44 A VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALFRED. being swollen with dropsy, and unable to lie down. Being asked by Mr. Spurgeon if she was happy, "Oh yes-most happy-indeed so happy to think that I am soon to be with my Lord that I grudge to fall asleep, and so for a time to become unconscious of my happiness." These stories I tell you are real facts; we do not manufacture them. In conclusion Mr. Spurgeon urged on his hearers the necessity of approaching God in prayer. "But," says some one, "my prayers receive no answer, so far as I can see." "Oh," said Mr. Spurgeon, "perhaps you utter a prayer, and then go off, thinking no more of it, nor looking for the answer." I remember when I was in Rome some years ago, our hotel was fitted with electric bells, now so common, I found, as did others in the hotel, that on touching the button which communicated with the bell, no answer came to my summons. This would not do, so several of us decided that we would have an answer somehow or other. We then proceeded each to his own room, and kept the bells ringing continually. The noise was great, and in a few seconds a host of waiters were at our service. Now we should be as determined as this in our prayers; pray constantly and pray together, and your earnestness and determination will surely succeed. But not only must we approach the Lord Jesus, but we must remember that the Lord Jesus is always seeking to approach us. You who have not exercised this faith in Him must know that he is knocking at the doors of your hearts. Do not then be like the old woman whom the late Dr. Guthrie visited in Edinburgh, with the intention of doing her some kind act. He knocked at her door once, twice, but re Iceived no answer. He went away, and when he met her some time afterwards said—“I called the other day, but did not find you at home." "When did you call" said she. He replied "On such and such a day, and at such and such an hour." "Oh, I was in, but thought it was the man seeking the rent, and I was not at home for him." Do not be like this old woman, suspiciously shutting yourself up, but ever be ready to receive the Lord Jesus. A VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALFRED. AGED MERCHANT SEAMEN'S INSTITUTION, BELVEDERE, Kent. To visit and hold a meeting amongst the old sailors at the Royal Alfred Institution, I wended my way to Belvedere on the 20th December last. This was part of an arrangement by which a Missionary from the Sailor's Institute, Shadwell, pays such a visit every Tuesday. A VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALFRED. 45 Arrived at the country station of Belvedere, on the North Kent Railway, the road leads up a steep hill, the crest of which is crowned by the Royal Alfred Institution, partly visible, on certain bearings only, through the fine old trees surrounding the mansion. This mansion was last in the occupancy of Sir Culiing Eardley, Bart., a name which will appeal to many sympathies. Before his day there, it was the seat of Lord Say and Seal Visitors are still shown the "Gold Room," named so because of the golden decorations of it. These were put on it by his Lordship in honour of a visit from Royalty. The spacious rooms that once were, are now filled with small enclosures, similar in size and arrangements to what is seen on board of ships for the accommodation of officers. Each man in the Institution has one of these. Many of them show the taste and reminisciences of the inhabitant to a degree truly interesting to visitors. The meeting is held in the reading room generally. Here the inmates assemble at the sound of the bell-some of them still sprightly in their gait, others very feeble, and some with a stick or crutch. The service is simple-singing, prayer, and a short evangelistic address. A visit is then paid to the sick ward, and the return journey commences. These services are much valued by the men. They are a break in the monotony of their lives. The gospel of Jesus Christ is 46 A VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALFRED. precious to many of these old sons of the ocean. They say so by the thanks they give. "Thank you for coming sir," "Thank you very much for coming sir." "Another lift" (on the way to heaven) are expressions I have often heard from their lips. And though it may not be possible to trace it to any one service of ours, or of others who go as we do, yet it is certain that while in the Institution, poor sinners have seen and felt their condition, and through faith in the Redeemer have enjoyed the love of God, and died in the peace of the gospel. The men I have seen there interest me much. One was an old shipmate of my father's, and did not know what became of him till I went to the Institution. Another lodged with my grandmother. One had been second mate in a ship in which I served part of my apprenticeship to the sea, and we had as nearly as possible lost our lives together in the Bay of Biscay during a series of severe gales. This was in a grain-laden ship named " Newbottle," well known at that day as one of the smartest ships out of Sunderland. Another declared that he hoisted the Bethel flag for me on board of Bell's Mary," on the occasion of the first meeting which I held on the Thames, on becoming a missionary in 1854. 