we all sought some situation where we might await the issues of another night.

New terrors awaited us during that eventful night. The winds had gathered fresh force, and the waves intenser violence. Instead of being driven before the fury of a pursuing enemy too powerful for resistance, we were exposed to the rage and clamour of contending hosts, and shattered by that very violence with which they dashed one against another. The fiercest winds of heaven exhausted their vengeance on the deep, and the deep aroused its angry billows, with which it mounted up to heaven to repel and drive back its dread assailant. And as the hurricane wheeled about to make its onset from some new quarter, the waves dashed one against another, and, worked up into ungovernable rage, poured their united force in all directions, against the invisible foe. In the midst of these assailants, thus encountering one another, we lay helpless and hopeless. We mounted up to heaven, and then descended into the depths; were now carried upwards as if to sink stern foremost into the abyss, and again rolled upon our beam-ends as if about to be overturned, and cast forth into the bowels of the deep.

There we lay, with as little power to resist or escape, as when the avalanche has loosened itself from its hold, and pours down its mountain mass upon the helpless villagers below.

For thirty-six hours we had hung balanced between life and death, with the weight that pressed the scales of death downward increasing momently, and the hopes that still preserved the downward tendency of the scale of life becoming fainter and fainter. But while the gates of death were opened to receive us, He who has the keys of death and hell in his hands, delivered us from going down to the pit, and rescued us from the very jaws of destruction which were wide opened to engulf us. The winds obeyed his voice, and retired to their secret chambers. The waves heard his command, and shrunk within their appointed bounds; and that ocean which seemed to have been aroused to a ceaseless agitation, gave evidence of approaching rest.

"The waters saw thee, O God; the waters saw THEE; they were afraid; the depths also were troubled. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven. Thy way was in the seas, and thy path in the great waters." "He divided the sea, and caused us to pass through; and he made the waters to" subside. When we cried unto Him in our trouble, he saved us out of our distresses. "At his rebuke the winds and the waves fled, and at the voice of his thunder they hasted away." The noise of their battle was hushed, and the fury of their encounter stayed. All their power against us was nought. We passed through

the waters, but they did not overflow us, and through the floods, but they did not get hold upon us. God walked upon the wings of the winds, so that they could not harm us; and set a bound to the waters, so that they could not overwhelm us. Then were we glad because their fury was quieted, and we were enabled to hope that God would bring us to our desired haven.

The violence of the hurricane having now abated, although still tossed about like a feather in the air, we were found on Tuesday morning, with almost no exception, in the main saloon, to return solemn thanks to Him whom the winds and the waves had obeyed, and to praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And as our service proceeded, and the Rev. Dr. Beecher, in full consonance with the occasion, depicted the dangers we had escaped, and the duties we now owed, and portrayed the still greater dangers of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the duty of at once flying from the wrath to come, every heart was melted, and those who had never prayed before, were bent in humble supplication to the Lord.

It was then proposed that resolutions be adopted expressive of our thankfulness to God; and that, as a testimonial of our gratitude to Him, and to those brave seamen who had so nobly acted as His instruments, we should raise a contribution, to be divided among the captain, officers, and crew, and also contribute something towards the foundation of an Institution in New-York, to be called The Great Western Institution, for the relief of the Widows and Orphans of those who have perished at sea. The amount collected was, for the former $1000, and about $600 for the latter.

And now, brethren, let the narrative of this event, and the exposition of this subject, lead us all to feel, in view of the past dealings of God towards us as individuals, that love and gratitude which such a review is adapted and intended to inspire.

What a picture, my brethren, was presented by the scene I have attempted to depicit! Could an actual portraiture be drawn of the whole event-and could that picture bring to light the emotions and the thoughts of every heart-how sublime and impressive would it be! Could we see that chaos of agitated waters; the vessel, like a cork, tossed to and fro upon its billows, the dark misgivings, and fearful apprehensions of every passenger,-the penitence and remorse which, like a dark shadow, covered the remembrance of past sinfulness,and the anxious alarm with which all looked to Him who was now standing at the door, and of whose throne justice and judgment are the habitation;-how would it fill us also, even

now, with sympathetic emotions, and correspondent fears. And as we saw those clouds dispersing; the rays of hope breaking through, "like sun-blinks in the storm of death;" the thoughts and hopes of life animating with joy every countenance; that tempest-tossed vessel again become the habitation of peace, and joy, and mutual congratulation;-how would our hearts exult with theirs, and beat high with emotions of gratitude and praise.

Let every imagination, then, create, from this partial statement, such a picture, and let every heart be filled in its contemplation with such joyful gratulations. And in view of all God's wonderful works to the children of men, and to ourselves in particular, let the goodness of God lead us to repentance, to faith, and to a humble, hearty, and heartfelt consecration to His service. Let us sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. Let us exalt him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders. And let our lives and our efforts, our charity, liberality, and zeal, bear witness to the depth and sincerity of our faith.

