THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 COMMODORE BYRON MCCANDLESS
 
 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 AND 
 
 MEMORIALS OF 
 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR: 
 
 FOR 
 
 FIFTY YEARS MARINER AND SHIPMASTER FROM THE 
 PORT OF NEW YORK. 
 
 BY EEV. HENRY T. CHEEVER, 
 
 AGTHOB or 
 
 "TUB ISLAND Wt>KLD OF THX FAOF1C," AKD "TBX WHALE AND Rn 
 CArTOBS." 
 
 He la careful in obacrrlng the Lord's day. He hath a watch in hi* 
 heart, though no bells in a steeple to proclaim that day by ringing to 
 prayer*. He daily sees and duly considers God's wonders in the deep. 
 Fci.i.XB'3 " Good Sea Captain." 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 
 
 88 CLIFF STREET. 
 
 1851.
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand 
 eight hundred and fifty-one, by 
 
 HARPER & BROTHERS, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District 
 of New York.
 
 cr 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 To the mass of general readers, and to earn- 
 est minds especially, writings in the shape of 
 self-memorial and autobiography are always at- 
 tractive. Whether they be purely religious, 
 like the Confessions of Augustine, or the Grace 
 Abounding of the Immortal Dreamer, or the 
 Experiences of Madame Guyon and of Cowper ; 
 or whether they be semi-religious, literary, and 
 economical, like the Life of Franklin, by him- 
 self, the Confessions of Rousseau, the Autobiog- 
 raphies of Goethe and Leigh Hunt, or the Con- 
 fidences of Lamartine, all men love to read 
 them. Personal reminiscences, perhaps it may 
 be added, even egotism, we are generally eager 
 to peruse when written, although we detest and 
 can not bear them when spoken. 
 
 It is because I have thought there is some- 
 thing here of universal interest because I have 
 seemed to see that, in the workings and strug- 
 
 873754
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 gles, the trials and triumphs of the SAILOR herein 
 exhibited, there is matter for thought and in- 
 struction to the Man, certainly to the Christian 
 every where it is for this, among other rea- 
 sons, that the Editor has undertaken the task 
 (not an easy one) of correcting, reducing, fash- 
 ioning, and putting them in order. 
 
 The labor expended in this process, if not 
 always the same in kind, has been little less in 
 amount than that of creating entire a similar 
 book. But the work has been lightened by the 
 hope that its result may now and then profita- 
 bly occupy a captain's lonely hours at sea, or a 
 sailor's dog-watch and Sunday, and that it may 
 minister healthful stimulus and nutrition to a 
 circle of minds on the shore also, earnestly 
 longing after holiness. 
 
 In now giving this work to the world, the 
 Editor remembers the charge of Carlyle : Cast 
 forth thy act thy word into the ever-living uni- 
 verse : it is a seed-grain that can not die ; un- 
 noticed to-day, it may be found flourishing as a 
 banyan grove after a thousand years. If this 
 book shall enter as aliment or as vital electrici-
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 ty into but one upright mind, so as to make it 
 more resolved and holy, and its action more 
 quick and powerful for good on other minds, a 
 wave of benign influence will have been started 
 by it, humble as it is, that shall roll through 
 eternity. 
 
 In the hope that this volume may prove a 
 useful gift to the Merchant Service and Marine 
 of England and America, it is now dedicated 
 to the Seamen's Friend Societies of the two 
 great COMMERCIAL NATIONS, whose common boast 
 it is 
 
 " That Chatham's language is their mother tongue." 
 
 HENRY T. CHEEVER. 
 
 New York, January, 1851.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ... muuUCTORT AND GENERAL VIEW OF CHARACTER. 
 
 Birth, Parentage, and early Days First Acquaintance with 
 Life on the Water Narrow Escape from Drowning Con- 
 sequences upon Character Mastering the Theory of Nav- 
 igation Engage* as a Coaster Begins a Journal Its Value 
 estimated Elements of Character Its Worth as an Exam- 
 pleTestimonials of Friends Points worthy of imitation 
 Noble Attitude in relation to the Sabbath at Sea Honor 
 to whom Honor is due Origin and Order of the Book- 
 Its Ends and Uses Invocation and Aspirations in behalf 
 of its Readers The Mariner and Christ Page 13 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 EARLT VOTAOKS, SUFFERINGS, ADVENTURES, PERILS, AND ES- 
 CAPES. 
 
 The first Time off Soundings Impressive Reminiscence of a 
 Voyage to the Carolines Hardships and Inhumanities of a 
 Cruise to St. Vincent's Sickened of the Sea, and entering 
 upon a Clerkship at New York Again a melancholy Wan- 
 derer on the Main Divers Voyages to the West Indies 
 Fever at Port au Prince Religion in Embryo A Mate at 
 Twenty-one In Perils frequent, in Deaths oft Moral Ef- 
 fect thereof A Prayer composed in Extremity Feeling 
 after God, if haply he might find Him Wrecked on the 
 Island of Barbuda Strange Vicissitudes of Fortune Way- 
 marks in Religion Doubling the Cape of Good Hope 
 Navigation in the Indian Seas Arrival at Macao and Wain- 
 poa The Celestial Empire A Night and a Day in the 
 Deep Marvelous Rescue Vows made in Pain Life at 
 Canton We sail for New York We Wood and Water in 
 the Straits of Sunda Traffic with the Natives Touch at 
 the Cape Are overhauled by a Privateer Put into Gau- 
 dalonpe Arrival at New York Page 2i
 
 Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS, PROVIDENCES, TRIALS, AND TRIUMPHS. 
 
