My time has been occupied during this month in this important and beautiful harbour, and other neighbouring places, holding services, visiting sick seamen, distributing religious tracts, both English, Welsh, and foreign; and conversing with seamen about religion. The foreigners seem glad to get a tract in their own language. I went on board a Greek vessel one day, lying far off in the roads, and presented the captain with a tract. He objected to receive it at first, thinking, no doubt, it was English; but when I opened it, and his eye fell on his own language, he was quite overjoyed. I was sorry I could not understand its contents myself, it seemed so deeply interesting to the captain. He took his stand upon the half-deck hatch, called the men together, and with a loud voice read it to them, who were all ear and attention. After giving each man on board a tract for himself, I left them, and while climbing over the sides of the ship, could hardly help wishing to participate in that power enjoyed by the primitive disciples, when on the day of Pentecost they were able to speak to men of every nation under heaven in their own tongue, concerning the wonderful works of God.

Among our English vessels I sometimes meet with a fellow-traveller towards Zion, and as we mutually seem to understand the language of Canaan, converse freely and delightfully in that language of our future inheritance.

We have delightful meetings on shore, and well attended. One evening, at the close of our Bethel service, I was invited to visit a seaman who was sick. I cheerfully complied, accompanied with a friend. We found the man very ill in body, and much concerned about his soul. He was at once pointed to the Saviour. We talked with him, prayed with him, sang with him, wept with him-and the man began to pray, and weep, and cry aloud for mercy. It was a struggle at first, but we conquered; heaven came down to earth, a cloud of glory seemed to burst upon us-we were all filled with the Holy Ghost! The dying sailor felt the influence, glimmerings of hope darted into his distressed soul. He began to see and feel that Christ was wounded for his transgressions, and bruised for his iniquities; in short, he believed, and was saved, and was enabled to rejoice in God his Saviour. This was on the Tuesday evening. I continued to visit him, and he not only kept his hold of Christ, but was anxious that his relatives and friends should become partakers of like precious faith. On the Monday morning following, I was on my way to see him again; but before my arrival his spirit had fled, I firmly believe, to that place where

"No clouds nor tempests rise,

And gushing tears are wiped away
For ever from our eyes.'

I have had twenty services, which have been well attended; 140 vessels visited; 910 English, 102 foreign, and fifty-two Welsh tracts distributed; two Bibles and three Testaments sold, and three public meetings held--one at Penzance, one at Truro, and one at Penryn; and I trust that the visit of the Rev. T. C. French, and the speeches he delivered at the above meetings, will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. T. A. Fieldwick.

Yours, &c.

JOHN TROTTER.

RAMSGATE.

REPORT OF MR. W. PHILLIPS.

When I held the first service in the Sailors' Chapel I had only twelve persons present, but now the attendance is greatly increased, and, I trust, during the winter months, will be even much larger, as there will then be more sailors in the harbour. Several cases of usefulness have attended the exposition of God's word. Several meetings for prayer and reading of the Scriptures have been held in the vessels, and the tracts have been thankfully received.

I visited nine persons brought in from two vessels that had sunk. The crew of the first gave themselves up for lost, when a little girl, about six years of age, said to her father, the captain, "Father, do let us go into the boat." He replied, "It is of no use, we shall be upset in a moment.' But the child repeated her entreaty, adding, "I know if we go into the boat we shall be saved; God will save us; I am sure he will." While she spoke these words the wind fell, and it continued calmer for about twenty minutes. They all got into the boat, and in a few minutes after the vessel sunk. For five hours they were tossed about in that frail boat, until another small vessel came up and took them in. The gale continued, and their vessel of refuge began to sink also; when the horrors of the scene were thus described by them :"No tongue can tell the agony we felt, expecting every minute to be launched into eternity; but the little girl's 'I know that God will save us,' kept hope alive. Strength failed at the pump. We burned our clothes as a signal of distress, and prayed to God to save us, making solemn vows that, if spared, we would consecrate ourselves to Him. Another vessel came to our rescue, and we had just time to get on board when the second vessel sunk, to be seen no more." Thus, through God's providence, they were landed in a port of safety; and the united testimony of both crews was, The only comfort we received was from the confidence of that little girl, that we should be saved." She had learnt to fear and trust in God, through the instruction received in the Sunday school.

