New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-15
Mariners Church I'm New-York

1t is estimated that, including boatmen
and those who navigate inland waters here are
constantly in port from fifteen to twenty thousand
sailors. AS class, their depravity is proverbal,
and the influence they exert beth at home and abroad
most injurious. Through dissipation and exposure,
with the pers inseparable from their calling, they
die early,-the sailor seldom living out half his
days
Yet IN this age, so distinguished for phllanthropc
and Christian enterprise, these men have been al
most entirely overlooked. Christian charity has
wept over the restitution Of distant lands and her
ear has been open to the cry OF nations at the ends
Of the earth. while the thousands Of seamen at our
very doors are perishing without knowledge, and
,he wall OF their helpless wives and childrenis com
paratively unheeded
pe is pre- ached under the Bethel flag, and If there
may be an average of fifty sailors at EACH where
shall we look for the thousands who are absent IRON
the house of God on Sunday, or how shall we Ind
them employed We may look for them in houses
OF dissipation and RIGHTEOUSNESS, and find them &C.
cuped in habitual desecrallon OF the Sabbath vast
ing their haId-eaned wages IN Ilotous living, among
the voracious and proflgate, who fatten on their
earnings and live on their depayty.
Entertaining these views a church for the accom-
modatcn OF stamen and their families was erected
between SIX and seven years ago, III Cherry street
near Clinton, in this City. IL may be SAID, without
boasting that this church has been the means OF do
iTg much good, having been the happy agent In the
reformation OF many seaInen, and III carrying sym
patty and relief TO their afflicted, bereayed or cesll-
lutte families. Several hundreds OF sailors chl fren
also have here been gathered INTO the Sunday school,
and thus preserved IN some measure from those evil
associations that almost lnfalhbly lead TO early
rum 1890.
The agencies employed in accomplishing their OBJ
ec,s haye bee the oihe GosPelani the DIS
rlbuton OF Bibles tracts and books TO seamen, tenn
perancc meetings the Sunday school, and the laoors
of Female Aid Society, the managers OF which
have sought out the poor and relieved ther neceSsi
ties, as far as their means have permlt'eo
Notwithstanding all the efforts anc sacrihces thar
have been made 10 sustain H. this church Is at pre-
sent in peril and without assistance must ne sold IN,
der the foreclosure of mortgage for four thousand
dollars The sale OF the church under these clrcun-
stances would be sufficiently notifying, but there Is
feature in the affair that adds grlet TO mortihcaon
II sale under the mortgage occur, our property VIII
not realize enough 10 pay our debts, and wldows
orphan children, and persons IN comparatively ihCl
gent circumstances, whose money has been Iodned
10 the trustees, IN small sums, mus: lose theu all
Our church is, OF course, denOmlnatlonal one
Tor II would be impossible 10 have church without
a name Believing thai SeaInen are entlleu W
church PRIVILEGES and the ordinances OF renelon
equally with landsmen, those under whose erection
our buildings were erected, had previously org tH
sed themselves ard associated mo ch9Ich. Anu
as the pastors have always been MetEodlst minis
tiers itwould have been an act Oh cupnclsy 70 assume
any other name than that of Methodist N.dscopal
Church. -.
Dereldent ior support, as \ :eaman'S church mus,
be. upOn tNOSe not IutILp(Io vi OHt NoA6ANe
there is little doubt that our name has been an llu
~ to Us GepIiying us II some measure OF the sym
pathy both Of tee public and our own denominatoh'
The former supposing II to be the duty Of the Meiho
dist community SUSTAIN It's own Bethel are lnCilh
ed with few exceptions TO consider our applications
Tor aid as Sell Iieh an lmpeTtnence and the lat
ter. when we apply 10 them, remind US that we Ia
bor for a class for whose religious instruction lhe
con mercial public should provice, and that We
should look 10 them for our our principal support
II seems to US however that an enterprise Ike 'hl
NAV Justly EXPECT the favorable consideration, and
fairv claim the assistance of the entire community
Ours IS 10 local interest, nor Go we labor TOT the
bspeft of a particular congregation. Our house IS
a natjop al temple, nay Il temple for the sesnen OF
Ike world whore the seats are free TO Ill, ana "hele
all are cordially invited 10 worship. A large pro
porton of those present on any saooath DAY nave
perhaps never been Ia our church before, anu NAY
never eItef Al again. The REMAINDER OIL our ne aieI'
consist principally of the families Of sailors VINO re-
side in our vicinity but who, from Their limited 0.
cums,auces are as likely 10 need assistance, as 70
be able to do any thing for the support OF tne chch
From CONGREGATION Of this character ilse can DC
expectcd TO sustain an enterprise Ike tnis- woulu
seem clear that the entire community are Directly Oh
Indirectly interested IN the moral and rengious I'M
nyoyemen nj a seamen. Capitalists, whose money Is
in,es.ed in insurance companies. banking or trace:
AS well rs every class Of our population IN CITY AM