arduous and responsible station, that by their means especially the measure may be crowned with the blessing of the Spirit of God.

MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE AND AGENTS, October 6th, 1837,

At the Society's Office, 2, Jeffreys' Square, St. Mary Axe. Present:- - Mr. R. JOYCE IN THE CHAIR.

EVERY month seems to bring reports still more encouraging of the progress of the good work of moral and religious improvement among our seamen. After the reports of the Agents and the usual conference, the Rev. R. Ferguson read an Essay on "Conversion;" which those who heard it hoped would be given to the public, on account of its truly instructive character.

Our limited pages this month will render it necessary to insert but very brief extracts of the reports of the Agents.

Rev. T. Muscutt, Minister of Commercial Dock Chapel, states, "I have had the pleasure, during the past month, to see and to take a part in the working of the great enterprize of the Sailors' Society. What I have witnessed at those meetings I have attended has greatly delighted me. The prayers, which the captain and men who have led the devotions have poured forth, have, in several cases, astonished me. It is evident they are men of strong minds. Others enlisted in the cause of Christ, are likely to prove a blessing to that class of society with which they are connected.

"I am convinced that the active labours of the Society, will, with the Divine blessing, prove of incalculable service to our seamen, and diffuse, on the watery element, the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Captain Prynn says, Many new friends to the Bethel cause have been found in the past month among captains of ships they have most cheerfully accepted the Bethel

flag, and have, at the prayer meetings held on board, fully manifested that they knew the truth as it is in Christ. The prayers of captains and seamen have been most earnest and devotional. Without going into detail, there are many living witnesses, that ships, cabins, and steerages have been crowded, whilst the utmost attention has been paid to the word spoken. Six new ships have hoisted the Bethel flag on the 1st, 3d, 5th, and 6th stations, where I have laboured this past month, and held 14 meetings. It is evident that God is raising up many from amongst sailors, who are to become teachers amongst this valuable class of society. At one of our union meetings, a Wesleyan local preacher declared that he never witnessed such a manifest power of religion; and many interesting things have occurred, which cannot come within the limits of a report.

Sailors' Chapel. "The Gospel preached within these walls on the Sabbaths, and also on the week day, is, we doubt not, made the power of God unto the salvation of many. At one of our Sailors' Fellowship meetings, a hardy son of the ocean stated, 'On my passage from Oporto, my mind had been strongly impressed from having attended the Sailors' Chapel. I arrived in London last Sunday, and immediately repaired to this place, and I thank God that my feet were directed hither. I heard an aged gentleman preach it truly awakened me, I trust I shall never forget this discourse.' We have seen this man at the chapel several times since, and held conversation with him; he continues to give proof of a change of heart. Another case was of a sailor, who stated that he had recently been led to seek the Lord with his whole heart, in consequence of hearing a sermon preached at the Sailors' Chapel, from those words, Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c.' These two sermons were preached, one by our venerable friend Capt. A. Wilkins, of South Shields; the other by Capt. Walsh, of Southwold, a very faithful man, who has been several years engaged in publishing the glad tidings of salvation wherever he goes: thus is the Lord raising up from amongst sailors many from the North and the South, the East and the West, who are not ashamed of the Gospel, and show that the abundance of the sea shall be gathered into the Church of Christ."

Visitation of Shipping. "During the past month I have visited 265 vessels on the river Thames, 75 vessels

in the various docks and canals, and distributed about 1,060 Tracts. Several captains of steam vessels have been met with, who are favourable to the cause of Christ, and who are willing to help forward the good work.

Temperance Meeting."Our friend, Mr. T. Roberts, has given his second lecture at the Sailors' Chapel, and the meeting was well attended.

Loan Libraries." Three loan libraries have been furnished to ships going to Australia, Valparaiso, and Sydney. Two libraries have also been returned, one from China, another from the Cape of Good Hope. Testimonials have been received, of a very pleasing nature, from those captains, relative to the benefits their crews have derived from the reading of those books.

Sunday School, Sailors' Chapel.-" Since the public Tea Meeting, held in the Sailors' Chapel, for the purpose of advocating the cause of the Sunday School, upwards of 90 children have been added to the school, and 7 teachers. The school is in a prosperous state."

