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FOR SAILORS IN THE PORT OF LONDON.

ANOTHER YEAR has opened upon the church of God, probably more eventful, and, it is hoped, more auspicious than any one that has preceded, since the effusion of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,

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and the reception of the Gentiles into the fellowship of Christ. Scriptural knowledge is progressively advancing, not only through our favoured land, but through all the nations of the earth, in a degree unparalleled in the history of the church; and every class of the community, and of mankind, is calling forth the holy and generous sympathies of all denominations of Christians.

Seamen, at once the glory and the dishonour of Britain, cannot, therefore, be forgotten; and the Directors of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society confidently anticipate an increasing measure of sympathy and of support, in all their operations and agencies, to promote their welfare. For the general purposes of the Society, they must depend upon the continued liberality of those, who experience the consolations of the gospel, and realize the blessings of Christian liberty, and immortal hope; but they now make a special appeal for contributions, to enable them to prosecute their plan of erecting a New Sailors' Chapel, in the port of London. The engraving, at the head of this article, is presented to show the proposed front elevation; complete plans have been obtained of a chapel, to hold about 800 persons, with good school accommodation, and apartments for a Library and Reading Room: the cost of which, it is estimated, will be about £3000).

This good work, the Directors did cherish the hope of commencing during the past year; at the beginning of which they published an outline of their "Prospects for the New Year," all of which, with this exception, they were happily enabled to accomplish, under the blessing of God. On the occasion referred to, they stated, among other things, as follows:

"4. The Committee hope to build a New Sailors' Chapel.— This the Society greatly need, and unceasing solicitude to accomplish it is cherished by the Directors. While they rejoice in the measure of success with which God has crowned their labours at the present chapel, they have never regarded it as more than a temporary convenience, occupied until a site could be judiciously fixed

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for the erection of a "BETHEL" for seamen, altogether worthy of the Society, and of the Port of London. While, however, uncertainty prevails in relation to the establishment of the Thames Haven Improvements,' and the projected Collier Docks,' with the removal of a large portion of the ships from their present stations in the river Thames, the Committee cannot see their path of duty clear in this particular business; yet they trust to be enabled to fulfil their cherished wishes, in this respect, during the year. In the mean time, they intend to alter and improve the present building, so as to render it more commodious, respectable, and convenient for sailors, as the House of God.'

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Several of the impediments referred to in this paragraph, still exist; but the Directors have improved their present chapel, which is very well attended by sailors. Nevertheless a better place of worship is imperatively required, as TWENTY THOUSAND SEAMEN are constantly in the Port of London!

How shall the Directors be enabled to proceed in this good work, until their wishes shall have been fully accomplished? Means cannot be deficient among the thousands of the opulent merchants and shipowners of Britain, and gentlemen in those branches of business immediately connected with our universal commerce. Surely all that can be needed is, that the case should plainly be brought before them; and there cannot be the smallest doubt, but money would be promptly and cheerfully supplied, by their long proved liberality.

LADIES AND LIFE MEMBERS

OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Pilot.

"SIR,-Allow me to offer unto you a suggestion, which, I cannot but think, would be productive of substantial aid to the funds of your Society. I refer

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to the subject of Life Members.' I am inclined to think, from what I have read in your instructive PILOT, and in the Reports' of the Society, that you have not many' 'Life Members' of the Institution, and that you have not introduced this subject to your readers, in a manner that the nature of the case demands. Could you not find one hundred clergymen, or ministers and private gentlemen, whose daughters in the one case, and the ladies of whose congregations in the other, could collect ten guineas, to constitute their fathers or pastors 'Life Members' of your Society? I leave the suggestion with you, assured of its practicability, at least, to a considerable extent; and trust that a host of friends will rise up, to favour and support the cause of religion among sailors. "ALETHEIA." *

RELIGIOUS TRACTS IN THE ROYAL NAVY.

"Grievances of British Seamen in the Royal Navy" were brought under the notice of our readers in the PILOT for last December. We beg to recal the attention of the friends of sailors to the papers in that number; at the same time expressing our gratification at finding the following article in a paper of such high respectability and extensive influence as the LEEDS MERCURY. Cherishing every possible sentiment of respect for the Board of Admiralty, we do hope that the regulation referred to as a grievance to seamen in the Royal Navy, will be abolished, for the honour of our country, and for the advancement of religion among British mariners :

* Aletheia's suggestion is so noble, praiseworthy, and practicable, that it will be adopted as recommended; and, no doubt, be understood and acted upon by many Ladies in different parts of the kingdom. Should any further information, or Cards, be required, application should be made personally, or by letter, to the Secretary, at the Office of the Society.-ED.

"PROHIBITION OF RELIGIOUS TRACTS IN THE ROYAL NAVY.-Considerable efforts have been made of late years by the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, the Religious Tract Society, and other bodies, to promote the moral and religious improvement of that important, but neglected and immoral class, British Seamen. Among the merchant seamen, no small amount of good has been effected. But, to the disgrace of our naval administration, there exists a regulation in her Majesty's Navy, forbidding the introduction of religious tracts on board a Queen's ship! and that, although publications of a loose and immoral kind are permitted to be taken on board! It was lately stated in this town by the Rev. Mr. Timpson, the Honorary Secretary of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, that that Society could produce no effect in the Royal Navy, owing to the jealous restrictions in force. An instance is recorded in the London Missionary Society's report of last year, of a Missionary at Penang, in the East Indies, the Rev. Mr. Davies, sending a bundle of religious tracts on board a British ship of war; and when the captain heard of it, he ordered them all to be thrown overboard; but one tract being saved by a young seamen out of curiosity, was made the means of his conversion. Now, it seems to us a most criminal and irrational thing, to exclude from this branch of the Queen's forces, which is necessarily shut out in a lamentable degree from religious advantages, (being often months and years away from their native country,) the admirable and strictly scriptural publications of the Religious Tract Society,-a Society of the most catholic nature, one-half the managers of which are clergymen or members of the Church of England, and the other half Evangelical Dissenters, and whose publications include the productions of many of the first English divines, from the Reformation down to the present day. If this exclusion is to be ascribed to the jealousy of official chaplains, it is in the last degree disgraceful to them, and their bigotry ought to be overruled by an order of the Board of Admiralty. If it is

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