THE CABINET.

SEAMEN-THE OBJECTS OF CHRISTIAN SOLICITUDE.

O think of the seaman, embarked upon the dangerous deep, exposed to the furious tempest, or to the unwholesome climate, or to the thousand perils which surround him in his adventurous course. If, by the protection of Him who rules over all, he escape these multiplied hazards, and come back in safety to his native shore, and his beloved home, what a blessing for him to find, that while he himself has gone and returned in the faith of that Saviour, in whom he has been taught to believe, and in a dependance on that almighty arm, on which his once godless soul has been taught to lean for guidance and protection,-his wife and his little ones have been learning the same lessons, and practising the same virtues, and enjoying the same peace. And, if he be fated never more to re-visit that domestic circle which he left in sorrow and in hope, and with all the yearnings which are known only to the heart of a seaman-husband and a seaman-father;—if it be the will of that God whom he loves and serves, that he should be the victim of a fatal shipwreck—the vessel his coffin, and the ocean his grave,-oh! what a precious consolation to him to recollect, as he sinks in the remorseless waters, that he does not leave his widow disconsolate, nor his orphans unprotected-that they are in the hands of CHRISTIANS who love their souls, and will not abandon them to ignorance, oppression, or destitution ;-and that he is going to that blessed and peaceful region, for whose mansions they also are training, and amidst whose blessedness they and he shall meet again, and dwell, and rejoice for ever!—Thomson.

Poetry.

A VOICE FROM THE OCEAN.-PART II.

"Come and help us !"-Acts xvi. 9.

Where the whirlwinds to heaven proudly soar,
And the wild billows brave the black sky,
A voice is still heard through the roar;
And,-CHRISTIAN! COME HELP!—is the cry!

From the frail bark, now rolled down the abyss,
Or hurricane hurled to the sky,

Sounds the voice-'tis the sailor's !-and this,-
"Christian brother, oh help!"—is the cry!

How long shall "the nursling of storms,"
At the risk of his life's fleeting breath,
Force all dangers, and live in alarms,

While abandoned to woes WORSE than death!

Shall the weather-worn sailor's hard hands,

The gospel to millions convey?
Bear the bible to far distant lands,
And himself be a sad cast-away?

Shall HOME spread its ÆGIS AROUND,
The well-sheltered roof and the hall?
Home's sweet comforts so widely abound,
And the hand unacknowledged in all?

Shall luxury, pleasure, and health,
Which the stores of rich commerce supply,
Be enjoyed by the proud sons of wealth;
And their poor sailor-slave left to die?

Shall Britannia's flag wave o'er the main,
And nations obsequious obey;

Bend reluctant beneath her proud reign,
And Britannia her heroes betray?

What a night round the globe would prevail !
How forlorn each blank region would be!
Did the canvass no more catch the gale,
Nor the keel leave its wake on the sea!

Then let gratitude hear the appeal-
Truth and justice acknowledge the plea :
Let christian philanthropy feel

The claims of the sons of the sea!

Let the nations with Britons combine;

Be their banner, the PEACE-BEARING DOVE;
And the gospel's mild spirit enshrine
Every heart in the halo of love!

Give your sailors the chart of THE WORD!
The POLE-STAR of their haven of rest;
Let them sail with their SAVIOUR on board,
And his permanent peace in their breast.

May earth's kindreds this crusade inspire,
And millennial fraternity bind;
And children of ONE heavenly Sire,

Be ALL of ONE HEART and ONE MIND!

OMICRON.

Monthly Chronicle.

THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE ABOVE AUXILIARY, WAS HELD IN THE SUBSCRIPTION SCHOOL ROOM, ISLINGTON, ON FRIDAY EVENING, 10TH APRIL.

REAR ADM. SIR J. HILLYAR, C. B., K. C. H. IN THE CHAIR.

The Rev. J. Raban having offered prayer, the Rev. William Spencer, one of the Secretaries, read the following Report :

SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT.

