made man in his own image, and gave him the dominion over the inferior creation!

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths.*

The storm continued all night. The rolling of the ship was great: the creaking of doors and spars was incessant. Neither chair nor sofa served for a seat of rest. Reading became fatiguing, and the berth allowed no sleep. So passed Saturday night; sad preparations for the sabbath.

The Lord's day, 21st, was the fifth day at sea. The weather, during the morning, continued as yesterday. At twelve o'clock, when about to begin divine worship in the cabin, the gale increased, accompanied occasionally by hail, rain, thunder, and lightening, and lasted until, notwithstanding fair wind, orders were given to heave to. Thus we were compelled to submit to a retrograde motion until the storm abated at noon of Monday, 22d inst. We then commenced on our course, under reefed topsails, scudding at the rate of twelve miles an hour, until five o'clock P. M., when we were again compelled to "lie to" until next morning. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afforded little variety, and added nothing to the comforts of the crew, except good progress on the voyage, having, on the eighth day at sea,

* P■. cvii. 23. 25.

attained nearly half way to Liverpool from New York.

Thursday, 25th, is the day appointed for humiliation and special prayer in my congregation. I observed it, for that purpose, in my own apartment; and had communion with my people, though removed to the distance of fifteen hundred miles from the place of their assembly, being taken from them for a short time in presence, not in heart. Our holy religion is a comfort-the true and only true comfort of an imperfect man. God appointed it as such. "This is my comfort in my affliction. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."§ It is also a fine feature of the constitution of man, that his spirit may have fellowship with those of others, to whatever distance they may happen to be separated. Devotional exercises strengthen the faculties of the mind instead of impairing them; and the tone of the mind affects the bodily system. They who go to sea in ships are not precluded from this advantage. I found the employments of this day had an effect in elevating the affections and in fortifying the nerves to resist the ENNUI of my present condition. I seldom slept, since I came on board, more than two hours at a time. I was too restless to keep my bed, when awake; and not a night passed without a visit to the deck at the change of the watch. Every occurrence of a noise aloft induced me to mount the stairs. But on this night I could remain in my berth when awake; and I slept soundly for many hours together.

I arose early and was refreshed. On Friday the wind was still fair; but so moderate as to permit all sails to be set-a fine cheering sight to all on board. Our ship appeared in her glory; and she coursed over the boundless plain, with all the pride of a racer equipped and let loose.

With such sailing, who would not be a mariner? Like the pleasures of earth, however, those of the sea are evanescent. In the afternoon the wind lulled; and at nine P. M. came round briskly to the south. At twelve, we heard the call of "all hands." It was a sudden squall, with hail of enormous size. The lightening flashed, the thunder roared, and for fif teen minutes a splendid phenomenon occurred. Globes of brilliant light appeared on the tops of the foremast and the mainmast, illuminating the deck and the cord age in midst of the storm. The electric fluid played in its peculiar effulgence, on both those elevated points, after the noise of thunder ceased, and could be seen on the more elevated point, even after the cloud had passed far away to the north. The wind continued favorable and daylight soon restored to their use the studding sails of yesterday.

Saturday, 27th. Fine morning. At noon, latitude 44°, longitude 30°. Afternoon wet; wind light; progress slow. At even, all is dull. The clouds thickened the wind arose from the southwest; the rains descended; our course was unaltered, and during the night we continued, under reefed topsails, in rapid progress for our destined haven. On sabbath we had social worship in the cabin;

yet I had to conduct it in a sitting posture. I must lean even during prayer: and none of the mariners from the deck could be spared to give attendance. The wind became more moderate at evening; and at nine P. M. we moved at the rate of nine knots an hour. Thus passed my second sabbath from home; but not without many thoughts of those whom I left behind, and were wont in crowds to wait on the ordinances.

