84 OUR SAILOR BOYS: BE KIND TO THEM. "Sunday, 28th August, 1793. The ship was first ordered to Portsmouth to receive the convicts, and thence to Cork, to join her convoy. While she lay off Portsmouth, Rev. Mr. Marsden went on shore in the Isle of Wight, and on Sunday asked and obtained permission to preach in the parish church at Brading. His text was, 'Be clothed with humility,' 1 Peter, v. 5; and among the congregation was a young woman to whom the 'word' preached was 'quick and powerful,' being carried home to her conscience by the spirit of God. To that sermon the 'Dairyman's Daughter' owed her conversion, and the church of Christ her bright example, as depicted by the loving heart and pen of Leigh Richmond. Rev. Mr. Marsden in later life became acquainted with this fact and was often heard to speak of it with grateful feelings, which the pious reader can imagine far better than we describe." How true the saying of the Apostle James, "Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" Surely the pious chaplain on board a convict ship about to sail for the remote colony of New South Wales little imagined he would "kindle a fire" that would warm millions of Christian hearts living far down the nineteenth century! Rev. Mr. Marsden continued his voyage, and laboured many years among the colonists and convicts of Sydney, ever preaching a pure Gospel. Not only were his labours useful among the colonists (so much needing them), but he became a friend of Foreign Missions in the "South Seas.” His useful labours as chaplain and friend cf missions were protracted for more than forty years. His death occurred May 12th, 1838. His labours were highly appreciated by the Christian public in the colony, and the Missionary Societies. He often visited the mission stations in New Zealand. Honolulu, S. I., May 4th, 1881. S. C. DAMON. OUR SAILOR BOYS: BE KIND TO THEM. Do you know what the word "kind" means? The word "kin" means a relation. Put the "d" to it, it means kind. We are to be kind to everybody, because everybody is our brother or sister. Everybody is related to you, or if you like you may say "everybody is my kin." Therefore you should be kind to everybody, especially the young and the weak ones. In a small country town there was standing one day on the top of a hill, a waggon, with four fine horses harnessed to it. In the front of the waggon, sitting on a board, was a small boy, who had been left to take care of the horses by the driver, who had gone to purchase something. Something frightened the horses, and they set off full gallop down the hill. The poor boy screamed, the people cried out loudly, and everybody was alarmed and frightened; but there was a woman there (she must have been a mother), and she cried out to the 66 men, Stop the waggon! Oh, do stop the waggon!" Some men ran and tried to stop the waggon; but there was an old man there who had a heart like an icicle, and he said to the woman, "What are you making such a noise about, women? its not your boy. "No," said the woman, "but he's somebody's boy-and that's the same thing." Sailors, remember the boys you have on board are somebody's boys, and be kind to them. You were boys once, and some of you remember the rough time you had when serving as an apprentice on board ship. If they are dull and do not learn so quickly as you would wish, then speak kindly and show them how to do the work; you cannot expect them to know unless they are taught. Stand up for praying and Bible-reading boys at sea. When Sir James Ander A GEM FROM THE PACIFIC. 85 son, commander of the "Great Eastern," went to sea in early life, he promised his mother to say his prayers on shipboard, no matter what ridicule or opposition he might meet with. One sailor affected to regard him as a hypocrite, and boxed his ears, whereupon another, one of the worst men on board, became the champion of the boy, and invited the bully on deck, and gave him a dreadful thrashing, intimating that he would serve anybody else in the same way that dared to prevent the boy from saying his prayers. The next night, to avoid strife, the poor boy undertook to say his prayers in his hammock, whereupon his protector took him out, and gave him clearly to understand that he was not to shrink from duty; that when his champion did the fighting, his protege would have to do the praying, so this kind-hearted sailor kept the boy to his task, and he grew and became the commander of the largest ship in the world. Think of the many poor boys who, through their inexperience, have been drowned at sea. You must meet these young shipmates again, at the judgmentseat of Christ. Will you be sorry if you have been kind to them? If you have set them a good example? If you have been the champion of God-fearing boys? No, you will be glad. Always be kind, then, to the boys at sea.