For circulating the Scriptures.. 0 3 0 Pattison, Mrs. Leyton .... 0 10 6 Dyer, Miss W. ..... Morland, Miss For Sailors' Chapel, Bell Wharf, during the Month of July. First Sabbath :- Mr. Morris, Morning and Afternoon. Mr. Hayward, Evening. Second Sabbath :-The Secretaries, Morning and Afternoon. Mr. Palmer, Evening Third Sabbath :- Wesleyans, Morning and Evening. Mr. Thomson, Afternoon. Fourth Sabbath:-Mr. Vautin, Morning. Fifth Sabbath :— Mr. Joyce, Afternoon. Mr. Thomson, Evening. Mr. Bruce, Afternoon. WEEK-DAY EVENING SERVICES. Monday Evening Prayer Meeting, Capt. Prynn and Mr. Welch altern ately. Thursday Evening Lecture :-5th. Mr. Thompson, Several important articles are unavoidably postponed till August. That on the Greenwich Maritime Christian Instruction Society will then appear. The best thanks of the Directors are presented to Mr. BURGIS, Reading, for a large assortment of useful Books and Tracts, for the Sailors' Library, &c.; and to a member of Broad Street Church, Reading, for two volumes of the Tract Magazine: also to Capt. Jones, R. N., for Books, Magazines, &c. Maddox, Printer, Dockhead, Bermondsey. THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF GREAT BRITAIN. IT is the remark of one of the most enlightened and eminent writers of the day, "that never was summer's cloud more completely surcharged with electricity, than Great Britain is with moral power." Heaven has lifted her to the first position among the nations of the earth; not indeed in territorial possession, though her empire be one on which the sun never sets; nor yet in physical strength, though the number of her fleet and the power of her arms are unequalled. But she occupies this elevation in virtue of her moral character, and the moral influence she can bring to bear on every portion of the universal community.-In this she has a power that is invincible; and just in proportion as Britain becomes more Christian, will she become more powerful-more influential; nor can she otherwise maintain the position to which she has been raised. If her christianity, instead of putting on more vigour and energy with the progress of time, become weakly and decay, her descent is certain; and her final overthrow may be justly apprehended. But we are not among those who entertain gloomy apprehensions, and think they can discern nothing for their country, but speedy and inevitable destruction. Our firm belief is, that the future is big with promise,that the sun of Britain's glory is only ascending to its meridian strength,-that never has there been a more auspicious era in the history of this fallen world than the present, and that the signs of the times are such, as to encourage the most sanguine expectations. It is therefore of the greatest moment that Britain should rightly direct, and apply her moral power. So far as this world is concerned, she may make the empire of mind all her own; and to mind universally, she may give such a bent and bias, as shall bring it to terminate on that virtue, which is to fill the earth with happiness and peace. Our intercourse with other and distant nations is daily being facilitated; we have access to almost every people; and the day is not far off, when every kindred and every tribe will feel and acknowledge the influence which we exert. Our population is not only removing to those foreign countries, but there our institutions are being planted,-taking root, and growing up in native vigour. All this must affect the state of society, how rude and barbarous soever. It cannot fail, at least, to give to its exterior aspect a milder and more attractive form. But that which is to impress and transform the whole world of mind, is our simple and unadulterated Christianity. Of this we have been made the divinely-selected depositories, and with us it rests to send it forth to the nations of the earth. Or, to change the figure, we have been constituted the almoners of heaven's richest bounty;-have been put in possession of the bread of life, not that we should make a monopoly of it,-buta faithful, universal distribution;- there is a famishing world at our feet-the voice of the perishing is piercing the air, and lifting its imploring cry to this favoured land,—the cry of millions who are waiting to receive the inestimable boon at our hands, the gift of God, which is eternal life. It is by the propagation of christianity alone, that this world is to be regenerated and saved; and its salvation, under God, rests with Great Britain. No other nation (America is indeed making rapidly on us) under heaven enjoys the same facilities with ourselves. Our geographical position,-our great and extended navy,—our commercial relations, our progress in science, our almost universal language,—and, above all, our moral influence, derived from the long possession and knowledge of a pure christianity, pre-eminently qualify us for being the instructor of the world, and the reformer of man. We have only to go abroad, through its islands and continents, with the lessons and authority of a schoolmaster, to teach and disciple all nations; and soon such an impression will be produced, as will change the whole aspect of universal society. The means we do possess. There is, truly speaking, no want of men, or talent, or property to effect this mighty achievement. The church of Christ has within itself sufficient resources for all that we contemplate. Let but those resources be brought out, and directed to the end proposed, and the result is as certain as if already realized. There are、 the adequate means, it only remains that they be applied. But how are we thus to act on this fallen world, and its great empire of mind. If it can be only through the propagation of christianity, then this cannot be done |