Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 194

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Journal of Occurrences.

The Seamen's Bethel at Whampoa was dedicated to the public worship of God on the 19th inst., the dedicatory services being attended by about eighty per- sons, among whom we noticed H. E. Mr. Davis, the American Commissioner, Mr. Forbes the American Vice-consul, and many of the merchants of Canton. The number of ships at Whampoa at the time was very few, and only a portion of them nad European crews, which accounts in a measure for the absence of sailors from the audience. The services were opened by reading the Scriptures, and singing the following hymn composed by Dr. Bowring for the occasion.

Hear, O Thou benignant Father!

Praise for mercies--prayers for grace! While with grateful hearts we gather,

Sanctify the gathering place; Many a thousand leagues divide us

From the lands and homes we love;— But Thy Gospel is beside us,

Heaven around, and Thou above. Humbly bere an altar building

To Thy glory-may Thy rays Beam upon it, gladdening, gilding,

As in Israel's honor'd days, When their desert path benighted,

Saw the flaming pillar reared; So may our dark way be lighted,

By Thy Spirit bless'd and cheered!

In the deep we see Thy wonders,

And before those wonders bew; From the clouds we hear Thy thunders

Speak, O Lord! in mercy now! When the darkest storm is low'ring,

When the fiercest whirlwinds rage; O'er them let the Cross be tow'ring,

Brighter still from age to age. Father! if Thou deign to bless us

All our labors will be blest, Naught shall daunt us-naught distress us;

Thou our righteousness-our rest! All must yield where Thou presidest ;

Thou who rulest sea and land ; All must follow when Thou guidest; Lord! stretch out Thine helping hand.

The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. P. Parker, M. D., and the sermon preached by Rev. Dr. Legge of Hongkong. His discourse was based on Mark vi. 34: "And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." From this text, he deduced the Christian obligation of compassionating the ignorant of our race, and as a con- sequence the need and propriety of providing means and facilities for instruct- ing them. The services were concluded by Rev. Mr. Cleland giving the bene- diction.

The floating Bethel which has now been opened for public worship at Wham- poa is a commodious structure, 120 feet in length, and 34 feet beam, with's walk four feet wide extending around it. The interior is divided, by a cross passage- way 6 feet wide, into two parts, the chapel and the chaplain's apartments. The. former is 50 feet long, and 13 feet high, lighted by six gothic windows on each side, and has accommodations for seating 300 auditors; it is a spacious and elegant room. The other and smaller end of the Bethel is divided by a passage length- wise, and contains six rooms, one of which is a reading-room, soon to be provid- ed with a library and periodicals, a subscription having already been opened for this purpose. The entire expense of the Bethel, including anchors and cable, will not vary far from $6,000, all of which has been collected from foreigners in China, about half of it from the residents, and the remainder from the shipping. The chaplain of the American Seamen's Friend Society, Rev George Loomis, having draw up a plan in relation to the Bethel, began to collect sub- scriptions in December 1848, and a meeting of subscribers was called in Canton May 8th, 1849, at which it was resolved to vest the management of the funds col- lected for the erection of a Bethel in the hands of trustees. P. 8. Forbes Esq., was chosen chairman, and John Dent, G. H. Lamson, Joseph Jardine, R. P. Dana, and T. W. L. Mackean, Esqs., with the Seamen's chaplain, members of the Board of Trustees. W. O. Bokee, Esq. was appointed secretary to the Board, and N. de St. Croix, Esq. requested to cooperate with Mr. Loomis in carrying out the details. The keel was laid in August 1849, and the vessel floated out of dock Feb. 7th, 1850. We congratulate the foreign community in Canton on the completion of this praiseworthy undertaking, and in noticing it, we can not close without mentioning the untiring exertions of Mr. Loomis and Capt. St. Croix in daily overseeing the thorough execution of the work, and collecting funds from the community and shipping for its completion.