unspeakable, and a hope full of glory.' I now had no more fear of man about me. I cared not what they did to me. I could suffer any thing for my Saviour's sake, and to save the precious souls of my fellow-sinners. now opened my mouth for God, or rather, the Lord opened it for himself. I no longer stowed away to read and pray in my hammock, but openly, and in their hearing, below deck did I read and pray aloud, both for myself and all that sailed with me. O! sir, had you but seen and listened to these scenes at the first, what would you have thought? Some laughed some sung songs - I some swore but one and another drew near and heard with attention, and it was not long till they began to ask me to pray with them and for them; and I have reason to believe, sir, that the little book was blessed to their con versión. Wherever I have been in port, in the evenings I have gone from ship to ship and read it, where they would hear it. Thus many hundreds of sailors, in all the ports of the world I have since been in, have heard it, and by God helping me, many more shall. I believe it has awakened many to a sense of their sin and danger, and has brought others to a comfortable hope of their salvation, and sinful I among the rest. I owe all that I feel and hope for, to this little book, as the means in the hand of God's Holy Spirit.' "We had by this time got into the churchyard, and he being a near relative of the dead, left me to perform the last duty of respect, by assisting to lower the corpse into the grave. I saw, as he bended over the grave, the big tears dropping from his eyes upon the lid of the descending coffin. I never saw him again-I told him not, that I was the writer of his little book. "1. By endeavouring to do good to al', we are next to certain to do good to some. "2. Much of the good we do, we shall die ignorant of, as this woman did. 66 3. We ought to improve every opportunity given us to do good, as we know not but it may be our last. Had she omitted this one to him, it would not have been in her power again. "4. None are so hardened in sin, but God can soften to repentance. 5. We may, and we ought, both hope, pray, and labour, for the conversion of the worst of characters. 66 6. How certain it is, that those who themselves are converted will endeavour to convert others. 7. How encouraging this for tract distributors in general, and particularly for those engaged among sailors, and for all Christians to go and do likewise.' "8. How many may one converted in youth be the means of converting. The good done to an old man dies (so to speak) with himself. "Whereas the good done to the youth lives with him grows with his growth and strengthens with his strength. He carries his religion with him into all countries, into all societies, into all the conditions of life, and into all the relationships thereof, of husband, parent, master, neighbour, &c. His religion is diffused far and wide while he lives, and after he is dead, it descends into future generations, multiplying as it advances, and advancing as it multiplies. And who can tell the amount of good that may be done to the souls of men, in ALL generations, by the conversion of but ONE YOUNG SAILOR!! What a thought! What a stimulus to do good to all as we have opportunity, especially to the young! Let pious parents who are tried with ungodly children-pious relations of ungodly youth-the minister of Christ-the Sabbath School Teacher and especially the Tract distributor among seamen, think of the sailor and his little book,thank God, and take courage. " J. GRAY. SHALL SEAMEN PERISH? HUMANITY dictates the propriety of seeing that ships be "well provisioned," especially when about to proceed on a long voyage: but how much ought it to be the care of Christians that all vessels should be well furnished with the means of saving knowledge? The following account of a dreadful shipwreck seems to appeal to us on land, Shall seamen perish without the consolations of the Gospel? PHILO-NAVIGATOR. "The Quebec Mercury of June 25th, contains the following distressing account of the wreck of the Jessie, Captain Gilmour, furnished by one of the surviving crew: "The Jessie, timber laden, left St. John's, Newfoundland, on the 14th of May, for Belfast, and on the 16th encountered a heavy gale, which strained the vessel, and occasioned her to make a great deal of water. No danger was apprehended till the 25th of May, when a tremendous gale sprung up from north and east, and the ship was hove to under close reefed maintopsail and storm-try sail —all hands pumping; but the water still gained on her, and she shipped some heavy seas. "On Sunday, the 24th of May, although all hands were at the pumps, the leak still increased, and at halfpast 11 A.M. had reached the cabin floor: a few buckets of bread were got out of the cabin, also a barrel of bread and a cask of water, all of which was hoisted into the maintop. The captain ordered the long boat to be cleared. On Monday the vessel began to break up rapidly, and the cargo to float out; about 9 P. M. the foremast fell through the bottom, until brought up by the lower yard resting on the rial. About half an hour afterwards, the mainmast got out of the step, and shortly after was carried away a few feet above the deck: by this accident the provisions secured in the foretop were lost. "The captain and crew, fifteen in number, with six steerage passengers, then embarked in the long boat with about five gallons of water, a few pieces of salt beef, and a little bread, so saturated with salt water, that it was of the consistence of pap; a dog was also taken into the boat, which in the sequel they killed, and the flesh devoured, after drinking his blood, which afforded them great relief. "The compass was unfortunately broke in putting it into the boat, so that they had nothing to steer by but the stars and the sun. This occurred in lat. 41° 30′ N. long. 55° 20′ W., Cape Rae being about 450 miles distant. From the time of leaving the ship to the Saturday following, May 30, the boat was kept before the wind, a very heavy sea running all the time, which threatened to swamp her. "On this day, James Savage, seaman, became insane and jumped overboard; all efforts to save him were unavailing. Shortly after, James Robinson, seaman, expired; and on the next day William Robinson, the cook, also died. On Monday, Mrs. M'Cartney, passenger, ard her two infant children, expired, exhausted with their sufferings. On Tuesday Samuel Nugent, a passenger, James Scott, apprentice, and William Savage, apprentice, died. "On Wednesday, at 3 P. M., saw a sail to the E.N.E., which proved the Ythan, of Newcastle, Capt. W. Davidson, who received the survivors, twelve in number, on board. Hugh Macanelly, seaman, died shortly afterwards, and on Thursday, 4th June, J. Mullins, seaman. On the Wednesday following, 10th June, Charles Stevens, Robert Jones, and John M'Knabb, were put on board the Wansbeck, Capt. Young. The remainder have since arrived; two have been sent to the hospital, and the others are still in a weak state from their sufferings. The whole of those excess, and became who had died drank salt water to insane before death ensued. "The following is a list of the survivors :-Captain |