Monday, 1st March. With winds fair enough to make good progress and hold on our course, we were glad to have a few hours of clear weather and enjoy the sight of sunshine. Tuesday passed off in the same manner, and Wednesday the 13th day of our voyage, brought us, by reckoning, within one hundred miles of European land; and at eight, P. M., we had soundings in ninety fathoms water. All were delighted with inspecting the glittering particles of Irish sand which adhered to the bottom of the lead. Next morning, Thursday, 4th March, we saw land ten miles distant. It was understood to be a part of the rugged coast of the county of Kerry, north of Bantry bay, far famed on account of the French disastrous invasion of Ireland, 24th December, 1796.

Many times in the course of this day did the passengers strain the eye and apply to the glass, in order to get a sight of the numerous rocks, islets, and headlands of the south of the great county of Cork. The bull, the cow, and the crow, loomed in the haze, and diverted all, naturally disposed to be gratified by the sight of terra firma under any form. There was, not

withstanding, during the day, much solicitude for a view of the island of Cape Clear, the south ernmost point of Hibernia. It was in vain. The curtain of night dropped around us, and the waters above the firmament poured down in torrents. This kind of weather tried our patience at the mouth of the British channel; and there was no change until forty hours had gone by, in the flight of time. Saturday, 6th March, brought us, according to the reckoning, as far as between Cork on the west and Milford Haven on the eastern shore. We were all in suspense, notwithstanding our confidence in the captain's judgment: for no observation was had for two days and two nights. There was not a sight of the sun by day or of the moon by night. The stars did not shine. No lighthouse was discovered-no land to be

seen.

England and Ireland were all enveloped together with the intervening waters, in one impenetrable sheet of darkness. We could feel the bottom and observe the ship's course, and the mariners could calculate only from the compass and the soundings, together with the rate of sailing by the hour. At four o'clock we spoke a sloop steering directly from Milford to Cork, which satisfactorily confirmed the calculation of Captain Rogers.

The 7th March was the third and the last Lord's day at sea. I preached in the cabin after twelve

o'clock, and at four P. M. a fine wind favored our progress in St. George's channel. At seven we were in the narrowest part of that sound. The Tuskar lights on the Irish shore, the lights on Bardsley Island; the light-house of Holy Head and those of the Skilly rocks, were all left behind before eight o'clock on Monday morning. Opposite to Old Point Linus, off the Isle of Anglesea in Wales, we shipped our pilot, who brought us the Liverpool papers of Saturday. Row boats came along side with eggs, and milk, and herring, and other refreshments. The scenery of the Welsh coast is fine. The Snowden hill, Penman Mour, Great and Small, and the points of Orme, with the intervening bays, were distinctly in view. The distant mountains with their mantles of snow, reflected the rays of the western sun, while ships under sail, the steamers, and the pilot-boats, with craft of every name and size, passing to and fro, satisfied us that we were near the mart of commerce, and again in company with the busy world. We came to anchor for the night fifteen miles from the harbor for which we were bound.

Tuesday morning at nine o'clock, the 9th of March, we landed, in health and safety, on the wharf at the entrance of Prince's dock, Liverpool. God's goodness is great to him be ascribed the glory of our preservation.

DRAFT OF A COVENANT AND

LEAGUE,

To be submitted to the Synods of the Reformed Presbyterian Churches in Scotland, Ireland, and America; and by them recommended to their connections in every land, whether descended from the British Reformers, or by voluntary consent acceding to their principles.

GLASGOW, 21st April, 1830.

The synod, convinced of the duty and propriety of immediately taking measures for uniting the different sections of the church in a common bond, resolved that a draught of a covenant be prepared; and appointed the Rev. Archibald Mason, Dr. McLeod, John Fairly, Professor Symington, and David Armstong, a committee, to prepare said draught, and to report-The committee to meet this evening-the Professor Convener.

A member of synod is called to engage in prayer, for Divine direction in this important matter.

23d April, 1830.

The report of the committee, appointed to prepare a draught of a covenant, is read. A member of synod engages in prayer. The draught is read, paragraph by paragraph, and members make observations, approving of the draught in general; and suggesting alterations, to which the committee are requested to attend.