 The Seriousness of a rational Mind Again upon the Deep 
 Captured by Privateers Dangerous Illness Its Part in the 
 Discipline of his Soul Various Adventures in the West In- 
 dies Funeral Ceremonies of the Blacks described In 
 Command of a Ship for France Married in his twenty- 
 eighth Year Hair-breadth Escapes Reading Theology at 
 Sea The Steps traced by a Sailor's Mind in its Return to 
 God A Train of Disasters on Ship-board Winter Rigors 
 of the Coast Trial of the Land Recourse again to Sea 
 Perils in an armed Merchant Ship Put in Command of 
 the Penelope Beginnings of the Life of God in the Soul 
 of Man Page 56 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, PROFESSION, TEMPTATIONS, AND ES- 
 CAPE. 
 
 Opening of the Nineteenth Century Personal Records and 
 Discoveries Vigilance in Self-examination Entering upon 
 the Christian Warfare Dialogue between the Believer 
 and his Soul Trials of a Voyage with Emigrants Pas- 
 sages to Madeira Sea Life suspended Shore Life tried 
 The Church entered Covenant Vows assumed Peculiar 
 Religious Exercises First the Blade, then the Ear, after 
 that the full Corn in the Ear Footsteps traced into the 
 Kingdom of Heaven Instructive Records Hard Conflicts 
 Turning out by the tempting Stile of By-path Meadow 
 Caught hi the Grounds of Giant Despair Wanderings in 
 Darkness Temptations to curse God and die Mental An- 
 guish laid bare A Fugitive from Home and Happiness 
 How at length restored An instructive Process of Recov- 
 ery Hope for the Sorrowing Joy for the Comfortless 
 God's Way and God's End These are they that have 
 come out of Tribulation 70 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 NAVIGATING FOR ETERNITY. LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF THE 
 CHRISTIAN LIFE. 
 
 Life resumed upon the Mountain Wave The Steps of a 
 good Man ordered by the Lord Successful Voyages to 
 foreign Parts Increasing Comfort in Religion Divinity
 
 CONTENTS. IX 
 
 shaping hi* rough-hewn End* The Experience and Use 
 of TriaL Want of Society at Sea How supplied Gale* 
 of the Spirit Pillar* of Gratitude Memorial* of Grace 
 Participation in a Revival at Newark Joy in the Lord 
 Fruit* of the Spirit Lore for Souls Cloud* departing 
 Sun shining Shadows fleeing away Say not 'ti* all a 
 dreary Way Page 100 
 
 CHAPTER TI. 
 
 LABORS WITH HIMSELF AND LABORS IN BEHALF or THE SAB- 
 BATH FOR SEAMEN. 
 
 The Morning cometh and alco the Night The checkered 
 Experience of the Religious Life Storm after Calm Self- 
 examination brings to his Bearing* A Parallel and Con- 
 trast instituted and traced The Christian Mariner's Night 
 Side Hand of Providence Invested with the Command 
 of Ship Atla Voyage to Bristol Religion* Instruction of 
 his Crew Reflection* concerning a Captain's Duty to his 
 Men Promise and Performance Principle and Practice 
 -Conscientiousness and Reward A Struggle between 
 Diffidence and Duty A successful Experiment worth re- 
 peating Persevere* in Well-doing Confer* with Minis- 
 ters on the Hallowing of the Sabbath at Sea Encouraging 
 Fruit* Observed Effect* of Worship at Sea He encoun- 
 ter* an awful Tempest The Voice of Prayer in the Storm 
 A well-spent Sabbath at Sea The Mistake corrected that 
 Sailor* can not be governed without rough Usage Fact* 
 in Proof Experiment tried of daily Evening Worship 
 The Habit continued in successive foreign Voyage* Pas- 
 sage to Lisbon Divers Dangers passed Views of the 
 Heavenly Canaan 119 
 
 CHAPTER TIL 
 
 CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DUTIES AT SEA CONTINUED. 
 
 Example of an honorable and conscientious Captain Con- 
 troversy with hi* Employer respecting sailing from Port 
 on the Lord'* Day Noble Resolution taken Voyage to 
 the Tagu* Sickness on the Return Healthful Discipline 
 Spiritual Improvement thereof Growth in Goodness 
 War with Great Britain forbid* Commerce Ashore eigh- 
 teen Months Undertakes School-teaching Peace re- 
 stored, and the Command of the Niagara resumed Voy- 
 age to Now Orleans and F. ivt-roool Social Religion at Sea
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Providential Deliverance from Shipwreck in Answer to 
 Prayer Takes in Charge the Ship Phocion Another Eu- 
 ropean Voyage Spiritual Meditations at Sea Views of 
 Sin, and Holiness, and God Anxieties for the Salvation 
 of Others Heavenward Aspirations Page 141 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PECULIAR RELIGIOUS EXERCISES AND ORIGINAL CORRESPOND- 
 ENCE WITH REV. THOMAS SCOTT. 
 
 The Year of the Great Revival Movement of Mind on the 
 Sea Anxieties for Souls Affecting Views of the Condi- 
 tion of a Sinner under Condemnation Letters to his Wife 
 penned at Sea Arguments and Persuasives to Piety 
 Reasons for seeking in earnest an Interest in Christ Af- 
 fectionate Plea and Expostulation Claims of Religion* to" 
 instant Regard Danger of Procrastination Benevolent 
 Care and Sympathy for his Passengers The truly Relig- 
 ious Ship-rtaster Death at Sea Voyage to and from Hull 
 Dissatisfaction of Passengers at not making Sail on the 
 Lord's Day Conduct and Reasonings of Captain Congar 
 Addresses a Letter to Dr. Scott Cases of Conscience 
 stated Experience narrated Opinion solicited Reply of 
 Thomas Scott Grounds of Argument on the Subject To 
 be decided by Analogy Israel not a sea-faring People 
 Proper Distinction between Works of Necessity and Works 
 of Mercy The Sabbath made for Man, not Man for the 
 Sabbath Should not be stiffly unaccommodating A 
 right Rule to give up our own Will to please Others for 
 their Good Never to give up the Lord's Will The Di- 
 vine endorsing the Captain 156 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DESPONDENCY CONFESSED, CORRECTED, AND CURED. 
 
