y; the Bible, which I hope you study,
says, 'Mighty is He that hath promised,' and the whole Book is full
of promises of help to those who are in earnest, and you know if
one is not in earnest even God cannot save us. We must do our part,
and we must work out our own salvation. It is just and right that
it should be so. The glories of heaven, the reward of dwelling for
everlasting in an atmosphere of unspeakable purity, will be no
reward to those who do not value purity and holiness. Those who do
will strive for the reward with all their might, and when our weak
and sinful nature overcomes the powers of evil within and without,
He comes with His promised almighty help if we ask Him for it. How
very tender the words of scripture are when speaking of God's
children! He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. God help
you, my darling, to take this word to yourself.

"With devoted love from us all,

"Your loving

"SISTER."

It must not be taken for granted that the reasons I have enumerated
were the only ones that influenced the sailor not to write. There were
motives that may tax the credulity of the reader, but they existed,
nevertheless. I have served in vessels myself where a large proportion
of the crew would not trust the captain to post any letters for them
owing to the habit of mean peculation that was commonly practised by
some captains in those days of grossly overcharging postage and putting
the proceeds into their own pockets. But that was not the only method
of pilfering from the poor creatures whose wages ranged from L2 15s. to
L3 10s. per month, according to the trade they were engaged in, and
might have a wife and group of children depending on them. The captains
were purveyors of tobacco, and sold it to the crew at profits that far
exceeded the limits of decency. Many of them carried what were known as
slop chests, which comprised every article of apparel the sailors were
accustomed to wear and use: oilskins, sea-boots, suits of dongarees,
jumpers, ducks, dark flannel drawers, stockings, mufflers, mittens,
blue flannel shirts, fustian and pilot cloth trousers, soap, soda,
needles and thread, worsted, knives, and any other thing that was worn
or used and likely to be marketable. It will be readily understood that
men who traded in this way were not particularly anxious to have a
well-fit-out crew at the beginning of a voyage, nor did th