the Lord," will raise our voices to heaven, and exclaim, "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!"

THE CREW OF A MAN-OF-WAR.

MR STEWART, in his delightful narrative of a "Visit to the South Seas," thus describes the moral aspect of the crew with whom he sailed:—

Believing with Pope, "that the proper study of mankind is man," I have ever delighted in opportunities of observing my fellows in new lights and relations; and find daily amusement, with an admixture of other emotions, in the developement of character among those around me. A man-of-war is a world in miniature, in which every different kind of temper and disposition is to be found, under the various modifications of a diversity of early habits and impressions.

A more interesting and attentive audience than that formed by the five hundred of our crew at worship on the Sabbath, I have seldom addressed; and every look, and the whole appearance of the men, after the first sermon I preached, as I passed among them while at dinner to distribute a set of tracts, plainly told they were far from being indifferent to the services of my office, and regard me personally with feelings of kindness and good-will.

Commodore Thompson informed me at an early period, that it was the desire, both of himself and Captain Smith, to have public prayers daily on board the Guerriere, according to a prescribed, though hitherto disregarded, rule of the naval service. The hour of sunset was fixed on, as the most convenient and most appropriate for the duty; and the first day the weather permitted, it was commenced. A more desirable and salutary observance could scarce be devised, nor one more pleasing and more impressive. It was well remarked in reference to it by a principal officer, though not professedly a religious man, that, wanderers as we are upon the deep, separated widely from all the rest of the world, there should be, at least once in every twenty-four hours, a common and appointed time for all to pause in the daily round of occupation, and, as intelligent and immortal beings, to reflect for a moment what we are, and for what created, what we are about, and whither we are going, unitedly to join in the worship of our God, and anew commend us to his grace and mercy. It is no common spectacle thus presented by our ship, when, as the curtains of the night begin to drop around us, the busy and varied occupation of so large a company is seen to cease, and, at the appointed signal, all, from the highest to the lowest, quietly gather to the altar we have here erected, to offer to heaven an evening sacrifice of thanksgiving and prayer. It is a noble sight to behold men thus situated openly acknowledging to their Maker and to themselves the high source and destiny of their existence; and thus, tacitly at least, encouraging one another to lay hold of the joyous hopes of the Gospel.

To believe it an unwelcome and irksome duty to the crew, is a mistake. There may be individuals who regard it as such; but they are few indeed, in comparison with the many, who give the most evident proofs of the interest and satisfaction with which they engage in it. Ten minutes is the utmost limit of the time thus occupied: the reading of a hymn, or a few verses in the Bible, or the making of half a dozen remarks, to prepare the thoughts and feelings for the more hallowed exercise of a short prayer, constitutes the whole.

All give the most serious and respectful attention, while a youthful company of some fifty or sixty, the flower of our crew, usually press closely to me with more than ordinary interest. Among them are several professedly religious, and others seriously

disposed; and not unfrequently, the satisfaction they take in the service is expressed by a smile of pleasure, or kindly glance from a sparkling eye, as, with the closing Amen, they replace their hats, and join their fellows, turning silently away under the influence of a chastened, if not a devotional feeling.

this regulation, I am fully persuaded that a more powerFrom the observations already made on the effect of ful auxiliary in the discipline of a ship could not be adopted; and that this single service, properly performed, would soon be found to do more in promoting the good order of a crew, than all the harshness of the rope's end, backed by the terrors of the cat-o'-nine-tails. This is far from being my own solitary opinion-it is that of many of the officers on board. Prayers had scarce been established a week, before one of the most skilful and popular, but at the same time one of the most gay and thoughtless of their number, in expressing his sentiments on this subject, closed with the fol lowing remark:-" Whatever may be said to the contrary, Mr Stewart, there is nothing like a service of religion in elevating the character of a crew-it makes different men of them, and it is the only thing that will do it ; an opinion in which I fully concur: and were the experiment once rightly made by every commander in our service, I am fully persuaded the same sentiment would universally prevail.

