"THE LITTLE SAILOR BOY." [The following lines having appeared in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE Some years ago, we felt interested in the career of "THE LITTLE SAILOR BOY." A few days since his aged father (the writer of the lines) brought us the subjoined letter, with which, we feel assured, our readers will be gratified. May the same Lord who hath so kindly preserved the lad even to the present moment, amid so many impending dangers, richly manifest his grace to his heart; and privilege him to sing of a greater deliverance than any he has yet experienced.-ED.] THE LITTLE SAILOR BOY. FATHER of mercies! bow thy gracious ear; The moment that he sets his foot on board, Meridian day, and darksome nights at sea, Steer Thou the vessel o'er the midnight wave, Whene'er the frightful billows overwhelm, Come Thou on board, dear Lord, and take the helm. Protect the eye-balls from the awful flash, Support the mind beneath the thunder's crash ; Give grace to bless Thee to the sailor boy. When whirlwinds rise, and tempests sweep the deck, When landed on the fev'rish Indian shore, The little sailor wants Thee more and more: In time of sickness be Thou ever nigh, To sooth the fainting, little sailor boy. Make Thou his bed, and quiet his alarms, That he may know Thee in the days of youth: February 12th, 1830. I. S. LETTER FROM THE "LITTLE SAILOR BOY," (Now Chief Officer of the Hibernia Royal North American Steamer). DEAR FATHER, Liverpool, Nov. 19, 1845. Providence directs our course, and that should teach us "there's a Divinity that shapes our ends." This has been the most eventful voyage I have had for some years. Our passage out beat everything you can conceive; we were 13d. 6h. 10m. reaching Halifax. We had the most tremendous weather I ever saw at sea-a succession of heavy gales all the way out. The sea stove in our paddle-boxes, and strained this fine ship all over. It was a continuance of boiling heavy seas from one end of the ship to the other, washing the crew into the lee-scuppers, breaking their arms and ribs. we arrived at Halifax; but all this was only the prelude. One of the injured crew died at Halifax; and when we arrived at Boston one of the firemen fell down the hole, and was killed on the spot. Thus We left Boston for home on the 1st of November, and after we left Halifax we entered a dense fog, so thick that we could not see both ends of the ship; and on the 5th of November, 7 p.m., it was pitch dark, and the fog so dense we could not see our own large lamps at the mast and funnel. We struck on the extreme S.E. point of Cape Race, on Newfoundland, while steaming at 10 miles an hour. Imagine what sort of a night it must have been when we could not see the land, which is extremely high, till we struck, though five men were on the look out. We backed the engines, and she pulled off the rock, but with sad damages. We soon found we were making water very fast, and set the four deck-pumps at work, and some soldiers we had on board to bail with buckets, but could not prevail over the rapid increase of the leak. We then connected the large pumps to the engines, but could not gain upon the leak. I cannot describe to you this night; the density of the fog, the soldiers bailing, sailors pumping, and swearing of course, lighted lanterns carried about in all directions, engines blowing off the steam, officers roaring out orders-passengers, some putting on life-preservers, others taking a preserver inside to give them "Dutch courage to meet whatever came. We concluded, instead of attempting Liverpool, to make for the nearest port-viz. St. John's, Newfoundland-in hope of getting into dry dock; but no dry dock there. Our only alternative was to build a water-tight tank on the bow till we got assistance from the shore. This was a day and a night's work, and on the 9th, being some hours at sea, we leaked nearly as bad as before, but resolved to cross the Atlantic at all hazards. One thing of this sort seldom comes alone. The night we left St. John's we had a narrow escape from two tremendous icebergs which lay right in our track; and had we struck on one of them you would not be reading this letter. The rate we were going at at the time would have settled all accounts with the Hibernia. I fear the time will come when one of these fine steamers will be missing, through the ice in the spring of the year. We have had a sad passage all the way home, raining hard and heavy gales. Arrived in the river on Tuesday, the 18th, 11 a.m. 'TIS AS MY FATHER WILLED. In reading the Word of God, how frequently is the mind arrested by a particular portion! Thus it was on reading 1 Thess. v. 9 iny attention was engaged, and I would state a few thoughts for the benefit of the Lord's people, if he be pleased to dictate to the one, and apply to the other. As the Church is not appointed unto wrath, so is it appointed to obtain salvation in the only appointed way, and it is the eternal appointments of Jehovah, the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, I have been led to consider in these words of holy writ. The Church, (that is, all that the Father gave to the Son), was appointed unto salvation before the foundation of the world (Eph. i. 4, 5; Titus i. 2); but the election, the calling, the perseverance of the chosen in Christ, are truths which have been continually advanced in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE; so that God having appointed the election of grace, to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, is a blessed truth so well established, I consider, that I am led to pass on to the comfort derived by the believer, from the Spirit-inditing, heart-reviving belief of the sovereign appointments of the Lord. I would just remark by the way, the double blessing specified in this verse; not only not appointed unto wrath, but also to obtain salvation, preserved from the curse, exalted