PRACTICAL TEACHING AMONG THE BARGEES ON THE

NORTHFLEET SHORE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS SOCIETY.-GRAVESEND BRANCH. OUR Gravesend missionary does not despise small congregations. Often in the barges there are not more than two. That is one more than Jesus had at the well of Samaria.

When lately visiting these men he had some interesting conversations with them on board the “ Standard,” a man was unloading slates, and seeing the missionary on board looked knowingly at him and said, “You've got a good job governor, I would like to have a leaf out of your book.”

So you shall, I will give you a dozen leaves and the missionary gave him Luke's gospel saying, “ That is a portion of my book and it will tell you all about the world's best friend Jesus Christ.”

"Yes, but do you know anything about that man, because there is a great many who say they do, and they don't,” said the labourer.

“Yes, I do," said the missionary, “thank God I know he is my Saviour and my only hope of going to heaven. Do you know Him friend ? If not, read that book, for you will not see God's face without faith in His dear Son."

“ All right governor,” he answered, “I will when I have time.”

The missionary had been addressing a group of bargemen when he saw a man coming up out of the cabin of the barge “ Hive.” “You are rather a big bee my friend."

“Yes, I am," said the bargeman laughing.
"Well you would not wish the bee to be wiser than you, would you ?”
"No, I should think not,” he answered.

“The bee must be diligent and not let the flowers die before it has made the honey. They know the importance of this and are always busy providing for the future not only sweets for themselves but for others. If you are neglecting your soul's welfare you are not as wise as the bee, you are not thinking of your future and best welfare. That is what the Lord meant when he said, 'first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto

In Chart and Compass, our monthly magazine for August, there is a wonderful account of the diligence of a bee.

Boarding the barge “Confidence,” the missionary said to a young man, “Have you my friend confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ ?”

“ Sometimes sir,” he replied.
“I mean to say do you trust Him for your salvation ?”
“I think I can,” said the bargeman.

" Thank God for that. There are some persons who think Christians are presumptuous because they speak with assurance, but we ought to believe God, He says— he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.'”

More words of encouragement were spoken to this young man, and he expressed gratitude for our missionary's visit.

“Have you found the Pearl of great price,'” was the question put to the captain of the barge “ Pearl.”

“Well sir,” he answered, “I am afraid not, but I carry a Bible and Prayerbook.”

"Well now in the Testament, in Matthew xiii., 45th verse, we read, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.' The excellency of Christ and His grace, made known and offered in the 314

A POLITICAL GUIDE WANTED.

Gospel is compared to a pearl of great price. To a poor sinner Christ is more precious than gold or jewels. Do you know Tom W- , a bargee," asked the missionary.

“Oh yes I do," said the captain.

"Well, he said to me, Mr. Missionary there was a time when I would scorn at the likes of you, when I used to go and tell the publican all my troubles, but bless the Lord I goes and tells my Heavenly Father now and He helps me. Ah, and my little children and wife knows I'm converted-bless the Lord.' You see," said the missionary, “Tom has found the pearl of great price, Christ, and why should He not be precious to you. Do not rest until you can say with Andrew, we have found the Messiah which is being interpreted Christ."

August, 25, 1885.

LOSS OF SEVEN STEAMERS. “ NO LESS than seven British steamers," a member of Lloyds' points out, “have disappeared during the last few weeks; and with them, it is feared, every human being on board." Little attention is called to the circumstance, because the vessels carried no passengers. The correspondent then points out that nearly two hundred mariners were on board the seven missing vessels, whom dependent families, widows and orphans, alas ! as well as friends, have now to mourn those who have gone down to the sea in ships' never to return. It is not said that blame is attached to any one, por is there the slightest hint as to the upseaworthiness of any of the craft. We have had a succession of severe storms, and the seas have been swept by gales which have gathered great spoil; amid the rest, this long, sad tale of human lives, including, beyond doubt, many a somebody's darling.-Copied by Simpson E. Matthews.

This alone is a dreadful loss in a short time, and should lead to very serious reflection by all friends of seamen.-Ed.]

A POLITICAL GUIDE WANTED. MR. STEPHEN UNWIN, of Colchester, writes : “ Dear Sir, I beg to enclose a postal order for ros., being the amount of Mr. T. S. Daniell's annual subscription in aid of the circulation of Chart and Compass. You would oblige me by having it chronicled in the Sept. No. of Chart and Compass. What a valuable contribution to this nation it would be were a reliable Political Guide issued at the present crisis for the use of the electors of Great Britain and Ireland, in anticipation of the coming election. Words, words, floods of words—darken. ing counsel, without knowledge'-seem to be the order, or disorder, of the day.”