We are surrounded by dangers, and in the midst of the most quiet and retired life we are in death. On my outward voyage we were a day and a night in the midst of several hundred icebergs, and at the same time enveloped in a dense fog. In my subsequent journeying, I was thrown with violence from an open carriage when in full motion. And now, on my return, I have just escaped with my life. But, after all, such events only bring to notice, and make manifest, that danger to which we are all constantly exposed; and that providential care to which we are as constantly indebted; and while they claim at our hands special remembrance and enlarged thankfulness, they ought only the more sensibly to impress upon our minds the truth that it is in God "we live, and move, and have our being;" that we are only safe in His arms, and under His guidance and that it is our happiness as much as our duty to live in His sight, and to "cast all our cares on Him who careth for us."

But while God has showered upon us his temporal mercies, He has "COMMENDED His love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly." This is God's greatest mercy-His stupendous gift-that tender mercy that is over all his other works. The truth, the sincerity, the depth of our thankfulness, and gratitude, are demonstrated, therefore, by our treatment of the Gospel, and our conduct towards the Saviour. "For we thus judge, that if Christ died for all then were all dead, and that He died for all, that they who live should live not unto themselves, but unto Him who died for

them, and rose again." If, therefore, you "neglect this great salvation," and refuse to hear the voice of this Redeemer, to submit yourselves to His service, and to follow His requirements, then assuredly you will be found among His enemies. when "He comes to judge the world in righteousness," and the awful curse will be executed upon you-"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha."

Whether you shall die on land or on sea,-whether you shall live longer or shorter,-and whether your condition shall be prosperous or adverse, the last day and the last hour will come; death will come; "that judgment which is after death," will come, and you will find yourself amid all the solemn and eventful realities of eternity.

This leads me to remark, in conclusion, that there is one aspect of this event which is more truly fearful than any yet described. It is true, as I have stated, that during the continuance of the hurricane every heart was melted and every conscience busy, and that then none were willing to assume the character or the bold front of hardened infidelity. The voice of blasphemy was hushed, the words of ribaldry silenced,the instruments of gambling unopened, and the bowl of intoxication unquaffed. All were then willing to avow their fears, and open up their hearts, and seek counsel and advice. But when the storm had ceased, how different was the scene! Some, it is to be feared, may have repented of their repentance, and have grieved for their grief, and have become ashamed at the remembrance of their fears. Some, alas! may thus harden their hearts and stiffen their necks, laugh at their fears, and make a jest of death. Ministers and prayers, and sermons, and devotion, may become their scorn, and their blasphemy, till, like the steel which has been tempered in the fire, their hearts may become harder than ever, and they themselves live only to fill up the measure of their iniquity, and become prepared as vessels fitted for destruction, and as victims salted with fire for everlasting burning.

But even while we thus express our fears, far different are our hopes and our prayers, for God is witness that "our heart's desire and prayer" for all who have been partakers alike of our danger and our deliverance is, "that they may be saved."

Brethren, let the very possibility of such a dreadful consequence duly impress your minds. Many have been the mercies you have received, and the deliverances you have experienced. And above all other mercies,-to you has the word of God's salvation been sent, and to you has the glorious Gospel of the blessed God been preached. Many are the convictions which, under the striving of the Spirit, you have felt, and the pur

poses of devotion you have formed. But you may have grown careless with returning ease, and lost those purposes amid the distractions of business and pleasure. And to this hour you may have continued to turn a deaf ear to the warnings of Providence and the invitations of the Gospel, and may therefore be still "without God, and without hope in the world."

But if this is the case, is there no ground to fear that this Gospel is hid to you because you are lost; that, having hardened your neck against reproof, you will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy; that in due time your feet will slide; and that in such a moment as you think not, the storm of death will arise, the winds of God's vengeance begin to blow, and the waves of perdition to roll, when you will be swept as by the besom of destruction, and swallowed up in the bottomless depths of the ocean of eternity.

"Be ye therefore ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh."

Wait not for God to come to you, but wait upon God. Wait not till God call you to repentance, but cry unto Him that he may at once hear, and answer, and bless and save. God in the kingdom of grace, as well as in the kingdom of nature, has established a connection of probability and subordination between the regular use of means and the desired end. He has appointed means not only for Himself to work by, but for us to work with. And even as in providence, though God knows and has determined who shall be rich and prosperous, and who not, yet we find the means and end generally connected together, so is it in the business of salvation. Work out, then, your own salvation with fear and trembling, since it is God who worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. "Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." And may God grant it to His glory and your salvation, and His shall be all the praise. Amen.