The Christian minister went in,

A Sailor there he sees,

Whose hands were lifted up to Heaven,

And he was on his knees.

Nor did the Sailor so intent

His entering footsteps heed,
But now "Our Father" said, and now
His half-forgotten creed;

And often on our Saviour call'd
With many a bitter groan,
But in such anguish as may spring
From deepest guilt alone.

The miserable man was ask'd
Why he was kneeling there,

And what had been the crime that caused
The anguish of his prayer?

"I have done a cursed thing!" he cried, "It haunts me night and day, And I have sought this lonely place Here undisturb'd to pray.

Aboard I have no place for prayer,

So I came here alone,

That I might freely kneel and pray,

And call on Christ, and groan.

The Wicked One is there;

From place to place, from rope to rope, He follows every where.

I shut my eyes.. it matters not..
Still, still the same I see,

And when I lie me down at night,
'Tis always day with me!

He follows, follows every where,
And every place is Hell!

O God.. and I must go with Him
In endless fire to dwell!

He follows, follows every where,
He's still above.. below!

Oh, tell me where to fly from him!
Oh, tell me where to go!"

"But tell thou," quoth the stranger then,

What this thy crime hath been,

So haply I may comfort give

To one who grieves for sin."

"O cursed, cursed is the deed!"
The wretched man replies,
"And night and day and every

where

'Tis still before my eyes.

I sail'd on board a Guinea-man,

And to the slave-coast went ;.. Would that the sea had swallow'd me When I was innocent!

And we took in our cargo there,
Three hundred negro slaves,
And we sail'd homeward merrily
Over the ocean-waves.

But some were sulky of the slaves,
And would not touch their meat,
So therefore we were forced by threats
And blows to make them eat.

One woman, sulkier than the rest,
Would still refuse her food,...
O Jesus God! I hear her cries!
I see her in her blood!

The captain made me tie her up,
And flog while he stood by ;
And then he cursed me if I staid
My hand to hear her cry.

She shriek'd, she groan'd,.. I could not spare,

For the Captain he stood by ;........

Dear God! that I might rest one night

From that poor creature's cry!

What woman's child a sight like that
Could bear to look upon!

And still the Captain would not spare..
But made me still flog on.

She could not be more glad than I
When she was taken down :
A blessed minute!.. 't was the last
That I have ever known!

I did not close my eyes all night,
Thinking what I had done;

I heard her groans, and they grew faint
Towards the rising sun.

She groan'd and moan'd, but her voice grew

Fainter at morning tide;

Fainter and fainter still it came

Until at noon she died.

They flung her overboard; .. poor wretch

She rested from her pain,.

But when.. O Christ! O blessed God!
Shall I have rest again!

Go where I will, do what I can,
The Wicked One I see:

Dear Christ, have mercy on my soul!
O God, deliver me!

Oh give me comfort, if you can!
Oh tell me where to fly!
Oh tell me if there can be hope
For one so lost as I!"

What said the Minister of Christ?
He bade him trust in Heaven,
And call on Him for whose dear sake
All sins shall be forgiven.

He told him of that precious blood Which should his guilt efface; Told him that none are lost, but they Who turn from proffer'd grace.

He bade him pray, and knelt with him, And join'd him in his prayers:... And some who read the dreadful tale Perhaps will aid with theirs.

Westbury, 1798.