No class of men are more open to convictions of truth than seamen, and none more susceptible of religious impressions, except where the demon of intemperance has incased the soul with adamant. I find no difficulty in gaining access to their confidence; and, in several instances, have met with interested and deep feeling. On a Sabbath evening, not long since, while walking the main deck, I perceived an openhearted young fellow, with whom I had formed some acquaintance, leaning against a gun; and going up to him, said, Well, how has the day gone with you? "One of the happiest I ever knew, Sir," was his reply; "and I have heard many of the crew say the same. I never expected such a Sabbath at sea-earth can scarce know a better." Adding, on further conversation, "When I had been on board the Guerriere several weeks, before you, Sir, joined us, without any public worship, I began to fear I had made a bad choice in coming to this ship; but I was mistaken-this will be a happy voyage to me, and I believe the time will yet come when the ship herself will be called the hoppy Guerriere!" His face beamed with pleasure as he spoke, and I rejoiced to meet one so warm-hearted and seemingly pious.

I almost daily meet with those more or less interested on the subject. Only a short time ago, while visiting the sick, I observed a middle-aged man following me from cot to cot, but said nothing to him, supposing him an attendant engaged in some duty. At length he himself spoke, saying, "There is no comfort for these poor fellows, Sir, but in the few words you may drop them," adding, while the tears started in his eyes, and his lips faltered as he placed his hand upon his heart, "they are poor sinners, Sir! and I too am a poor sinner-guilty-miserable sinner, Sir! and God in mercy has sent you to preach the Gospel to us. I know well what it is to be weary and heavy laden with sin, and rejoiced from the first moment I saw you, Sir, step upon our quarter-deck." On conversing more fully with him, I had reason to believe that he was sincerely disposed to learn of Him who "is meek and lowly in heart, and whose yoke is easy, and his burden light."

In an adjoining hammock lay a young man slightly ill, and to whom I had the day before given two or three tracts. On asking him how he did, he hid his face in the pillow, and it was some moments before he recovered composure sufficient to say, "For once, at least, in my life, Sir, my hard heart has been touched;

one of the tracts you gave me, that of Charles Grafton, melted my very soul! My parents, too, tried to bring me up in the right way; but I have neglected and forgotten all their advice. It is now six years since I have been near them, and they know nothing of me, nor where I am." In a long conversation, I endeavoured to persuade him of his ingratitude to God, his heavenly Father, as well as towards his earthly parents, and left him with the resolution of the prodigal on his lips, if not in his heart.

The more impressive and melancholy dispensations of Providence have not been wanting to add their influence to that of the means of grace, in inclining our minds to thoughts of seriousness and piety. Within the last two days, I have been called twice to perform the saddest office incident to my station, by committing to the deep that which shall be retained in its dark caverns" till the sea shall give up its dead."

A funeral is a melancholy and impressive service any where, but particularly so at sea, and on board a manof-war. There is something more deeply thrilling in the call of the boatswain, "All hands, to bury the dead!" as it passes through the ship, echoed from deck to deck by his mates, than even in the admonitory sounds of the bell of death on shore. And as for the first time, in obedience to it, I ascended the companion-ladder, and passed through the opening crowd to the side of the ship, where, in the sad preparations of the grave, lay the form of one who, at that hour the day previous, had little thought of being then in eternity. I could scarce command my voice, in giving utterance to the sublime declaration of the burial service, "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord." The pause, too, preceding the words, "We commit his body to the deep," and then the plunge and plash of the lifeless clay, as it is launched to its watery tomb, speak in a voice more deeply touching than that sent back by the clod of the valley from the narrow-house, when dust returns to dust, and ashes to ashes, in the seemingly more natural cemetery within the churchyard limits.

The person buried was a young man of the marines. He had been ill for a fortnight, but was at no time thought dangerous, and for the last few days was considered convalescent. I first conversed with him upon the subject of religion ten days ago. In reply to the question, whether he had ever thought seriously of the destiny of the soul, his only answer, and one which he seemed to think abundantly sufficient, as his black eyes filled with tears,-was, "I had a pious mother!" I have seen him daily since, and though confessedly far from God, he appeared persuaded to cast himself, in penitence, upon his mercy, and hereafter to lead a virtuous life. Poor fellow! he little thought his end was so nigh. On attempting to sit up after having been in a quiet sleep, the rupture of an internal abscess took place, and springing in a convulsion from his cot, he fell dead in the arms of his attendant.

