American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-09-18
A STEAMBOAT INCIDENT.

1t was pleasant evening, when,
few christian friends were making their
passage from New York to Boston,
The steamboat was gliding swiftly over
the smoothe surface. These friends
were sitting together behind the ladies'
cabin, retired from the rest of the pas
sengers. Here they commenced sing
ing familiar hymns. And the music
of Coronation, and other popular airs,
evidently attracted no small company
both of performers and SPECTATORS
1t so happened, that there was among
the passengers, unknown to the chris
tian singers, a famous comic actor
He, it seems, conceived the purpose of
amusing himself by acting part some.
what unusual for him. So with all
the gravity of staid christian, he ad-
dressed the persons that had been
singing, as his christian friends, and
informed them that there was mis-
sionary on board, and proposed that a
contribution should be taken up for
him. The others remarked, that they
should first have an opportunity, to see
and hear him, that they might judge
of his claims upon their patronage.
The actor assented and though more
accustomed to acting Jim Crow, than
to arranging the preliminaries for a
sermon, he went direct to the captain
and got permission to occupy the cab
in with an address by the missionary.
He then went to the cabin and with
all gravity required the card players to
lay aside their occupations and make
way for the missionary. Their obe-
dience was instantaneous and universal.
The missionary was introduced, "a young
modest preacher connected with some
Foreign mission-a stranger alike to
the actor, and the company. Being
thus called upon by he knew not whom
and having an audience thus extern
porized for him, he could do no less
than to give them discourse appro-
pirate to his vocation. He did it, and
his hearers were deeply interested in
the facts which he related and the ap.
peals which he made.
At the close of his discourse, the
comedian arose, as grave as before,
and remarked that he had previously
determined to commence the contribu-
ton, by giving five dollars, but he had
been so much interested in what he
had heard, that he should double the
sum and commence with ten dollars.
He then carried round the hat, and
gathered a contribution of more than
thirty dollars, and paid it over to the
missionary. The scene passed away ;
the passengers retired to rest, and none
but those who knew the man, had
any suspicion that he was acting a
comedy for his own amusement. In.
deed, in the morning he was seen in.
PRODUCING his wife to the missionary,
all appeared as grave as before.
But the special point of the Incl
dent is that which reveals the provi
dence of God. The missionary in.
formed some of the contributors af-
forwards, how opportuncly the contri.
button came. lie was on journey,
and his money was exhausted, and he
was in great straits, and previous to
this unlocked for occurrence, he was
casting in his mind with great perplcxi-
ty, what he should do? SO it seems,
while his thoughts we're thus laboring,
Gods providence was moving the
mind of comedian-one far enough
from all sympathy with missionaries
to find his sport in bringing supply.
There seems in this to be parall ell
with ElUah's being fed by ravens, which
might be supposed to be the last birds
to bring meat to men; such Jim Grow
would seem to be the last to supply
the wants Of q ponnilcss servant Of
God. .--Puyitan Recorder
The Mormons have had q three days
"Woods meeting" through Fridov Sat.