Thames Missionary.-Mr. WELCH.On calm reflection on some events which stand connected with my labours during the past two months, I am impressed with a scene, exhibiting what is at once painful and pleasing. Feelings of sorrow and joy have been my daily companions. Oh! how these feelings have weighed on my spirit in the cabin congregations, and in urging the truths of the gospel on the consciences of men, --not unfrequently when the storm has been thundering loud above us, and a deathlike seriousness has marked the dark countenances of all around. It is then, that religion appears awfully glorious, and a saving interest in Christ worth ten thousand worlds. I trust some of these solemn seasons will be had in remembrance through the wasteless ages of eternity! How many have gone from these services to be engulphed in the great deep, I cannot tell: but surely we may be said to have been standing between the living and the dead. The voice of death has been heard from the ocean, and from the leeshore, and has called forth the widows' sigh, and the orphans' tears; but what are these when compared with the deathless soul launched into an eternal world unfitted for her passage,-mournful thought! It has been a part of my labour to improve these alarming providences to the living. I hope I may say, with regard to some, this voice has been heard and sanctified. This we have inferred from the appearance of the meetings, which have been generally crowded with attentive hearers, and not unfrequently with those

who had but escaped the jaws of death; and who, overwhelmed with a sense of the Divine goodness, were constrained to confess their sins with tears of sorrow, and remember their solemn vow. On those occasions not a few have stood up in the meetings, and borne their testimony to the stable supports derived from a well grounded hope in Christ. Amidst much that is painful to the mind, that good is doing, will be evident from the following statement:

During the past two months, including the upper and lower pools, I have held thirty-one services, which have been attended by nearly six hundred of my brethren of the deep,-one hundred and forty-four of whom have engaged in earnest prayer, and not a few of these for the first time in public. I have visited from fifteen to twenty ships per day, including the docks and canals; have distributed about two thousand five hundred tracts and pilots; have obtained seventy-two ships for the agents; have preached five times on shore, and visited the boarding-houses on each Sabbath as usual. This latter duty has afforded me frequent opportunities of conversation with those sailors, who are engaged in long voyages, and whom I have generally found to be fearfully demoralized. In conversing with one of them, he declared he had not been in a place of worship for FOURTEEN YEARS! Another said, he had not been in church or chapel for TWENTY YEARS! A third declared that he had only been twice in church in all his life!

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How widely different are the moral circumstances of those, who sail in coasting vessels. Visiting a captain of one of these ships, who had had his vessel dedicated, during the early part of this year, to the Bethel cause, he said, Sir, I have feared the Lord for some years, but I never was brought to decision, till the time when I put my trembling hand to the COVENant. It was then that I felt my responsibility to God, for my own crew in particular; and by his help I called them together, and began to read the scriptures, and pray with them daily,-and now, sir, blessed be God! there is not a prayerless man in the ship, but one, and he is miserable, having no companion. I think he will soon join us too. Things are altogether changed. I am a different man myself-blessed be God! When we go to sea now, we carry a little heaven with us, and when tossed about in the storm, we are both safe and happy." I am happy to state, that twelve fresh ships have been dedicated to God; nine of which are new, and fourteen names have been added to the number of those who have united with their brethren in order to carry on the more than ever important cause.

First and Seventh Stations.- MR. BENSON. In reviewing my labours since my last report, my mind is much impressed with a variety of circumstances, circumstances of peculiar calamity-arising from accident, storms, and shipwreck. There has been deep distress among our sea-faring population, and many families have been plunged in sorrow. Mothers weepchildren anxiously wait the return of their father-when suddenly the news arrive that he is no more.

His grave is the sea-his home eternity. No more the joyful meeting,-no more the present from a distant port,-no more the affectionate embrace,-all is shrouded in death-all is deep dismay. But the Lord is the husband of the widow, and the father of the fatherless!

It often occurs to my mind, when the praises of the Lord are sounding from the cabin on the river, that how happy soever may be these twenty or thirty men, met for the worship of God, they will soon be scattered over the deep, or probably entombed in the watery element, to rise no more, till the trump shall summon the sea to give up its dead. Oh! how blessed to be prepared for all the dangers of so precarious a situation ! Often has religion soothed the mind of the weather-beaten seaman amidst such dangers. Often has he been heard to say, "What should I have done without my God, his throne of grace, and the consolations of the gospel!" What a privilege then to be employed in conveying to such minds the great message of mercy! and how encouraging to remember that we have not laboured in vain,—that many thousands of our seamen are now truly devoted to God, and are examples of holiness and devotedness in the great cause; yet, alas! how much labour is still wanted,-tens of thousands are still in their sins, and need instruction.

Several sudden deaths, by drowning, have come under my knowledge; and it is affecting to state, that two were the effects of intoxication!

In the first station, there have been many disappointments, arising from the delay of the vessels, the short time they had to remain in port, and the haste with which they had to discharge and again take in goods, allowing so few hands to get away, that it was with difficulty a meeting could be obtained. But even in this station I have had some good meetings, which have encouraged my heart. On one occasion, when entering a Bethel ship, I was informed of the death of one of their number,―a youth, who had gone out in the boat, but, missing his hold, was drowned. I improved this event, as well as some others of a similar nature by counsel and instruction. I had an interesting conversation with one or two revenue officers: they seemed very

desirous of attending our meetings. In connexion with the first river station, I have preached at Billingsgate market once, when some fishermen and others attended; perhaps, in the whole, about one hundred heard the gospel in that place, on that occasion.