His was the first funeral, but we had too sad evidence before us that it was not to be the last. A petty officer was lying at the time in the very jaws of death, and expired the same day. Noble in figure, and of an uncommonly hardy constitution, he died at the early age of thirty, a sacrifice to the demon of drunkenness. Before he was thought in particular danger, a fortnight ago, I spoke to him, in one of my visits, of the importance of being at all times prepared for sickness and death; to which he replied, that he was too weak, both in body and mind, to think on such subjects. Then he was comparatively strong, and perfectly himself; but soon afterward, the "delirium tremens," with all its accompanying tokens of a horrid end, took from him every power of reflection, and he perished a miserable and degraded soul. As I stood by his cot gazing at his convulsed and agonized frame, just before

he expired-after having lain six hours speechless, and utterly incapable of articulating a syllable distinctlyin an effort of anger at a shipmate attending him, he broke out in the most dreadful oaths and curses, sounding in my ears as if they already came from the region of the damned.

To commend his immortal spirit by prayer to the mercy of an Eternal Judge, was all in my power to do; and I turned away with the heartfelt aspiration— "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"

SKETCHES OF THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL.
BY THE REV. GEORGE MUIRHEAD, D. D.,
Minister of Cramond.
No. VII.

PSALM LXXVII. 54-72.

THE first portion of the third period of the history of Israel, under the government of Joshua, it has been shown, in a former number, was a favourable time, in which they adhered steadfastly to the worship and service of God. The period succeeding that, under the Judges, which is now to be considered, is not so favourable. They began gradually to leave their first love. They did not suitably improve their time of rest and prosperity. Instead of keeping themselves humble, and watchful, and thankful for all the great things that God had done for them, they began to think highly of themselves, on account of their distinguished privileges, as if their own arm had gotten them the victory; they relaxed in their watchfulness; they indulged in more familiar intercourse with the remnant of the idolatrous nations that was left among them; they quickly learned their wicked ways; they forsook the service of the Lord, forgetting all his mercies, and turned aside to the worship of false gods. The Holy Spirit was grieved, and his presence was withdrawn. They were left for a time, in some measure to themselves; and they gave full indulgence to their own foolish and wicked imaginations.

What a mournful contrast was thus exhibited to the state in which they were in the days of Joshua! Then the whole nation seemed to be of one mind and one accord, in devoting themselves willingly to the service of God. They were animated with zeal for his glory, and they dreaded anything like an approach to idolatry. They were filled with gratitude for God's mercies; they solemnly entered into a covenant that they would serve the Lord. But now, alas! we see them disunited, and every one walking according to the imaginations of his own heart; we see them forsaking the worship of the living and true God, and turning aside into all the abominations of heathen idolatry. How is the gold become dim, how is the most fine gold changed!

As was to be expected, however, they were not permitted to go on in such wicked ways, without being warned of their danger, and without experiencing the manifestations of God's righteous displeasure. And, generally, the instruments of chastisement were some of the neighbouring nations. They acted for their own gratification, in making incursions upon them, and making them tributary. But they were, unremittingly, the sword in the Lord's hand, for the chastisement of his own people. And whenever groaning under the yoke of their oppressors, they were brought to a deep conviction of their guilt, acknowledged it before God, and earnestly implored deliverance out of the hands of their enemies, God was graciously pleased, in answer to their prayers, to raise up for them a deliverer. Soon, however, they relapsed into their former wickedness, and were again brought low, and upon their repentance, were again delivered. Such is the

fested to the people of Israel, during the time of David and Solomon, but, in these brief sketches, it is intended only to mark some of the most prominent features of their history.

We come next to the time of the kings of Israel. The Israelites had, for some time, been under the charge of the prophet Samuel, who was the medium of communication between God and them. And then they acknowledged no king but God. But when Samuel, in advanced age, deputed the management of the national interests to his sons, who had not the fear of God, their mismanagement occasioned much discontent, and induced the people to entreat for a king to rule over them, as was the case in other nations. What a sad thing is it when those who bear rule in holy things are not holy persons! Because of them, the name of the Lord is blasphemed, and men are led to abbor the offerings of the Lord. How earnestly should we pray that they who minister at the altar may be holy; that they may have a double portion of the Holy Spirit; and that they may be faithful in the discharge of their trust.

