THE

BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

SEPTEMBER, 1811.

Memoir of a British Naval Officer.

AN infinitely wise and gracious Providence has recently seen fit to remove from his Majesty's Navy an Officer whose probity piety and usefulness predicted great eminence as a man, a seaman, and a Christian; and induced many to behold him as a burning and a shining light in a place where Satan's seat is.

Mr. John Hubback, the subject of this memoir, was born at Sunderland, in the County of Durham, his father and uncle were captains of Merchant-vessels, that sailed out of that port; with the latter he embarked as cabin-boy at a very early period of life, and was consequently deprived of those invaluable privileges he had long been accustomed to enjoy. Like Timothy he appears from a child to have known and loved the Holy Scriptures, and being favoured with a very serious turn of mind, he chearfully embraced every opportunity at sea to Seek out of the book of the Lord and read, until it emphatically became the standard of his faith and the rule of his practice. Being chiefly employed in the coasting trade, he was frequently in harbour for some weeks, and visited most of the sea-ports to the North of London. It is too well known to require confirmation now, that our harbours abound with temptations to every possible vice, or that apprentices and cabin-boys in the merchant's service, usually become the most depraved of our youth, by their evil communications and fatal examples. It pleased the Giver of every good and perfect gift, to favour Mr. H. with such an utter abhorrence of evil, that even in his youth he cried with Joseph, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? and whether at sea or on shore, hel uniformly dreaded the approach of temptation, and during its most powerful assaults cried mightily to God for preservation Vol. III 3 C

and deliverance. It was his predominant concern that he might escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, and ultimately die happy in the love and favour of a holy and righteous God.

It is not known at what precise period the Lord was pleased to illuminate his mind, and manifest his love unto him, but we understand that conversing on this subject with a Minister of the Gospel, he remarked that on one occasion he felt powerfully impelled to read the New Testament with the greatest attention, his mind was directed to a part of that sacred volume which treats of the sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ; on this subject a question occurred, "Why Christ thus suffered and died?" He felt deeply concerned,—retired to a throne of grace, and poured out his soul before God, with genuine simplicity and sincerity, imploring a clear understanding of the doctrine of the atonement. His petitions were available with that God who knew the inmost recesses of his soul, and in a few days Jehovah the Spirit poured in such a flood of light, that he beheld his native pollution and actual transgression, 'contrasted with the holiness, truth, and Justice" of the Almighty, in such a manner as to confess with fear and trembling, that he was undone for ever, without the suretyship, sufferings, death, resurrection, and intercession of his Lord and Saviour. The Holy Ghost also condescended to unfold the unspeakable glories of God, so loving a lost wretch, as to give his only begotten Son to die for his sins! So blessed a discovery was accompanied with such powerful impressions, that from this moment his whole 'soul became enamoured with Christ, and himself with all he had, resolutely consecrated to his glory. He now "travailed in birth with Sinners ;" burned with inextinguishable ardour to recommend Christ Jesus to all he knew, and hourly panted and prayed for the prosperity of Zion. The interest of Immanuel demanded and received the first place in his heart, and commanded the best exertions of his life for its promotion! He esteemed it his meat and drink to do the will of God, and displayed his chastened zeal for the welfare of precious souls on every occasion, with a suavity and prudence that insured attention and predicted success. He was now mate of a merchant vessel, and endeavonred by his constant attendance at the house of God when in harbour, to allure the crew, and impress upon their main Is the importance of Religion. Happy in the frequent enjoyment of the means of grace, and delighting to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, when absent from them, he pressed forward, anticipating miny years

of spiritual gratification in the coasting service, where his privileges were numerous and profitable. But that supreme disposer of all events, who seeth not as man seeth, and who fixes the bounds of our habitation, had in the purposes of his grace designed that he should move in a far more extensive sphere, where his exertion and example would prove a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death, to many of the most abandoned of the human race. In the year 1807, the vessel to which he belonged lay in the river Thames; on the 7th of September he went on shore at London, exulting in the prospect of going to the house of God, and living in the spirit on the Lord's day. The fatigues of the preceding weck, and the prophaneness of those around him, had wearied and disgusted his mind, but the sabbath was to repay all with interest. He had risen this day in delightful anticipation of the enjoyment of the sanctu ary, and the many blessings Jehovah had in reserve for him there. His little cabin had witnessed the holy fervour and ardent aspirations of his soul, over the invaluable pages of Iris favourite Bible; he arose from bis knees with an overflowing heart,

