call for agencies loud, and all but universal-competent agents are ready to embark in the work. Nothing is wanting but the necessary funds. To a great extent we have felt the pressure of the times. In every direction the subscriptions have considerably fallen off, and the consequence is, there is a great defalcation for the year. It has therefore been found necessary to adopt the principle of retrenchment. This has been carried into the various departments of the society's operations, and the hope is entertained, that by curtailing the expenditure on the one hand, and pursuing more vigorous measures in the country on the other, the committee may yet retrieve the ground they have lost. Their confidence is in God and in his church.

And to each christian they would say—what thou doest, do quickly. There is no time for delay. While you are delaying, the objects of our solicitude are perishing-perishing in tens and in hundreds. “A certain man went from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. And likewise a certain Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was: and when he saw him he had compassion upon him. And went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee."

BLACK JACOB-OR-JACK HODGES.

In our last number we gave a very touching extract from the Funeral Sermon which was preached on the decease of this reformed convict. The following is the first of a series of conversations held with him at different periods, both in prison, and after his discharge, (embracing not fewer than ten years of his life,) on the part of the Secretary of the Prison Discipline Society. Its perusal cannot fail to deepen the interest of our readers in the character and history of the man.

My first conversation with a black man, called Jack Hodges,
in the Auburn Prison.

"How old are you?"

"I don't know exactly; but I judge myself to be about fifty-two.”

No. 59.

SAILORS' MAGAZINE.

NOVEMBER-MDCCCXLIII.

[NEW SERIES.

ARTICLES.-ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.

CROSSING THE JORDAN.

(Continued from page 280.)

Fourthly. The merry and the gay; those who do not deny the Bible, or delight in blaspheming; but such as never seriously lay the subjects of death, judgment, heaven, hell, salvation, and destruction to heart. There are very many of these who flit away life in trifling, and in following up such ways, and customs, and amusements as are common in the world. These characters persuade themselves that, in their case, there is little or nothing to fear as to death or a future state. They will tell us that they only do as others around them do. That it cannot be expected they should live contrary to every one else; that they do no harm, that they wish ill to no man; but that they are fond of merriment, and company, and lovers of music, and dancing, and plays, and public amusements; and that they trust these things will not trouble them in the swellings of Jordan. Let these now hear what the word of God says to them. She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." "The things that are highly esteemed among men, are an abomination with God." "The whole world lieth in wickedness." Come out, and be ye separate." "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment," Eccles xi. 9.

Fifthly. The self-righteous pharisee, the person who lives under the persuasion that he possesses a heart that is good by nature, and that God will see enough that is good and deserving in him to make amends for

his faults and failings. His language is—“ Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are: I am no robber, or whoremonger, or adulterer ; I am honest and industrious; I am no man's enemy; and I frequently bestow charity, and do a kindness to my neighbour; and, I trust, that I shall get safe and comfortably through the swellings of Jordan.” Let this man beware, or his soul will be lost for ever. It is very right, and his bounden duty that he should refrain from those sins he has mentioned; and that he should perform those duties which he says he does perform towards men. But this is only a small part of what is his duty to do. And, moreover, had he done all that God has commanded him, he would then be considered an unprofitable servant; having done no more than was his duty to do: but, alas, no creature living has done any thing like this; therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified. By the merit of human actions, no man can be saved. We have all left undone ten thousand things we ought to have done, and done, and thought, and said, as many which we ought not; in all things, and in every duty we fall short of rendering unto the Lord the glory which is due unto his holy name. We are all guilty before God. We were born in sin, and conceived in iniquity; we are by nature children of wrath; we are by practice condemned criminals. If we ever pass through the swellings of Jordan safely, it must then be, not because we have any thing of our own to bear us up, or to deserve and obtain for us the supporting and comforting presence of the Almighty; but it must be because Christ Jesus has, by the sacrifice of himself, obtained for us a full, free, and unmerited pardon and salvation. Oh, poor mistaken soul, if thou dost go down into the river of death, leaning on the spar of thine own deeds and doings, thy support will fail thee, the waves of judgment will overwhelm thee, and thou wilt sink into the bottomless pit! Oh, look unto Jesus now, and seek pardon through his atoning blood; and then he will be the life-buoy of thy soul in the swellings of Jordan, on which thou shalt ride through the stream, and on which thou shalt be landed in the heavenly Canaan !

