The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-08 00:00:00

QUALIFICATIONS OF SHIPMASTERS & MATES

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

SIR,—In consequence of your request, I postpone till
Tuesday next the insertion of my arguments in favour of the
proposed measure, but as there are some very erroneous ideas
afloat respecting the constitution and powers of the proposed
boards, perhaps you will permit me a few lines, in order to
disabuse the minds of many generous and disinterested gen-
tlemen
whose views at present are biassed from misinforma-
tion ; for instance, it has gone abroad that the bill will be a
retrospective one, hence a very strong feeling ofopposition
has been created. Now, sir, how utterly at variance this is
with the spirit of the proposed enactment, let the following
extract from it provisions speak :—" 2. That any master or
mate, who shall have been employed in such capacities for
not less than six months before the passing of this bill, shall
be exempt from its operation." Again, sir, it is generally
believed that there will be periodical examinations into cha-
racter; but so far from this being the case, there is only one
instance in which certificates granted are to be deemed null
and void till after due examination, and that is in case of
shipwreck ; and where, sir, is a shipmaster to be found that
will not hail with delight the opportunity this board will
afford him of preserving an irreproachable character ? Why,
sir, in the midst of difficulty and danger, how consoling will
it be to him to know that, though the fury of the elements
may baffle his nautical science and experience, yet there is
an honourable board of brother seamen ready to preserve his
fame, and appreciate his zeal and ability.
On Tuesday next, sir, I purpose discussing the subject, as
it stands connected with mercantile welfare.

1 am, sir, your obedient servant,
B. W. TRACEY, Lieut., R.N,
)fates' Association, 11, Duke-street,
April 7111, 1842.

PRIZE ESSAYS ON MISSIONS.

(From a Correspondent.)

The three prize essays on missions to the heathen being now
published, the following information regarding their origin will be
felt interesting :

The want of a comprehensive and spirit-stirring work on the
present bearings of this transcendantly important object had been
regretted by pious men of all countries. It was from the proposal
of Dr. Conquest, of London, for a prize essay on Covetousness as a
prevailing sin of the Christian Church, that the idea was borrowed
of supplying the desideratum by means of public competition. The
distinguished success of that estimable physician's offer of a prize
of one hundred guineas, in calling forth the able essay of Dr. Har-
ris, animated a few private individuals residing in Glasgow, Edin
burgh, and Greenock, (part of whom were dissenters, the rest
members of the Church of Scotland,) with a strong hope that, by
a similar offer, a treatise equally, or still more, popular and stimu-
lating might be obtained on that nobler theme, " The duty,