WHATEVER Country may be the birth-place of the sailor, he may be justly regarded as belonging to all mankind. He stands associated with every continent, and is known on every shore. His calling constitutes the link that unites distant nations to each other, and brings them to a mutual acquaintance. Through seamen we become possessors of the productions of other climes; and acquire, not merely the luxuries, but what, through custom and habit, have become the necessaries of life. That this intercourse was designed, by Divine providence, no thinking man can doubt; and to the sailor as well as to others, God gives the disposition and character needful for his arduous enterprise, and which renders him so valuable to every community under heaven. But of all the nations that people our globe, there is none so deeply indebted to seamen as our own. In times of war they have fought our battles; and now, in times of peace, they are bringing to our shores the produce of every country in the world. Through them we have received the precious book of God with all the ordinances of christianity. At a now distant period, they conducted the first messengers of salvation to our highly-favoured home; and, perhaps, landed upon our island the apostle of the Gentiles himself, to preach to ancient Britons-" Christ and him crucified."

Sailors, in common with others, are immortal beings, and, like ourselves, must "appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to give an account of the deeds done in the body." In traversing the world of waters, they are exposed to imminent perils. They are "in deaths oft.". Whose ears have not become familiar with the fearful accounts of storms and disasters at sea? Whose heart has not been touched with the frequently-repeated tale of the poor shipwrecked mariner? Life is to all uncertain, but it is especially so to the hardy sons of ocean. Alas! that the habits they indulge, and of which we have been accustomed to speak as though they must be inseparable from them, are greatly adding to the dangers by which they are naturally surrounded. From their circumstances they are deprived of the privileges enjoyed by landsmen. To a certain extent they must pursue their calling on the holy day of rest, even where the Bethel flag frequently waves at the mast-head, as the signal of worship below. Often for lengthened periods they are destitute of the religious opportunities to be met with on Britain's happy isle, not only when at sea, but when they make the port of many a shore where the God of the Bible is unknown.

The enquiry so often proposed by many,-"What have we to do with sailors?" may be met by another,-With what class of individuals have we so much to do? The most inland, as well as the maritime counties of our sea-girt isle, are, and must continue to be, under great obligations to this interesting class of men. Islington, with its literary, and scientific, and religious advantages, is deeply indebted to sailors. Thanks be to God, the residents of this locality have not altogether forgotten these obligations, nor entirely neglected this important class of the world's population. To report the progress of the Islington Auxiliary is a pleasing and welcome duty to the Committee. Since its formation, the whole sum contributed has been £608 0s. 5d. Of this amount £129 19s. 4d. has been raised during the past year. Deducting £6. 9s. 10d. for incidental expences, the Society has paid over to the funds of the Parent Institution £123 9s. 6d. This amount is somewhat larger than that contributed in any previous year; and the Committee trust the contributions from this and other neighbourhoods, will continue to advance, until the arrival of that glorious day, when the abundance of the sea shall be converted to the divine and exalted Redeemer.

In adverting to the proceedings of the parent Society, your Committee believe this meeting will rejoice with them in the advancement of the great work of evangelization amongst the maritime population of the globe. In the last report it is stated, that the Thames Missionaries, during twelve months, "have boarded 7915 vessels in the river, and above 1100 in the docks and canals :-have personally been present at, and conducted 350 services afloat;-have obtained 791 ships for agents,-have visited the shipping at Gravesend, North-fleet, and Greenhithe ;-have called the attention of the sailor, privately and publicly, to the great truths of religion,—have put 150,000 tracts and books into circulation; -have dedicated above 100 vessels to the service of God, and added them to the Bethel list :-have been engaged in various departments of labour on shore and in connexion with the Sailors' Chapel ;-have maintained a regular weekly visitation among the boarding-houses ;-have not been inattentive to the abodes of suffering and sorrow, nor been absent from the bed of the afflicted and dying." Besides these devoted men, the Society employs also Thames Agents, whose labours have been equally praise-worthy. "From the Society's library in Bell Wharf, there have been issued 427 volumes to sailors in the coal and coasting trade;" whilst above fifty loan libraries have been lent to ships bound to different foreign ports. "The schools are in active and successful operation.” The attendance at the Seamen's Chapel is encouraging, and would no doubt greatly increase were a suitable building provided. The returns from the provincial and foreign ports are highly satisfactory. But your Committee must refer to the Annual Report of the parent Institution, and the Magazine, for a detail of these interesting proceedings. From the many pleasing facts presented to the Society, your Committee select the following:

"A man of colour, lately arrived from a long voyage, who left this port (Liverpool) about nine months ago, in a large vessel bound to the East Indies. They reached their destination in safety; but, during the voyage, the Lord made this man the instrument in the conversion of two of the crew. Occasionally the three used to meet and worship God in the cook-house; but on their passage home, the ship was lost on the South Coast of Africa. The man of colour thought that all must perish, but he felt himself perfectly safe and happy in the love of his blessed Redeemer. And on asking his two spiritual children how they felt in such circumstances, they assured him of their steady confidence in God, and were quite resigned to his will. It was truly delightful to hear with what thanksgiving

to God this man testified what religion could do for the sailor on the mighty deep and in the prospect of death, and with what freedom he could adopt the language of the Psalmist :-"The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lifted up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters-than the mighty waves of the sea!"

Your Committee cannot but invite special attention to the fact, that up to the present time, more than Two HUNDRED Bethel captains have entered into a solemn engagement with God and each other, to conduct worship on board their respective vessels as often as circumstances will permit; and to hoist the Bethel flag at every port they may enter. The Sailors' Magazine for February last, contains their impressive and energetic Appeal to the Pastors and Churches of Great Britain. In that address they tell us :

"There are TwO-HUNDRED AND NINETY-THOUSAND of our British brother-seamen yet in moral darkness and death;-thousands of them are perishing every year in the deep, and all of them hastening to an unchanging eternity. But oh! their souls-their precious souls! What is their condition? What their prospects? What their destiny? Why is it that such a multitude of our brethren are yet in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity? Have the churches done moral justice to the sailor? Has each christian done his duty? Has each pastor and minister discharged his obligations to seamen ? Oh! our hearts bleed over the lukewarmness and apathy which at present exist among the professing members and pastors of the churches of Christ in this land! It affects us to the inmost soul to think, that so many thousands of our brethren have still so much reason to take up the lamentation- No man careth for our souls!' How long is this to be continued? Are they still to be neglected;-still allowed to perish in their sins; and finally, to find themselves a wreck on the shores of a dark eternity? God forbid! Now is the time for action-prompt, persevering action. This is all that is required to secure the blessing-even life for evermore.

“We are aware, christian brethren, that there exists the BRITISH And Foreign SAILORS' SOCIETY, and that its operations are being actively carried on, so far as their means admit ;—but this is not enough. Two hundred captains have entered into solemn covenant, to maintain the worship of God on board their respective vessels, and to make every possible exertion to bring sailors generally under the influence of divine truth; but this is not enough. It is indispensable, if seamen are to be evangelized, that the agencies should be multiplied a hundred-fold There is at this moment a moving on the waters;—there is a spirit of deep enquiry ;—there is a power at work of a most animating character ;—the ‘ dry bones' are being quickened ;—the dead are surely hearing the voice of the Son of God. But oh! there is a sad lack of holy, faithful, devoted labourers. Where are they to be found? We are told they can be obtained? But we are askedWhere are the means? Christians! can we believe that the cause of seamen will be neglected, or even retarded for want of means? Is God working,—and oh! can you stand still? Is God blessing,—and oh! can you withhold? Brethren :— it is high time to awake! "The day is far spent, the night is at hand." Work the work of God, while it is day :-the night cometh when you cannot work.”

It is thus that converted seamen feel for their brethren of the deep. It is thus they appeal to christians on shore, to aid them in the great cause they are seeking to promote. Is it not our duty to respond to their emotions and applications, by practically proving our sympathy with them in their holy confederacy. They can tell us fearful tales of their perils and afflictions. They can speak in strong terms of their privations and their sufferings. Others can tell us, too, of the moral