 Penitential Acknowledgments of Sin, and Prayers for Pardon 
 and Holiness Fears of Apostasy Workings of the Hu- 
 man Soul apprehended by the Powers of the World to 
 come Events and Exercises of a Voyage to Oporto 
 Prayer followed by Occasions of Thanksgiving Indwell- 
 ing Sin deplored The Soul fasting and mourning Light 
 breaking The sorrowing Soul comforted Tokens of the 
 Divine Favor renewed The Course of Recovery traced 
 The Pilgrim's Progress to the Land of Peace Affecting 
 Memorials of the Wormwood and the Gall Cheering
 
 CONTENTS. XI 
 
 Views of the Promises Repose found in Christ The 
 Blessedness of Union with the Divine Will Consolation of 
 Faith Doubts followed by Assurance Calm after Storm 
 Rest after Toil Peace after War Aspirations after Ho- 
 liness A Beulah for the Soul even here Page 182 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ABANDONMENT OF THE SKA. TRAVELS AND EXPERIENCE III 
 THE SOUTHWEST. 
 
 The Steps of a good Man ordered by the Lord Casting the 
 Burden upon God Singular Resolution Following the 
 Thread of Providence ransage to New Orleans and Natch- 
 ez Propitious Providences -Manifestations of God's Favor 
 Business Arrangements and Success Sorrows and Joys 
 of Solitude He quits Natchez Return/ to his Family 
 Raises a Pillar of Gratitude Brought low by Sickness 
 A Summer at Newark Seeks the South in the Fall Busi- 
 ness Adventures in 1823 A delicate Subject discussed 
 Union of Believers with Unbelievers lu disastrous Re- 
 sults stated and Dissuasive* thereto enforced Evidence 
 of Growth in Grace Considerations upon the State and 
 Prospects of the Ungodly Horror taking hold of him be- 
 cause of the Wicked that keep not Goof's Law Reflec- 
 tions and Experience during a Voyage South in 1824 
 Reasonings of a Man of the World How confronted 
 The Longings of the panting Soul expressed 196 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 BUSINESS, BENEVOLENCE, AND MENTAL EXERCISES OH SHORE 
 CONTINUED. 
 
 Travels to aud fro in the South Providential Deliverances 
 Benevolent Anxieties for a bosom Friend Close of the 
 Ninth Septenniad of Life Removal of Residence to Sa- 
 vannah Temporary Relapse into Despondency How re- 
 stored Refreshing Tokens of Divine Favor Pantings of 
 the Soul after Holiness Abode at St. Augustine in 1831 
 Life and Labors there for seven Years Removal to Jack- 
 sonville Course of Business and Religion there Reflec- 
 tions at Threescore and Ten The Pilgrim in a Green 
 Old Age The World receding Heaven dawning on the 
 Soul The Difference between the Worldling, the Misan 
 thrope, and the rejoicing Christian Mount Pisgah climbed 
 Eternal Glory flooding the Soul 216
 
 Xll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LIFE, LABORS, AND EXPERIENCE AT JACKSONVILLE. 
 
 Sources of Information Letters to Friends Recapitulation 
 of Mercies Views of Life and the World Looking be- 
 hind the Cloud Earth renounced Heaven anticipated 
 Part in organizing a Church Ordained an Elder Notes 
 of Experience in 1843 Hopes and Desires of the gracious 
 Soul Forecasting the Future Elected Mayor of Jackson- 
 ville Thoughts on the Seventy-eighth Anniversary of his 
 Birth Experience of Youth and Age in Contrast Energy 
 in building a Session-house in 1846 Solicitations of Aid in 
 its Behalf Characteristic Extracts from Letters asking Be- 
 nevolence Local Improvements in Morals and Religion 
 Generosity revealed Becoming Gratitude expressed 
 The Agent and the Cause acknowledged and glorified 
 The Pilgrim looking back over Life The Pilgrim waiting 
 The Pilgrim longing for his Rest Page 228 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CLOSING TEARS, DEATH, AND RETROSPECT OF CHARACTER. 
 
 Instructive Birth-day Memorial An old Man's OSering 
 The Log-book of Eighty Years' Navigation A Tribute to 
 the Pilot The true Grounds of Happiness in old Age 
 The Secret learned of Holiness The Soul losing its own 
 Life and finding the Life of God An affecting Reminis- 
 cence of Youth The Otium cum Dignitate of the Chris- 
 tian Mariner How to be Young when Old The Patri- 
 arch's Views of passing Events The Internal Life and the 
 External The Christian Solace A New Year's Landing- 
 place The wise Review The calm Outlook upon the 
 Future The cheerful Consecration The last Birth-day 
 The last Entry Valedictory to Earth Salutatory to Eter- 
 nity Sickness and Death Synopsis of Character Virtues 
 as a Man, a Merchant, a Captain, and a Christian A Man's 
 Way declarative of his End The Author's Farewell As- 
 pirations and Leave-taking 245
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 or 
 
 CAPTAIN CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY AMD GENERAL VIEWS OP CHAR- 
 ACTER. 
 
 I COHI not, friends, to steal away your hearts ; 
 But, as you know me all, a plain, blunt man. 
 For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, 
 Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, 
 To stir men's blood ; I only apeak right on ; 
 I tell you that which you yourselves do know. 
 
 SHAKSPEARE'S Juliui Ctetar. 
 
 THE subject of the following memoir was the 
 fourth of seven children born to David and 
 Mary Congar, and all reared to adult years. 
 He was born near Newark, New Jersey, on the 
 27th of June, 1768. His death was in July, 
 1848, in the eighty-second year of his age. His 
 parentage, though poor, was virtuous, industri- 
 ous, temperate, pious, and long-lived; the fa- 
 ther dying at the age of eighty-seven, the mother 
 at seventy-nine.
 
