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been summoned to the tribunal of Him who cannot be deceived, and who will not always be mocked with impunity. Their idol, this beloved world, is now left behind, too unfaithful to continue blazoning forth that commendation which they so anxiously desired-too impotent to administer one drop of water to cool a parched and burning tongue!

May the survivors, who aspire after earthly honour, be led to seek that honour that cometh from above, if God peradventure would give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth!

From these unhappy children of this world, let us turn to Macarius and Eugenius, in whom religion and the Bible found two sincere, if not powerful, advocates. It cannot be expected that young men in their circumstances should be deeply read in theology, or capable of meeting all the cavils of gainsayers in a systematic form. To such attainments they made no pretensions. But that gracious Being, who never leaves himself without witness, did not suffer them to be carried away, or even shaken, by the arguments and rank of their opposers;

"Nor number nor example with them wrought,

To swerve from truth."

They were not disputants either from divinity schools or in their own natural disposition, but they revered their Bible. They professed not to be theologians, but they believed the Scriptures to be the word of God. They were not theoretically acquainted with the peculiar and distinguishing doctrines of Christianity, as revealed in

At the

those Scriptures, any more than thousands of others in this land; but they were strictly moral, and, in their whole conduct, acted up to what they knew and conceived to be right. In short, as moral and upright men, they were not far from the kingdom of God. same time, the greatest suavity of manners stamped their general character, and it is difficult to say whether they were more to be admired for their gentlemanly behavious, when below with their brother officers, or for their able and excellent method of carrying on the public duties of the quarter deck. Certainly they were worthy of imitation in both respects.

Such were Macarius and Eugenius, in character and circumstances, when I had the happiness of becoming first acquainted with them. The dispersed state of our fleet seldom allowed of our being together. But we endeavoured to improve all opportunities of exchanging letters; and as I found them, like Cornelius the centurion, very desirous of being further instructed in the things of God, I sent them Wilberforce's View of Christianity, Cooper's Sermon's on the leading Doctrines of the Gospel, and some other books likely to be useful. These I accompanied, from time to time, with such remarks and advice as I was able to give, aiming chiefly at two things; first, to fortify their minds against "the trial of cruel mockings," by insisting on the reasonableness and paramount necessity of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and, secondly, endeavouring to lead them into clearer apprehensions of the Gospel plan of salvation. Nor were my labours in vain in the Lord. Their views expanded rapidly,

and their hearts entered into the subject. Eugenius, however, was soon promoted to the command of a ship, and on his quitting the fleet, we were no longer able to keep up so frequent and regular a correspondence.

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This separation was no small trial to Macarius. was now left without one person on board to whom he could unbosom himself on the great subjects of religion, of life, death, and eternity. He stood alone, without one friend to strengthen his hands, or to support him in his defence of the Bible and its sacred contents; a trial which many of my readers, nurtured in the bosom of a religious circle, can but feebly realize in their minds. In his next note I received from him, he expressed his feelings on the great loss he had sustained, observing, "that although he had the happiness of being on the best imaginable terms with all the officers, as far as worldly concerns went, yet he still found something wanting to render their society agreeable."

Not long after this event the Commander-in-Chief left the ship, with most of the officers of his staff, and Macarius once more found himself disappointed of his expected promotion. Solomon has observed, that "hope long deferred makes the heart sick." But the case of Macarius was an exception. Hope had here been long deferred, and expectation more than once baffled, yet the heart was not sick, nor the mind ruffled; for earthly expectations were now but secondary things with Macarius. His first hope and most ardent expectations were above; hence he appeared to enjoy the privacy and quiet to which the ship was reduced, far more than

to regret the present loss of expected promotion, as the change was not a little in favour of religion.

Captain ***, who hitherto had maintained a silent neutrality, (overawed perhaps by the rank and number of opposers,) began to encourage the observance of the Sabbath, and, as the ship had no chaplain, he undertook to perform divine service himself. I need not say how much Macarius rejoiced at this dawn of a better state of things. As a christian warrior, he considered it the unfurling of the standard of the cross, and the call to arms. His mind was all activity, and continually on the look out for opportunities of entering into such conversations with the captain and other officers as might lead their attention more closely to the subject, and induce them to read the books he had found so useful to himself. In this he had considerable success. Two of the lieutenants eventually became serious and intelligent Christians, and have continued to adorn the doctrines of the Gospel by a holy walk and conversation to this day; indeed, one of them is now in the ministry in the Established Church. At the same time his attention was unremittingly turned to the great mass of the crew. On going to Gibraltar, he procured fifty Testaments, and a quantity of religious tracts, which he distributed among the seamen and marines, That God whom he desired to serve was pleased to encourage him to proceed, by disposing many of the people to read them with serious attention, so as to lead him to say, in his next letter, “I assure you it is with heartfelt pleasure I perceive that, even here, where religion has been so much neglected, there are many sparks of it yet unextinguished."

Shortly after this he formed a little select evening party of such officers as appeared at all seriously disposed. These met for reading, and moral and religious conversation, in his cabin, as often as the circumstances of public duty would admit. This, the cold and empty formalist will say, was beginning to carry things to an unnecessary length; and so, it appears, they thought on board his ship. "I find," said Macarius, in the next note I received, "the adversary begins to feel his province invaded, in the loss of some of his disciples, and the dread of a change in others. He is busily employing his terrible weapon of ridicule on some of those who profess religion, and who frequent my cabin. This you will consider, with me, as a good sign." I did so; and could not but thank God, when I saw my friend not only stand the shock unmoved himself, but steadily persist in leading on, and encouraging his little band to the same trying warfare. I now considered him in the fair way of experiencing the various comforts and crosses inseparable from real christian practice. I knew that many eyes would be on him for evil, and that every deviation from the narrow path of duty would be observed, commented on, and unfeelingly magnified. I therefore took the liberty of communicating my thoughts on various subjects connected with his and my own peculiar duties and trials as Christians and officers, with some short account of the difficulties and merciful helps I had experienced; and, as he wrote to me rather fully in reply, I shall transcribe so much of his letter as will show his teachableness of mind, his activity, and his increasing knowledge of gospel truths.

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