called," answered the
missionary. "I believe you, indeed I may say that I know you, to be (as
far as one man can judge another) a true and sincere Christian, or no
consideration would induce me to entrust my child to you. I do,
however, give her to you with confidence that you will watch over her
spiritual, as I am assured you will over her temporal welfare."

I will not repeat more that Mr Bent said to me on the occasion. The
exhortation he then uttered I have repeated often to others. Husbands
and wives, do you watch over each other's spiritual welfare? Are you
each jealously watchful over every word and action which may lead the
other into sin? With whom do you associate? In what sort of amusements
do you indulge? What sort of places do you prefer to visit? In these
matters your consciences do not accuse you. Very well. But do you pray
together, and pray aright? Do you read the Scriptures together? Are
you constantly pointing out to each other the heavenward way? Do you
more earnestly desire each other's salvation than all the wealth the
world can give, than all earthly blessings? Have you assured yourselves
that you will meet together before the great white throne clothed in the
bright robes of the Lamb? Surely those alone are truly happy and fitly
matched who can answer yes, yes, in a joyful chorus, to such questions.

It would be profitable if I could repeat many of the remarks made to me
from time to time by Mr Bent. "How sad it is that seamen are generally
so ignorant of their awful responsibilities, and of the immeasurable
amount of good they have it in their power to effect in the Christian
cause during their visits to foreign lands," he one day observed to me.
"Ay, alas! and to think of the immeasurable amount of harm they by their
too general conduct produce. Thousands and thousands of professed
Christian seamen are found every day in the year at seaports inhabited
by heathens. Into what disrepute do they too generally bring
Christianity, instead of exhibiting its beauty and excellence by the
propriety and correctness of their lives--I will not say, as I could
wish, by their purity and holiness.

"It is impossible to calculate the amount of harm nominally Christian
seamen have produced among these islands of the Pacific. There have
been bright exceptions, especially among the British ships of war
happily commanded by Christian officers; Sir Everard Home, Captain
Waldegrave, and others--