the Commander-in-chief to express his hope, if compatible with his view of sustaining the influence of the discipline in the Navy, that this man might be pardoned. And the prisoner seemed not insensible to such kindness; and no one can behold it without approbation and commendation towards Lieutenant T., and feel that it was an unkind blow indeed, that should have been directed towards such an officer. The prisoner manifested that state of mind that seemed to me to be appropriate for a being in his circumstances to exhibit-his views, and his wishes, and his fears, and his hopes, modified by a consciousness of his past course, his moral responsibility, and the plan of salvation for sinners through the atonement of Jesus Christ, for the responsible and immortal soul. Lieutenant T. remained with the prisoner during my interview; and I left the poor man with no hope of long remaining in this world, but with prayers, on his own part, that he might meet his coming fate with the penitence of an humble spirit, and with a fortitude that should spring from a reliance on God for mercy, through Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the penitent sinner.

Again, this Wednesday morning, the 16th, I have been aboard the St. Mary's, for another interview with the prisoner, who seems yet more deeply to bewail the calamity that has befallen him, while he yet addresses himself to the only source that a wretched man can fly to, whose hours of life are nearly expended, and wishes the pardon of the past and the salvation of his soul. He deems it mercy, that, in the dangers of the seas which he has already encountered, (although yet a young man, not over twenty-eight or thirty years of age,) God has thus far spared his life, as he was once rescued when overboard, in a helpless state; and at another, where there was no hope of safety to the ship, that was a wreck, which could hardly have kept herself afloat for six hours longer. "Had I then died, I feel that there would

have been no hope," he said; "now, there may be a gleam, however faint, that God's forgiveness may be extended to me, through Christ. I plead for this forgiveness-I sometimes feel that it may be given me. But it is an awful thing to be taken so suddenly out of the world, to meet one's God. Did the Commodore see eternity as I see it, I think he would extend the period that is now so limited before me. Three days is a short time to prepare to meet my God! But I will not think of it; there seems no hope of living beyond the hour appointed for my leaving the world; and I pray God I may be assisted and sustained." I give not here the particulars of my counsel, in the deep sympathies of my soul, which I felt for this young man. But I could not but think and say, in this connection, that millions of the earth die without a three days' warning, and that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." It is the sincerity of the present dedication of our spirits to God, to which he looks. And his language is, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." And though he might discover something still more of the sincerity of his penitence, and of his confidence in God's mercy, as extended to a penitent sinner, both to himself and to others, were he to live a fornight longer, yet God knows what would be his onward fortnight's emotions, fears, trust, penitence, and sincerity, as truly as if he were to live for that fortnight longer. Still, it is the present moment in which God offers his love, and mercy, and forgiveness, to the sincerely penitent and confiding; and the sinner is responsible according to the opportunity and decisions of the present hour. I pitied this young man as he wept-hopeless of having the time of his mortal life extended beyond "tomorrow," as he said, "at this hour," at which we were then conversing. "And might it be that he himself could see the Commodore, and plead himself before him, in his own lan

guage, for his life-but it seemed it could not be, and I will think no more about it!"

The hour and more was passed; and the principal part of the interview was spent in conversation on the topics that make up the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, who came to save sinners.

"This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins."

And God's direction now is,

"My son, give me thy heart."

"Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

That repentance and that belief, this man seemed to exhibit, in the development of the feelings of his heart, hopes, fears, prayers, humility, conscience, self-depreciation, and reliance on the mercy of God, in such a way, that I left him, with the apparent exercises of mind and heart that seemed to me to be fit in a man of his character-former life-present circumstances-and anxious desires for the future salvation of the soul. No man can read the sincerity of another's heart, in all its light and shade-doubt, hope, and fear,—and this man himself feared (and ought he not to have cherished such an emotion ?) lest he might not be as sincere as God requires of the heart at such an hour, and in such circumstances. And I trust not overmuch to the development of feelings in such scenes, or sudden, last hour consecrations of the spirit to God. But had I to express the kind of feelings, and views, and hopes, and fears, and penitential reliance on

God for mercy, through Jesus Christ, which I should deem appropriate and hopeful for salvation in a man placed in the circumstances of this man, I should describe them, in most particulars, as they seemed to be occupying the bosom of this young seaman, destined, according to all present appearances, to give up his life at the yard-arm, to-morrow, before the sun shall have reached its greatest height at meridian.

A boat having come for me, from the St. Mary's, in answer to a signal made by the Cumberland, I went on board the St. Mary's this morning, Thursday the 17th, a little after 9 o'clock; as no indications were discoverable, from any quarter that the wretched man, condemned to death, would be reprieved or pardoned. There had been many conjectures made as to the ulterior design of the Commodore, and various sentiments advanced as to the probability, that the execution would take place. I believe, it was quite a prevalent impression, throughout the squadron, though that sentiment seemed to change, at different hours, that this unfortunate man, at the last moment, would be pardoned. I had, myself, felt the influence of this impression, and I had delayed, until this morning, to make known to the Captain a wish, which the prisoner had expressed to me yesterday, that I would be with him, on the day of execution. It was essential for me to do this, in view of the general order, that no boat should leave the ship on the day this poor man was to take leave of the world-and hoping, myself, that, with the light of this morning, there might be some dawning hope of the reprieve of the man. But it came not; and soon after two bells, on stating to Captain Forrest my desire to meet the wish of the prisoner, a signal was made to the St. Mary's for a boat to be sent for me, as described. Still yet did I hope, that there might be relief for this penitent man. And yet, I take not on me here to criticise the sentence of the court, its approval, or its execution; while I yet felt in the yearnings of

my heart, for the life of this young seaman, that it might be his destiny yet to live and yet to develop the better traits of a character, that seemed to embrace much of native excellence and superior capacity; that he might evince, in life, the sincerity of a hopeful purpose of following a path of virtue, and a course of penitential obedience to the precepts of the Gospel of Christ. And yet, the scene had gone so far, that it seemed almost if not quite a hopeless thing, to save the tragic exhibition, now within the view and awakening the feelings of the squadron, from passing into a farcical representation, unless the expected catastrophe should be suffered to evolve itself, in the way and at the hour appointed. I reached the St. Mary's, after a short pull over the troubled sea, agitated by the north wind, which has thrown the usually more calm surface of the water between the two ships, into a tumult, which I now felt to be emblematical of the agitated bosom of the unfortunate man I was seeking to see.

I went directly to the screen, behind which I found the prisoner sitting upon his cot, with Lieutenant T. at his side, who offered to leave us, if either myself or the prisoner desired it. Neither did; and the Lieutenant remained for a short time longer, and then left me alone, to attend this unfortunate man, until the summons should be brought, to announce that the hour of his execution had come.

"Would it was a less bright day," said the prisoner, as it would then be in nearer keeping with my clouded fate."

I told him, on the contrary, I could wish it might emblem forth the light of the countenance of a God of mercy, - in his case, who forgives the penitent sinner through Christ, who suffered and died, that we might forever live and be happy.

"I have sometimes thought of death," he said, "and at times, of sudden death, but I never dreamed that I should