 14 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 He was sent to school, for one or two years, 
 at the age of six, just before the commencement 
 of the American Revolution ; at the break- 
 ing out of which, his father's family were re- 
 moved up the North River, to the village of 
 New Windsor, sixty miles from the city of New 
 York, in the year 1776. Here Obadiah was 
 taken on board a sloop by his father, who had 
 abandoned the business of shoe-making in order 
 to follow that of a coaster and trader on the 
 Hudson. By this means the son early acquired 
 a knowledge of nautical life, and contracted a 
 fondness for the water. 
 
 About the year 1779, however, his father sold 
 his river craft, and took up the business of fer- 
 ry-keeping, using also his young sailor-son to 
 go with him. This had nearly been a fatal 
 business for them both ; for it happened, on a 
 Sabbath day, that they had occasion to take on 
 board a heavy-loaded wagon and five horses, 
 and having gone about midchannel, that is, half 
 a mile from the shore, the wind blowing fresh 
 from the southwest and ebb tide, which caused 
 considerable swell, the horses sallied to leeward, 
 and the boat immediately filled and sunk, all 
 except a little part of the bow, to which they 
 all providentially clung, and remained until tak- 
 en off. Happily for them, this disaster happened
 
 EABLT PERIL AND RESCUE. 15 
 
 just as the church doors were opened for the 
 people to come out, and, being in full view, as- 
 sistance was soon rendered them. 
 
 This narrow escape from drowning, which 
 was but one of many he met with in the course 
 of life, wrought powerfully upon the mind of 
 the boy-mariner. It led him, beyond what was 
 natural to his years, to think of his liability to 
 die, and of the necessity of being always ready. 
 And it seems to have given birth to many good 
 resolutions, and to have laid a strong arm of re- 
 straint upon youthful follies, making him se- 
 rious-minded and afraid of sin, lest God should 
 snatch him away in the commission of it. 
 
 When about fourteen years of age, his father 
 wisely attempted to put him to a trade ; but, 
 finding the lad not to take readily to any of the 
 mechanic arts, he thought proper to send him 
 to school for the purpose of learning navigation, 
 in order that he might follow the sea for life. 
 Soon after he had thus acquired the theory of 
 navigation, which there is good evidence that 
 he mastered well, the contest ended between 
 the United States and Great Britain, and he 
 entered a vessel as a common hand in the coast- 
 ing business. 
 
 Through sundry imprudences and prodigal- 
 ity incident to his age, he found himself, on set-
 
 1C CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 tling with his first employers, and proceeding 
 to the city of New York, in the winter of 1785, 
 quite out of pocket. He notes this as a provi- 
 dential circumstance, because, probably, his 
 poverty kept him out of harm's way during his 
 stay in the city ; and, reflecting upon his pre- 
 vious sailor-like improvidence, he wisely re- 
 solved to husband his earnings better for the 
 future, a resolution which, if carried out by 
 young sailors generally as it was by him, would 
 early lay the foundation of an independent com- 
 petence. 
 
 It was at this period of his life, in the eight- 
 eenth year thereof, and with a serious though 
 not yet a religious mind, that the personal nar- 
 rative or journal was undertaken from which 
 the materials of this book are derived. It was 
 principally, he says, that he might retain or 
 call to mind the most material incidents of his 
 life, the perusal of which might be useful and 
 entertaining, should he ever arrive at old age. 
 It is written in a legible, fair hand, and with 
 generally correct orthography ; and though by 
 no means remarkable for the shrewdness and 
 originality of its observations, or the depth of 
 its reflections, or the animation and interest 
 of its style, or the lively detail of stirring facts, 
 incidents, and adventures, it is, on the whole,
 
 GROUND-WORK OF CHARACTER. 17 
 
 highly creditable to the heart, if not to the in- 
 tellect of the writer ; and it presents an exam- 
 ple every way worthy of imitation by sea-faring 
 men. 
 
 The character it gradually develops is the 
 rare one of a humble, conscientious, active, and 
 practical Christian mariner. Without being 
 eminently great or transcendent ly good, it is 
 such a character as, if every where reproduced 
 and multiplied on ship and shore, would make 
 society happy, and earth akin to heaven. It is 
 a character the ground-work of which is alto- 
 gether natural and common, being neither much 
 above nor any below the ordinary level of hu- 
 man abilities, but so ribbed, braced, and under- 
 girded by strong moral principle and the fear 
 of God, that it was far more than ordinarily 
 effective for good in its day and generation. 
 Thence alone it is worthy of study and imita- 
 tion by those especially whose sphere of action 
 and duty corresponds to that pursued by the 
 practical Christian mariner herein exemplified. 
 There are few that attain to the office of ship- 
 master, like Captain Congar, who might not 
 become as respected, influential, and useful as 
 he, provided only they had his religion, which 
 was the rudder of his life. 
 
 One of his personal friends and acquaintan- 
 B
 
 18 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 ces, a New York merchant, who first knew 
 him as long ago as the year 1808, in Newark, 
 thus testifies to Captain Congar's character, 
 person, and worth : "I observed him always as 
 a serious-minded man. When in port, he was 
 sure to be seen regularly and punctually in his 
 seat at church on the Sabbath, and also at so- 
 cial evening meetings ; and he always enjoyed 
 the respect and confidence of the better class of 
 society. 
 
 " He was a man of a middle size, rather spare 
 or slender, neat and particular in his dress, and 
 this he retained to the end of his days. He had 
 a little hesitancy in his speech, and a nervous 
 habit of shutting his eyes suddenly and often 
 while speaking. Though inclined to be irrita- 
 ble in temper, he always maintained his Chris- 
 tian character, and was at peace with all men. 
 
