been that call for strong faith and trust in Him, as there was upon the plan which he actually took. Now they were called, like Abraham, against hope to believe in hope. God had his way in the great deep, and his footsteps were not known. How help was com ing to the afflicted church, they did not know; but they believed in God.-

not in despair; persecuted, but not for- until his decree has brought forth. saken; cast down, but not destroyed." Isaiah saith, Verily, thou art a God that The promises are well calculated to hidest thyself, O God of Israel: And support the pious under their suffer- Solomon saith, It is the glory of God ings: but the history of God's care to conceal a thing. It is for the glory over his people, together with his pro- of God often to keep his particular demises, causes their consolations to a-signs hid and concealed, until they bound. And that part of the history of break forth into events. If God had the church, contained in the book now at first made known to Mordecai and under consideration, is as well calcu- Esther, and to the nation, the deliverlated to keep us from despair in times ance which he was going to work for of great darkness, as almost any part them, with all the methods of its being of it. In that time of uncommon dark-brought about, there would not have ness it would have been unreasonable for Mordecai and Esther, with their brethren the Jews, to have sat down in sullen despair, saying, There is no hope for us in God: But it would be more wicked for God's people to do it now; for surely the Lord's arm is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that he cannot hear; and his mercy is from everlasting to everlast-Mordecai first suggested the thought, ing upon them that fear him, and that hope in his mercy. And though God's love to his church has not increased since the days of Esther, yet the evidence of his love and care has been continually increasing. Among other things to encourage us to hope in God, we have the display which he then made in behalf of his people, which display they could not see when they committed their cause to God. If, with all our additional light, we faint in the day of adversity, it is because our strength is small. Their confidence in The Lord's keeping his designs out God will condemn our unbelief. Let of sight, also left his enemies to act us put on the whole armour of God, themselves out fully, and without conthat we may stand in the evil day.-straint. Could Haman, from the beLet Christians say boldly, The Lord is ginning, have discovered the last scene our helper, we will not fear what man of that wonderful tragedy, he would not shall do unto us. Yea, let every true have acted the part in it which he did. son of Israel say, "The Lord is my Not that this foreknowledge of the isrock, and my fortress, and my deliver-sue of the event, would have made er; my God, my strength, in whom I him a friend to Israel, or to Israel's will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies."

IV. In view of the history before us, we are led to reflect upon the wisdom of God in hiding his designs from us,

that God might intend to effect the deliverance of his people by Esther's advancement to the throne. After Haman had procured the king's signature to his wicked decree, he suggested it to Esther; " And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" But if this were the case, still he could not tell how she would be made the instrument of effecting it, against the influence of such a great favorite as the son of Hammedatha.

God: But had he known, when he was telling what would be done to the man whom the king delighted to honor, that Mordecai the Jew was the man, he would not have given such an answer as he did. Had he known when he was erecting the gallows fifty cubits, that it was for his own execution,

he could not, without compulsion, the character which he maintained, have been made to erect it. The Most but the whole of the ship's company, High tells the wicked they shall not including the Royal Marines-the very prosper; but the time and circum- men who witnessed the transaction stances of their ruin, are not ordinarily expressed, by their representation to pointed out. And they commonly the Court-Martial, and their subse flatter themselves in their own eyes quent petition to the Prince Regent, until they are completely ruined. the affectionate attachment which the uniform mildness of his conduct had secured.

SYLVANUS.

[To be continued.]

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. You may depend on the truth of every circumstance in the following narration And it is particularly wished, by the family of the late Lieutenant Gamage, that the memorial may appear thus circumstantial. ly detailed in a publication of such res pectability as will, beyond any doubt, authenticate it to the world. I am, &c.

J. E. T.

ACCOUNT OF LIEUT. GAMAGE.