"And praise to him whose love assigns, So sweet a rest to wearied minds, Provides an antepast of heaven, And gives this day the food of seven.” No cloud seemed to interrupt his prospects, but all was serene delight and satisfaction, as he solemnly moved on towards the house of God, exclaiming, How amiable are thy tabernacles, O'Lord of hosts; my feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem; while the grateful tear stole down his manly cheek, and seemed to indicate a good day to his soul; when lo! a gang of ruffians, furious by nature, and infamous by practice, seized him, and with dreadful imprecations against the Majes ty of heaven, dragged him on board the receiving ship off the Tower, and swore his fate should be a Man of War! It may be better imagined than described, what an effect such a reverse of circumstances must have produced upon Mr. Hubback's mind, and what a sabbath he was now constrained to spend, locked up with profligates of every description, whose obscenities and blasphemics rendered the ship what has justly been termed a "floating Hell" Deprived of all his long endeared and valuable privileges, torn from the bosom of his beloved family, and immured in a dungeon, where satan ruled almost without controul, his heart for a moment sunk within him, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the murmuring suggestions of the enemy were restrained. What a mysterious unfathom able depth is providence! What man under the first impres

sion of such an occurrence could have pronounced it a dispensa. tion big with the most important events, and powerfully illustrative of Divine love and care? Who would not in the impulse of the moment, have reasoned with Jacob, and complained with Job? O for more of that Almighty grace which en forces obedience to the admonitory command, Be still—know that I am Gcd, and excites the declaration, I was dumb be cause thou didst it. O my God, how. immensely important is Religion! The infidel despairs and dies, while the believer trusts in his Lord and lives! The prospects of Mr. Hubback now seemed all blasted, and from the comfortable situation of Mate in a merchant vessel, he was reduced to the low station of a common sailor in a ship of war; and constrained to herd with the refuse of mankind. Incapable of obtaining his release, he was hurried down to the Nore, and placed on board his Majesty's ship Zealand, of 74 guns, and in a few days removed from thence to the Namur, 74, and in the month of October 1807, he was draughted to the Elizabeth, 74, a new line of battle ship, just fitting out, and in want of hands.

As a letter from Mr. H. will subsequently appear, stating some interesting occurrences on board this ship, we shall not anticipate it, but remark that after he had been in her a few days, it pleased the Lord to satisfy his mind, and graciously dispose his will to a chearful acquiescence with what appeared to be the will of God concerning him; so true it is that divine strength is usually proportioned to the Christian's day. Resigned to the providence of God, he now considered how he might best promote the welfare of his depraved and thoughtless shipmates. Having narrowly observed the conduct of every man on board, he could perceive but one whose deportment was moral, and who occasionally read his Bible. Some par ticulars respecting Mr. H. are here extracted from a letter addressed by that worthy scaman to the writer of this memoir.

Dear Sir,

H. M. S., March, 1811. "I will, as you desire me, now write about Mr. Hubback. He was impresssed and sent on board our ship in 1807, and was soon discovered by all hands to be a good inan, and one that feared God with all his heart; all the persecutions he met with made no change in him, he was always the same man, zealons for his religion and his God. Soon after he joined our ship, he was in search of some good-minded people to unite with him in prayer, at particular times, for the officers and ship's company. Now, sir, being myself just about this time

a little pressed with a concern for my bad way of living, used to read my Bible and the Whole Duty of Man. Mr. H. soon noticed and talked very kindly to me about my soul, and the Lord Jesus Christ, he then got me to go with him to a corner of the ship and bow my knees and pray to my dear Saviour; and Oh how good it was to my poor soul. Well then, sir, he prayed for me, and O if you had but heard how sweetly and powerfully he cried, that God would save my soul, and turn the hearts of all on board, that they might become good christians, as well as brave and loyal scamen. Well, sír, I can't tell the half of what he said, but I used to think that I was never happy before. We soon got two marines to join us, and then Mr. H. would sing a hymn, and talk to us in his way, you know, sir, about what Jesus Christ had done for poor sinners, and then he would offer up such prayers to the Almighty for us, that you can't think, sir, how happy we three sinners were. Well, we used to meet every night until the Captain heard of our proceedings, and threatened us with punishment at the gangway for mutinous assemblies!!! So you see, sir, we were forced to be more private in our meetings, but a midshipman joined us and that gave a great deal of offence, but we went on, and many were blessed until Mr. H. left us; and alas, we have hardly been able to do any good in that way since; only every man by himseif, on his watch or in his hammock. O sir, we live now in such a scene of wickedness as is past my, ability to describe, we are in number about 590, and scarcely a word is to be heard in common conversation but swearing by the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Ah sir, when we lost Mr. H. we lost our best friend, for he was always our aid and assistance in the Lord. Oh how we did grieve when we heard he was no more. Do please to pray for poor weak crea

tures in a man of war." Thus it pleased the Lord to honor the deceased by making him a lively witness of the truth as it is in Jesus, and a bold and zealous defender of the Gospel, not ashamed to confess Christ among a wicked and adulterous generation. His excellent character, exemplary conduct, and peaceable disposition, rendered him highly suited to his situation, and constrained even the ungodly to admire what they could not imitate. It was not long before his amiable demeanour attracted the notice of his Officers, and he was taken from before the mast, and successively made midshipman, master's mate, and chief master's mate, of the Elizabeth. In each capacity his know

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