Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-20
DAILY EVENING STAR,
AMERICAN sEAMEN's HOME SOCIETY.

y
Elliott delivered an address at the F street
Presbyterian Church on behalf of the
above Society, taking for his text the 5th
verse from the Goth chapter of Isaiah,
which predicts the future triumphs of
the Gospel. The preacher began by
observing that the accomplishment OF
this prediction would be brought about
by seamen, through the instrumentality
of the above named Society. whose OBJ
jectS he then explained. He then advertcd
to the Magazine published under their
auspices, and recommended its further
circulation, to the officers of the NAVY
particularlysand to those who have friends
at sea, as welfas to all in general. its OBJ
ject being the fuifiNment of the prophecy
mentioned in the text. eRererting to the
Society, he observed that 800 .subserip-
ton constituted life member. and $50
a life director, and that the subscription
to the Magazine was 81 per annum. The
first evidence Of the fulfllment of the
prophecy of the text, was the change of
opinion that had recently taken place in
the minds of others respecting sailors.
unfavorable impressions had been
changed, and it was the opinion of many
that the difference in morality between
sailors and landsmen, arose from the
greater exposure TO temptation to which
the former were subject. The character
of the sailor had received a correspond
ingimprovement. Only united and vigor-
Gus efforts were required to bring about
their spiritual and temporal welfare.
The second circumstance showing the
fuitilment of the prophecy was the efforts
that were being made to improve the
character of sailors. This was shown
in the marine churches, seamens' board
ing houses and savings bank for there earn
ings that had been instituted. There were
Bethels or floating churches, with chap
lains for their instruction, in all our large
cities as well as IN several sea ports of
France, at Panama, and Aspinwall, and
there were other important sea ports
where they could proftably have similar
establishments if they had the means to
appoint chaplains to them. Seamen, as
class, should be echristianiZed, and it was
for the church to assist in this work.
More than two hundred thousand
seamen are employed throughout the
world, and the number is increasing.
To their charge is confded the wealth
transmitted from one part Of the world
to another. They must always exercise
a powerful influence upon all with whom
they are brought in contact, and this
should be turned to good. Our NAVY
also occupied an important position
The past and present neglected condition
Of boatmen and seamen required Christian
in their behalf They were
formerly considered set of outcasts, and
seamen were indirectly excluded from all
with the church, for if bv
chance sailor entered a church there
was no one that would take him by the
hand and show him to seat. On this
account the society had thought fit that
they should have churches for .eamen
where they might go and
hear the word of salvation. The intlu-
ence that pious seamen and boatmen
would exert was reason for Christian
iiberality. Let it be remembered that
the striped bunting floats over every
UCCdu, w Z IldfC Sfll Oul
to the Sandwich Islands, but the crews
Of the very vessels that took them out
exercised a greater influence among the
natives for bad than they did for good.
de would ask, were the inhabitants of
the large maritime towns to bear all the
burdens of the support Of these instltu.
tionsz How little did people think,
when enjoying the comforts of their
homes, that the sailor had borne the heat
and the cold of the torrid and frigid
zones to bring them to eur shores. Yet
our philanthropy was directed to the red
man on our frontier, the heather abroad,
and the worshiper of the false prophet !:
while we forget the seaman in whose be-
halfhe had been often panied to hear moth
ing said at religious meetings. The sailor
was too often seen to disadvantage when
he had plenty of money. He referred to
the early disciples of Christ, who Were
fishermen, or fresh-water sailors at least,
and one of them was the disciple whom
the Saviour loved. There was Peter, who
preached the gospel to assembled thou
sands from all parts of the world, and
who made men to cry out, What shall
we do to be saved !"-three thousand
being added to the number of those that
should be saved by a single seaman.
There was Saul of Tarsus, the tent ma
ker, who had followed sail making-a
trade nearly akin to that of a sailor-and
who had written such lively account OF
his voyage and shipwreck. He advo-
Gated strictly temperance principles on
shipboard, and recommended the disuse
of spirits in the Navy, and substitution
ofsmall stores, or money, to be exchanged
by them for fruits or milk at various ports.
As an argument in favor of this plan, he
alluded to the ten-gup brig commanded
by Captain Foote, which was commanded
on abstinence principles, and during Six
teen months cruise on the coast of Afri-
ca not a single man died. There was a
similar favorable instance Of siXty-gun
frigate stationed in the Mediterranean.
lie mentioned as proof that sailors were
liberal for Christian purposes, that the
officers and crew of the United States ship
Potomac gave $500 towards church on
one of the Sandwich Islands, and simi-
lar sum to found an infant school; nor
has any American snip of war ever gone
10 the same place without contributing
likewise to the same object. The crew
of the United States ship Delaware, whilst
in the Hampton Roads, gave $4,000 to-
wards building church in this city. de