66 The men are all old, for none are admitted under sixty-five years of age unless in a few exceptional cases. The last sixty-five years has seen many changes affecting sailors. At the beginning of these years the great Napoleonic wars had just ceased; Cholera had not then been known in England; the East India trade was not thrown open; old London Bridge was to be seen, by all the sailors who frequented London, in all its ugliness, and in all its memories of old times and manners; slavery existed in the British Colonies; the Corn laws made bread dearer than it need have been for the sailor's family; the penny postage had not been even dreamed of; the old Navigation laws were in full force; every seaman had by necessity to contribute to the already very large funds of Greenwich Hospital; and steam had not begun to metamorphose sea life. The life of every man now in the Royal Alfred Institution goes back to these old conditions, and has come from thence through all the mighty changes which has made our present life the keenly competitive, railway speed life that it is. The interesting yarns, the old sailor phrases also touch one. deeply. One old man, now dead, had been in a transport in Corunna at the time of the retreat and burial of Sir John Moore. He saw the lights on the ramparts of which the poet speaks: "We buried him darkly, at dead of night, A VISIT TO THE ROYAL ALFRED. 47 Next day the French had come. A shot from one of their guns severed the drop of a heavy block hanging from the fore yard arm which, in its fall, just grazed his head. He had also fought in the American war. Another man, also dead, had had an encounter with the French near Beachy Head, by which he lost some fingers off one of his hands. Another man, now there, is said to have been in the "Shannon" in her famous duel with the "Chesapeake." Pity I have often thought that the histories of all the inmates have not been gathered, and published to the world. Surely then England would have been excited to a more liberal support of a worthy Institution. Of such old men as these the Institute at present contains 87. It has besides 146 out-pensioners, The age of the oldest on the books, and alive now is 88. While since its commencement the Institution has received 242 inmates, and 296 out-pensioners, and these have been from 82 ports of the United Kingdom. For the next election (January, 1882) there are 79 applicants, 20 of whom are to be elected. But I must come to a close, or the Chart and Compass will be too deeply laden. I hope Mr. Editor, however, that you may find room for all my barge-load without shutting out any, and that you may, I would just speak a word in conclusion. London-The crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth "has done itself credit by originating the Royal Alfred Institution. But it must lead the way still in a deeper, more potent wave of interest in sailors. In 1880 its imports and exports amounted to the wonderful sum of 194,043,836, the tonnage entered and cleared (foreign) for the same period was 10,576,982, while, according to the round figures given recently by Mr. Chamberlain, President of the Board of Trade and M.P., those for the whole United Kingdom (foreign also) were only £59,000,000. Cowper is still true: "Where has commerce such a mart, So rich, so throng'd, so drain'd, and so supplied, Increasing London. Babylon of old, Not more the glory of the earth than she, A more accomplished world's chief glory now." But she must keep her pre-eminence, and all the rest of England must follow. Last year on the cliff at Roker, a Durham watering place, I saw an old sailor with a small hand barrow vending small wares. On his barrow, with some hope, but much of mournful memory, as Į 48 MR. SPURGEON, AS I FOUND HIM. thought, he had chalked roughly, but fairly, "Poor Jack's last shift.” The incident was affecting. As I recall the scene I cannot but think that there are many for whom, because of the want of funds, no Royal Alfred Institution opens its benevolent arms. 5th January, 1882. W. B. CUSTARD. MR. SPURGEON, AS I FOUND HIM. On the very eve of leaving England for Genoa, I received from my esteemed friend, the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, this sweet cordial :'Dear Mr. Matthews,-The Lord comfort you concerning her who has fallen asleep. It is well. I shall be glad to see you if you call here, but the line is broken in two or three places between here and Genoa through the floods. May your heart be made glad in your service of the Lord.-Yours truly, C. H. SPURGEON." Grand Hotel, Mentone. Instead, therefore, of going direct to Genoa, I turned aside to come under the spell (in their happiest moods) both of nature and nature's favourite child. To the weary heart and tired brain, the sheltered bay of Mentone, with its clear sky, blue sea, balmy air, made fragrant by tropical plants, is indeed sweet rest. Then in addition to all this, to be in close and happy friendship with England's great preacher was an intensified pleasure. I found him as he is generally to be found, approachable, with buoyant, everflowing good nature, and sparkling repartee. But in that big, overgrown, wretched London you can't get near to the man. You find yourself hustled about in a great crowd, and have to pierce through battalions, pass through walls of fire, and then you still find Elders and Deacons watching suspiciously your movements toward the object of your choice! But at Mentone all is reversed. Mr. Giorgi, the proprietor of the hotel, gave me the adjoining room to Mr. Spurgeon, with balcony looking out upon the sea. The three comforters who came out from London to minister to this Prince of Israel, were," he (Mr. Spurgeon) said, symbolic characters, Mr. Higgs personified wisdom, Mr. Allison, strength, Mr. Abraham, contemplative restfulness." These were really the only bodyguard, his publisher having returned to London. So that more than once I had him all to myself. This was a rare treat, which I made the most of. His storehouse of anecdotes, his long and varied experience, his wide reading, above all, that penetration of character, insight into the vices and virtues of men, keen sense of the ridiculous, that splendid memory which treasures up incidents grave and gay of remarkable characters, who have crossed his path, his pleasure in awakening pleasure, those instant transi* We warmly commend this hotel both for situation and satisfaction.-ED. |