er. The
whole exercise occupied about an hour, and seemed to produce a good
effect upon the men, who, during the rest of the day in their
intercourse with one another, talked about religion.

That afternoon, when it was the mate's watch on deck, Captain Williams
entered into conversation with him as follows:--

"I say, Briggs, what does all your preaching and praying amount to in
the long run? I have managed to get along very well thus far without
either, and if I were to die to-day, I could safely say that I never
injured any man knowingly, and have always endeavored to do my duty to
my family and to all. What more can a man do, even if he has all the
religion in the world?"

"Captain Williams," replied the mate, "this world, sir, is not our
home; we are here only for a few short years, and then we go to the
place for which we have prepared ourselves."

"Place!" interrupted the captain, "place--what do you or I or any one
else know about any other place than this world? Place, indeed! you do
not suppose that I am silly enough to believe the Bible, with its
strange fish-stories, and unaccountable yarns about miracles, etc.?"

"Yet," replied the mate, "you believe Bowditch's Navigator, and rely
upon its statements."

"Of course I do, because I have tested their correctness by actual
experience."

"And for the same reason I believe the Bible, and so will you, sir,
when you come to Christ and learn of him the truth."

"I have heard that statement before, Briggs. But how would you propose
for me to come to Christ?"

"By retiring to your stateroom alone, sir, and throwing yourself upon
your knees, and imploring him with your whole soul to enlighten you.
Continue this process every moment you can spare from the ship's duty,
and I will be answerable that you will not pray long in vain, if you
pray sincerely."

"But you must first convince me, Briggs, that the Bible is true before
I make a fool of myself in my stateroom."

"My dear captain," replied the mate, "I cannot convince you, that is
the work of the Holy Spirit; but I can, and often do pray for you. Yet
let us recur to Bowditch's Navigator again, and see if we cannot make
out a case from it in favor of the Bible. Both of us believe the
Navigator, yet neither of us knows thoroughly the principles by which
all its numerous tables have been calculated, many of which we use
every day without question. If we make a bad landfall, or, at the end
of a day discover