and plainly declared that I considered our different posts of authority as talents intrusted to us for the good of others that we owed a duty to men's souls as well as to their bodies-to our God as well as to our country.

The result of this interview was the revoking of part of the severe orders just issued, and the grant for our little meetings to take place twice in the week, provided I were personally present. This was a prudent caution, and left no room for complaint on our part. From this time, until captain P. gave up the command, I had but few troubles to encounter, unless what arose from witnessing the falling away of some professors, and the unsteady walk of others. It was then much as it has been in my former and present fields of labour. On one hand, I rejoiced in hope that the Almighty had set his seal to a part of what had been done: on the other, I grieved at beholding the ravages which the wolf from time to time made in our poor little flock.

At length captain P. left the ship, to the regret of all, and especially of myself, for he had not only been kind, but a supporter of what was good. His successor, captain B., was a man of considerable naval interest, had made much prize-money, and was haughty and imperious to an extreme. As to religion, he had no other idea of it, but as being useful to keep the lower orders in subjection. He was evidently astonished at the morality of the officers, and certainly endeavoured to restrain his violent gusts of passion and oaths, when commanding the seamen and petty officers on deck. But it was not from right motives. He soon looked on us as a set of Jesuits, before whom it was necessary to

be on his guard. Learning how the Sundays had been kept, he could not, without a breach of order and discipline, totally abolish the observance of divine service. He therefore sent for me, and requested the favour of my reading prayers, as usual, when duty would allow. I did so the next Sunday after he joined us. The singers sang twice, and I produced one of the Village Sermons as formerly; but this was the last time but one that my poor sermon-book made its appearance. Some duty or other was always pleaded, so as never afterwards to allow time for the reading of a sermon; and in one or two more Sabbaths we could not find leisure to sing a psalm. Thus the service was reduced to the mere reading of prayers, and that but occasionally. The poor boy's school was the first object of his attention and objection, as, in his profound judgment, likely to do harm. He doubted not of my good intentions, but he assured us that it was a mistaken idea in all who thought to forward the happiness of the poor by giving them an education. The lads were therefore dismissed, and the table broken up to repair some old partitions.

Well knowing the weakness and enmity of the senior lieutenant's mind, I felt assured he would lose no opportunity of endeavouring to accomplish what he had hitherto failed in. On my first interview with captain B., I therefore informed him of the little party that met below, and requested his permission for a continuance of it when I could be present. To this he consented, being in fact taken by surprise, and unprepared to argue the subject, or deny the request. This was a grand point gained, and I hope we felt thankful to the gracious

Disposer of events for it. As captain B. brought six young gentlemen with him from his former ship, they soon, out of mere curiosity, visited our evening party. To the amazement and vexation of their commander, three out of the number became constant and serious attendants. With these young men I passed many an interesting hour, both in my cabin, and on deck, in the silent night-watches. At first captain B. argued with and cautioned them against being with me; but, finding his arguments avail nothing, he proceeded to threats, and actually sent one very amiable youth into a strange ship at ten minutes' warning, with the declared view of "getting his bishop-like notions out of his head." By this time every officer except myself had quarrelled with this imperious man. The ship was become extremely uncomfortable; courts-martial were the order of the day; and it was but too evident how much hatred existed between the commander and the commanded. For the Gospel's sake I strove to be at peace; and had it not been for my religious sentiments, I believe I should have been a favourite. But, under such circumstances, my countenancing any midshipman or sailor, was a sure prelude to a train of petty oppressions falling on them, especially from the senior lieutenant. The reprobate part of the crew began to triumph over their more serious comrades, and those who were not really in earnest fell away through the fear of persecution. Still the evening meetings continued twice a week; and I think I may affirm, the presence of God was occasionally with us, and that to comfort and bless us.

The reader must not however conclude, that all was

smooth and comfortable, even in these little meetings: no, I have already observed I had to witness the falling away of some professors, and the unsteady walk of others; and here I may add, that Satan found means for a time to distract our little party with contests about election and non-election, principally through the medium of one John T. He had formerly been in connection with Mr. Wesley's people, and from his knowledge of scripture and psalmody, and an assumed pious exterior, was for a considerable time looked up to as a leading character, by those who were really sincere. But his true state of heart was by and by clearly evident from the fruits it produced; and I felt it my duty first to expostulate, then to rebuke, and lastly to dismiss him from our assembly. Yet he found many opportunities to cavil with and perplex the upright in spirit, and while he himself fell more and more into open sins, to advocate the doctrines of free-will and perfection on earth. At the same time another person, almost as unchristian as the former, was as warm on the opposite side of the question. Thus these ungodly talkers would have completely done the work of their master the devil, and turned our quiet simple-minded people into a set of angry polemics and headstrong bigots, had not the Great Head of the Church said, "Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further." Blessed and omnipotent God! I thank thee that in this day of small things, this early state of my christian labours, thou didst guide me by thy counsel and strengthen me by thy power to steer that course and act that part, which, after several years

of deliberate reading and reflection, I at this day conceive to be the best.

But perhaps some reader would wish to know the general outline of my views, and my mode of stating divine truths to my humble hearers, and which I still hold and approve of. If so, I can gratify him; for I have at this moment a letter before me, which I wrote to a dear and pious friend at the time, and on the express subject in question.

"It has been, and I hope ever will be, my principal object to lead poor unawakened sinners to see their lost estate by nature and by practice, and thence the absolute necessity of regeneration-to point to Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world, as the only rock on which we can build our spiritual housethrough whom alone we can procure pardon for the past, strength for the present, and acceptance in futurein point of merit, disclaiming even our best performances as nothing worth, but looking alone to his perfect righteousness, who died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring sinners to God; which righteousness is to and upon all that believe, but none others.-Insisting, at the same time, on the necessity of proving our faith and love in a crucified Saviour by love to his people, and by maintaining good works: it being a vain delusion to confess Christ with our lips, while the tenor of our lives denies him. Thus I hope I have gone on safe ground, without bewildering these babes in religion with speculative divinity, of which Satan makes much, very much use; filling the heads of many with arguments and debates on points frequently non-essential, but