 " Captain Congar was in the employ of some 
 of our best and most respectable merchants, 
 and had their full confidence ; and though their 
 views of sending out ships from port on the Sab- 
 bath differed from the captain's, they seemed to 
 yield to his sense of Christian duty. Captain 
 Congar was an old-fashioned Christian, and of 
 the Puritan stamp ; he could not bear deceit 
 nor equivocation, was scrupulous as to his en- 
 gagements, and opposed to being in debt.
 
 TESTIMONY OP FRIENDS. 19 
 
 " My particular acquaintance with him was 
 after his removal to Florida, to which place he 
 removed on account of climate, and with refer- 
 ence to his health. He established himself at 
 St. Augustine in mercantile business to rather 
 a limited extent, had capital sufficient to pay 
 for a stock of goods suited to the place, to own 
 a house and lot, and was also cultivating a 
 young orange grove, which bade fair to yield a 
 considerable income, when the severe frost of 
 (about) 1335 destroyed it, and it was not after- 
 ward replenished or improved. 
 
 " Captain Congar was too candid and honest, 
 and too cautious to gain much by trade in those 
 times of over-reaching and exaggeration. He 
 was particular to purchase only good articles, 
 and was undeviating in prices. The common 
 people, the Monorcans, and the poor slaves, found 
 the benefit of trading at his store ; and if he 
 recommended his goods, they could believe him, 
 and were sure not to be deceived. 
 
 "At St. Augustine Captain Congar was for- 
 ward in efforts to erect a place of worship and 
 support a church, and to promote good morals, 
 always bore his part liberally in the support of 
 the Gospel, was regular and systematic in his 
 benevolence. He was in the habit of remitting 
 his contributions to the seamen's cause, to the
 
 20 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
 Missions, and other public charities, and he 
 adorned his profession by a consistent life. 
 
 " Captain Congar became dissatisfied with St. 
 Augustine, and at the advanced age of seventy 
 commenced a new residence at Jacksonville, in 
 Florida, in 1838. Here he opened a store, and 
 for several years did a small amount of trade, 
 but gradually withdrew from business pursuits. 
 He was chosen Mayor of Jacksonville, and ex- 
 erted a strong influence for the sacredness of 
 the Sabbath, and in opposition to intemperance, 
 profane swearing, gambling, and all public wick- 
 edness. 
 
 "He began at once to propose plans for a 
 Church organization and to procure a church 
 edifice, and though he did not succeed in per- 
 manently establishing a Church and place of 
 worship for his own denomination, he yielded 
 his own preference, and cordially united in aid 
 of an Evangelical Methodist Church, which 
 continues to be respectably attended, and is reg- 
 ularly supplied with preaching. He also erect- 
 ed, with the aid of a few friends, a house for 
 prayer, on the same lot in Jacksonville with his 
 own dwelling, and kept up evening prayer meet- 
 ings by his personal efforts for a considerable 
 time.
 
 A CHRISTIAN CAPTAIN'S SABBATH. 21 
 
 " While at Jacksonville in the winter of 
 1849, 1 learned much of Captain Congar's cath- 
 olic spirit, and his efforts to keep a high stand- 
 ard of Christian example. He used to look after 
 members who were delinquent at the evening 
 prayer meetings, and his influence in every way 
 was corrective and salutary." 
 
 Perhaps the noblest attitude in which the 
 subject of these memoirs appears, is the firm 
 and manly stand taken by him in respect to the 
 observance of the Sabbath at sea. It is in this 
 pre-eminently that his example is to be com- 
 mended to all the craft. When there were 
 none of his fellow-captains to keep him in coun- 
 tenance, he maintained rigidly, by practice and 
 precept, the sanctity of the Lord's day, so that 
 he would neither sail from port, nor have any 
 other than the absolutely necessary working of 
 the ship at sea. 
 
 This he conscientiously held to for the whole 
 of his sea life, after embracing Christianity, 
 when scarce another could be quoted in England 
 or America who was with him ; and even grave 
 divines, as will be seen, demurred at giving the 
 counsel which he prescribed to himself, and for 
 a length of years never deviated from. Out of 
 forty-seven voyages performed by him in all, 
 during the twenty-three that he was himself
 
 22 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 captain, he had the Sabbath carefully observed 
 to the best of his ability by all on board. For 
 this we honor him ; for this, if for nothing else, 
 his life were worthy to be written ; for this, 
 while the name of the wicked shall rot, his shall 
 be had in everlasting remembrance. Foras- 
 much as he honored the Sabbath when by oth- 
 ers it was dishonored, the great God of the 
 Sabbath shall make him honorable in the ever- 
 lasting kingdom of our Lord, agreeably to that 
 word of his, Them that honor me I will honor, 
 but they that despise me shall be lightly es- 
 teemed. 
 
 In the following chapters of this book we 
 shall have Captain Congar speak as much as 
 possible for himself, without, however, present- 
 ing his journal in due order or exactness, but 
 omitting many things inconsequential and un- 
 interesting, paraphrasing others, and so abridg- 
 ing both incidents and reflections, and condens- 
 ing the whole, as to bring the volume within 
 the compass we have prescribed for it. 
 
 Although a man noted for uncommon hu- 
 mility, self-distrust, and freedom from egotism, 
 Captain Congar surmised and hoped, in his last 
 days, that the perusal of his journal might be 
 useful to others, and he therefore left it by will 
 as a legacy to the Seamen's Friend Society,
 
 A NEW REVOLVING LIGHT. 
 
 with instructions to have a book prepared out 
 of it, and three thousand copies to be printed 
 and circulated among seamen at his expense. 
 The present volume is in fulfillment of that 
 trust. 
 
