Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-08

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seeheener. -
The children's missionary ship. tha Morning
Star, which vas built in Bath and to the build
ing of which ~sosmany Maine children con-
tributed. has been taking on cargo for the
Sandwich islands for the pas, week At Lewis
wharf. Boston and that region oflongshoremen
and sailors has been visited BY hundreds of
people new to those who spend their lives on
ships and water fronts. The present mission
airy ship is the fourth one Of the same name
built by the contributions OF Sunday school
children all over the country. One was sold,
when worn out by voyagings in the South
Sea, and two were wrecked on coral reefs of
some Of the remote islands Of the Pacific
Each time the money was forthcoming to
build another ship, and when this fourth
Morning Star was commenced more than the
necessary o., 900 IS ready. Nearly loo, 600
children own shares in the little ship, aud sill
Of them living near Boston have been down
to see the vessel during the past fort
night. Ii is many years since my own
pennies ratified into the Sunday school
box TO help build Morning Star but the
pride of past ownership now passes to this
latest ship that wears that name Until the
Missionary ship was made fast to the wharf
the sailors never saw such crowds of Just
such people in that part of the city. Children
have trooped all over the ship and explored
to the lowest depths of the hold and dear old
ladies, main props of the missionary cause.
have gone cautiously up the steep gang plank
and inspected all the admirable fittings and
arrangements of the cabins and state rooms
The newest Morning Star is 1870 feet long and
registers 40 tons. In nautical phrase it is a
m Tod har hnf in cd 10
masts made eighty feet high in order that
the upper sails may catch every lightest breeze
in the trepic seas, the ship is supplied with
auxiliary steam power to be used in Gains
and among the islands. Everything is good
and substantial about the cabins. but there
has been no unnecessary extravaganza. unless
IL comes to the presents. souvenirs and bits
of fancy work that adorn the captains sane
tam.
That sturdy seaman, Capt Isaiah BRAY by
name. has been as well supplied in this partic-
ular as any young clergyman, and the sofa
pillows, wall pockets, tides, calendars, slip
pers and fancy pillow shams in his cabin
would make al y master in the merchant ma
rine pale with envy. Every day he is seized
by dozen or more enthusiastic women who
want to shake him by the hand, $50 as to tell
the children about it, and he gets fearful
oHu AtI'cul uirssluBs rum somc utdE Olu
souls it would try any ones emotions to
withstand. He leaves the whole ship open to
the inspection of visitors. and though they
trip over the ropes and get in the way of the
wOrkmen, and crowd the captains cabin,
there is no intolerance put to their move
ments. 1t was an amusing eight the other
day to see middle-aged clergyman of the
most conventional type, with gold-rmmed
spectacles, white cravat. and long broad
cloth coat, climb cautiously up the
ratlines and examine the masts and sails.
high silk hat bobbing around on the yardsrms
was novelty enough to make the old salts in
the neighborhood stop to watch it, and an
anxious group of women on the deck below
implored the aerial sightseer not to fall. The
ship is taking pn general cargo for Honolulu,
AID will soon be of on its voyage, steaming
through the, Straits Of Magellan to the Pacific.
and then beginning it's work of carrying help
and light to the heather of the South Sea.