mansion here, being an eminently pious nobleman, used to have his arm chair brought out here, to hear this most useful ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having had an uncle resident at Garden-stairs, Greenwich, and being accustomed, as a boy, and as a sailor, to visit Greenwich for years, I have been most anxious to stem the torrent of metropolitan iniquity that was deluging Greenwich, and supplying all themarket of London vice with drunkards, thieves, and prostitutes, as workhouses, hospitals, asylums, prisons, and convict ships diminished their numbers. Hence, for thirty years, we have had preaching occasionally at Blackheath, and Greenwieh-fair, and the worst parts of Greenwich, and in the Market-place, and uear the Hospital, to the aged veterans of the navy, who became pensioners here. We have also been accustomed to give old magazines and books to the aged seamen, and to address them in their own sea-dialect, and to warn them to flee from the wrath to come. Many have died in the faith; but, alas! what hosts of them have perished eternally through the horrid neglect of their countrymen. O! let us, with all our vast increasing population, for God's sake and for souls' sake, "Redeeem the time, because the days are evil." Shall the victims of intemperance, as relations, acquaintances, and friends, and all the host of London sabbath-breakers, be suffered year after year to crowd to Greenwich, as the missionaries of hell, to ruin souls,-and will not ministers and congregations come forward, as the missionaries of heaven, to seek and save souls, in imitation of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as shepherds leaving for awhile the ninety and nine, and seeking out diligently for lost sheep in the wilderness? If they will not, let them read and think of Exekiel xxxiv.,-" Therefore, O! ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more."

GREENWICH, DEPTFORD, WOOLWICH. GRAVESEND & SDA COAST. Greenwich is now, like all parts of the suburban districts of this great metropolis, so overgrown with buildings, from the amazing increase of population, as to be considered a part of London,-since the line of road from Southwark is almost universally built upon, from Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, and Deptford, to Greenwich. East and West Greenwich run along the south bank of our great commercial river Thames, between Blackheath-hills and the river, and oppsite Blackwall, with the great East and West India Docks, and near the large Commercial Dock. Greenwich extensive Park, and the lofty, splendid range of buildings called Greenwich-hospital, having once been the seat of Royalty, form the most attractive and healthy resorts near the metropolis, and the objects of continual visitation to thousands, who seek enjoyment from the smoke and distractions of London. The objects of chief publicity near Greenwich, are Deptford Royal Naval Dockyard, for building, repairing, and victualling naval shipping and steamers; and tiers of timber ships, and the Marine Society's Ship, and the Dreadnoght Hospilal Ship, for sailors of all nations, in the west; and to the east are

e

tiers of colliers, waiting to discharge their cargoes; and Woolwich Royal Navy Dockyard, with government steamers, and naval ships, and convict ships, and troops, and the Arsenal of the army, and the Garrisonbarracks, for the Royal artillery, and the Royal marines, and the sappers and miners, and the companies appointed at intervals to embark for fleets and colonies in all parts of the world. Greenwich has an immense traffic and intercourse with the metropolis, by railway and steamers, continually in operation; and by means of the latter, the most rapid conveyance is obtained to Gravesend, where our skeleton regiments from all parts arrive, and from whence our troops embark for all our colonies abroad. From Gravesend, in a short journey, all the numerous barracks and naval dock-yards of Chatham and Sheerness are reached, with the celebrated Nore Anchorage, and river Medway Fleets, and the garrison towns of Maidstone, Canterbury, and Dover, and all the communications of the coast of France; and by the sea-coasts of Rye, Hastings, and Brighton, our large naval towns and garrisons of Portmouth, Portsea, Gosport, and the Isle of Wight, and Spithead Anchorage, and Southampton, and Devonport steamers, barracks, and shipping, and dockyards, and arsenals, and victualling offices, and store-houses. Thus, from modern ssientific improvements, an easy and rapid intercourse is opened with our principal army and navy districts. from Greenwich, below bridge and also to Westminster, Regent's-park, Knightsbridge, and Chelsea, above bridge. Greenwich, therefore, as our great Army and Navy Central Mission Station, not to promote war, but to cultivate the religious and temperance instruction of sailors, soldiers, and their families, is of first-rate importance now that Providence is opening such amazing facilities, by railways, and steamers, and trade, and commerce, and superabundant population, and the augmentation of naval and mili tary forces. Greenwich has claims on public sympathy, compassion,

