and powerless is man! how short his span of life, when
he is viewed in connexion with the sea! He has left no
trace upon it--it will not receive the impress of his
hands; it obeys no laws, but those imposed upon it by
Him, who called it into existence; generation after
generation has looked upon it as we now do--and where
are they? Like yonder waves that press upon each other
in regular succession, they have passed away for ever;
and their nation, their language, their temples and their
tombs have perished with them. But there is the Undying
one. When man was formed, the voice of the ocean was
heard, as it now is, speaking of its mysteries, and
proclaiming His glory, who alone lifteth its waves or
stilleth the rage thereof.

"And yet, my dear friend, for so you must allow me to
call you, awful as these considerations are, which it
suggests, who are they that go down to the sea in ships
and occupy their business in great waters? The sordid
trader, and the armed and mercenary sailor: gold or blood
is their object, and the fear of God is not always in
them. Yet the sea shall give up its dead, as well as the
grave; and all shall--

"But it is not my intention to preach to you. To intrude
serious topics upon our friends at all times, has a
tendency to make both ourselves and our topics distasteful.
I mention these things to you, not that they are not
obvious to you and every other right-minded man, or that
I think I can clothe them in more attractive language,