[Yes, noble patriot, your righteous soul might well be vexed and also anxious at this critical moment of your nation's history. It will bebove the elect of God in this country to be guided by the principles of that kingdom of heaven set up upon earth, which are not only the foundations of thrones and governments, but the very bonds of human society, so that Christ in this wider sense might become the Saviour of the world. We cannot give the whole of Mr. Unwin's letter, but it indicates a vigorous mind, thinking that is felt, deep conviction, and a pen to put what is within on that which is without. Thank the kind donor for this help to send free copies of Chart and Compass to lighthouses and several foreign stations.-ED.]

THERE have now been 1,156 recipients of the gold cross and diploma which the German Empress confers upon female domestics who have uninterruptedly served forty years in one and the same family.

GOING TO SCHOOL. WHEN I was a little boy about seven years old I went with my brother to the “ King's School ” at Canterbury every day. Two other boys, sons of another officer in the 93rd Highlanders, went to the same school. The names of all four boys began with “ Mac." Our papas and mammas wished to get us safely to school through the streets of the town ; so there was a fine tall soldier, with his “ Highland bonnet” and his kilt, my father's "orderly," and he walked with us to lead us to school, and when school was over he came for us to lead us back to our homes. Sometimes we wished to go quite alone, but the good Highlander always took care then to walk only on the other side of the street not far off, so that no danger might come to the four boys. Now, this good "orderly" did not teach us our books at all, but he brought us to the place where we were to be taught. The Greek word for “ schoolmaster” means a “child-leader," and it is paidagogos. This may explain the words in the Bible, “ The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Gal. iii. 24). You see the “law” does not teach us by itself, but it leads us to Christ; and he does teach us that Jesus is “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life,” in the Gospel.-Rob Roy. From “ Gleanings for the Young," copied by Simpson E. Matthews.

THE ROYAL YACHT VICTORIA AND ALBERT AT

ANTWERP. THE Royal yacht, with the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and suite on board, steamed up to the new quay, recently opened by the King of the Belgians, on Saturday, the 22nd of August, and on the following day (Sunday), Chaplain Jas. Hitchens was privileged to go on board and speak to the seamen, of whom there were over one hundred, inviting them to the service at the Mariners' Church, and a goodly number responded to the invitation. It was a pleasing and a pretty sight to see so many petty officers and seamen with their happy faces joining in songs of praise and listening with profound attention and interest to the discourse, which was founded on Joho vi. 21, special reference being made to the presence of Christ, the power of Christ, and the privileges of believers. It was a joy to the little band of pious seamen who came and brought their shipmates with them, and with only one or two exceptions all remained to the prayer.meeting after the service, and three or four engaged in prayer, and on their way back to the Royal yacht they sang some of Sankey's hymns. It is needless to say that such a fine body of men, all dressed in Royal Naval uniform, with the cross anchors on their arms and their good conduct stripes adorning their jackets, and many of them with medals on their breasts, was a great attraction to the people in passing through the city, and we believe their visit to the Mariners' Church in Antwerp will not soon be forgotten, and we have reason to believe that good was done.

JAMES HITCHENS, Chaplain.

THE WANDERER.

By C. GRAHAM DEWBURY. A YOUNG MAN was engaged as a clerk in a large house of business, where he had every chance to get on and to make his way in the world.

His employers had every confidence in him, and he was occupying an important position.

But, alas ! in an evil hour he was tempted, and fell, by falsifying some of the accounts belonging to his masters, and thus his future prospects were blighted, and with ill-gotten gains he left home to avoid exposure to go to a distant land.

Having been away some years he wrote to his father, who was one of the partners in the firm, expressing his sorrow for his past conduct, and begged for his forgiveness for the disgrace he had brought upon him.

The father was a kind-hearted man, and not wishing to hurt his son's feelings by exposing him, he offered to make up the deficiency, which he did at the time, and now to all appearance the deed was overlooked.

Having lost his wife some years—this son was the only child—he tried hard to win him back to his home and to his affections, and wrote telling him to return and all would be well, and he would find a loving father waiting to receive him.

It happened that the son was employed on a farm, that often took him away from his home for several months at a time, and he was away when the letter reached his house, therefore some time elapsed before he arrived home and received his father's letter that was waiting for him.

After having read the contents he carelessly put it into his pocket and thought no more of it at the time.