THE circumstances connected with the unfortunate fate of Lieut. Gamage, of his Majesty's sloop the Griffon, are of very peculiar interest: they claim to be recorded in justice to the dead, and for the benefit of the living. Never, perhaps, was example rendered so awfully impressive, in the execution of the laws, as by the humane and benevolent character, contrasted with the dreadful and untimely end of this lamented officer. Not only does the Admiral's letter (addressed on the melancholy occasion " to the respective Captains and Commanders of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Downs"*) bear a high testimony to The following is the admirable Circular Address sent by Admiral Foly to every ship in his fleet:-

Richard Steward Gamage, born at Walthamstowe, on the 29th of September, 1785, was the second son of Captain Gamage, who was more than twenty years commander of an Indiaman, in the Honorable East-India Company's service. He entered the Royal Navy in 1801, on board the Goliath,having previously made a voyage to India as a midshipman in the Company's service. A short time before the commencement of the present war, he went on board the Neptune, and from thence into the Loire, and was in the boat commanded by Lieutenant Temple, at the cutting out of tire Venture gun-brig from under the battery of the Isle of Bas. terwards went on board the Superieure, and was in her at the capture of

He af

commits the dreadful crime of murder !

"Let his example strike deep into the and whatever their general disposition may minds of all who witness his unhappy end; be, let them learn from him, that if they are not always watchful to restrain their pas sions within their proper buunds, one moment of intemperate anger may destroy the hopes of a well-spent, honorable life, and bring them to an untimely and disgraceful death; and let those who are to obey, learn, from the conduct of the serjeant, the fatal effects which may result from contempt and insolent conduct towards their superiors. By repeated insolence, the serjeant overcame the kind and gentle disposition of Lieutenant Gamage, and, by irritating and inflaming his passions, occasioned his own death.

"The Commander in Chief most earnestly desires to direct the particular attention of the Fleet to the melancholy scene they are now called to attend, a scene which offers a strong, and much he hopes, an impressive "The Commander in Chief hopes that this lesson to every person in it; a lesson to all afflicting lesson may not be offered in vain ; who are to command, and to all who are to but,seriously contemplating, the awful exam. obey. Lieut. Gamage is represented by ev-ple before them, every officer and every man ery person who knew him, and by the unanimous voice of the Griffon ship's company, as a humane, compassionate man, a kind, indulgent officer: yet, for want of that guard which every man should keep over his passions, this kind, humane, compassionate man,

will learn from it, never to suffer himself to be driven by ill-governed passion to eat with cruelty or violence those over whom he is to command, nor by desobedience or disrespect to rouse the passions of those whom it is his duty to obey and respect.”

a French privateer, when the captain || subversive conduct of the serjeant, and fell, and he was mentioned in the pub-ordered him to walk about. He shoullic letter for his conduct on that occa-dered arms, and appeared to comply; sion. It is rendered particularly re- upon which Lieutenant Gamage remarkable by the melancholy event turned his sword to its scabbard and which led to his own death, that, when turned to walk away; but in the same on board the L'Eclair, he saved the instant he threw the musket down, life of a marine, by jumping overboard ||and, with a loud oath, asserted his deat nine o'clock at night, there being termination to persist in his disobedino boat to send to him. In 1808, he ence. Lieutenant G. became infuriatwas made a lieutenant, by Admiral||ed; made a short thrust, which fatally Cochrane, in the West Indies. In 1809 taking an upward direction, entered he went to China in the St. Albans, and his body, and occasioned his almost afterwards served on board the Vigo instant death." This statement delivand the Pompee. In June 1812, heered on oath before the Court Martial, . was appointed first lieutenant of the corroborates the following passage exGriffon. Here, as in former situations, tracted from his defence. "Here, bethe general tenor of his conduct was so fore God and my country, I most solmild and forbearing towards those un-emnly disclaim any intention to ender his command, that he obtained the danger the life of the deceased; and respect and affection of the meanest in- declare, I meant simply to intimidate dividuals. The very action which so him, and enforce an obedience of early terminated his fair career, appears my order. Acting on this principle, to have originated in his humanity. I several times struck the musket "The deceased serjeant, Lake, had which the deceased held in his hand, behaved in the most violent and mu-and desired him to walk about. This tinous manner, by threatening to beat seemingly had the desired effect. He the carpenter of the ship, his superior shouldered arms, and my sword was officer, who accordingly lodged a returned to its scabbard. But in the complaint with Lieut. Gamage, then very same instant, my soul still glowcommanding on board, who sent for the ing with indignition at his outragesaid Lake, and ordered him to walk the ||ous behaviour, he with a ferocious air quarter-deck with a shouldered musk- and aspect, accompanied by imprecaet, as a slight summary punishment, to||tions, again refused compliance, and which he was induced by a preposses- dared me to the fatal act. The imposion in favor of the serjeant, and a con- sing attitude of the man, the firm arsequent wish to preserve him from rangement of his features, his high incondign punishment, which must have gratitude and disdain, working on my been the certain result, if the steps au- imagination, already infuriate with rethorized by the service had been strict-iterated exasperation, shot like a flash ly adopted. This order, the serjeant of lightning across my brain. Reason in a peremptory and insulting manner, forsook its seat-raging madness urepeatedly refused to obey. Mr. Gam-surped the sway; and my sword, obeyage, enraged by this flagrant breach of ing its horrid mandate, was passed all rules of discipline in the eyes of a into his body. Cruel, cruel sword! whole ship's company, ran below for his sabre; not with any intent to use It fatally, but to intimidate and enforce an obedience to his order. When he eame again on deck, which was instantaneously, the serjeant had so far complied, as to hold a musket in his hand. Mr. G. struck the musket with his sword, expressed his indignation at the

