New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-10
SEAMENS CONVENTION.

Yesterday morning a Convention of the Bethel
Chapains and the friends of seamen, invited, under
the auspices OF the NewYork Port Society, from all
parts of the United States met and organized at the
Madison street Marine Church, for the purpose of de-
vising and adopting the best means of advancing
the temporary and spiritual interests of seamen The
attendance WAS quite small.
The Rev. w. d. HARRIS called the Convention 10
order at 10 o'clock, after which the Rev. JONATHAN
GREEsLEAF was nominated and elected az President
and the Rev. c. w. Denston, Editor of The Sea, as
Secretary.
The Chairman, the Rev. Mr. GREEsLEAF, delivered
an address i'll which he gave the full history Of the
Port Society and traced the origin of religious meet
ings for the benefit of to the time when prayer
meetings were first held board coal-ships in the
River Thames under the name of Bethel" meetings.
Letters were read from the Rev. DIR. Bethune; the
Rev. Cbas. $. Stewart Chaplain in the United States
Navy; the Rev. Amos Il. Mccoy of st. Peters, New
Orleans; the Rev. X. Stubbns, New-Hampshre the
Rev. James ID. Butler, New-Bedford the Rev. 4. n.
Harris Yarmouth Noya-Scotia; the Rev. Mr.. Glashon
Southern Agent of the Seamans Friend Society; and
the Rev. James G.. Beecher of Hong Kong, China.
The Convention met again at o'clock and further
organized. Ii decided that the forenoon and az
ternoon sessions from 9 to II and 10 s. should be
devoted TO the discussion of the questions presented
by a Committee Resolutions, and that the evenings
should be spent in prayer and conference meetings,
and addresses by members of the Convention.
The Convention is to close with meeting at the
EVENING SESSION.
Az o'clock in the evening the Convention was
again called TO order, and the Rev. GEORGE HUGHES
of tie Seamans Friend Society of Philadelphia opened
with prayer.
The Rev. Mr.. JONES pastor of the Mariners Church,
read the programme decided upon, and then accounted
for the rather sparse attendance by the fact that an
other meeting of similar nature was being held in
another part of the city. He said the Committee ap-
pointed would this morning present series of resolu-
tons touching practically upon the question of making
missionaries and cyilizers out of seamen and the d
cutes lying in the way of an end so desirable.
The Rev. CHAs. w. DEsisTos then preached an
interesting practical sermon, from the text Because
the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto
" Thee the forces Of the Gentiles shall come unto
Thee" Isaiah 60, ). During the course of his re-
marks, he estimated the identified with the CON-
merca marine of the various ports of the United States
follows: Boston, so 600 men; New-Bsdford and
Buzzard Bay, mostly whaling vessels, 10 600 men;
Providence, 400 mem New-London, 5000 10 IL, 900
at certain seasons, when whaling was prosperous;
New-fork, 200, 600 annual visitors, beside - 900 TO
81, COO seamen always resident for period; Phladel
pha, eco TO 1000; Baltimore, 5000 10 II 0J0 men;
Charleston IL 600 to - 600 and Orleans So 900
10 COCO On the lakes the Mediterranean seas Of
the New World, there were 10000 to 50, 900 men
gagged in taking the products of the prares and mines
Of the Northwest and bringing them down TO our sea-
board.
Mr.. DEsIsTos next enlarged upon the fact, thai Of
the $50 languages spoken by the human family, nearly
ALL if not all, spoken by the sailors who for
shifting upon the nayilabe waters OF the globe.
The peculiarities of sailors rendered them excellent
missionaries. lst. They hardy aud able 10 endure
fatigue; I'd. They possess the qualification, persever.