Mr. WELCH reports for October :-"The Upper Pool has been the field of my labour in the past month, and it has been visited with some special tokens for good.

"One union meeting has been held on board the Newark, in the first station. The hold of this ship was fitted up for the purpose, and two Bethel flags displayed: the usual signal summoned together brethren in the bonds of the sailors' cause from both Pools. Many had not met on the like occasion before. Six pious captains took part in this delightful service, with some friends from the shore. Captain Prynn gave an address, and a spirit of unity pervaded the whole service.

"I rejoice also to state, that the Bethel flag has been cordially received on board the vessels that trade from Scotland to this port. I have been permitted to hold services on board of two of those vessels, of a most pleasing kind the L. W. Smack, at which the aged captain took a warm interest, and on board the E. W. Schooner. These vessels are well adapted for Bethel meetings, and carry inany hands, and generally more attentive to the things of salvation. May this door open yet wider still.

"Having obtained help of God, I have been able to perform my labours as follows:- Visiting about fifteen ships each day, reproving, exhorting, or administering comfort, as need required; obtained twenty-nine ships for Agents for Bethel services; held fourteen services myself,

viz. nine afloat and five on shore; visited the London and St. Katherine's docks, and distributed 2,000 tracts, blessed, I hope, by the great Head of the Church."

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Mr. Welch, in November, besides many encouraging details, says, During the past month I have been enabled to visit about 350 ships, conversing with the captains and crews; distributed about 1,200 Tracts, obtained 30 ships for Agents, and held 18 services, besides visiting the docks and canals, boarding houses, and streets: distributing Tracts and bills, and inviting sailors to the various services at the chapel. Several new ships have been dedicated to the Bethel cause, and I feel much indebted to the several captains who have so cheerfully assisted us in the great cause."

Poplar and Blackwall. - Rev. J. UPTON reports in October: "As my last report was not inserted in the PILOT for want of room, I shall this month compress as much as I can. I have received several donations for our East London Auxiliary, one of which I wish particularly to notice. It was from a mercantile house, as a tribute of gratitude to God for several recent SHIPPING orders: what a noble example to others!

"I have to acknowledge the receipt of the Tracts and libraries. One of the latter has been sent on board a fishing vessel, belonging to Blackwall, the master of which is a man of decided piety, and a member of a Christian Church. I am extremely anxious to have a good supply of PILOTS to circulate, both in the neighbourhood and on board of East and West India ships. A few for gratuitous distribution, I believe, would be exceedingly useful to theSociety.

"Since my last report, I have had the happiness of receiving into the church a sable brother and his wife. I gave him a Bible about two years ago. He has since been several voyages. We have had frequent correspondence, and on his return this time he has avowed himself a disciple of the Saviour. May the Lord preserve and bless him!

"The services on board are still held as usual. The attendance since my last report has been very good. My friends are impressed with the vast importance of obtaining, as soon as possible, a new and far more commodious Sailors' Chapel.

VOL. IV.

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"The boarding houses are still visited every Lord's day morning, by the friend mentioned in my last report."

The reports of all the Agents continue to be truly encouraging, but their interesting contents must be deferred till next month.

Rev. J. Upton reports in November, "As I am aware that the reports of the last month were not fully inserted from want of room, I will avoid any lengthened detail. I may state, in general, that the demand for Tracts has been very great-that the supply of Bibles is highly acceptable that the back numbers of the PILOT have been carefully distributed-that the visitation of the boarding houses is continued—and that the services on board, during the past month, have been truly solemn and delightful, with one painful exception, when my own mind and the minds of several esteemed friends to the Society were greatly pained, by the very offensive conduct of a man, who appeared as though he imagined that religion and noise were identical. I endeavoured to remove the disgust of the friends who had accompanied me, by assuring them that such proceedings were not sanctioned by the Committee of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. I have uniformly found, that to discountenance such disorderly proceedings, is a service highly acceptable to the truly pious sailor."

DONATIONS, COLLECTIONS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS IN NOVEMBER, 1837.