lege, and encouragement of Christians to send the gospel of Salva-
tion to the unenlightened nations of the earth." They accordingly
issued a manuscript prospectus privately, stating their views, and
soliciting their intimate friends to join them in subscribing the
money that would be required. A clergyman of the Church of
Scotland, to whom the proposal was first communicated in writing,
applauded the purpose, but suggested that a more urgent theme
was Christian union, the present discordant condition of the
churches being, in his view, such as to prevent any great blessing
of God on missionary efforts. Important as was the subject he
recommended, the subscribers felt convinced that facts give daily
proof that the efforts of Christians are honoured of God in despite
of these unhallowed divisions, and that no more effectual antidote
to the evil, and preservative from the sin, of disunion could be de-
vised, than the inl usion of an evangelistic spirit. They were, how.
ever, ere their scheme was matured and publicly announced, ap-
prised that Sir Culling Eardley Smith was seeking to direct the
church to a sense of its duty in respect of " union," by offering a
liberal prize for an essay on this very subject.
At this stage that philosophic and devoted missionary, Dr. Duff,
whose grand project of instructing the youth of India and raising
up an edncated native ministry is now so well known and appre-
ciated, providentially heard of the design, and sent unsolicited a
contribution to the funds ; and being requested to favour the pro-
moters with his valuable counsel, he henceforward not only encou-
raged them with his countenance, but lent his accustomed energy
to the accomplishing of the object. It is to his enlightened judg-
ment •that the catholic spirit and admirable arrangements, which
distinguish the proposal as it was made known to the world, are in
a great measure due. A managing committee was now formed,
consisting of the Rev. Dr. John Muir, the Rev. J. G. Lorimer, (his-
torian of the Protestant Church of France,) the Rev. Dr. Buchanan,
respected ministers of the Church of Scotland, some elders and
laymen of that church, and a lay Episcopalian. A prospectus,
offering two prizes of two hundred guineas and fifty guineas re-
spectively, was then widely circulated throughout Great Britain
and Ireland by the obliging intervention of several literary publi-
cations, authenticated by the signatures of the late Rev. Dr. Mac-
gill, professors of theology thin the University of Glasgow, of the
great Dr. Chalmers, and of Dr. Duff.
The earnest desire of all concerned was to divest the design of
every sectarian limitation, and to engage in competition the best
qualified writers of all orthodox Christian denominations, and thus
finally to procure treatises which might be read with confidence,
and consequently prove influential, in every quarter where in
God's providence they should find their way. Accordingly the ad-
judicators ' were selected from among the most eminent living
names in the several British churches and societies, who have re-
cently prosecuted the missionary enterprise with the greatest vi.
gour. These were—the Rev. Dr. Welsh, professor of church his.
tory in the Metropolitan University of Scotland; the Rev. Dr
Wardlaw, a Cogregationalist, whose theological works are of the
highest esteem; the Rev. Henry Melvid, chaplain of the Tower,
whose co-operation was calculated to ensure the scheme cordial
acceptance throughout the united Church of England and Ireland;
the Rev. Dr. Bunting. whose name is a tower of strength among
the Methodist brotherhood; and the Rev. Thos. S. Crisp, president
of the Baptist College: Bristol, who, for his eminent qualifications,
was suggested by the Baptist Missionary Society. The manner in
which these divines have discharged their most arduous duty, lays
the Christian community under inexpressible obligations.
There was no restriction as to the language in which the essays
should be composed, or the country whence they should proceed.
As might have been expected, they were all written in English,
though it is not unlikely some of the authors were American.
While the subscribers took little or no active part in circulating
their prospectus in the United States and British North America.
it is understood the document was reprinted there, and so made
known to our transatlantic brethren, certain of whom applied for
an extension of the period up to which competing essays should be
received, a concession which the committee, notwithstanding their
anxiety to carry out the original catholic spirit of the design, and
to enlist in this service the piety and talent of America, felt them-
selves precluded from granting in consistency with the published
prospectus, which necessarily regulated their procedure.
Circumstances which have not been intimated retarded the de-
cision on the essays (forty-two in number) that were submitted to
the adjudicators. It has now been announced for a few months,
and the missionary cause is at length in possession of the successful
essays, is handsome volumes, viz., First,—" The Great Commission ;
or, the Church of Christ Constituted and Charged to Convey the Gos-
pel to the World," by the Rev. Dr. Harris, President of Cheshunt Col-
lege, the celebrated author of " Mammon" and " Britannia" (prize
essays on "Covetousness" and "The Claims of British Seamen")
and of other works. To this essay four of the five adjudicators con-
curred in assigning the first prize of 200 guineas. Second,—"Mis-
sions, their Authority, Scope, and Encouragement," by the Rev.
Richard Winter Hamilton, of Leeds, author of several works in prose
and verse, which have gained him a high reputation as a man of let-
ters. To this essay was awarded by a similar majority the second
prize of so guineas. Third,—" The Jubilee of the World," by the
Rev. John Macfarlane, Parish Minister of Colegsie, Fifeshire. This
essay was so highly commended by the adjudicators, who variously
ranked it in the first, the secon.l, and (if we may so speak) the third
place, that the committee resolved to assign it an extra prize, and to
have it published under their sanction. Regarding this third essay,
it is perhaps worthy of notice that, thongh desirous of bestowing on
it an honorary distinction, and of ascertaining who was the writer
with this view, the committee returned it to the place where it was
to be called for without opening the sealed letter which contained
his name and address, rather than violate a secresy which they were
orfly at liberty to dissolve, in the case of the first and second, in
order. It is not known how many of the other essays are destined
to pass through the press. There is reason to hope there may be
several, as the adjudicators have declared they received " a consi-
derable number, of sterling excellence." Already the Hon. and
Rev. Baptist Noel, one of the most distinguished ornaments of the
Church of England, and Dr. Melson, a physician, who takes an ac-
tive part in Wesleyan Missionary Societies, have favoured the
church with their treatises. Considering how well calculated the
missionary enterprise is to rouse youthful enthusiasm, the laurels
of victory in this literary competition might have been expected to
fall on brows hitherto unknown to fame; it is the more gratifying,
therefore, to find that the prizes have been won by men of age, cha-
racter and station. When our leading spirits do not hesitate to con-
tend on such an arena. who can resist the conclusion that the
churches arc in a hopeful state, and who will charge the warmest
advocates of missions with extravagance of zeal and expectation ?
St is a good that the church possesses such works ; but, to be use-
ful, they must be circulated and read. The friends of missions—
a class which, we are bold to say, includes every consistent Chris-
tian—(for what are missions but the exercise and expression of love
to God and to man ?; have, therefore, a duty to perform with re-
spect to the works in question. They ought to strive to give cur-
rency to these several animated appeals by promoting the circulation
as widely as possible. The missionary enterprise receives a direct
pecuniary benefit front the sale of the first prize essay—the half of
the copyright of that of the 24 having been, by the concurrence of
both authors, reserved for the institution of some object (not yet
determined) " promotive of the great cause of missions." In con-
clusion, let Christians offer " an united and fervent prayer for the
success of this endeavour to advance the glory of God and the haps
piness and salvation of men—a prayer, in which 'the adjudicatort'
invite their fellow-Christians of every denomination to join," that
all the essays which shall pass through the press " may contribute to
the further excitement of His people's zeal in this highest and best
of causes."