From the forecastle to the pulpit; fifty years among sailors, containing an account of a wonderful revival upon the sea

Front matter

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C.J.Jones, DD

^t m i^«<»mai &

Chapter I

Early life — Leave Home — Cyclone - - - - " 13

CHAPTER n.

E\il courses — Awakening ------ ZZ

CHAPTER HI.

Conversion and college life - - - - - - 54

CHAPTER IV.

Theological course — First ministr}^ - - * - 75

CHAPTER V.

Mariners' Church, N. Y., 1854-5 — First fruits - - 95

CHAPTER VI.

A word in season — The young heretic - - - - 120

CHAPTER VH.

Church work in 1856 — Prayer in the hatch-house - - 144

CHAPTER VHI.

The way to the kingdom — The dying message - - 167

CHAPTER LX.

Loss of the St. Denis — Ship Robert Parker - . _ 189

CHAPTER X.

Coadjutors — What the lightning did - - - - 205

CHAPTER XL Signs of the times — Chilian convert ----- 236

CHAPTER XH, Increasing success — Answers to prayer - - - - 265

6 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIII.

Sixty years in sin — Behold the Lamb - - -- -282

CHAPTER XIV.

Great revival in the Navy — The faithful Swede - - 299

CHAPTER XV.

Increased interest — The dispersion - - - - - 324

CHAPTER XVI.

Outside testimony — Wonderful scene - - - - 340

CHAPTER XVII.

A gracious providence— U. S. S. Ohio — 77^^? sinner - - 361

CHAPTER XVIII.

U. S. S. Savannah — Light spreading - - - - 386

CHAPTER XIX.

Permanent impressions — Death of Morris - - - -400

CHAPTER XX.

Extent of revival — Gulf Squadron - - - - - 421

CHAPTER XXL The Storm, a calm — A wild Christian - - - - 436 CHAPTER XXII. ^

African Squadron — Missionary volunteers - - - 456

CHAPTER XXIIL

U. S. S. Hartford. — Grace in the Flowery Kingdom - - 469

CHAPTER XXIV.

U. S. S. Niagara — Gold lace and blue flannel - - 485

CHAPTER XXV.

Pastoral letters — Resignation - - - . , _ ^03

CHAPTER XXVL XXVI. — Close of narrative — Glor)' to God - - - 517

§tA\atmi

TO THE MEN OF THE SEA, WHOSE PERILS, PRIVATIONS AND PRIVIleges i have shared, and for whose salvation i have labored and prayed for more than forty years, this book is affectionately dedicated by

The Author,

Introduction

The subject matter of this book is such as to commend it to all who are or may become interested in the development of spiritual life, and the enlargement of the sphere of individual influence. I have read this narrative of Dr. Jones' eventful career from " The Forecastle to the Pulpit," with indescribable and unabated interest, from the beginning to the end, covering, as his active life and ministry does, a period of more than half a century among ''the men who go down to the sea in ships." This volume will more fully describe the peculiar characteristics of this class than any other work yet published. To the landsman it will reveal mysteries pertaining to the divine life of the soul at sea, of which he has not even dreamed. To the sailor it will come freighted with celestial fragrance, as the land breeze comes laden with sweet odors from the cinnamon isles, and encourage him also to keep a good lookout for '* the land which is very far off." The reader will here meet' with some of the most remarkable illustrations of the wonderful grace of God in the conversion of *' the abundance of the sea," and in special answer to prayer, as well as in the visitation of judgment on the wilfully and finally impenitent. He will here read of bethels and mariners, churches ashore and afloat, made vocal with prayer and praise to God ; of ships speaking each other at sea, for lO INTRODUCTION.

the purpose of telling the wonderful work of God in their own midst ; of revival after revival in mid ocean, on the shores of the " dark continent," in far off islands of the sea, in China and Japan, in distant Australia, on the shores of the South Pacific, all along the coast of the United States, in the Army and the Navy, and in the merchant service ; in the bayous and tributary streams of the Mississippi, in Central America, and in Mexico, until hundreds of vessels were permeated with the blessed influence of the Spirit of life. Here and there the single convert going forth, Bible in hand, and heart aflame with the love of Christ, growing into praying bands of devout men, worshipping in the tops, in the chains, and between the guns, and burning with desire for the souls of their careless shipmates. The little cloud, which at first was no larger than a man's hand, at length covered the whole heavens, and descended upon the earth and sea in an "abundance of rain." Where God was not known, nor his name revered, witnesses to his power and grace went forth on every hand, and one song rose up from every floating sanctuary :

"Our God shall have dominion, And reign from shore to shore.

