The National Register.
London, England, 1822-10-07 00:00:00

IiETiIEL UNION.

♦ meeting of the British and Foreivi Seaman's Friend
Society and Bethel Union, tv;.... hetl on Wednesday /Arming
at the city of Lendon Tavern, Biehopsgate-s reet, and notwith-
standing the uoluvourable state of the weather, Wild II lust nu-
merously attended. The Bight Hun. Admiral Lord Gauthier
was called to the chair at 6 o'clock, and after a prayer had been
made by the Rev. air. Brown, of South Ockemion, and a psalm
sung by the company assembled, the retrospect of the poet:rl-
ines of the society during the last year was read by one of the
secretaries. Fr um this aucumn•nt it appeared that one of its
grand objects had been to difuse through all ranks of the cola
triunity a proper concern for the moral and religious slate of
seamen and scaboys, trusting thst, when that was accomplished,
means might lie devised to bemuse and ameliorate their condi-
tion. The success of the exertions it had already made ex-
ceeded the most sanguine expectations of its warmest friends,
and was to he seen in the fact that the Bethel ►'niou was now
frerptenCy requested by moral and reltgioue parents who bad
children Wllll4ll inclination for the eta to point out to theta
hitch vessels in the merchant ser, ice as had colon/Anders who
feared God." It likewise appeared that the society had Liken
into consideration the stale of the w etermera who ply on the
Thames, and that the result of their inquiry had been to Meurer
that there were 611,1)1W persons on the liver for whose religious
iustruc no specific provision was made. The retrospect
stated that the society had dune what it could tor them, try
causia4 sermons to be preached at dilferent stairs and in various
chapels ; and added, that n new Itialiag cream!, to be moored old
the Tower, was in contemplation for their benefit. To check
as far as possil•le the drunkenness and impurity to which sailors
are esposed by lodgingin public-houses, and the shameless
imposttiou practiced upon them by ueprincipled men, the society
took, last year, n house in Ilerintheee-walk, Wapping, furnished
it plainly with beds, &c. and placed it under the aupetintend-
ence of a pious ric!ive man, who has *peel the greater part of
his lire at sea. The most happy consequences are attheipsted
from this plan, which has met the approbation end summit of
the East India Company. The retrospect, which extends over
20 closely printed pages, conclndes with a minute detail of the
efforts wilieh the society has made at our different ougports tot
the imin•ovement of our sailors, and of the attempts which hare
been made in foreign countries to en-operate with the exertions.
After it had been read and approved of by the meeting, several
reverend gentlemen addressed the meeting, and inculcated the
necessity of contributing to its funds, as it appeared from the
financial accounts that they were nnequel to the expenditure
which the society had to meet. Several resolutions were then
put and carried ; on were also chosen for the society
during the next year. Thank* were then voted to Lord Gam-
bier ; and, after another psalm bad been sung, and prayer
made, the meetlng broke up ; but not without leaving a liberal
contribution for the society in the hands of the geutlemeu who
stood to collect it at tlr doors.