Sixthly.-The ungodly professors. These men often use great swelling words, and tell us they are the dear children, and the taught of the Lord; that they know the liberty of the gospel, and that sin cannot hurt the believer. Such is frequently their language; while their conduct is a disgrace to their profession, and a sad stumbling-block in the way of many. But how will it be with such characters at the swellings of Jordan? So far as the writer of this address has had an opportunity of

on; it is so light and portable, that it can be easily carried in one's coat pocket. To test the efficiency of the invention, I, while bathing yesterday, fastened the belt round my waist, and when I got into about five feet of water, I was borne up without any effort. I made no exertion to keep myself afloat, but I could not resist floating, so great was the buoyant power of the article.

To test its efficacy, however, still farther, I resolved to see what its power would be in sustaining a person with clothes on. I accordingly went down to Seafield this morning, taking with me a double suit of clothes, one to change the other. Completely equipped in one of the suits (with surtout, trowsers, drawers, shirt, &c.), I sallied forth into the water, having on, this time, a caoutchouc jacket. The effect in this case was still more surprising. When I got into about three feet of water, by slightly resting my chest on the water, and drawing up my knees, I was kept completely buoyant, without making the least exertion of my own. When I walked in a little farther, to about five feet deep, I was borne up off my feet, and was made to float about with my chest and head above water, as easily as the cork on a fishing line. I still did not make any exertion, but was as quiet and motionless as a sleeping child. After remaining for some time in this state, I tried all I could to get myself down under the water, by attempting to dive, but I found it utterly impossible to do this; I could no more get myself under the water than I could get myself under the ground by stamping on it with my feet. In fact, had I been wishing to drown myself while this jacket was on my body, it would have been a hopeless attempt. Several gentlemen witnessed the result of the experiment, and were highly gratified. I gave the jacket to one of them that he might try its power, and he (but not, of course, clothed like me) also, without effort, was kept quite buoyant in the water. When I got up to town I weighed the wet clothes, and (though they had lost much of their moisture by that time) the weight was 15 lbs.

Now, Sir, when there exists an article like this, so unfailingly effective against drowning, I think the public cannot be too urgently advised to avail themselves of it. I speak from experience on the subject. I have no interest in the matter, farther than that of inducing individuals to provide themselves for their voyaging with a means of comparative safety in case of disaster. As I have already mentioned, it was the jacket, as having more buoyant power than the belt, which I used with my clothes on, but a belt ten or twelve inches wide would have done equally well.

I cannot, Sir, conclude without urging the propriety of all vessels that sail to any considerable distance, keeping a supply of these articles for the benefit of their passengers. As we are every now and then hearing of loss of life at sea, it would surely be culpable to be unprovided with a means of safety so obvious, simple, and efficacious. In speaking of this to several friends, almost every one of them has said, Ah, if the passengers of the Pegasus had had these articles with them, how many would have been saved." The reflection is natural and true. Let it not be lost; I do trust it will not. Fore-warned fore-armed.

hear what each of these will have to say in reply to the inquiry-" What wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan?" Each replies "I will look unto him, even to Christ Jesus, whom I have pierced with my sins and wounded with my transgressions. I will cast myself, as a guilty, helpless, polluted creature on him, although I am unworthy of the least of all his mercies; for he has died the just for the unjust, that he might become the Saviour and Redeemer of all who repent and believe; I will lay all my sins before him; I will open the secret chambers of my heart, and implore him to blot out all these my unnumbered transgressions in his own most precious blood. Oh, I will beseech him to cleanse and purify the very thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Forsaking all other hope and trust, I will, with the publican, exclaim- Lord, be merciful to me a sinner,' and like Peter on the swelling waves, I will cry out― Lord, save, or I perish.' I will plead his grace and mercy, his agony and bloody sweat, his death and sufferings, his resurrection and ascension, and I will say 'I pray thee, O Lord, by all these to save and deliver a soul that deserves to die the second death.' Such will be the feelings and the reply of a sinconvinced, humble-hearted, mourning penitent, when brought within view of the swellings of Jordan. And will such an one perish in that hour, or be left unsupported? No, for there are many great and precious promises given to such. Although a thousand unbelievers should fall at his right hand, and ten thousand hypocrites and hardened sinners on his left, the Lord Jesus on whom he calls and depends will not let the destruction of judgment come near him. Where sin has abounded, grace and forgiveness shall much more abound. The blood of Jesus Christ shall cleanse him from all his sins. Death will wreck the body, but the soul shall live, and because it is redeemed, it shall live and reign with Christ for ever.

APPLICATION.

We are all approaching this Jordan. We must all go down into its swellings. Heart and flesh must fail with every one of us. Soon the mists of death will gather over our eyes, the pulse will, ere long, flutter their last, the blood stagnate, the heart will stop, and the spirit will depart. This will be our case, even if we end our days in peace and quiet on shore. But as to some that hear or read this address, they may perhaps, ere long, be called to pass through the swellings of a breaking surf, or an overwhelming sea, and be swept from the spar or from the