Part 28 (1/2)

CHAPTER 33

The Work Continued, 1859

While I was at Hayle, I had so s, that I seldo elsewhere; nor do I remember that I had many invitations to do so Occasionally I went to preach at Penzance, where a good as steadily progressing at St Paul's Church; but otherwise I seldo on in a hich satisfied s to and fro I was surrounded with a happy people, ere living and working for the Lord All the week they were busy, and also on the watch for souls On Sunday they caent idea of worshi+p, and joined heartily in the services of the day At eight o'clock in the e nu and evening services in the church, concluding with a prayerelse There was the Sunday school for some of our workers; tract distribution for others: es; and others ith me either to the sands, the coelistic service The day of rest was not one of inactivity, but of useful and happy occupation for the Lord Many a for in God, was a for the Master It was a day that ht; and on Monday evening we oodness to ourselves and others

Whenever the good shi+p ”Cornwall” was in harbour, it was expected there would be a preaching on ”board of her,” under the well-known Bethel flag The mate of this vessel had been a terribly wickedblasphemer It pleased God to convert his soul in a re would do but he must work for God

One Sunday, when he was at Cardiff, he heard that a vessel which had left that port on the previous Friday rieved about this; for one of the seamen of the vessel was in former times a friend and companion of his He had prayed for his soul, but hitherto without any success, and this added to his grief To his a on the quay

”Hallo!” he said, ”I alad to see you How is it you are here? Have you heard that your vessel has gone doith all hands?”

”Has she, indeed!” he exclai out into tears; ”then it is all o short-handed After we set sail I had words with the captain, so he dismissed me, and I came back in the pilot boat It is all my fault!”

”This is the third tiiven you your life,”

said Sam

”You had better call on Hi, he fell on his knees, and began to pray for hih a crowd of people quickly assembled and stood round, he took no heed, but continued his supplication until he obtainedthat so anxious, Sa, at which he told the received eet a Bethel flag, and hold services whenever and wherever he could

On his arrival at Hayle from Cardiff, he went at once to see the wife of the owner of the shi+p, knowing that she took a great interest in the welfare of sailors He told her his plans, and , which this lady kindly and generously gave hi it, Sa of it This I consented to do, and on the following Sunday afternoon we had a large concourse of people on board, and also on the quay alongside I gave out the hymn:--

”O God of Bethel, by whose hand Thy people still are fed”

While I was giving it out, Sa up to the masthead in the shape of a ball So it re the prayer which followed; and when I gave out my text (Gen 28:19), ”He called the na, sorandeur

Before the seran to cry for ht, and rejoiced aloud

'Thus his flag was inaugurated with blessing froh, and ”Many is the time since,” said 3am, ”when souls have been blessed under it, both at Cardiff and at Hayle”

I have said nothing about the infidels I had to work aed and opposed theleaders of this party were brought to God, and eventually their club dwindled away The history concerning some I have already published in tracts; but there is one case I feel Ia re in it

It is the story of a man who professed to be an infidel, and used to speak very freely of things which he said he did not believe For instance, he boasted that he did not believe in God or the Bible, Christ or devil, heaven or hell; though I must say he seemed to believe in himself very considerably It was very difficult to deal with a atives He ell known ahbours, dreaded by some and quite a mystery to others He was continually to be seen about with a gun, especially on Sundays, when he was not asha God's holy day; on the contrary, he rather prided hi-day clothes, when other people were dressed in their best

It was sad to see apublic respect and opinion, and traenerally a reason, if we can only discover it, why people outrage public opinion, and break out of the strea, however, after a day spent as usual, in idling about and shooting little birds, our friend John was observed by a wo outside a church, under thenearest to the pulpit He stood there, listening very attentively to the seration could come out, he made off stealthily and hastily, to escape observation But passing near the wo him, she heard him say, with a look of distress on his countenance, ”It's no use--the devil's sure to have me! It doesn'twhat she had seen and heard; so I detero at once and see the ht I would have a little conversation with his wife before he came home Totoday, John?” I said ”What's the ot no sleep last night; but I mean to work in the afternoon, for all that,” he continued, with an air of deterot anything on your mind?” I inquired

”Mind?” he repeated, as if in conteht ”There is not iveaccount of his bodily ailments

”But do you never think about your soul, John?” I asked; ”never think about another world and eternity?”

”Soul and eternity! I don't believe in either the one or the other of them!”

”Not believe you have a soul! Come, John, I am sure you know better than that” And I went on to speak of the joys of heaven and the bitter torments of hell; of the love of God, illeth not the death of the sinner, but rather that he should turn and live; and then I proceeded to tell him of the atonement which Jesus Christ finished on the cross, and that now there is pardon for the vilest sinner through the efficacy of the blood which has been shed once for all