 Tho aim of the editor has been so to project 
 his own mind into the position and character 
 of the subject of this memoir, as from that stand- 
 point to trace a true map of his life and relig- 
 ious experience. May it prove a valuable ad- 
 dition to the Christian literature of the sea, and 
 in due time find its way to forecastle and cabin, 
 and be a monitor and example to officers and 
 men, of modest worth and principle, and of the 
 honor that accrues, even in this world, to real 
 goodness and the fear of God. Should it ever, 
 in a good degree, answer this end, or might it 
 serve as a new REVOLVING LIGHT to the mariner 
 on the look-out for the Port of Peace, the labors 
 of the editor will have been well bestowed. On 
 its mission, then, he sends it forth, with an 
 earnest prayer to God for every mariner that 
 shall ever be allured to its perusal. 
 
 DARK is the watery way 
 
 Oflife'a tempestuous sea; 
 And none, oh Chrut, are safe, but they 
 
 Who put their trust in thee.
 
 24 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Loud is the stormy wind ; 
 
 The seamen are afraid ; 
 But those shall strength and mercy find 
 
 Whose souls on Christ are stayed. 
 
 The winds THEY do not fear, 
 
 Nor dread the thunder's noise ; 
 The Savior's cheering voice THEY hear, 
 
 And evermore rejoice. 
 It is our Savior's skill. 
 
 Our Savior's arm of might, 
 Which guides the tossing ship at will, 
 
 And puts our fears to flight. 
 
 Praise to the Pilot's power, 
 Praise to the Pilot's hand, 
 
 That, faithful most in danger's hour, 
 Shall brine us safe to land.
 
 EXPERIENCE OFF SOUNDINGS. 25 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 EARLY VOYAGES, SUFFERINGS, ADVENTURES, PER- 
 ILS, AND ESCAPES. 
 
 WK have been 
 
 Bat voyaging along the barren coasU, 
 Like some poor, ever-roaming horde of pirate*, 
 Who, crowded in the rank and narrow ship, 
 House on the wild sea with wild usages, 
 Nor know aught of the main land, but the bays 
 Where safeties! they may venture a thief* landing. 
 
 The Piccolomini. 
 
 THE first cruise made by Captain Congar 
 off soundings was from New York to North 
 Carolina, in a sloop, in the year 1785. Though 
 but a seven or eight days' sail, it was a trading 
 voyage, and occupied six months. At first, in 
 his extreme distress by sea-sickness, he made 
 to himself the sailor's usual promise, that, could 
 he once more get on land, salt water should 
 never again wet his feet. But, returning with 
 good success, and greeted joyfully by his friends, 
 a few days on land sufficed him, and, refusing 
 the owner's offer to take the sloop on shares 
 and continue in the river business, he resolved 
 to pursue his fortune on the sea. 
 
 The taste he had had of its dangers and dis-
 
 26 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 comforts did not appall him, although he records 
 afterward the following reminiscence of his first 
 voyage, in order to show what dreadful appre- 
 hensions fill the mind when guilt stares in the 
 face, and when some awful judgment seems to 
 threaten. While his sloop was lying at the 
 mouth of one of the Carolina rivers, the cap- 
 tain had occasion to take all the crew ashore 
 with him but young Congar, late in the after- 
 noon, and, by some means, they were detained 
 all night. As the vessel lay about half a mile 
 from land, it was but natural that the raw sail- 
 or boy left in charge should feel lonesome and 
 uneasy. But his fund of spirits and health 
 helped him, and he endeavored to compose his 
 mind to sleep at the usual hour. 
 
 About midnight, as "he deemed, he was awak- 
 ened by the great rocking of the vessel, and by 
 loud peals of thunder, terrifying to him at any 
 time, but now, in his loneliness, distressing be- 
 yond measure : " The vivid lightnings flashed 
 around me as though the elements were all on 
 fire. What horror seized my guilty soul ! Now 
 I tried to pray ; now I read the Bible. Now I 
 repented of my sins, and resolved to mend my 
 ways. I thought the judgment day had come, 
 and that my soul must perish. In this dread- 
 ful time I had, nevertheless, presence of mind
 
 HARDSHIPS AND INHUMANITIES. 27 
 
 enough to go on deck and let go the second an- 
 chor, and try the pump. After this, it moder- 
 ated a little, but I thought the night would 
 never end. Blessed be God, who carried me 
 through that dreadful night, and gave me to see 
 the light and space to repent !" 
 
 Eager again for the sea, and all its terrors 
 out of mind, in an evil hour for himself, young 
 Congar enlisted on board an English vessel 
 bound to the island of St. Vincent's, in the West 
 Indies. During this voyage he "suffered al- 
 most every thing but death itself," the vessel 
 being ill commanded and provisioned, and quite 
 unfit for sea, so that they were very soon put 
 upon a short allowance of bread and water ; the 
 captain, withal, being, by his description, " an 
 inhuman tyrant, who knew not how to treat 
 any being capable of feeling." 
 
 After the lapse of forty -seven wearisome days 
 of hunger, thirst, and hard usage, they made 
 port, the captain, by the imperfect navigation 
 of the time, having fallen so far to leeward as 
 to have to stand to the northward again, in or- 
 der to make an easting. Such was the inhu- 
 manity of the captain, that the men were put 
 upon allowance again only eight days after get- 
 ting to port, and so remained for eight or ten 
 weeks, to the end of the voyage.
 
 28 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 The whole course of it was so fraught with 
 hardship, that at its close and return to New 
 York, nothing seemed wanting to young Con- 
 gar but opportunity to engage in some calling 
 whereby he might earn an honest livelihood, 
 and be delivered from the toils of the seas. 
 This was offered him in a clerkship at Newark, 
 in a merchant's store. But finding the business 
 dull and the confinement irksome, and his suf- 
 ferings at sea being all forgotten, he aban- 
 doned it at the expiration of eighteen months 
 for a home again on the mountain wave, a life 
 which he had but lately detested as the most 
 uncomfortable to be imagined. 
 
