THE SAILOR PILGRIM

It is of little consequence to the Reader, to be informed, what were the more immediate causes, which first led me to the sea-faring life. Whether it was choice, or necessity, or youthful fancy and humor. I have long since discovered these things to be only among the secondary means which determine the affairs of men. I thought indeed, at that time, if I thought at all; or if any one had asked me my motive for going to sea, I should, without hesitation have said, that it was because I liked it. But a thousand things have since occurred in my experience, to convince me, that all that then seemed to give the bias to my inclination, were but the instruments, in the Lord’s hand, to bring about the counsel and pleasure of his will. Isaiah 46:10.

And nothing can be more plain and evident, when the subject is traced to its source. No instrument can act of itself. The most powerful weapons in nature or in art, are in themselves harmless, until called into action by some agent. Without this the sword could never wound: neither the broadside of a man of war be destructive. There must be in every action, and in every thing produced, a first pre-disposing cause. Chance, and accident, as the world calls them, are but words without meaning.

If the Reader doth not know this, or what is to the same amount, doth not believe it, I can only pity him—for he certainly loseth, from this unconsciousness of mind, one of the chief comforts of life.

The observation of Moses, the man of God, concerning the Lord’s disposal of his people Israel, must in this sense, be equally applicable to all people. When the Most High (said he) divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people. (Deut. 32:8.) Meaning, no doubt, that the disposal of mankind, in kingdoms, nations, and empires, is never the result of their mere caprice or humor, but wholly of divine appointment. The boundaries of states, of families and individuals; nay, the very age and period for the appearance of one rather than the other, with all the events connected with their special and personal existence. All is ordered, arranged, and methodized, according to a settled plan of things, and forms one grand scheme of infinite wisdom founded in the infiite mind of God.

This sentiment is finely expressed in a simple, but beautiful stile, by one of our English Poets, in a verse of his, which our children are taught to lisp even from their cradles.

“Lord! I ascribe it to thy grace,
And not to chance as others do;
That I was born of Christian race,
And not of Heathen or of Jew.”

Watts

If the Reader belongs to the Navy, he is highly interested in the conviction of this great truth. And, although every intelligent creature is concerned in it, and may find indeed the greatest comfort from the consideration of it, when the mind is brought under the impressions of true religion: yet the man that lives amidst the perils of the deep, hath a more frequent occasion to call in to his aid, the many very precious reflections which arise out of it.

In times of danger particularly, it forms the sheet anchor of the mind. For if I know, and am thoroughly convinced, that the disposal of all events is with Him, in whose hand my breath is, and whose are all my ways: then must I connect with it this pleasing assurance also, that neither storms nor tempests, the battle nor the sword; the pestilence of one climate, nor the yellow fever of another, can destroy, unless commissioned by Him. Not a sparrow can fall to the ground, without his appointment. Nay, to such a minute point doth His superintending providence reach, that the very hairs of the head are all numbered.

And suppose that we advance one step higher in this subject. Let it be imagined, that the Reader could add to the knowledge of this great truth, the consciousness, in his own instance, of being personally interested in it. I mean that he possessed a well-founded hope of being within the covenant-mercy of Him that orders and regulates all events: think what relief such an assurance must bring the mind in seasons of danger? What true courage excite?—what real fortitude call forth? Nothing in the natural feelings of the human heart, unsupported by such a persuasion, can induce these effects!

I confess, indeed, there is a species of resoluteness which, for a while, shall seem to carry with it all the marks of bravery; as gilded ware may be made to resemble gold. Men of no real religion have been known to possess this to an high degree; and from a kind of fool-hardiness, have undertaken, and sometimes accomplished such deeds, as in the eyes of the world, have passed off for the result of great fortitude. It is said of Alexander, that when at any time a more than ordinary degree of danger surrounded him, he would exclaim: “This is now a danger suited to the mind of Alexander.” But, it should be remembered, that this was said from the impulse of the moment, in the vanity of his heart, and in the presence of his flatterers. To estimate true magnanimity, the man must be seen alone. While the vapor of applause keeps alive the vanity of the creature, the lamp of false courage may burn. But, if what is fed by nature, unsupported by grace, loses its supply, when this fails, all fails; the flame goes out, and the whole of such bravery is extinguished. Whereas, the confidence which is founded in God, hath an adequate support for every emergency; for it is derived from divine favor, upheld by divine support, and carried through every stage of exercise by divine strength. It is indeed all of God, and therefore cannot fail. What soldier would fear to pass the ranks of the mightiest army, if he knew that the general of it was his father? And what sailor would despond in the most tremendous storm, to whose enlightened eye the Lord of his salvation was manifested, as both sitting at the helm, and directing the tempest.

Embarking

The signal had been given for unmooring the ship—the anchor weighed—and the last boat was on shore, to take off all that remained—when I—as unthinking and careless a youth, as perhaps ever crossed the gunnel of a man of war, stepped into it to make my first voyage.

I pause—to look back on that period. What a series of mercies hath the Lord brought me through since! From that hour, when the pith was hardly formed in my bones, to the present moments in which I have sat down to write the outlines of my history, what apparently hairbreadth escapes have I passed? What numberless dangers have I been conducted through? How many perils and storms rid out? And therefore, what an unseen, unacknowledged, unthought of power must have been watching over me all the way that I have come: preventing me, going before me, following me, and surrounding me (as one of old expresseth it), with goodness and mercy all the days of my life.” Psm. 23:6.

And what tends to endear and infinitely enhance these blessings, is the distinguishing nature of them. For in the very seasons in which I have been kept, and sustained, and upheld, and my head hath been covered in the day of battle; what numbers of my mess-mates have I seen falling around me on every side? When I trace back, in the memorandums of my mind, and call to my recollection the persons of those with whom I sailed in my boyish days; where are they? Alas! scarce one in ten remains of all that troop of officers and men, whose faces were so familiar to me, and with whom I either messed or sailed in the first days of my entrance into the navy.

I pause again, in the solemn thought!—have I been the distinguishing object of so much mercy! Do I indeed yet live, while multitudes, who stood apparently as fair for life, and some of them, no doubt, when like me they first embarked, with hopes of rising up to the highest honors of their profession, have long since taken their flight into the world of spirts, and struck their sails to this state for ever! Are these things so? And what saith the record of my conduct in return, as it is registered in the chancery of heaven? Alas! hath it not been (like Israel of old), to cause the Lord, to serve with my sins, and to weary the divine patience with mine iniquities.

(To be continued)

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