BLACKHEATH.

and benevolence, the most pre-eminent, from those facilities, and especially from the young and old of onr sea-faring population. Dr. Greenrod had permission to deliver temperance lectures to the hundreds of seaboys in the crowded naval schools of government patronage and maintenance; and in the Hospital there are nearly three thousand veteran sailors, from ships of war, as pensioners; and the average of deaths throughout the year, is reckoned at about one man daily, from the general building, or the infirmary, or the helpless wards. There are a few churches and chapels in Greenwich, but no direct and extensive temperance special mission, as there ought to be, to those poor, aged, demoralized sailors, brought up amidst all the drunkenness, debauchery, blasphemy, and profanation of ships of war, and whose polluting habits are so destructive to the female population of London, and the neighbouring villages and towns, as the soldiers of Woolwich are, also, corrupting and destroying female morality in that vicinity.

SAMPSON TEETOTALERS for LONDON PHILISTINES at GREEN,

London sabbath-breakers, by railway and steam, throughout the year, hasten by thousands to deprave and demoralize Greenwich-promoting all kinds of vice and immorality, contrary to the Queen's Proclamation for religion and virtue, and to sum up the whole, Greenwich-fairs, at Easter and Whitsuntide, each season, produce not less than half a million of male and female votaries, to make drunkards, and thieves, and prostitutes, to supply all the waste of the London markets, in the numbers who perish by disease, insanity, and crime, in hospitals, asylums, and prisons. London, with all its zeal and philanthropy for missions to the foreign distant heathen, has no great, extensive total abstinence gospel open air mission, to counteract all the enormous evils of our own countrymen and country women, in the Greenwich district, and prevent the tremendous judgments of a righteous God, who invariably marks national sins with national punishments. Hence Greenwich becomes the most notorious next to London for drunkenness, seduction, and the ruin of immense thousands of youth, male and female; while angels must wonder and be amazed indeed at the apathy of Christian ministers and congregations, who can confine their attention to mere chapel, or denominational, or foreign concerns, so that it may be truly said, "They made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept." Sol. Song, i. Greenwich for about thirty years has now claimed our particular attention, and we had formerly an excellentAuxiliary Society here; but the sad oppressions and persecutions we have endured for a long series of years, have, alas! prevented our carrying out the great designs we had long formed for evangelizing this district, and con tending with all the armies of hell, as George Whitfield did on Blackheath, for the redemption of souls, and the glory of God. Last winter, by a few weeks' residence at Greenwich and Woolwich, brought this subject more especially into notice; and now a regard to health, and an ardent desire that my last works may be more than the first, make me long to fix on Greenwich, as our central station, to suggest and advocate (without incurring any personal responsibilities)

Greenwich Mariners' Bethel Church and Temperance-hall,-since God has so eminently blessed my suggesting and promoting the first Sailors' Home, from the fall of the Brunswick Theatre, in February 1828-so that Prince Albert has come forward to promote the work-and the new Episcopal Church in Dock-street, and the large Trinity Chapel, at Blackwall, and the Sailors' IIomes, in Well-street, and Poplar, and Liverpool, are the blessed results. With these views, as a dying man, I want to grasp, like Sampson, the pillars of infidelity, immorality, and intemperance at Greenwich, and destroy more of the Philistines' agencies of hell in my death, than I have in my life; and thus die over all these things, more than conqueror, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Many have strove to cut off my locks, and put out my eyes, and bind me with seven new cords, and find out where this great strength lieth; but I want to die as a Nazarite abstainer and conquerer, and be numbered, through grace, with Gideon, and Barak, and Sampson, and Jepthae, and David, and Samuel, and the prophets, "who, through faith, subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens," (Heb. xi.), and overcame by the blood of the Lamb. O! let us work while it is day; the night of death is at hand. Now is the day of salvation. All hands begin for Christ and precious souls, and help us now.

EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF GARDEN STAIRS, &c. Greenwich is a town peculiarly dear to me, and interesting beyond description, as the asylum harbour of my aged and worn-out brother naval sailors. My pious and excellent father, Mr. William Smith, was a native of the city of York. My beloved and precious mother was born at Knottingly, near Ferry-bridge, in Yorkshire. Her robust father was a respectable inn-keeper. My father married at Knottingly, and afterwards kept an inn at Pontefract, in Yorkshire. He removed from thence to London, after his two sons, William and Thomas, had gone to sea, from Hull. A brother of my mother removed also from Yorkshire, and settled at Greenwich. It pleased God, in the days of the Rev. George Whitfield, that my father became a converted man at Tottenham-court Chapel; and, afterwards, one of the first communicants when Surrey Chapel was built, in the year 1782. My mother also became a subject of Divine grace; and Mr. Wilson, her respectable brother, was also renewed by the Holy Ghost, and kept a large house at Garden-stairs, directly opposite the Tavern, with a river frontage. He was a general milk dealer, and kept cows at Charlton. He had two sons, one of whom became a watermen, at Garden-stairs. I mention these things because, as a boy, I visited Greenwich commonly, and slept at my uncle's, and can bear witness to his piety, fifty-five years since. My dear father and mother often went to Greenwich with me, and sometimes spent a week there; so that Greenwich is most familiar to me-especially at hearing a sermon in East-lane Chapel, on the death of my pious uncle, Mr. Wilson. It was

there I was first seriously impressed, but not converted, by the hymn then sung, which was from Dr. Rippon's Selection, as follows:""Tis finish'd, 'tis done! the spirit is fled; Our brother is gone, the Christian is dead; The Christian is living in Jesus's love, And gladly receiving a kingdom above. "All honour and praise are Jesus's due!— Supported by grace, he fought his way thro,' Triumphantly glorious, thro Jesus's zeal,

And more than victorious oe'r sin, death, and hell.
"Then let us record the conquering name,

Our Captain and Lord with shoutings proclaim:
Who trust in his passion, and follow their head,
To certain salvation shall surely be led.
"O Jesus! lead on thy militant care,

And give us the crown of righteousness there,
Where, dazzled with glory, the seraphim gaze,
Or prostrate adore thec in silence of praise.
"Within us, display thy love when we die,
And bear us away to mansions on high:
The kingdom be given of glory divine,

And crown us in heaven eternally thine."

I suppose I could not he more than about eight years old then, -as I grew up, and went to sea, and after I came from sea, Greenwich-fair was my delight, as of thousands more equally thoughtless and without God. These things made a deep impression upon my mind when it pleased God in 1803 to give me a change of heart; and when I became a minister, knowing that thousands of sailors and soldiers have plunged into hell from Greenwich-fair, I have always felt the greatest concern for Greenwich, the most ardent desire for Greenwich Christian missions, and the utmost astonishment at the total apathy and indifference of gospel ministers and congregations, concerning the horrors of Greenwich-fair, and the infernal daring rebellion against God, by London sabbath-breakers. O! God, I have cried for years, where is the spirit of Whitfield and Wesley, and the profession of love to souls, that ministers can thus dare, with horrible presumption, to risk the blood of soul-murders, because they will not warn the wicked, and seek to save the chief of sinners. But the greatest crime of this nation, in my view, has been that with the most horrible and base ingratitude we have suffered the veteran sailors, who have fought and bled to protect our palaces, churches, and chapels, to go down to hell in all their ignorance, blasphemy, drunkenness, and debauchery, without any suitable efforts to pluck those brands from the burning. O! God, I will meet the souls of these poor old sailors who have perished, and the ministers and churches who have neglected them, and hear thy judgment upon this subject in the last day. It is now thirty years since I was able to devote some extraordinary exertions to Greenwich, and more especially