It is an

of peace

civilized nations as constituting one family. example worthy of imitation. The twenty years with which the world has been blessed, has done more towards assuaging national antipathies, as well as towards improving the condition of the people, than had been effected in the previous century. The insurance-offices will send on board the Savage this morning an abundant supply of fresh provisions, &c. as a token of respect to her officers and crew."- Salem Gazette.

SALUTATIONS FROM THE AMERICAN SHIP OBERLIN.

CAPTAIN HOYT, of the American ship Oberlin, was heard in our last PILOT for February; and his "Testimony and Suggestions," therein contained, have been read with great interest by many. The following is a copy of a letter received from that steady friend to seamen, and active coadjutor in the Bethel and Temperance cause, and will add to the impression produced by his former communication.

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"American ship Oberlin, Bristol Roads, Dec. 18th, 1836.

"To Captain Prynn.- Dear Brother in Christian love: I have, at the close of one more Christian Sabbath, a heart filled with grateful feelings to Him, who has been with us this day. I intended to hoist the Bethel flag, had the weather been suitable to have had service. But my passengers have been employed in reading useful books and the Bible and the Sabbath evening has been spent in reading, singing, and prayer. Is this the work of man? no, not alone; it is God's blessing following the means, that have been, and are now, operating for the conversion of seamen. With the PILOT and magazines, tracts, and useful books, and the prayers of our sisters and brethren on shore, this good work will go on, and seamen will yet become the chosen men, who will help the faithful missionaries in the heathen lands. A pious ship's company visiting a mission station in a foreign land would help them more in their work than a ship loaded with gold and silver; and yet how very few interest themselves for seamen. Is this always to be the case? Where are also the pious

men, who have retired from their profession? and the merchants who have made their fortunes by commerce? If they would lend your Society a hand, and take some interest for the cause of seamen, you would then be able to do more good, and you would go on with courage. I am in the habit of visiting in foreign countries, both churchmen and dissenters (as I am of no sect, but I hope born again), and I hear much conversation about the Missionary Societies, but seldom do I hear about raising a penny a week for converting seamen, though they are employed to take from the country those men who labour to save the heathen by preaching Christ to them. Thanks to God, we have some friends on the land who are doing what they can for us, both in England and America. I do hope sincerely that our cause will be brought before the public; and this must be done by the ministers of Christ, who, if they took half the interest in our cause that they do in the Missionary, you would not want for funds, and be put to your wits' end to meet your expenses. If the Christians of England would look back, and see what the sailors of England have done for their country, they would perceive, that without her seamen Old England, with all her greatness, could not hold her proud station amongst the nations of the earth; and shall the mainstays of the country want for Christian instruction, and the heathen be evangelized? There is money enough to do both; but I do wish they would come forward. I shall never feel satisfied, as a sailor, until Christians on the land feel more interested in seamen; and I hope to see that happy time, when the Seaman's Friend Society of America and the British and Foreign Sailors' Society of England, will have a standing which will enable the Directors to supply chaplains and books wherever they may be wanted. The American Seamen's Friend Society have adopted your plan, to supply ships with libraries; I have one containing near the same number as the one you lent me, when I was in London, in May, 1835. It is impossible to say what good may be done by the reading of those books. There are few seamen but what can read, and as they have no books of their own, they are glad to read those you send : I have no doubt in my mind, but many will be led to Christ by the reading of those books, with the book which accompanies the box (the Bible). I have had much pleasure, yes comfort, with the gentlemen who are particularly interested in the floating chapel for seamen in Bristol

men.

docks, Lieutenants Kemble and Henley, of the Royal Navy. The chapel is well attended, and the evening prayer-meetings are interesting, and I believe that the people of Bristol are feeling still more interested for seaThe prayer-meetings are often conducted by seamen; that is, a sufficient number engage in prayer or exhortation. I have made myself acquainted with the managers of the Sailors' Chapel at Newport. It is well attended; and it is supplied, on Sabbath afternoons, by the different Dissenting ministers. It is my prayer that every chapel may be the means of much good to seamen. I will not speak much of my own ship: let this suffice; we have no spirits on board, no swearing, no noise, peace and quietness prevail; and with my two officers, pious men, I have some, yes, much comfort; and I want it, as I have been wind-bound twenty-four days. I thank you kindly for the back numbers of the PILOT which you sent; they were read with much interest. I sail for New York when the wind permits; and for myself, officers, and crew, I ask the prayers of all in chapels and ships, that God would permit us to go in safety to our native land, and that we may have another revival on board this ship. In Christian love, yours,

JOHN C. HOYT.