God was much displeased with the people of Israel for asking a king like those of the other nations; for it was in effect rejecting the Lord from reigning over them as their king. But he gave them a king, such as they desired, in his anger, that they might be convinced, by their own sad experience, of the folly as well as sin of their request. Let us beware of setting up our own will in opposition to the will of God, and of being over anxious about the attainment of our own wishes, lest the Lord should, in anger, grant us the desire of our own hearts, and we should be left, in the end, to repent our having preferred our own way to God's way.

But after they had been left, for a time, under the government of Saul, God was pleased to select for them another king, one after his own heart, namely David. And here we enter upon a new era in the history of Israel. Under the reigns of David and Solomon, they attained a state of elevation and prosperity such as has not been equalled in any succeeding period of their history to this day. Nor was it only by the conquest of their enemies, and by outward peace and prosperity, that this time was distinguished. But there appears to have been a great revival of religion throughout the land. David was himself a prophet, and there were other prophets in his time. Solomon, too, was under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and was honoured to be the penman of some of the books of Scripture. He reared that magnificent temple at Jerusalem which David had planned, and for which he had made preparations. And at the dedication of the temple, when an immense multitude of the Israelites were assembled, and when Solomon the king appeared on a brazen stage erected for the occasion, and, in the presence of the vast assembly, kneeled down, and, with his hands lifted up towards heaven, poured forth that fervent and importunate prayer, which is recorded in their history, there is presented to us one of the most solemn, interesting, and impressive exhibitions that are recorded in the history of Israel. Surely the Lord was then graciously present; surely those who were present at that solemnity might well exclaim," The Lord is in this place; this is none other than the house of God, and the gate of heaven!" Much more might

But, before leaving this splendid era, I have to remark that it was eminently typical of that state of special favour of God, of great attainments in holiness, and of great outward prosperity, which shall be enjoyed by this people in the last period of their history, under the reign of the Son of David, when, according to what is foretold, he shall sit on the throne of his father David, and shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Both David and Solomon were types of Christ, representing especially his kingly power and authority. The name David means beloved, and is by the prophets applied to Christ, the beloved Son of God. Solomon comes from a word signifying peace; and Christ is the Prince of Peace. David a great warrior, and having around him many men of valour, and subduing all the enemies of Israel, represents Christ and his heavenly hosts coming to take vengeance on his enemies, to tread them in his anger, and to trample them in his fury. Solomon, again, who had a peaceful reign, when all his enemies were subdued, and sent him presents, and who was not less distinguished by the wisdom and righteousness of his reign, than by his riches, and splendour, and magnificence, represents Christ reigning in righteousness, as described in Psalm lxxii. This Psalm is denominated a Psalm for Solomon, but shall have its full accomplishment in the reign of Christ. Of him it is said, "The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him."

We come next to notice a very different state of matters in Israel, a sad falling off from the prosperous state in which they were in the days of David and Solomon. The kingdom was rent into two parts, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin adhering to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, and the other ten tribes erecting a new and independent kingdom under Jeroboam, son of Nebat. This kingdom of the ten tribes commenced with an act of rebellion against the God of Israel, in Jeroboam's setting up idols, to prevent his subjects from returning to Judah. It was not to be supposed that a kingdom so begun would prosper. Accordingly, among all the kings that reigned over this kingdom, there was not one who feared God. Religion was generally at a very low ebb among them, and they were ripening for judgment. Yet the Lord had still a remnant among them. There was a young Abijah, even in the house of Jeroboam, in whom there was some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel. There were seven thousand, who had not bowed the knee to Baal. And the prophets Elijah and Elisha were sent to them to reprove them for their sins, to exhort them to return to the Lord, and to warn them of coming judgments. But as they disregarded the repeated warnings which were given them, in the reign of Hoshea their last king, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, invaded the country, took Samaria, the capital of the kingdom, and carried the great body of the nation captive with him.

The kingdom of Judah survived that of Israel for some years. And although there, too, idolatry, and backsliding, and abounding iniquity very generally prevailed, yet the dark side of the picture is occasionally relieved by a good king reigning over them, and exerting himself to reform abuses, to bring the people back from idolatry, and to establish the worship of God throughout the land. Such were Jehoshaphat, Josiah, and Hezekiah, in whose times the Lord's work was revived among the n. But these revivals were gene