to the blessing. And pray remark, dear brethren, not saved from wrath, but not appointed thereunto. I forbear any further remark, but leave this for the reflection of those who may be exercised therein. We know there is an acknowledgment of truths without a belief of them in the heart; the former bringeth not forth fruit, there is no act of the soul springing therefrom, it is barren, a dry, heartless, spiritless acknowledgment; the experience of the renewed soul will testify to the truth of this, and can also well distinguish that which is believed and loved. One sweet refreshing, strengthening fruit of a belief in God's appointments is to live by the day, not merely to talk of doing so, but really and truly so to do; that the morrow is calmly left with Him who hath appointed all things. My Father has marked the path; this I believe; He cannot do but what is right" and the soul is enabled to cast itself in blessed confidence, and sweetly rest by faith on the Lord; receiving all the comfort which faith given by the Lord bestows: rebellious cavillings, murmurings, distrust, fears, dissatisfaction, anxieties &c. &c. are all quieted. All that we really know is but just before us, the future is closely concealed, and it is left in peace with Him who alone knoweth all; when this faith is in exercise, that the future is appointed by the God of all wisdom; but think not, dear Christian reader, you who have not been brought to this fiesh-quieting, soul-comforting faith; think not that this belief leads to stoicism, or presumption! grace in the heart leads to a holy love, a jealous fear. * there There is no exercise for faith under trials, if they are not felt; can be no passive obedience, no quiet submission, no struggles against the flesh, if the feelings are blunted, and the heart hard as adamant. No! the love of Christ leads not to this; the best feelings of the human heart are not annihilated by grace, but work from a new principle, and in subserviency to the sovereignty of Jehovah, "as our Father," under the spirit of adoption, as revealed in the face of Jesus Christ, whose errand on earth was love; the foundation of whose work was love; for "God is love," and the love of Christ constraineth the believer. Let us then make the distinction between indifference to the future, and that blessed trust which believes that a wise, unerring sovereign, the "Father of mercies, and God of all comfort," is "the Disposer of all events," and directs and orders all things. Neither will this belief lead the gracious soul into presumption. "Let us do evil that good may come," is a slander of old upon the new man in Christ Jesus who is ordained unto good works, as well as unto salvation; but not the good works of the Pharisee or professor; neither to perfection in the flesh, which will sink into the grave a vile body. The patience of hope, the labour of love, the overcoming the world, fightings within, existing temptations, contentions with Satan and unbelief, with a variety of other exercises of the soul, are effects of the true life-giving faith, with which the Lord tries his children according to his own will, in measure and degree, at times and seasons as he seeth fit; and the gracious soul will never say “ I will do this evil, for I am ordained unto it." No! no, the child of God is not ordained unto this presumption; the belief, wrought by the Spirit of Holiness, necessarily produces good fruit, and the Spirit-taught heart belief, that every event is appointed by the Lord, by our Father," will lead the soul to that state so sweetly expressed by Toplady, 66 "Sweet to lie passive in his hands, And know no will but his." Waiting, watching, trusting, expecting what the Lord will say and do. I am not entering into the "deep things of God" which are past finding out by finite creatures, nor do I wish to lead the weaklings out of their depths; but having been comforted in dreary seasons, and under forebodings of the future, I would (if it please the Lord to bless), communicate what had been so sweetly and peculiarly applied. I am only considering the pathway of the believer, and truly to believe that every step is appointed by the Lord does most assuredly quiet fears, exclude anxieties, and stop every wish to have all according to our own minds. "Who can change the mind of the Lord, and to whom doth he give an account of his matters?" We anticipate some great trial, and the mind is full of plans and schemes for the future; unbelief says, "I will do this, and will not do that," fearfulness and dismay take hold of us, and terror is on every side; then comes faith in exercise, and * Romaine says, "A resigned will is not where there is no rising of the flesh against God's will, but where there is victory over the flesh." all the mountains become a plain, the soul is hushed to peace. I cannot alter one step, I cannot avert one trial, iny Father. Oh! here it is, my Father! is this realized then my Father will do all, has ordered all, and will complete all. The Spirit of adoption given, faith communicated by the same Spirit, produces its own fruit perfect love casteth out fear, and the soul surrounded with trials is at peace, in the midst of storms, is calm; believing by precious faith, that Jesus is at the helm, guiding and directing all that he has appointed, is enabled really to live by the day; giving glory to God, and praise to redeeming love, which has brought eternal mercies to the rebellious while on earth, and has eternal glories in reserve. A RECLUSE. BETHLEHEM. AN ACROSTIC. LORD God of Hosts! thou blest Immanuel,-- I humbly bow my soul before thy feet; "Grant us," said one," the Father's face to see;" W hat then in heaven will my soul one day see? D raw me to Jesus with love's threefold cord. H ere hope rejoices-faith sits here and sings, In HIM complete-let death but close these eyes, D. A. DOUDNEY, CITY STEAM PRESS, 1, LONG LANE. 1. S. |