O say our friends. We purpose to give some encouraging words, friendly echoes, and inspiring voices. There are many reasons why we should go forward. Christ's dominion is to be from sea to sea. The missions of this Magazine is in its own sphere to do something, however little, to deepen and widen God's kingdom in human hearts. To this end many numbers are circulated free. After paying working expenses, we purpose, God helping us, to devote (at least for a time) any surplus profits to a cause very dear to those who have the responsibility and management of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. For this object we have just drawn upon our little reserve fund to the extent of Fifty pounds. This means that we need loyal hearts and helping hands during this year, and prayers of faith for the Editor, the Contributors, and all the many workers. Remember therefore, gentle reader, that your subscription, either great or 'small, is going into the Lord's treasury, and may it be an investment which shall bring a high rate of interest to your own heart. The Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., of Stepney, writes: "My dear Mr. Matthews,-You manage to throw a great deal of life and interest into the 'Chart and Compass,' and I am sure it must be a welcome visitor on board many a ship as well as in the homes of the friends of seamen. I hope you are sufficiently encouraged in the undertaking not to be overweighted with its responsibility." "We have great pleasure in commending this Magazine not only to seamen but to landsmen, as the most spirited, and practical Magazine we know. Temperance readers will find something in MARCH, 1881. VOL. III. every number to help and interest them."-The Abstainer's Friend, Londonderry, Feb. 1, 1881. Mr. Stephen Unwin, of Colchester, says: "The interest and ability of the 'Chart and Compass' appears to be well sustained." Mrs. Fanny B. Wilson: "Many thanks for the 'Chart and Compass,' we enjoy it exceedingly; enclosed is 5s. towards it. I trust it will go on and prosper in the years that are to come." Lady Hope, of Carriden, says: "Your Magazine seems a very nice one and well varied in its contents." Rev. H. Gayat, Rochfort: "I am for ever a subscriber to your Magazine." Rev. T. G. Clark writes from Odessa, Russia: "My dear Sir,— It would be difficult to say how often I have desired to write you, thanking you for your persistent goodness in forwarding your admirable journal. I took the opportunity of the return of Mr. John Sinclair, steward of the 'Zoe' (Captain Whitburn), home from Odessa, to send you from myself a subscription of 10s. for the expenses of the work. But the subscription feebly expresses my sense of its value, so rich in Gospel truth, and singularly adapted to the class of sailors chiefly looked for. Life, indeed, is its characteristic-the Christian life; yet you manage to present it in such broad forms as cannot fail to catch the attention of seafarers. My ardent prayer is for a blessing on the Magazine and on all your devoted labours." Miss V. M. Skinner, of Sweffling Rectory, Saxmundham, writes :"Dear Mr. Matthews,-A bright and prosperous voyage this New Year to you and yours! Please accept accompanying cheque for £1, it will, I hope, pay for the copies of your "Chart and Compass," (which I always read with great interest every month) both for last year and this, and leave a little surplus to help in its distribution to others. I only wish all your readers would do the same, and then you would get on swimmingly! I enclose a copy of last Friendly Letter to Lodging-house Keepers, can you review it in "Chart and Compass"? You know that not only "Single Ladies" but Sailors have often to go to such places, and Lodging-house keepers as a rule, have been much overlooked by Christian workers. Many thanks for kind notice of the former ones." "I AM TOO BAD FOR JESUS CHRIST." So said a sailor to me last Sunday evening after a religious service at our Institute, adding "for I have broken every one of his laws." "Sometimes (he went on to say) in a storm I think I will be better, then I break out again. I am too bad for Jesus Christ." But what would Jesus have said to such an one?-ED. OUR SAILORS' HYMN BOOK. (See " "Chart and Compass' Advertiser.") OW that Our Sailors' Hymn-book is bound up and we can look at it as a whole, with its large clear type, and many precious hymns, we like it more than ever. It has three good qualities (1) A large number of Sailors' hymns; (2) Much of the variety and solidity of our larger hymn-books; (3) At the same time many popular hymns. The Archbishop of Canterbury said in a letter to the Editor, dated Jan. 10th, 1881, "I have examined the hymn book which you sent, and which seems to me to be well adapted to its purpose." The hymn we give this month was written by Joseph Grigg when only ten years of age, and is the 91st in our book. This boy-poet wrote also that precious hymn, which is also in our collection, "Behold a stranger at the door." Joseph was a poor boy, then a labouring mechanic," but he afterwards entered the ministry. He has been dead over a century, but the hymns written when only ten years old will never die. In this case the child was father to the man, for his two best hymns were his earliest. Often the mind of a child is saturated