The synod unanimously agrees to return the draught to the committee, with instructions to attend to the passages referred to; to make such alterations as they may judge to be expedient; and to print a few copies for the use of the ministers, and for transmission to the synods in Ireland and America, from which a report is to be requested.

15th June, 1830.

The committee, having made the amendments recommended by synod, authorize the printing of this draught.

A. SYMINGTON, Convener.

D. ARMSTRONG, Clerk.

DRAFT.

We, whose names are underwritten, inheriting, in the providence and by the favor of God, the common faith of the ancient confessors, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and resting our own souls for everlasting salvation on the covenant of grace in Jesus Christ our Lord; have, upon mature deliberation, determined, after the example of the church of God of old, and of several of the best reformed churches, to give our selves up to God and to one another in a solemn covenant never to be forgotten.

Knowing, that it is becoming both for individuals and communities to vow to the Lord and to pay their vows; persuaded that public, covenanting and a mutual league, for support and co-operation among the several parts of the reformed church, may be profitably observed; and believing that the present aspect of the moral world, and the religious prospect before us, invite the people of God to essay this solemn duty, without unnecessary delay.

WE, therefore, each one for himself, with his hand lifted up to the MOST HIGH GOD, do swear

1. That we shall really, sincerely, and constantly endeavor, through the grace of God, in our several places, ranks, and callings, to understand, embrace, preserve, and promote the true religion, as it is taught in the Holy Scriptures of

the Old and the New Testament; and that we shall, with the blessing of God, well and truly transmit the same to posterity:

Assured, ourselves, that this religion, is, in agreeableness to the word of God, summarily, set forth in the confessions and catechisms of the churches of the reformation, and more especially and comprehensively, in the standards compiled by the assembly of divines at Westminster, England, with the aid of Commissioners from the church of Scotland, for the furtherance of uniformity in doctrine, worship, church government, and discipline among Christians, in the British empire, and in all the nations we, accordingly, recognize the faithful contendings of our predecessors for civil and religious freedom, and the binding obligation of their covenants, both the national and the solemn league, as originally framed and sworn, and at several times renewed in their true spirit and designs; and, abjuring, with all our heart, whatsoever is known to us to be contrary to the sacred scriptures, we shall strive to perpetuate the principles of the covenanted reformation; as they respect the ecclesiastical and the civil state of our fellowmen, in whatever country under heaven.

2. That we come, with this oath, into the presence of the Lord God, with a deep conviction of his awful greatness and glory, of his omniscience, his purity, his justice, and his grace; with a sense of our FALL, and consequent ruin, in Adam our first natural head and public representative; of our guilt, and total depravity by nature, and our utter inability to

save ourselves from deserved condemnation to everlasting punishment; with confession that we are sinners, both by nature and practice, and that we fall short of the perfection which the law requires in every attempt to do good, we renounce all dependence, in whole or in part, on our own righteousness for either pardon or acceptance with God, and, repenting of all our sins, we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as he is offered to us in the gospel, in the entire extent of his mediatorial perfection, to be our Savior; we take the Holy Ghost as our all sufficient Guide, and God the Father to be our Portion forever and ever; solemnly, and sincerely, approving and choosing the covenant of grace as all our salvation and all our de sire.

3. That, as the servants of the Lord, devoted to his fear, and bewailing the low state of religion in our hearts, and lives, and among our connections, we shall yield ourselves, soul and body and property, to be the Lord's, and his only, now and for ever; and we shall endeavor to obey the moral law in all its precepts and prohibitions; we shall strive through the Spirit to mortify sin, resist all temptations, submit to the allotments of Divine Providence, and cultivate brotherly love and universal benevolence.

Living to the glory of God, as our chief end, we will diligently attend to searching the scriptures, religious conversation, and to the devotions of the closet, the family, and the church; especially the public ordinances of the Lord's day dispensed according to the good order of the church of God, earnestly striving, by all means