CHAPTER 33

The Work Continued, 1859.

While I was at Hayle, I had so much to do among the people, and so many meetings, that I seldom had leisure to go out for preaching elsewhere; nor do I remember that I had many invitations to do so.  Occasionally I went to preach at Penzance, where a good work was steadily progressing at St. Paul’s Church; but otherwise.  I seldom left my pulpit.

Everything was now going on in a way which satisfied me, after all my tossings to and fro.  I was surrounded with a happy people, who were living and working for the Lord.  All the week they were busy, and also on the watch for souls.  On Sunday they came regularly to church, with an intelligent idea of worship, and joined heartily in the services of the day.  At eight o’clock in the morning they assembled in large numbers for the Holy Communion; then we had the usual morning and evening services in the church, concluding with a prayer meeting.  In the afternoon we had something else.  There was the Sunday school for some of our workers; tract distribution for others:  many went out to preach in the villages; and others went with me either to the sands, the common, or on board some ship, for an evangelistic service.  The day of rest was not one of inactivity, but of useful and happy occupation for the Lord.  Many a former Sabbath-breaker, now changed and rejoicing in God, was amongst us, delighting in the Christian privilege of working for the Master.  It was a day that many of them looked forward to and spent with intense delight; and on Monday evening we met to tell what we had seen and heard of the Lord’s goodness to ourselves and others.

Whenever the good ship “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 wicked man, and a most daring blasphemer.  It pleased God to convert his soul in a remarkable manner; and now nothing 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 morning had gone down with all hands.  He was greatly grieved 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 amazement, he saw his friend standing on the quay.  “Hallo!” he said, “I am glad to see you.  How is it you are here?  Have you heard that your vessel has gone down with all hands?”

“Has she, indeed!” he exclaimed, bursting out into tears; “then it is all my fault, for I let her go 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 time, then, that the Lord has given you your life,” said Sam.