 Reflecting thereon at a later period, he re- 
 marks, " Would any one seriously reflect how 
 many comforts of life he deprives himself of by 
 following the sea, methinks all the allurements 
 to such a business would vanish. But few, 
 alas ! regard what ought to be esteemed the 
 greatest comfort I mean, the privilege of living 
 under a preached Gospel, or being in habits of 
 sociability with those whose examples of piety 
 and virtue might lead to a consideration of the 
 importance of preparing for our latter end 
 considerations seemingly too much neglected 
 by those whose occupation is on the great wa- 
 ters."
 
 VOYAGES TO THE WEST INDIES. 29 
 
 His clerkship had hardly been more produc- 
 tive than trading before on the North River, so 
 that he started anew for sea in his nineteenth 
 year without even the means of procuring an 
 outfit. Through the kindness of his late em- 
 ployer, this, however, was furnished him, and 
 he shipped as a common sailor for a voyage to 
 Jamaica, but upon such hard conditions, and 
 as a supernumerary hand, that nothing was 
 due him at the winding up of the voyage. 
 
 A painful melancholy had preyed upon him 
 on the voyage, which was rather increased by 
 the uncertainty of his prospects, and the diffi- 
 culty of finding employment that suited him on 
 his return. At length, however, it was relieved 
 through the services of a friend procuring him 
 a situation in a brig to Guadaloupe on seamen's 
 wages. This was a prosperous voyage, with an 
 honest captain, that did much to reconcile him 
 to the rough life of a sailor. But on his return 
 to Newburyport in January, and a voyage aft- 
 erward in February to New York of twenty- 
 six days, he suffered all the rigors of an ice- 
 bound coast. 
 
 We find him next embarked for Ireland, and 
 returning by way of the Cape de Verds with a 
 cargo of salt, and now thoroughly broken in to 
 the rough and tumble of a sailor's life, and in-
 
 30 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 ured to all its vices. A cruise to St. Domingo 
 and back to Newburyport completed the year 
 1788, in the course of which his vessel sprung 
 a leak in a gale, and by working at the pumps 
 he was fatigued to that degree that death 
 seemed almost desirable, all unfit for it as he 
 then was. 
 
 Being of a social turn at this age, and finding 
 congeniality, a warm attachment seems to have 
 been formed with the people of Newburyport, 
 whom he began to esteem as fathers and broth- 
 ers. "With them," he says, "I would go to 
 church, and talk of .religion too ; but, though 
 given up at the same time to all kinds of wick- 
 edness, yet I was not so lost to all future con- 
 cern but that I bought me a Bible before I went 
 to sea again." This was probably the result 
 of some promise made when in distress on the 
 last voyage. 
 
 In the chances and changes of a seaman's 
 life, young Congar is next sick with a malig- 
 nant fever at Port au Prince. Greatly alarmed 
 and anxious, he spent much time in reflection 
 on his past conduct, and frequently resolved, 
 should he be spared, to amend his ways and be- 
 come a Christian. But, like thousands of sea- 
 men in the same distress, health no sooner re- 
 turned than all such thoughts were banished
 
 MATE AT TWENTY-ONE. 31 
 
 from his mind. Through God's mercy he was 
 saved, and we find him successively after at 
 Newburyport, Norfolk, London, and Orient 
 France, enlarging his knowledge of the great 
 world, but, as himself frequently confesses, ill 
 preparing for the world to come : " All this while 
 I was daily becoming more and more hardened 
 in sin ; I chose to follow the multitude to do 
 evil, and scarcely ever looked into my new Bi- 
 ble. Nevertheless, the force of education was 
 so great, that at times I would attempt to pray. 
 But, God knows, my prayers needed forgive- 
 ness." 
 
 In December of 1789, he being now in the 
 twenty-second year of his age, and evidently 
 a trusty seaman, proposals were made him to 
 go in a brig in the capacity of a first mate. 
 With some reluctance, and an unfeigned diffi- 
 dence of his own abilities, he assumed the berth. 
 But, owing to difficulties with his men, partly 
 consequent upon his own conscientiousness, he 
 enters in his diary that sometimes he would 
 willingly have given up his officership, with all 
 its cares and troubles, and all the profits at- 
 tached to it, and have returned to the capacity 
 ef ft sailor again, rather than be continually at 
 war with those under his direction. 
 
 His first foreign voyage as mate to Cowes, in
 
 32 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 the Isle of Wight, and Bremen, Germany, was a 
 harassing and disastrous one, by reason of dread- 
 ful storms, length of passage, injury to cargo, 
 and the loss of some of his men, and the reduc- 
 tion to short allowance of bread, beef, and wa- 
 ter. On the 16th of August, 1790, being bound 
 from Bremen to Charleston, they came to one 
 and a half biscuit per day, and, to make the 
 water serve, he enters in his journal, "we used 
 to put a quill in a bottle and drink through it, 
 and thereby quench thirst without using so 
 much as we must otherwise have done. By 
 this time, great prospect of our suffering with 
 hunger began to appear, we being a long way 
 from any land, and in the calm latitudes. Ev- 
 ery countenance began to wear the aspect of 
 concern ; for my part, the unpleasant situation 
 in which we were placed caused many serious 
 reflections in my mind. I viewed it as the 
 judgment of an avenging God pursuing me 
 wherever I went. But, alas ! for all this my 
 heart was not truly humbled. Nevertheless, I 
 thought it was my duty, and, as I had often 
 resolved, I now attempted to set about a new 
 life ; but religion which has no foundation but 
 the fear of present and future evil will not like- 
 ly be very lasting. Impressed at this time with 
 a sense of my dependence on God, I wrote the
 
 i I.I:LINU AFTER GOD. 
 
 following prayer, that it might remain an evi- 
 dence how seriously my mind was affected with 
 our situation. Monday forenoon. O, most 
 gracious Father and Lord, be pleased to look 
 down from thy holy habitation, and have mercy 
 upon us miserable creatures. Forgive us our 
 manifold sins and transgressions, which from 
 time to time we have committed against thy 
 divine majesty. And O, merciful Saviour, visit 
 us with the smiles of thy blessed grace, that we 
 may not only forsake our evil ways, which we 
 have been pursuing all our lives past, but that 
 we may be renewed by thy good Spirit, and be 
 enabled to live more agreeably to thy holy will 
 henceforward. 
 