Far as the dove's light pinion.

Or eagle's wing can soar, "

How one man could accomplish the numerous and widely diversified works which the writer of this book so faithfully performed, must ever remain a wonder. In connection with his pastoral duties, and extensive correspondence among th^s thousands of seamen for whose salvation be labored, his office became a bureau of information, open day and night. From it, as from a great

INTRODUCTION. II

central telegraph station, the lines of his influence have gone out through all the earth, and his words of tenderness and counsel, to the ends of the world. None were so low, so poor, or so abandoned as to be beyond the sphere of his labors, or fail to enlist the sympathies of his great benevolent heart. Unquestionably one of the greatest factors of Christian beneficence, and one of the most efficient auxiliaries of the missionary cause, is found in the untiring and self-denying efforts of those who are laboring for the evangelization of the men of the sea. No pen can fully record what God has wrought through these multipHed agencies and instrumentalities. Yet here will be found vivid representations of some of the peculiar trials and triumphs of these toilers of the sea in their way to a better life, as well as some most graphic delineations of the sublime scenery of the ocean itself — all of which the writer saw and '* part of which he was ;*' for although he has been ' ' in deaths oft," and in perils multiplied, he still Hves to tell the story of

' ' A life on the ocean wave. "

The numerous sketches of individual character and experience and faithfulness to Christ — in humble spheres and amid formidable obstacles, are of seamen whose lives * became intimately interwoven and identified with his own. The historic facts and personal reminiscences seem to increase and intensify the interest to the close. In this world of selfishness it is refreshing to find a man whose entire life has been devoted so exclusively to the welfare of others. It may well be said

W. P. Strickland.

FIFTY YEARS AMOIG SAILORS.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LifE — LEAVING HOME — CYCLONE.

Parentage — First religious impressions — School days— Struggle with poverty— Newsboy — The l)roken pane — Bent on going to sea — Farewell to home— Life on a man-of-war — Daily routine — Sea-sports — First convictions of sin — Scenes of horror — Fall overboard — Sinful propensities— End of the cruise — Convict ship — A white squall — At death's door — Home again— Off for New South Wales— On peril's brink — A sepoy mutmy — Ship again for Australia — A trading voyage —Swarthy web-feet — A cyclone— T^yoss of life — A demoralized crew — Our wisdom swallowed up — - Deliverance.

I WAS born and baptized in Deptford, county of Kent, England, in the year 1818. My parents were honest, industrious, hard- working people. They had ten children, of whom I was the eldest. Among my earliest recollections are those of the Sabbath-school, and its surroundings. The first scriptural idea that made any impression on my mind, was the invitation of Christ to children, illustrated by a small engraving, with the legend, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." That picture of the Saviour sitting, the children gathered about him, and his hands spread in the act of blessing them,

13 , has been like a pleasant vision to me ever since. In some of the wildest orgies of my wicked life, it has floated before my mind, and at times recalled those days of my childhood's innocence. I was sent to school at intervals, as my parents could afford the expense, from the time I was five years old until I v/as nearly nine. In the mean time other children having come upon the scene, increasing the family expenses, while there was no increase of income, it became necessary, in order to economize, to keep me at, home. The sum of my education at that time was, that I had learned to read well, and had acquired the rudiments of writing. When between nine and ten years old my parents removed to London, that my mother might find employment more readily. She was very industrious and quick with her needle, and as my father never earned more than a pound a week, her continuous labor was a necessity. She struggled nobly to keep the wolf from the door, and although she did not always succeed, she never lost heart, nor slackened her hands. I have known her to make shirts for half a crown (fifty cents) a dozen, and she would not slight the work even though the pay was so small. I have often watched her as she plied her needle, weeping bitterly, but I could not learn from her the reason for her grief I need not say that while labor was so illy paid, we sometimes suffered for bread.

Soon after we came to London I obtained a situation as an errand boy, at a bookseller's. My wages reached the magnificent sum of three shillings (seventy-five cents) per week. And for this I walked every morning a distance of nearly two miles to the city, carrying w^ith me for my dinner a piece of bread and butter and a bottle

EARLY LIFE. I 5

of cold tea. After running about the city all day I walked home again at night. This I did for over a year. Subsequently, after changing places several times, I found myself in the position of a news-boy, on the *' Royal Exchange."

