Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-06-22
REMARKABLE CASE Of \ SAILOR.

- S-~S
\ youth sbout seventeen or eighteen
years OF age waited upon one of The seere-
iarics of .iIe Bethel companies TO purchase
Tract. He was asked, "llave you at.
tented any Of the Bethel prayer-meeiings
on boarI sbip?" Yes. the last evening
only yesterday landed from my voyage !;
his afternoon am bound TO She,lanl TO
see my friends. Although tbs visi. 10 the
Bethel meeting was accidental, il has been
The means ofgreat CONSOLATION 10 my mind"
II am glaJ you found it Sc. Were you
unhappy % "Sir, | will relate 20 you wha'
took place in my las! voyage. | sailed from
LONDON in q Scotch vessel 70: the West
ladies', second Mlte the most prohiga.e aud
abandoncl ure.ch tha. ever Sailed salt
water, particularly for profane swcar!ng.-
Our captain, though good seamcn and
kind to his ships company, cared not for
his own sau!. nor for the souls Of his ships
crew. We had been al sea sixteen days.
it came on night, i, was my watch; the
nigh, was dark and lowering, and bat little
wind al the time ; we had most of our lower
sails out, and was walking fore and aft on
the lceward side Of the ship when 4 sudden
putt OF wind caused tho vessel 10 give a
heavy lurch not prepared to meet j., was
caps'z d, and came headlong against one
Of the Sanctions. Feeling much hurt, !
gave vent 20 my anger by dreadful oath,
cursing the wind, the ship, the sea, and, aw-
fu, TO relate. the Beng who made then,.-
S:.rc:, hsl tbs horrd oath escaped my lips,
1,tn i seemed 20 roll back upon my mind
with so lrightul an image that | ran af',
and for Il inoment or two though, saw the
sea parting and The vessel going do sn.
took the helm from the man who was at il
and putthe ships head close to the W nd.
All that night my awful oath and its con.
sequences were passing before my eyes
ike spectre ; for several days | was mis-.
cradle. Ashamed to acknowledge the
cause. asked one OF the men if ne had
any book 10 lend me to read; he offered
me French novel by Rousseau. asked
If be had Bible or Testament. He
answered by asking if | was going to die !
for his part, he said, he never troubled his
head abou. the Bible or Prayerbook, he
left all these matters TO tie priest, wiki
whom he had left part of his pay TO pray
for him; and if | had done so, should not
have been so squeamish. The captain
knew had one, bu, was unwilling TO ask
the loan oft. Some days passed thus my
mind continuing in tie greatest torment,
and this dreadful oath always before me.
could not pray; indeed thought it was OF
no use. On the fifth day | was turning
some things over in my ches. and found
some trflles had purchased for sea stock
wrapped in paper, this piece Of paper
putting his hand al the same time into his
jacket pocket, and from small red case
pulling out The paper, leaf Of the Bible
containing nearly the whole of the frs
chapter of Isaiah. Ch, how my heart ,hrob
bed when found it a piece Of the Bible =
(At this part ofthe narrative the youth wa:
much alFected.) He pressed the leaf te
his heart, and added, But, oh! sir, con
ceIve what felt when read these words
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they te ret
like crimson, they shall be as WOOL Oh
sir! Ike drowing man chung 10 this an,
prayed that the Lord would be graciousIy
pleased to remove, in some measure, my
guilt. Still my heart felt heavy; but
trust that in attending your Bethel prayer.
meeting last evening Tel, some comfor
and consola ion, and hope the Lord vii
sneak neaca IN nv Soulo