which, at once, plunged him into eternity, to appear unappointed before his God, and me into the deepest gloom of misery and remorse. But, though impressed with the deepest contrition, my imagination revolts with horror and indignation at the shocking imputation of murder. Of a very different nature from the whirlwind of rage by

which he was swept from among men, is the malice prepense of the deliberate and insidious murderer."

"From my first interview with him, Lieut. Gamage appeared, though deeply affected by the recollection of this The court-Martial accompanied their particular crime, not over-well acverdict by an earnest recommendation quainted with the road to salvation.— to mercy; and the sentence formed He was not so humble as I wished him the subject of long and serious delibera- to be ; nor so penitent for all his sins, tion with the high authorities to which nor so fully convinced of the efficacy it was referred. The affair was made of the merits and death of Christ, as he a Cabinet question, and from thence ought to have been. There was someput in reference to the opinion of the thing like pride lurking about his heart, law lords. Three weeks of corroding something bordering on self-justificasorrow and suspense to the unhappy tion; too much satisfaction in the supGamage were occupied with these posed goodness of his life and characevents. But, at length, the fatal war-ter. I strove hard to eradicate these rant arrived, which directed him to re-improper feelings by prayer and exhorcall all his thoughts from earth, and to || tation, but in vain. The cherished confine his hopes to that mercy which || hope of a pardon from human clemenhas no control but Infinite Wisdom, cy, augmented by delay, was the root and which is as free as it is infinite. of the evil."

Being acquainted with the great ex- His friends were still, with agonizertions making to procure a mitigation ||ing solicitude, exerting themselves on of his sentence, Lieutenant Gamage || his behalf. But He, whose ways are could not but indulge, for a consider-not as our ways, had formed a deeper able time, the hope of its eventual re-plan of mercy, and was preparing their mission; hope in which he fortified relative for the promotion of death.-himself by his conscious innocence of " About three weeks after sentence, he premeditated murder,and the high cha- received notice, from authority which racter he had deservedly sustained. || he could not doubt, that it was imposThe excellent clergyman who attend-sible to pardon him. The intelligence ed him witnessed with deep concern was too much for him:-it overpow the effects of this, in diverting his mindered him!” from its more solemn and momentous All the disgrace and ignominy of concerns; and strove, though at first his sentence then appeared, for the ineffectually, to counteract the delu- first time, present to his imagination.— sion. Perhaps his past life appeared to The undaunted mind, that had braved him the fairer, contrasted with the death in all the terrors of the tempest shade this action threw over the pres- and the fight, shrunk from the voice ent. Perhaps the very remorse with which now personally summoned him which he contemplated this last fatal to appear before his God. deed, might make him forget, that it "The struggle," it is added," was was not for this alone he stood as a sin- severe; but he rose from it triumphant. ner before God, in need of mercy and The Almighty touched his heart, as he a Saviuor; that before the tribunal of said himself: and he became a conHeaven he could prefer no plea of mer-vert to real Christanity and a thorough it, nor rest any hope on human inter-penitent for all his past sins. From cession.