—By Mr. Chapman, at Gravesend. [This letter comes to us with all the fragrance of those Southern Pacific Isles. With all our heart we welcome this director back from his world-wide journeys. Right glad are we to have such a director (with Captain Wiggins also) of such great experience, travel, and sympathy. Our foreign missionaries were much cheered by his help.-ED.] DEAR MR. MATTHEWS,-I have just returned from the Pacific, via., Australia, and learnt with deep sorrow from our mutual friend, Mr. Burrows, at Naples, of the sad loss you have sustained in the death of Mrs. Matthews. Although I had not the pleasure of knowing her personally, I can very well understand your loneliness and sorrow, and how much our common work has suffered by her removal. I rejoice, however, that God has given you so much consolation, and also that He has put it into your heart to raise a memorial to her in a way which I am sure would have much commanded itself to her, could she know of it. This she does, though, I doubt not, as it is for as a beautiful piece of comforting poetry says: “And in that world thou carest still for those thou lovedst in this; For sitting at the Saviour's feet and learning of His face, Surely thou hast not there unlearnt one gentle human grace." Please put my name down for £20 to the memorial fund; will send you a cheque later on. I saw Captain Stephens at Malta, he had that day received a letter from you: also the Holmes, at Naples. Was at the Bethel service last Sunday night, and was privileged to say a few words; then saw Mr. Gray at Rome-in fact have been over your ground, and should have been glad to have met you had I been earlier. As I only F arrived from Paris last night. have not had much time yet, but hope to be in England for two or three months at any rate, and whatever I can do in helping matters along, shall be only glad to be of service. That fine fellow, Captain Wiggins, was a fellow passenger from Galle to Malta.-Now, in haste, believe me, dear Mr. Matthews, yours very truly, Rev. E. W. Matthews. JOHN S. ARUndel. "DEAR MR. MATTHEWS,-I duly received yours of the 12th ult., and am surprised at its being so long ago, however, you will not lose anything by the delay. I enclose now, by cheque, for Chart and Compass, 10s. 6d.; memorial, £2 25.-2 12s. 6d. Enter this last as from "A Small Shipowner'; I am also a 'companion in tribulation,' having lost my wife twenty-eight years since, or within two months of it. My flag has been at half-mast ever since, but then it is in the mizen, at the fore and the main it floats still, and will do so, until the harbour is reached and I salute the Lord High Admiral. May He be with you and provide for you, is the prayer of Yours most sincerely, Kingsbridge, Feb. 6th, 1882. MORAL COURAGE. BENJAMIN BALkwill.” "A great deal of talent is lost in the world for the want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves a number of obscure men, who have only remained in obscurity because their timidity has prevented them from making a first effort; and who, if they could have been induced to begin, would in all probability have gone great lengths in the career of fame. The fact is that to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can. It will not do to be perpetually calculating risks and adjusting nice chances. it did very well before the flood, when a man could consult his friends upon an intended publication for a hundred and fifty years, and then live to see its success afterwards; but at present a man waits, and doubts, and consults his brother, and his particular friends, till one fine day he finds that he is sixty years of age; that he has lost so much time in consulting his first cousins and particular friends that he has no more time to follow their advice." SIDNEY SMITH. SUMS RECEIVED FOR MEMORIAL FUND FROM JAN. 13th TO FEB. 12th, 1882. Previously acknowledged, £196 5s. 11d. Mrs. Nellie Cheesman, 10s. 6d.; Madam A. S. Jervis, Naples, £5; Mrs. Rose Mowbray Henderson, £1 Is.; Captain Newman, 2s. 6s.; Daniel French, 7s. 6d.; Mrs. Dean Goode, £2; Mrs. Louisa Herment, Havre, 1; Mrs. Hickman, Ipswich, 2s. 6d.; J. J., £1 1s.; Mr. Henry Cook, Gosport, £1; A. Bradley, 2s. 6d., St. James' Street Congregational Church, Nottingham, £1 1s.; Mr. W. Johnstone, Nottingham, £I IS.; " A Small Shipowner," 2s.; Miss Thorowgocd, £1; Dalston Junction Baptist Church, 5s.; Arundel, £20. ANTWERP LIST, PER MESSRS. DARROCH AND HAM. Mr. Darroch Is., Mrs. Darroch Is., Miss Darroch Is., Master Darroch IS., Maud Darroch Is., Mrs. Smith is., Mr. Thomas Is., Mrs. Thomas, Mr. Robinson Is., Mrs. Robinson Is., George Robinson Is., Henry Robinson Is., Helen Robinson Is., Robert Sayers Is., William Chisholm Is., Friend Is., Mr. J. Ham Mrs. Ham Is., Ada Ham Is., Henry Ham Is., Mr. J. McCartney Is., Mrs. McCartney Is., Miss McCarthy Is., H. McCarthy Is., R. Murdoch Is., a Friend Is., J, Talbot Is., C. H. Talbot Is., C. A. Gray 1s., Alice Gray Is., J. R. Oldfield Is., E. Williams Is., Mr. Parker Is., Mrs. Parker Is., Fred