Several other companies have been visited, and suitable tracts distributed amongst them.

A ship, laden with emigrants, that struck on the Goodwin Sands, came in, and 195 German and Dutch tracts were distributed amongst them. Many of them could read fluently.

Dis the daughter of a sailor. She came to me one day, expressing a wish to connect herself with the people of God. She said, "I came to the sailors' room when you delivered an address from 2 Cor. viii. 9,- For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' &c., which was blessed to my soul, and on the following Wednesday I came again, when you spoke on the prayer and agony of the Saviour in the garden." She is now about to join a Christian church.

There are three other cases of a similar character.

YARMOUTH.

REPORT OF MR. J. VALLINS.

Since my last we have had a week's special services at the Mariners' Chapel here, for the purpose of imploring Almighty God to remove that dreadful scourge, the cholera, from among us, and to impress upon the minds of sailors

and fishermen more especially, that they stand in jeopardy every hour; that their lives, so full of peril from their calling, is doubly so at the present time, and thus attempt to awaken reflection in their minds, that we might lead them to Christ.

I am happy to say that the attendance and interest manifested much exceeded our highest expectations, and that the interest was well sustained throughout the week.

The plague is now stayed, as but few cases of cholera are now heard of in our town, or among our seamen; and we have had another special service at the Mariners' Chapel, to render public thanksgiving to God for this, among other mercies, and again to remind the people of their obligations to God. The same interest was manifested as at the first, and a goodly number of sailors and fishermen were present, several of whom exercised in prayer. Three addresses were given by myself and the town missionaries, and it was very evident that an unusual interest was felt in the service, as many were much affected, and but few gave signs of a wish to be gone, although the service was continued for nearly three hours.

On Sunday last the chapel was crowded to excess, so that I was obliged to place forms in the aisle of the chapel, and several fishermen and others went away before I could make this accommodation for them. The number of seamen and fishermen present was greater than on any previous occasion since I have been here. The fishermen have now commenced the herring season, and, God willing, I purpose, as last year, hoisting the Bethel flag on board one or other of the luggers every Sunday morning, and taking my stand on the deck of the vessel, to imitate my Divine Master, when on the lake of Gennesareth, surrounded by fishermen, he taught the people out of the ship.

Most of the Welsh captains visiting this port are religiously disposed, and are favourable to the Bethel cause; but, unfortunately, their cabins are very small for Bethel meetings; yet we have had a few gracious meetings among them of late, and God has blessed us together. May the Lord bless every effort for the sailor's good, until his kingdom come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Services ashore, 20; seamen in attendance, 450. Services afloat, 3; seamen in attendance, 27. Visits to vessels, 300; visits to families, 60; visits to sick, 30. English Bibles and Testaments sold, 24; Swedish Bibles and Testaments, 11; Dutch Bibles and Testaments, 5; Welsh Bibles, 1; Danish Bibles, 1; German Testaments, 6. English tracts distributed, 150; foreign tracts, 75; Sailors' Magazines, 11.

AN ARGUMENT FOR THE BIBLE.

An African prince, who was brought to England, and resided there some time, being asked what he thought of the Bible, answered, "That he believed it to be from God; for he found all the good people in favour of it, and all the bad people against it."

MEMOIR

OF THE LATE

MR. E. COUZENS, R.N.