I avail myself of the kind permission of the Rev. Mr. Elliot (Chaplain of his majesty's ship the Royal Oak) to whose affectionate services Lieut. Gamage was so infinitely indebted, in extracting from that gentleman's let ter the following particulars.

this time he improved hourly. He became fervent in prayer, completely humble, resigned to God's will, and firm in the Christian faith; confiding for salvation in nothing but the merits and passion of our Savior." All that now remained to agitate his mind were cares of a relative nature. A

wish to live for these objects of effec-|| age's mortal existence is given by an tionate solicitude, still disturbed the re-affectionate and highly respectable signation of his mind. "But it pleas- friend, an officer on board the Griffon,

who witnessed the melancholy, or rather awful scenes. Melancholy they would have been but for the bright hopes that rose on the darkness of the grave, the promise of an eternal morning: awful they must have been. "No fears for himself shook the firmness of his mind; but the regrets ari

unhappy Lake harrassed his bosom with inextinguishable woe-and as an emblem of his feelings towards him, he requested to be interred by his side. On the morning of Thursday the 19th of November, the nature of his destiny was first intimated to him, and the succeeding Monday was appointed for his execution. As the time drew near, he evinced no symptom of alarm, but his fortitude and resignation seemed to ac

ed the Almighty to assist him over these difficulties; and some time before his death he ceased to be uneasy on their account, committing them to the care of an all-wise Providence."The highly respected clergyman concludes his communication by stating, that "his last day was spent in acts of piety, gratitude and effection. I passing from the sudden dismissal of the sed the night on board the Griffon; was with bin late and early; yet I can give but a faint picture of his happy state. He was composed, resigned, pious, and in charity with all men; and on the morning he was to suffer seemed not to have a worldly thought. It is not for one mortal to penetrate the bosom of another; yet, at such a time, the veil is undrawn; and I had reason to consider him fit for the presence of his Creator, and to believe that his Cre-cumulate with every hour. On Sunator, would pardon and welcome him. day night he sent for several of the He met his death with christian forti- ship's company, and in pathetic terms tude, and I hope, when it is my turn to expressed his gratitude for the affecdie, I may possess such thoughts, such tion they had shown him, and bade resignation, such hopes as he did." them a final adieu. The poor fellows, That it was indeed, the fortitude of the || melted by his touching manner and apChristian, was the more evident from pearance, shed abundance of tears; the previous agitation of his mind. It and, spreading the affecting tale among was a calmness which natural bravery their messmates, the whole ship preswas insufficient to support under such ||ented but one scene of commiseration circumstances, and which can only be and distress. attributed to a strength superinduced upon the weakness of morality.

"The residue of the night was spent in serious preparation for his awful and If the hero and the veteran have now near approaching change. About confessed, that on the morning of batone in the morning he fell into a deep tle they have had to struggle with agi sleep, which continued tranquil and untation and fear, in the solemn and un-broken till six. He then arose, and certain prospect, though these feelings dressed in black. The time from six soon gave way, in the tumult, to the till nine was employed in earnest denecessity of occasion and the firmness votion. At nine a gun was fired, and of resolve; it surely calls for more than the signal for punishment hoisted at the courage of a hero to contemplate the foretop-gallant mast head. When with a steady eye, the measured un-this took place, I fixed my eyes stead→' erring approach of that enemy whom fastly on his countenance. It betrayevery man must meet in single com-ed no alarm, no anxiety; but a heav◄ bat, who now appeared with peculiar enly serenety beamed in every feature. terrors. There is only One can give He observed my gaze, and, reading us this victory, and make the hero more its inquiry, he exclaimed," Feel me than a conqueror.-The following ac-I do not tremble: Death has now no count of the last hours of Lieut. Gam-terrors for me. God is with me: Christ