Seventh, or Blackwall Station.-Owing to the alterations in the river, there have not been many vessels at this place, consequently this station is not now occupied ; about twelve vessels have been obtained during the last three months, which have been well filled, and the services very interesting. The rest of my time has been occupied in the fifth and sixth stations, from Church Hole to Bell Wharf and Ratcliffe Cross, where I have had some most excellent meetings; the ships lying in close tiers, the attendance is very encouraging, and from à constant attention to these stations, we may look forward to great results.

I have preached three times at the Sailors' Chapel, and each time to a goodly number of seamen and others interested in maritime affairs. Upon the whole, I think I can truly say, the work of God is advancing among our seafaring population.

Sixth Station.-MR. PALMER.-SOemn are the considerations suggested at the close of the year. But the mind is absorbed in thinking of the storms and tempests, which have occurred of late; the feelings of pious gratitude, manifested by seamen for their deliverance from danger, joined with the fervent prayer for divine strength and support to be imparted to the widows and their fatherless children. This spirit has been evident at the various Bethel services. Some of the meetings have been unusually interesting, both from their numbers and the spirit of devotion that seemed to prevail among them. I have been encouraged by learning that the Divine blessing has attended my labours; the Lord having honoured my instructions in the conversion of a seacaptain, while preaching on board ship

one sabbath afternoon in the month of August,—as likewise to the reclaiming of a backslider, at the Thursday evening lecture, in the Society's chapel, who is now united to a christian church. My occasional preaching at Bell Wharf has been refreshing to my own soul, and I have good reason to believe has been profitable to others.

One night, when going to preach on board a ship near London Bridge, I forgot to take my bible with me, according to my usual custom; the captain gave me his for my use, which, he said, was the only thing he saved with his life from shipwreck, and this he did by tying it round his neck, and swimming to land.

I have held services on board of French ships, and was much pleased with the conduct and attention paid by a captain to the preaching of the gospel of Christ. He told me that there was a spirit of attention to religion extending among seamen and others in the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey.

I have distributed above five hundred tracts, with back numbers of the Sailors' Magazine, at the different meetings; some of which meetings, previously attended by only about twenty, have increased in numbers to nearly forty.

Fourth and Fifth Stations. — Mr. EDWARDS. (November.) Since your agent's last report, he has had the pleasure of attending on the river thirty services :-One in the second station, two in the third, eighteen in the fourth, eight in the fifth, and one in the sixth, and nine at the chapel. Fourteen of the vessels were new Bethel ships. Most of the services have been of an encouraging nature, and a few particularly interesting. At one meeting, held on board the R-, your agent was directed to improve the death of the carpenter, who died suddenly the day before. goodly number were present, among whom were several captains. Much solemnity pervaded the meeting; all appeared deeply impressed with the

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opened;* and I have the pleasure to say, that we have raised about £18. I have given £5 on behalf of the Society. The erection, which is now going for. ward, will cost from THIRTY to FORTY POUNDS. It is to be called UNION CHURCH. The whole assumes a pleasing aspect.

Impressed with the importance of visiting the sailors on board, I have at length accomplished this most desirable object, and early in the month of May commenced my labours afloat. According to notice given, I preached on board the "LORD GODERICH," to between thirty and forty persons, among whom were three captains from adjoining vessels. I need not tell you the joy I felt on seeing my Bethel flag floating for the first time on the waters of South Australia- -a day, I trust, that will never be forgotten by me. At the close of the service, I was kindly greeted by the commanders of the vessels and their crews. And upon enquiring whether any captain would take the flag for the ensuing sabbath, the commander of the “ Lord Goderich" said, he would feel happy if I would allow him to keep the flag, during his stay in the port,-that he would hoist it with the colours, at eight o'clock, A. M.; and would expect me on board each Sabbath. He has been an attendant for four-and-twenty years, on the ministry of the Rev. Dr. Reed, and a more kind and amiable gentleman I have rarely met. Ah! my dear Sir, were the command of our vessels more in the hands of such men, the beneficial results would soon develope themselves. The influence of a commander of a ship at sea, if rightly directed, would be attended with the best effects.

On board this vessel I was introduced to a young gentleman of the Royal

*This has been done under the following form :---Subscriptions for a place of worship in connexion with the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, England,---at Port Adelaide; in which the service will be conducted by clergymen, preachers and members of various denominations. The Chapel to be under the superintendence of the Rev. T. Q. Stow. R. Jod, Esq., Managing Trustee.

Navy, who has given a very friendly countenance to the services. He informs me that he himself has conducted prayer-meetings on board ship. With him I have had much conversation relative to the moral state of the Navy; and it is pleasing to hear, that, amidst much profligacy and vice, there are those who are seeking the glory of God.

After preaching two or three times on board the "Lord Goderich,”— my FLAG was transferred to the "Canton," by desire of the captain, from whom I have met with the most marked attention. The services have since been conducted on board this latter vessel; the crews of both assembling together, and often others with them. And considering the state and habits of seamen generally here, I am astonished at the orderly and well-regulated assemblies we have.

There are at this moment in the harbour, eleven or twelve vessels; and I hope, while a ship is in the port, that not a sabbath will pass without witnessing the Bethel flag at the mast-head.

These services, as you may suppose, are attended with much trouble. The port is from seven to eight miles distant, and the larger vessels (from want of water) lie about two miles from the port or canal. As it is necessary for me to be down by nine o'clock in the morning and as I have to walk in all weathers, over either a very swampy, or a very dry and sandy road—preach twice, and then walk back,-I find it rather trying to the flesh. If I could afford it, I would buy a poney; for when the weather becomes very warm, it will be impossible to keep up these services without some sort of conveyance. A kind friend has twice lent me his horse; but as he is going into the interior, I shall lose this advantage.

You will be pleased to hear, that I have the assistance of several valuable friends in the work. Two of the most efficient local Wesleyan preachers have each promised to supply twice for me during the current quarter, To-morrow