Parker Is., Engineer Is., Friend of Sailors' Is., three Sailors (Is.) 3s. WE are sorry to hear that our good missionary Mr. Whitmore has been laid aside through a serious fall. For many years he has laboured in this port with energy, ability and much of the Master's blessing. The Superintendent of this harbour mission, the Rev. J. Eustace Brenan, Vicar, seems to have been made especially for this place and work. Providence which shapes our ends has evidently placed him in this glorious sphere of labour. In this life how much depends in a man being where God would have him be, and doing what God would have him do. To the Sailor's Home has been added the Smack Boys' Home. At the inauguration of this handsome building there were suitable religious services and social gatherings. Bishop Parry (Dover) gave an admirable address, full of sympathy for sailors and gospel teaching. The Marchioness of Conyngham, who takes a very deep interest in the work at Ramsgate, opened the 88 CHRISTMAS AT NAPLES. Home, and a bazaar in its behalf went off with great eclat. More recently a free tea was given to the smacksmen and their wives, when some 300 sat down to partake of the plentiful bounties supplied by loving hearts and helping hands. We are pleased that Mr. S. Lonsdale who always receives a warm welcome here, was able to be present. We can only give a few passages of his characteristic speech. "He had been ill, but he was better now. He was all right aloft, but rather shaky in the lower parts, and when Mr. Haynes wrote to ask him to come down he sent word at once that he would. They had been talking of the brave deeds of the smacksmen of Ramsgate, and he was glad to have the opportunity of listening to their bravery, for an old friend of his, Capt. Bruce, had been saved by the crew of a Ramsgate smack, and he spoke very highly of the kindness he received from the crew and also of the Home. He was very fond of bravery, He did not wish to depreciate He had been with sailors from He would have been glad if all but the bravery he liked was that of saving life. the bravery of soldiers in conquering, but the bravery of the lifeboats' men and smackmen in saving life, was the sort he liked. his childhood and had seen some noble deeds. the men had been present to receive the medals at the hands of the kind ladies. He remembered coming with Mr. Whitmore to commence a mission in Ramsgate; he had been thirty four years at work, and he felt more than ever that the great thing needed by sailors was the Lord Jesus Christ. He had experienced danger and seen men paralysed with fear, but those who had the grace of God in their hearts were calm. The great God was their friend, and even in the prospect of speedy death he found Jesus all sufficient. He would sooner be a missionary to sailors than to anyone else, and that not because it was all plain sailing-he was sure his friend Mr. Brenan did not find it so, ror Mr. Fry, and neither of them got all they liked, but he liked to talk to sailors because they would talk back again; he would rather have a blowing up than not a word in answer. When he was much younger than he was then he had heard tell of a ship that was bound for Liverpool. The crew were hard put to it, and the vessel was sinking. There were not sufficient boats to hold all the crew and passengers, and so they had to draw lots. A merchant drew a favourable lot, but his wife an unfavourable The man went clambering into the boat, leaving his wife to perish, when a sailor who had drawn a favourable lot gave her his ticket and told her to go along with her husband, and he himself remained in the doomed ship. God had been very good of late, and the work of their society had been blessed not only here but everywhere. Their society was a bible society, a tract scciety, and a visiting society. He did hope that their friends would take heart, and try to do something for Christ, even if it were only to give a tract. He had said theirs was a Bible Society, so it was. Truly they did not give away Bibles, unless to shipwrecked men or very poor sailors; they found it far better to sell them, and they were all the more likely to be taken care of. They had sold tens of thousands of Bibles. He visited sailors, preached to them the simple Gospel, and distributed the word of God in all languages, and his friend Mr. Whitmore did the same. one. CHRISTMAS AT NAPLES. OUR visit to this famous bay and harbour mission was most opportune and interesting. This harbour mission though young is full of vigour, a credit to everybody who has had to do with it in the past or present. The local committee seem thoroughly to have taken hold of it, while the ladies are deeply interested in it, and it was a great pleasure to see Mrs. Guppy, who prepares such beautiful illustrated albums for the sailors' tract bags. We hope this generous-hearted and gifted lady will write a short letter to our sailors through |