Not far from where he lived there were scattered a band of dissolute and reckless men, who had a bad influence over him, and led him away deeper in sin and iniquity.

They having heard that he had received a letter from the "old country," persuaded him to show it to them.

After they had read it, they laughed at him and teased him, saying, “Now, go home like a good boy, for your father wants to make a fool of you."

And thus this only hardened him the more, and he there and then determined not to take any further notice of it, and so years rolled by and brought no tidings to his anxious parent.

The father wrote again; but still with no better result.

Not wishing even now to give up hope, he again wrote a third time, beseeching him to return when all would be well and no notice would be taken of the past, but all should be forgotten and forgiven, if he came home by a particular vessel that sailed on a certain day.

The son, after pondering over it a long time and after a struggle within, determined to accept the offer, and got his things ready for his homeward voyage.

The day had come, so he got together his luggage, and being a little late he hurried down to the docks, but imagine his surprise and dismay to see the vessel sailing away in the distance, having left the docks some time, and there he stood looking at the far-receding ship, which dashed to the ground his future prospects—his opportunity passed, and there he stood a poor castaway!

The condition of this young man is very much like the position of thousands of persons who delay the offer of mercy to a more convenient season, and like him, almost saved ! but altogether lost!

“I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh, saith the Lord.” (Proverbs i. 26.)

Therefore take warning in time while mercy is still offered, for the time may come when it will be too late and your opportunity passed for ever.

“ While the lamp holds out to burn

The vilest sinner may return." And like the prodigal of old we read of in Scripture, when he was yet a great way off his father ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. “Be ye reconciled to God.” For being reconciled, we have peace with God through Christ who died to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself on Calvary.

THE VANITY OF POPE PIUS IX.

317

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John iii. 16.) “Return, O wanderer, to thy home, The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; Thy Father calls for thee;

O now for refuge flee. No longer now an exile roam,

“Return, O wanderer, to thy home, In guilt and misery.

'Tis madness to delay; “Return, O wanderer, to thy home, There are no pardons in the tomb, 'Tis Jesus calls for thee;

And brief is mercy's day.”

SPECIAL, NOVEMBER 1st.

(Continued from page 291.) A VERY interesting sailors' meeting was held in Abney Congregational Church, Stoke Newington. Mr. J. McCall presided, and as he has crossed the Atlantic fifty times, once shipwrecked under most dangerous circumstances with Mrs. McCall on board, he made a most appropriate chairman. A man who has thus voyaged must have a dash of salt in his blood, in fact, practically a sailor. Mrs. McCall told our sub-Editor of that terrible week's experience, and how their valuables were left in the cabin, and the danger of attempting to save anything but their lives. Mr. McCall writes, _“I think there is no more practical way of showing this sympathy than by helping such Institutions as the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. Something may be done by legislation to protect the sailors' lives from the dangers of shipwreck and other forms of maritime disaster. But the dangers and temptations to which they are exposed the moment they put their feet on shore, especially after a long voyage, are dangers of even a worse character, and your Society, can no doubt, do a great deal to avert them, and no doubt there is room for a great deal more to be done in this direction, so I earnestly wish your Society every success.-Yours faithfully,

J. MCCALL.”

TOWARDS THE SPECIAL £1000.
Sums given and promised up to Sept. 16, 1885.
£ s. d.

£ s. d. Rev. C. H. Spurgeon .... 5 0 0 A little girl .......

....... 0 0 5 Rev. W. Tyler, D.D. .... 5 o o A baby .

baby ..:............... 0 0 1 George Williams, Esq. .... 5 5 0

Ed. Rawlings, Esq., annuJ. McCall, Esq. ..........

ally for three years, to

wards a Missionary at Coll. Abney Cong. Church 1 18 6 Venice ................ 25 S. Linder, Esq. ..........

0 0 5 0.0

Tyne Steam Shipping Co... 2 2 0 James Clarke, Esq......... 5 0 0 A Soldiers' and Sailors' Friend I oO George Cadbury, Esq...... ioo. A little boy .............. 0 5 0

THE VANITY OF POPE PIUS IX. The common saying among the Roman Catholics at Rome was, “Other Popes believed themselves the vicars of Jesus Christ ; Pio believes that Jesus Christ is his vicar.” He was under great apprehensions of dying in 1868, from the superstition of no Pope outliving his 25th year of the Popedom. The saying at Rome was that if he outlived it and presided over the Synod of 1869, he would, by a new decree, pronounce himself to be a fourth person in the Trinity. This is what he practically did.