The Portland daily press., 1896-02-28

| years p0Ioio nc coHleSbeu DIS oaFioul po-
fore men. He told me he had been ser
inus man for twenty years. He was
man OF violent temper, and being
Christian cost him long hard struggle.
He joined the church, and few years
later they voted him into the office of
deacon. He perenptorily resigned. They
voted him i'll again. He refused to serve.
Then the brethren urged and insisted,
until he was exasperated at their persis-
tency. He rose in the meeting and with
fire in his eye, he roared out: Brethren,
l won't have the office, / have an infer
nal, unconquered temper, | should dis
honor the office. That sea captain be-
died few years ago. Visiting him one
day during his last sickness, ! found him
bolstered up in his bed singing with a
strong voice:
Jesus lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly"
All he had strong faith, and a
wolnan's heart for Tenderness.
Gentlemen of The Portland Marine So
ciety, l thank you for the privilege of
saying these words. Your courteous
president came in person to my house and
invited me to this banquet. He said that
1t had been remarked among you that
probably had ministered at the funerals
Of more of Portland's shipmasters than
so, bnt do not understand that am
here tonight because of service rendered
to dead humanity, but irather because
you designed to show your respect to the
clergy of Portland.
Mr.. President, permit me TO express
the hope that when the second centennial
OF this ancient Society OCCURS you Will
all have found permanent and peaceful
residences in tho better land beyond the
shores OF time, where the pillows OF
trOublo and sorrow shall no more dash
and break over your heads and hearts,
where there shall be no more sea nor
tempest, nor Sshipwrecks, but blissful
and restful activity in the haven and
heaven of immortal life
The Boston Marine Society-An organ
ization akin to our own, and whose
membership includes many noted men
who commanded those peerless clipper
ships that, a generation ago, were a
familiar and beautiful sight on every
ocean.
Response by Capt. R. G. f. Candage.
CAPT. CANDAGE'S REMARKS.
Mr.. President and Members of the Port
land Marine Society:
l thank you very much for the invita-
ton to be present at the centennial meet
ing and exercises of your venerable so"l-
| ETY. and am glad to be called upon to
respond to the toast, "The Boston Marine
Society, an organization akin to our
own, and whose membership includes
many noted men who commanded those
peerless clipper ships that a generation
ago were a familiar sight on eve n
ocean"
l. confess to having felt some tr epida-
tion upon receiving the invitation and
reading therein what would be expected
of me, as to my ability to worthily fulfil
10 sIxr&r .,s,rs-. Dirt IL
courage when | relnem bered that the
members of the society before whom |
was to appear, have eaten salt beef and
cracker HASH have been crooked in the
cradle of the deep" and are my brothe rs.
As native of the State OF Maine; as
an ex-president of the Boston Marine
| Society; and as a former shipmaster. it
affords me great pleasure to be present at
this noteworthy gathering of your society
and no subject could have been selected
by you, moro in harmony with my feel
ings than the one you have chosen around
and about which to group the thoughts
and words / am about to speak. to you
| tonight.
| hring to you warm greeting from
the Boston Marine Society, and It's best
wishes for your present and future
strength and vitality. hoping that your
next hundred years of life will find your
vigor undated, your membership aug
hundredth anniversary more joyous (if
possible than the present.
The Boston Marine Society was the
first of it's kind in America, it being
thirty years older than at New York. It
was founded as the Fellowship club in
1742, and was chartered as the Boston
Marine Society in 1854 At the time of
it's founding there were no marine insur-
ance companies, a shjpmaster at that
period often owned Largely in his vessel
and her cargo and if he were unfortunate
enough to lose his ship, also lost his
property with her. The Boston Marine
Society was the outcome of the times in
which it was founded, for the purpose
Of aiding its members in poverty and
sickness by the creation of fund for
that purpose, Or by voluntary oontribu-
i tions.
In the hundred and f1fty-four years of
the existence Of the Boston Marine Soeie-
ty there has been paid out of it's treasury
for the benefit of Its Judgment mem bers
and their families sum equal to $500,
600, or more.
Its present membership is about 800
active, and 100 honorary. Its invested
funds amount to $3.50, 900 or whereabouts,
but the income from this large sum is
not sufficient to satisfy the needs of all
who have right to call upon the society.
Sea captains have felt the hard times
consequent upon the depression in our
merchant marine, more than any other
class in the country. To the shipmaster
advanced in years, who has been unable
to provide for his old age ana the COM
fort of his family, when out Of employ
has nothing to look forward to, but the
Marine Society, If member, and if not,
to the Sailors Snug Harbor, or the poor
} house. Many shipmasters. their wives
and minor children have had occasion to
} bless the men who through their wisdom,
founded the Marine societies.
On the rolls of the Boston Marine Soci-
ETY. will be found the names of many as
eminent shipmasters and merchants as
the country has ever produced. Such
were Bryant & Sturgis, famous captains,
and later ship owners and merchants en-
gagged in the Northwest coast and China
trade. Daniel G. Bacon, Osborne Howes
} Robert b. Forbes, Erastus Sampson,
Elias X. Dawson and many others who
J won distinction us ship1nasters and mer-
chants, we remem bers and among the
list of honorary members were the
names of Weld & Baker, the largest ship
owners in the couE try, and other mer-
chants, professional men. U. S navy
officers, U. S. revenue marine officers,
and one ex-President of the United States
J John Adams.