It was while thus employed that an incident occurred * which, though shght in itself, bore such a relation to my after life as to give direction to my whole future destiny. I was skylarking with one of my fellow employees, and unintentionally pushed his head through a pane of glass in the store window. The value of the glass was enough to absorb the whole of my week's wages. My employer informed me that I must pay for my carelessness, and as I knew it would take that much out of the common stock, the whole of which was barely sufficient for our support, I then and there resolved that I would go to sea.

As soon as my purpose was formed, I went home and told my mother, who, for the moment, was almost stupefied. But, recovering herself, she strictly forbade me to think of such a thing, and told me to go to my work. In obedience to her wish I did .so, but I was no longer the same boy. I had no longer any ambition for anything on the land ; I neglected my business and lost my situation. My father then found me employment in a wholesale drug establishment, where he was engaged as packer. Here, however, it was the same story. I neglected my duties and brought trouble on my father, who being highly respected by the firm, was spoken to by the senior partner about my conduct. He revealed the secret.

I wa^s bent on going to sea. My employer said,

*' Well ! let him go. My brother is a captain in the Royal Navy, he will find him a ship." My parents talked the matter over, and concluded to let me go. I was delighted with their decision. I felt like a bird freed from its cage. My soul luxuriated in a sense of freedom. I was to reahze that which before I only imagined, the great seas running mountains high ; the sight of far off lands ; the strange things of which I had read : all were now to become matters of real experience.

A letter to the commander of H. B. M. Ship '' Pylades," then fitting out at Plymouth, secured me a position on the ship's books, as a second-class boy. The hurry, bustle and excitement of the preparation for my departure now absorbed the interest of the whole family. It was a severe tax upon their already straitened resources to procure me the necessary outfit. But the day of departure at length arrived. Clad in my new sailor suit of blue jacket and trousers, and low straw hat, I was as proud as any monarch could be of his royal robes ; the envied of my playfellows, who had gathered to see me off, the cynosure of the neighbors' eyes, who gazed with admiration at my rig, and pitied me as they thought of my peril and exposure.

My dear mother, weeping as she pressed her farewell kiss upon my lips, said to me, '* Charlie, be a good boy ; be wilUng and obliging, and you will make many friends." I promised, and taking my father's hand, turned my back upon my childhood's home to do battle with the world of waters.

It was a beautiful Sabbath morning, the 6th day of June, 183 1. My father accompanied me to the steamer which was to take me to Plymouth, to join

EARLY LIFE. 1/

my ship. He remained on board until the vessel slo wedup at North-fleet, where the friends of the passengers were to go ashore ; he then gave me a nervous grasp of the hand, pressed me to his bosom, bowed his head, and weeping, over me, said, *' Good-by, my boy !" With a word of counsel and an affectionate kiss, he hurried from my sight to hide his emotions, passed over the side, and into the boat that rowed him to the shore. But so intent was I watching with childish pleasure the dancing of the waves, as the steamer forged ahead, that I was scarcely conscious until some time afterwards, that in that moment of parting with my father, 1 had severed myself from all that I had ever known of earthly ties. I was like a horse that had thrown his rider, and was coursing away at his own free will. No friendly hand was by to check my career. I was freed from the restraint of home, and at liberty to follow my own impulses and passions. That heart-felt " good-by," however, still rang in my ears.

* ' Sweet music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more."

The steamer, plowing her way through the waters, absorbed my attention, and I was soon lost in delight as before. Two days and nights passed rapidly away. To my memory now they seem like a dream.

On reaching Plymouth I proceeded by boat to the hulk "Victory," alongside of which the " Pylades " was to be rigged and fitted out. I was very soon initiated into the mysteries of life in a man-of-war. I need not say how different it was from anything I had ever conceived, how strongly and how strangely in contrast with all my earlier experience. I very soon however became accustomed to my surroundings, and adapted myself to the change.

Three months passed away before we were ordered on board our own ship. It was quite a relief to us all to hear that she was put into commission, and that we were to leave our temporary quarters and get ready for sea. On the 5th of September we left Plymouth Sound for a cruise of three years, on the coast of South America. For the first three days after sailing I suffered from sea-sickness, paid the usual tribute to old Neptune, bore the badinage of the more experienced among my shipmates, and entered with spirit into the daily routine.