with heaven's poetry. Milton when only fifteen years of age wrote a paraphrase of the 136th Psalm, from which we have given seven verses, beginning with Let us with a gladsome mind.” Our glorious John Milton who thus early began to show the budding of his fruitful nature, wrote thirty years afterwards" Paradise Lost," and "showed himself our greatest epic poet-the equal of Dante and Homer." Why did you put young Grigg's hymn in the hymn-book? Because perhaps, sailors above all men are particularly tempted to be ashamed of Jesus ! ! JESUS! and shall it ever be, A mortal man ashamed of Thee? Ashamed of Thee, whom angels praise, Whose glories shine through endless days? Ashamed of Jesus! sooner far Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend Ashamed of Jesus! yes, I may Till then-nor is my boasting vain— J. GRIGG. SAYINGS FROM THE SEA. BY THOMAS SPURGEON. No. 1.-"All hands on deck!" 'HE able-bodied seamen who compose the crew of an oceangoing vessel are divided into two bands, or watches. One of these is sleeping while the other is working the ship, and they change places every four hours. In ordinary weather one watch is quite sufficient to manage the vessel, but sudden squalls, or threatening skies necessitate extra vigilance, and require all available force. When the gale comes swooping down like a hawk upon its prey, the arousing cry is heard, "All hands on deck!" Then must the sleepers rise, and the decks and rigging must be alive with willing workers, reefing sail, and preparing for the worst. I do not know of any time when Christians can be allowed to sleep and rest. The smoothest water may deceive, and even calms are treacherous. A sky which smiles one moment may frown the next. We do well to be ever on our guard. But there are times of special danger, when every man and woman in the Christian ship should come to the front, and work with heart and soul for the common cause. And when can such unanimity of consecration be more required than now? There is a heavy sea running. Opposition to the gospel is swelling high and surging loud. There are powerful currents of infidelity of different forms and forces, and strong winds of error combined, to retard the progress of our heaven-bound barque. "Let us not sleep as do others." "All hands on deck!" Let every man, ay, and woman too, be at some earnest work. Speaking of woman's work, I have lately read of how a captain's wife navigated a ship when her husband and all the crew were struck down by illness on a voyage from China to Australia. She SAYINGS FROM THE SEA. 69 was almost unaided, but brought the ship into port after indescribable sufferings. And shall not this brave woman, who has won the admiration and esteem of all who know of her more than natural valour, be a lesson to Christian women, and to the Christian church, to do for Jesus what she did for her husband? O for holy daring and faithful fortitude. Oh come, my brethren and sisters, to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. And what is true of the church as a whole holds good of individual Christians. A watchful attitude is the very best. Blessed is the man who shall be found so doing. But while we must always have "the weather eye open”—and both our eyes are weather eyes amidst so much of sin-there are seasons in which caution must give place to conflict, and working follow watching. There are times when every power and purpose, every faculty and feeling, must be aroused and summoned to our aid. Special danger has its special demands; fiercer temptations require firmer faith. My fellow-voyager across a troubled sea, are you in danger of the rocks of doubt and dismay? Do you fear you will yet make shipwreck of your faith? I pray you trust in God. Arouse your sleeping confidence and set it hauling in a promise; heave out your anchor ere it is too late, and lay hold on that which is within the vail. Is thy vessel amongst the ice of worldliness? Are the bergs of pleasings sins drifting round thee? Thou art in danger, then, for these chill mountains, though beautiful to view, will hug thee in their cold embrace and grind thy life away unless thou callest out, "All hands on deck!" and summonest every power to turn thy course. Call upon thy God for help, but at the same time set thy love to some warm work, and defy the icebergs and the cold. Whatever thy special case, thou canst surely find some work for all thy powers. Send hope aloft to look for land, and seek the harbour's mouth. Set thy humility to work until the topsails of thy pride and self-conceit are reefed. Put strong hands to the pumps, and cleanse thyself of all impurities, and all that tends to sink thee. Let every faculty be on the qui vive, and every gift and grace be Argus-eyed as to the approach of danger; and when it comes set the whole crew to work, and the storm will certainly be weathered. That man runs an awful risk who goes headlong into temptation. A shipmaster who does not take proper precautions to make his vessel snug for the approaching gale deserves to sink, and a professor who is unwary or uncircumspect has cause indeed to praise preserving grace if he does not come to mischief. Some there are who take delight in risk, who court the danger, and invite the storm. They drive as near the precipice as possible; they buzz |