We regret to record the loss of our much-esteemed and valued friend, Mr. E. Couzens, of Huddersfield. For many years he has been the stanch and zealous supporter of this Society, to which he accorded his warmest sympathies, and rendered the most efficient aid. Having been for so many years a seaman himself, he fully appreciated all efforts made to promote the welfare of his brethren,-at the same time that he afforded a noble instance of the power of Divine grace in preserving him amid the trials of a sailor's life, and enabling him to devote his later years to the benefit of his fellow-man. As a friend, whose hospitality we had enjoyed, and whose Christian character and devotedness we had witnessed, we had for him the sincerest attachment, and we now cannot but rejoice that he has finished his course with joy, and has received the crown of his reward.

It affords us much satisfaction to say that Mr. E. J. S. Couzens, R.N., the son of our lamented friend, has kindly engaged to continue to us the assistance rendered by his beloved father, for which we gladly embrace the opportunity of tendering him our best thanks.

Our esteemed friend, Rev. R. Skinner, of Huddersfield, of whose church our departed brother was a deacon,' has kindly furnished us with the following brief particulars of his life, his illness, and death, which we feel must prove deeply interesting to our readers.

Mr. Edward Couzens was favoured with a pious mother, who pleaded much with God in his behalf. This was well-nigh all she was able to do after the first years of childhood, as at a very early age he was employed in connection with the sea, which employment necessarily bore him away from a mother's eye and care. The gracious Hearer of prayer listened to her cries, though she was removed to her rest before the conversion of her child took place. She died with a full persuasion that God would fulfil her desires, and that mother and her son, so early parted, have now met in heaven.

Before the great moral change took place, the subject of this sketch was withheld from running to that "excess of riot," which is too common to sailors. At the same time, he gave unequivocal evidence that he was "a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God." In the manner in which he was brought to Jesus there was nothing peculiar. Strong convictions had previously been felt. On one occasion, when he was apprehensive of danger from sickness, the solemn words, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee," came with startling power to his mind; but it does not appear that this led to any decided alteration of character or conduct.

It was at sea-and when that eminent servant of Jesus, Dr. Browning, induced several on board to hold meetings in each other's cabins, for reading the Scriptures and prayer-that Mr. Couzens, who was present at these little gatherings, was first brought to realise his state as a sinner, and to look in simple trust to Jesus as the Saviour. Thus commenced his experience and history as a Christian-as a pious sailor! Soon after he had "tasted that the Lord is gracious," on returning to his native land, he sought the society of God's people, and, “ witnessing a good confession," connected himself with the Independent Church in Devonport.

In supplying a brief record of the Christian life of this devoted follower of Christ, it would be out of place to enter largely into the stirring scenes and many dangers which attended him in his professional career. One or two of the most striking passages in his history may, however, be mentioned :-He was present at the battle of St. Vincent, on the 14th of February, 1798. Although he came out of the conflict unhurt, he retained through life a deep and painful impression of that scene of carnage, most thankful that, unpre pared as he then was for an eternal world, he was not cut off in his sins.

The season, when apparently exposed to the most imminent peril, was frequently referred to by himself. A boat, in which Mr. Couzens and eight others were approaching the land, was run down by a vessel. Heavily clothed, he swam for the shore; exhausted, and at the point of sinking, he caught the rope that was thrown to him, and was saved. But so far was he gone, that life appeared extinct. It was necessary to resort to all the means for restoring suspended animation. Hours elapsed before the medical attendant would pronounce him out of danger, and weeks ere his restoration was complete. It was a pleasing instance and proof of the disinterested kindness by which this excellent man was distinguished, that, when battling with the waves, a boat came up for his rescue, he refused to avail himself of it, and requested it might go to the help of those who could not swim.

Endowed with great strength of body,—bold, and fearless of harm,—ever ready to jeopardise himself, - susceptible of humane and generous emotion, which prompted him to face peril and death for the sake of others,--engaged in a pursuit which involved continual exposure to the elements of destruction from his fellow-men, from the winds, and the waves,-and subject to a frequent and rapid change of climate, it exhibited no ordinary manifestation