At sea my station was in the main-top — in port I was side-boy, and with another about my own age, did duty at the gangway — handing out the man- ropes to persons coming alongside. At quarters I was powder-boy of one of the quarter-deck guns. Our ship's armament was sixteen thirty-two pounders, short carronades, and two long twelves. Every evening after supper the drum beat to quarters, and the crew were inspected by the officers at their guns. This being over, the retreat was beaten, the cutlasses, pistols and boarding-pikes were returned to the arm-racks, and the guns thoroughly secured. The next command in order was " all hands shorten sail, and reef topsails !" Before the last notes of the boatswain's call had died away, the men were scrambling aloft like so many monkeys — the men of the different tops vying with each other in their efforts to get their topsail reefed — and " lay down " in advance of the others. The competition was very eager. The process

EARLY LIFE. 1 9

was watched with interest by the officers, who, while they very rarely praised the men for the rapid execution of their tasks, were always ready to blame any tardiness of movement ; and woe to the man or boy who was the last down from aloft. He was sure to be marked, and if the tardiness occurred a second time, to be punished by stopping his grog, and a month on the black Hst If he escaped the " cat," he Vv^as well off.

The vessel being brought under easy sail for the night, all hands were turned up to dance and skylark — every one before the mast being permitted to enjoy himself to the top of his bent. Fun was the order of the evening ; singing, dancing, boxing, wrestling, story-telling — in short anything that pleased was allowable until eight bells, or eight o'clock. Then the hammocks were piped down and the ship was quiet once more. It was on one of these occasions that the memories of home and the parting instructions of my Sabbath- school teacher came back to me with all their original freshness. I told my thoughts to a boy of my own age, who had been similarly blest, and we two crept away in the darkness to weep over our sins. We were in all probability the only two in that whole i ship's company who were so affected. We wept bitterly, wishing from our hearts that some of the men could hear our good resolves, and punish us if we broke them by giving way to profanity or drinking any more.

While in the midst of our good intentions, the hammocks were piped down, and the shrill call of the boatswain and his mates interrupted our conversation and our prayers. This ended the first, and, I think, the last deep conviction of sin experienced by either of us during the whole cruise. From that time forward I imitated without restraint the immoral practices of my shipmates.

Before I was fourteen years of age I was a drunkard, and for years drank to excess whenever hquor came in my way. Scenes of horror which would have shocked me a year or two before, now did not affect me in the least. Violence, intemperance, death even failed to make any salutary impression. The authorities resorted to the *' cat" on the slightest occasion. There were no religious incentives, nor any moral restraints. Instead of Divine worship, even in form, the forenoon of the Sabbath was chosen, once a month, for reading the articles of war, which only informed us of the many ways there were leading to the penalty of death. These articles were committed to memory, and thus we were constantly reminded of the perils attached to any act of disobedience or insubordination. The name of God was never heard, except in blasphemy. The officers cursed the men to their faces, and the men cursed the officers behind their backs. If the presence of death could have moved me to fear, or induced the dread of eternity, I had not gone so far on the road to ruin, nor had I attained to that precocity in sin which made me reckless even of eternal consequences. My shipmates have more than once been dashed to pieces at my side, by falling from aloft. I saw in that vessel what few men have witnessed at sea, viz., dying on one side, flogging on the other, and cutting throats amidships ; and all these at one and the same moment. Moreover, I received a blow myself for attempting to prevent the suicide of one of my young companions.

While we lay in the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, I had a very wonderful escape from drowning. I had been over

LEAVING HOME. 21

the side scraping the gangway steps, but losing my hold I fell overboard ; and as ail hands were holystoning the decks, my cries were not heard. I had sunk twice, and come again to the surface, but being unable to swim, I was just going down for the third time, when a midshipman providentially looking over the quarter, saw me, as the tide was carrying me astern. He threw a coil of rope over my head, which I grasped and was saved, to my great joy and to the satisfaction of my shipmates, with whom I was somewhat of a favorite. Having cruised for three years on the coast of South America, encountering heavy gales on both sides of the Horn, and passing through more than the ordinary vicissitudes of a sea life, I returned home to my mother. No longer the innocent boy I was when I left her, but a hardened sinner, and a confirmed drunkard and blasphemer, although not yet sixteen years of age. After a stay of a few weeks ashore, 1 left home and friends once more to resume my wanderings on the wide waste of waters.

My next ship was a merchantman ; she was chartered by the government to carry convicts. We took on .board three hundred of them from a disabled ship at Cork, to be carried to Van Dieman's land. A few nights after we had received them, a fatal disease broke out among them, and thirty souls were taken from us in the course of a week. Here I was familiar with death again, but remained as careless and thoughtless as ever.