Correspondence and Proceedings of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society.

PROVINCIAL AGENTS.

Newry. Rev. Mr. O'Donnoghue writes in January, "Having been unweariedly employed in making inquiries and arrangements for a Scripture reader, it was not until very lately I was enabled to succeed. In the paper I transmit to you by this day's post, you will find the interesting case of P- C. I have engaged him as our Seamen's Missionary; and, as soon as the weather breaks up, he will commence holding prayer-meetings. The Rev. J. Wier, minister of the Scotch Secession church, and myself, preached alternately on board ship every Sabbath afternoon during several weeks, till the severity (having no comfortable accommodation) compelled us to suspend our labours, but only to resume them at the close of this very severe weather.

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'Newry, as you know, is, next to Belfast, the most important port in the North of Ireland. Twenty sail of vessels came in yesterday. We want tracts, and one library for the use of the whole port. Welch tracts would be peculiarly acceptable: these might be sent to Dublin or Belfast, to be forwarded from thence to Newry.

"We have several pious captains: one, Capt. Martin of the Sarah Ann of Bangor, member of Mr. Jones's church, is now with me. There is great room and great encouragement for labour among sailors. We have formed a Temperance society only last week, from which we expect, under the Divine blessing, great good."

Rev Mr. O'Donnoghue writes again in Feb. :—“ On the 9th of January, I received two small boxes, one containing bound books, and the other copies of the PILOT and tracts, some Irish and Welch as well as English. Offer my thanks to your Committee on behalf of our seamen for this most seasonable and ready supply. On receiving the books, I cast in my mind the best means of their preservation and usefulness. To secure the first, I have iucorporated them with a library forming for our own chapel, and have thus given the sailors the use of all our books, and by the particular mention of the Society in our catalogue (as inclosed) have prevented my motive for so doing being ever forgotten, or lost sight of. And for the usefulness of the books, I have agreed that all vessels usually trading to this port may be supplied for the voyage, as well as in harbour, through their respective captains, who are to be responsible for their safety and their return.

Our

"The tracts are very acceptable, but the proportion of Welch tracts was very small, whilst the larger part of the vessels trading here are manned by Welch seamen. agent, P. Cassidy, will begin his work from Monday next, and his journal, countersigned by me, shall be regularly forwarded. The Bethel fiag will be hoisted twice in each week for prayer-meetings, and once for preaching on the sabbath.

"I may perhaps be enabled to reorganize the Auxiliary. I am very anxious to obtain Mr. Harris's Britannia.' I hope it may make an impression on the minds of our merchants, whose wealth flows from the skill and dangers of our seamen.'

Scilly Isles. Rev. C. Rogers writes in February: "Since my last, all the vessels in the harbours have sailed on their several destinations, and no others have arrived.

The weather has been extremely severe and boisterous, and but few communications have taken place between the islands. Our congregations are of course composed of those who are generally connected with the sea, and the Lord has blessed his word amongst them, so that our attendance is increased very considerably, and great attention is paid to the word preached. We have our two Bethel flags hoisted every Sabbath-day, and on all other occasions when the weather will permit. From the readiness with which the tracts and books are received, I should hope their distribution is not in vain.

"I have now been labouring several years in these islands, and the Lord has graciously prospered his word, and increased his little church more than five-fold; but we still labour under great disadvantages, and such as are not in our power to remove. Our chapel here (St. Mary's) is rented at a considerable annual rent, which, with the expenses, swallow np nearly all our receipts, and keep us in very destitute circumstances. It is comforting, however, to my mind, that though myself and family endure many privations, yet the great Head of the Church has so greatly increased our congregations and Sunday school as to render another and larger place of worship necessary; but how to obtain an object so desirable we know not, as the utmost we could raise in every way would not exceed 501. We must leave it with Him in whose hands are the hearts of all men."

Mr. Rogers, in acknowledging the receipt of a large package of clothes, including 18 frocks, 14 boys' shirts, 10 chemises, 8 boy's pinafores, and 7 pairs of trowsers, writes as follows:

"To those Christian and benevolent Ladies who have forwarded some clothing to the poor and destitute children in the Scilly Islands.

66 Ladies, I sincerely join with those whom your kindness and humane feelings have assisted in relieving, in returning heartfelt gratitude for your favours; and at the same time convey to you the prayers and blessings of the widow, the orphan, and the destitute, whom your sympathy has so generously relieved.

"Allow me, Ladies, also to add, that my heart is pained every time I visit the off-islands with the scenes of misery, hunger, and nakedness, which in numerous instances meet my view; and I am the more distressed, as I have nothing