DIANA SELLICK SAVED FROM THE GALLOWS. 251 superior to the honours of this world, as its sources are higher, its spirit purer, its rewards better, its date more durable, and its coronation more glorious. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.' "That each of us, my respected brother, may be the friend of God not only, but our offspring and our people with us, and ourselves instrumental in conciliating thousands of others, is the prayer of your friend and brother in the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord's day, December 1st. Mr. S. says:-"In the four sermons preached this day, I was greatly assisted by the Lord. In prayer I was indulged with a great degree of holy communion with my God. Indeed, I would rather enjoy liberty in prayer than in preaching, yet I find they generally go together. The afternoon's discourse was on the death of Diana Sellick, whom, some years ago, I was the instrument in saving from the gallows."* This is the second instance in which the clear-sighted and discriminating mind of Mr. Stanford enabled him to investigate the circumstances upon which the capital conviction of two criminals had been predicated, and in which, by illiciting facts, that had before escaped notice, he was enabled to obtain for them the clemency of the Executive; and thus became the instrument of saving not merely their natural life, but their souls, as they were both converted to God under his subsequent ininistry. CHAPTER XIV. COMMENCES THE YEAR UNDER MENTAL DEPRESSION-RESOLVES TO LABOUR WITH INCREASING DILIGENCE-DANGEROUS ILLNESS-DEATH OF WILLIAM STANFORD-EXPLOSION OF THE STEAM-BOAT ETNA-MEMORIAL. JANUARY 1st, 1823, Mr. Stanford remarks:-" This year commenced without that full degree of humble and spiritual desire towards the Lord which my heart anticipated. The weather was dark and stormytoo much resembling the state of my heart. Time with me cannot but be short. May the Lord make me useful while I live, and faithful until I die, and then in mercy, through a gracious Redeemer, receive my soul into his rest for ever." Mr. Stanford to the Hon. Nicholas Brown, A. M. "MY DEAR FRIEND, "New-York, August 28th, 1823. "This afternoon Mr. Barnes handed me your letter, dated the 26th, and which demands my most affectionate and early acknowledgments. Gratified should I be to accept your friendly invitation to your house, at the commencement, and the Warren Association; but the time is so short, and few of the clergy of any denomination being in town at this season, I am unable to procure adequate supplies to attend my eight congregations, in the event of my absence. The Honourable the Mayor and Corporation of this city have expressed a wish, that I would visit Boston this season, for the purpose of examining all their public institutions, with the design of improving our own. Should the God of mercy enable me to comply LETTER TO THE HŌN. NICHOLAS BROWN. 253 with your request, it would afford me peculiar pleasure to see you on the way. "Will you bear with me in my folly, if folly it may be called? Your letter produced a train of reflections, which carried me back at least thirty years. Your family, your honoured father, Nicholas, Obadiah, Hope, and Tommy Ives; the church, the college, the town, and its poor: ah! the remembrance of all these rushed upon my mind so forcibly, that I could not withhold the falling tear. Yes, I did love you—I tried, in the strength of my God, to promote the general good-I love you still, and pray for the blessing of my Lord to rest upon you all. Yes, those days and those connexions still survive in my heart, and my earnest prayer shall be continued, that the choicest personal and social blessings may rest upon you. "I have heard so much of the extensive improvements of the college, through your munificence, that, I must confess, I have often indulged a strong desire again to see that noble, and now magnificent institution. As for my old acquaintance in the town, I presume few are now in the land of the living. Still, if favoured with an opportunity, I should like to employ a day, in once more walking in the streets of Providence, and expressing my good wishes for the prosperity of its inhabitants. "With sincere regards, your's, While in Philadelphia on a visit, in August, Mr. S. remarks: This evening my James offered the family prayer." This was a young lad whom Mr. S. had taken out of the Poor-House to serve as a domèstic, and for whose conversion it pleased God to bless the religious instruction imparted in the family. His case was quite remarkable; possessed of talents far above mediocrity, and embued with the spirit of 254 CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF MARINERS a most exemplary piety, it is not surprising that he was, like others, through Mr. Stanford's instrumentality, rescued from moral degradation and poverty, and restored to virtue and prosperity. September 26th. Mr. S. writes:-"It has pleased God, this month, to lay upon me his afflicting hand, and many of my friends resigned all hope of my recovery. A severe affection of the chest obliged me to maintain a sitting posture both day and night. The physicians in attendance could afford but little relief; but that blessed Lord, who always appoints the means adapted to the end, unexpectedly furnished me with a remedy from Dr. Alexander H. Stevens, which produced the most beneficial effects. May the Lord so sanctify this visitation, that if spared a little longer, it may be to his glory and the good of my fellow-creatures." He so far recovered from this severe indisposition, as to be able to resume his active duties, and we find him recording in his diary, at the end of the succeeding month, this extraordinary fact "This month, to me has been a season of great pain, and great mercy, so that I have been enabled to preach fifty sermons, besides performing a large amount of other duty." Mr. Stanford's concern for the welfare of seamen, was evinced as early as the year 1815, by the following article, printed in the Mercantile Advertiser. It is here inserted without reference to date. "To Shipping Merchants and others, whom this may "GENTLEMEN, concern. "As by the favour of the Almighty, we are now emerging from the horrors of war, and the consequent devastation upon commerce, it becomes the duty, especially of public citizens, to make every exertion which may tend to improve the blessing of peace. Among the numerous subjects which now demand ANOTHER BENEVOLENT PLAN PROPOSED. 255 our attention, the improvement of navigation and commerce must be deemed of the highest importance. It is presumed, that under this impression the President of the United States, in a message to both houses of Congress, has recommended to their consideration, as a means of cultivating harmony with other nations,' the policy of excluding foreign seamen, and navigating American vessels exclusively by American seamen, either natives, or such as are already naturalized. What measure Congress may adopt at a future period, to bring this into effect, is uncertain. But, it is certain, that in proportion to the increase of commerce will be the demand for able mariners, and means should be pursued in order to produce them. "Strong exertions have been made, and are still making, to train up youths both for the defence and the honour of America; and these are under the immediate superintendence of the general naval department. "Commerce must be maintained by seamen produced from other sources, and by a different method; and I am the more explicit in this address to the inhabitants of New-York, as this city takes the highest rank among the commercial cities of America. "To you, therefore, gentlemen, as merchants, and the most deeply interested in the improvement and increase of commerce from this port, I beg leave to suggest the utility of establishing a PUBLIC MARINE SCHOOL, for the improvement of those who are inclined to sea service; which may speedily promise a greater supply of able American seamen, and, of course, preclude the necessity of taking foreign captains or sailors into the merchant service. I would respectfully recommend— "That for this beneficial purpose, a society of merchants be formed-the school to be a permanent establishment; and the whole to be under the exclusive |