On this voyage out, while one of the lower deck ports was open for the admission of fresh air, we were struck by a white squall. The ship was thrown on her beam ends, the open port being on the lee side, and the water rushing into the between decks through an aperture some

22 FIFTY YEARS AxMONG SAILORS.

eighteen inches square, there seemed a probability that our ship with her three hundred and sixty souls must speedily go down. She had whole top-sails and fore and main top- gallant sails on her when she was struck, and could not possibly right until the sail was taken in. The crisis was a fearful one, and was as agonizing as it was brief. It was of the Lord's mercies that we were not consumed. We succeeded however in getting the sail off her, with the aid of the prisoners, who were released for the purpose ; and they worked for their very lives. In a short time the ship righted and was soon made all snug again.

While in Canton, in China, on the same voyage, we were seized with a sickness, which took off several of our crew. I was brought on deck to die, and cried bitterly to the steward to save my life, yet I never thought of the eternal world, nor of ** Him in whose hand my breath is, and whose are all my ways." Instead of glorifying Him I ignored His very existence. Yet I was raised once more from the brink of the grave.

Returning home a second time, after an absence of eighteen months, I remained by the ship, and made another voyage in her to Sidney, N. S. Wales ; carrying again three hundred convicts. On the passage out, the scurvy broke out among the prisoners, and by the request of the representative of the government we ran down to the harbor of Bahia,.on the coast of Brazil, for a supply of fresh provisions. After remaining there long enough to change the condition of the men, and take in a supply sufficient for a month at sea, we got underweigh to proceed on our voyage. But the landwind dying out toward evening, we clewed up the

LEAVING HOME. 23

sails and anchored for the night. The convicts, some of whom were seafaring- men, who had been sent out of their country for their country's good, laid a plot to break out of the prison, massacre the crew and guard, and take the ship. Their intention was to run her ashore and make their escape into the interior. Their plans were well formed, and, but for providential interference, not one of the crew would have been left to tell the tale. The chief officer was awakened by a noise about three o'clock in the morning, and without any assignable reason, rushed on deck and ran forward to the fore hatch. Finding the light out, and the sentry sleeping-, he jumped down and seized the lock of the prison door, a very large padlock, which fell to pieces in his hands. A few moments only were sufficient to rouse the ship's crew, double the guard, and secure the men, in whose possession were found the necessary tools and weapons to accomplish their ends. Thus were we saved from assassination by the merciful providence of God.

Having transferred our prisoners to the proper authorities, we sailed for the bay of Bengal, and passing through Torres Straits, and the thousand islands of the Indian Archipelago, anchored in Madras roads. Here we took a charter to carry Sepoy troops for the British government to Poulo Pinang, in the Straits of Malacca, and to bring back a returning regiment. The voyage out was peaceful enough. We landed our passengers safely and embarked six hundred others, with whom we sailed for Madras. But while on our passage up the Bay of Bengal, the troops became insubordinate and violent, and finally broke out into open mutiny. Some real or supposed wrong had been done them by their European officers, over which they brooded, and at a concerted signal gave one wild yell, and rushing aft in a body, attacked the native officers, who met them at the break of the quarter-deck, and held them temporarily at bay. In an instant the ship was in a state of wild excitement. The chief officer, who was in charge of the deck, taking in the situation at a glance, acted with great promptness and decision. He cried out, " Lay aft, men : lay aft and man the arm chest !" The captain said to him, "Wait a moment, sir." '* No sir," said the mate, ** no time to spare now, sir." "Lay aft, men, lay aft !" and they did lay aft. The crew, twenty-six in number, came leaping over the heads of the mutinous Sepoys, and in less time than it takes to write this, twenty-six loaded muskets were on the poop-deck, seven feet above, pointing down into the dense mass of humanity which surged to and fro on the quarter deck below. The rushing out of the commanding and other commissioned officers, armed, from the cabin, and the sudden appearance of the armed crev/ in that elevated position, checked them. The officers rallying, drove them back, and the mutineers retreated, ffinging burning brands of fire-wood at us ; but for the time we were safe. No man slept that night, however. We lay on the poop deck with our muskets loaded, each man having a cutlass and pistol under his head. In a few days quiet was restored and all our affairs went on as before.

Thus were we again delivered ; but we thanked ourselves for the rescue instead of giving thanks to God, to whom we were so deeply indebted for our courageous

A MUTINY. 25

chief officer, the right man, in the right place, at the right time. The captain, who was a North of England man, and brought up in the coal trade, was now for the first time in his life in command of an India trader. He had little acquaintance with the character of the men with whom he had to do. He knew of course the disparity of numbers between six hundred, and less than sixty — but he feared that the sight of arms in the hands of the sailors, would make the Sepoys more desperate. He was in favor therefore of delay, and an effort toward a peaceful solution of the difficulty.