he 272nd.

"`Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life!'"

Really, reader, it is not easy to convey in words the effect of the
singing of that congregation! Nothing that we on land are accustomed to
can compare with it. In the first place, the volume of sound was
tremendous, for these men seemed to have been gifted with leathern lungs
and brazen throats. Many of the voices were tuneful as well as
powerful. One or two, indeed, were little better than cracked
tea-kettles, but the good voices effectually drowned the cracked
kettles. Moreover, there was deep enthusiasm in many of the hearts
present, and the hold was small. We leave the rest to the reader's
imagination, but we are bound to say that it had a thrilling effect.
And they were sorry, too, when the hymn was finished. This was obvious,
for when one of the singers began the last verse over again the others
joined him with alacrity and sang it straight through. Even Gunter and
those like-minded men who had remained on deck were moved by the fervour
of the singing.

Then the sailor-missionary offered a prayer, as simple as it was
straightforward and short, after which a chapter was read, and another
hymn sung. Then came the discourse, founded on the words, "Whosoever
will."

"There you have it, lads--clear as the sun at noonday--free as the
rolling sea. The worst drunkard and swearer in the Short Blue comes
under that `whosoever'--ay, the worst man in the world, for Jesus is
able and willing to save to the uttermost." ("Praise God!" ejaculated
one of the earnest listeners fervently.)

But fear not, reader, we have no intention of treating you to a
semi-nautical sermon. Whether you be Christian or not, our desire is
simply to paint for you a true picture of life on the North Sea as we
have seen it, and, as it were unwise to omit the deepest shadows from a
picture, so would it be inexcusable to leave out the highest lights--
even although you should fail to recognise them as such.

The discourse was not long, but the earnestness of the preacher was very
real. The effect on his audience was varied. Most of them sympathised
deeply, and seemed to listen as much with eyes as ears. A few, who had
not come there for religious purposes, wore somewhat cynical, even
scornful, expressions at first, but these were partially subdued by the
manner of the speaker as he reasoned of spiritual things and the world
to come.

On deck, Gunter and thos