 " Most gracious and merciful God, as it hath 
 pleased thee to preserve us, from time to time, 
 upon the raging seas, and to hold our life even 
 when we expected to be swallowed up of the 
 merciless ocean, so likewise be pleased of thine 
 infinite goodness at this time to extend thy 
 mercy toward us guilty creatures, and let us 
 not perish under thy bountiful hand. Grant us 
 favorable winds, O Lord, that we may be deliv- 
 ered from our troubles, and be brought to our 
 desired port. And O, heavenly Father, give 
 us hearts ever thankful to thee for all thy good- 
 ness toward us unworthy sinners, and that wo
 
 34 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 may ever bless and praise thy holy name, give 
 all honor to thee who art ever just and right- 
 eous, for the sake of thy dear Son, Savior of 
 the world. Amen. 
 
 "On the evening of the same day there sprung 
 up a breeze to the eastward, which gave us a 
 run on our passage. And Providence designed, 
 to lessen our troubles still more, that we might 
 see his power in the deep, and be led to adore 
 his condescending goodness to the worst of sin- 
 ners. The next evening we spoke a Portuguese 
 ship from the coast of Brazil bound to Lisbon. 
 We went on board of her and got about one 
 hundred and fifty pounds of rice, one barrel of 
 cassada meal, eight pounds of sugar, and about 
 ten pounds of pork, which articles were of great 
 use to us, and relieved our distresses in a great 
 measure. 
 
 " About this time, in opening the Bible, I 
 took particular notice of these words in Isaiah : 
 ' Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that 
 it can not save, neither his ear heavy that it can 
 not hear.' This led me to admire the provi- 
 dence of God in stretching forth his hand to 
 save them that are ready to perish, and hearing 
 those that call on him in time of trouble. For 
 these mercies I seemed truly thankful, and 
 promised a reformation of life; and had I sought
 
 RELIGION IN EMBRYO. 35 
 
 to him whose hand is not shortened that it can 
 not save, perhaps I might have been enabled to 
 fulfill this promise in some measure ; but, put- 
 ting confidence in my own strength and abili- 
 ties, my resolutions proved like the morning 
 cloud, or the early dew when the sun is risen. 
 
 "From the time we spoke the Portuguese 
 ship until we saw another sail was nearly twen- 
 ty days, in which time our distresses would 
 have greatly increased had we not met with 
 the above relief. When we arrived at Charles- 
 ton, we had not any provisions at all for more 
 than six days. September 13th we made the 
 light-house, and the same day, with much dif- 
 ficulty, got into port. I returned thanks to 
 God for his special mercies toward us in pre- 
 serving us when want and famine, with all its 
 awful consequences, seemed to threaten us, and 
 for restoring us to our desired port once more 
 in safety. But, nevertheless, my heart was far 
 alienated from God. 
 
 " I had often resolved while at sea, if we 
 should arrive safe, that I would leave the brig, 
 and return home to my native place, having 
 been some time from it, but the captain not 
 being willing to part with me, I concluded to 
 go another voyage. We were employed taking 
 in our cargo and getting ready for sea until the
 
 36 CAPTAIN OBAIJIAH CONGAR. 
 
 6th of October, when we sailed for the island 
 of St. Martin's. This voyage was principally 
 undertaken with the view to bring back a car- 
 go of salt. From the time we sailed until No- 
 vember 1st nothing extraordinary happened. 
 Being then in the latitude of Barbuda, a small 
 island to the eastward of St. Martin's, at eisfht 
 
 * o 
 
 o'clock in the evening we hove our ship to un- 
 der the two top-sails, with her head to the 
 southward, supposing, by our observation, to be 
 something to the southward of the island, and 
 by this means we could not drift on to it. At 
 midnight we could not observe any thing like 
 land, nor any appearance of the water being 
 colored. At one A.M., it being dark, but pret- 
 ty moderate, the first thing we knew, the vessel 
 struck upon rocks, which soon brought us upon 
 deck, and in great confusion, for we soon ob- 
 served rocks on every side, and some above the 
 water. Directly after we discovered land, and, 
 to our astonishment, to the southward of us. 
 We used every endeavor to get clear, but all to 
 no purpose, except that we got our vessel in 
 such a situation that she could not sink entire- 
 ly under water. Finding every attempt to get 
 off fail us, we let go an anchor, hove out the 
 long boat, and sounded for the best water. At 
 daylight we carried out a kedge anchor, and
 
 SHIPWRECK AT BARBUDA. 37 
 
 hove upon it, but in vain; and about seven 
 A.M. she bilged, and, being most water forward, 
 her bows sunk entirely under, but her stern 
 was kept up by rocks which she had got fast 
 upon. 
 
 " Circumstanced as we were, it is highly 
 reasonable to conclude we must all have per- 
 ished had the wind blown fresh from the north- 
 ward. I count this deliverance among the many 
 providential escapes from threatening death 
 which I have experienced, and for which I de- 
 sire to be truly thankful. At eight A.M., find- 
 ing the leak increasing fast upon us, we left the 
 pumps, and endeavored to save what we could 
 with our boat. The first load we took on shore 
 was our clothing, and some provisions and wa- 
 ter, not knowing that either of these things, or 
 even inhabitants, were to be found there, the 
 island appearing barren and wild. This island 
 lies in the latitude of eighteen degrees north, 
 and about the longitude of sixty-one and a half 
 west. The whole island (being small) belongs 
 to a gentleman in England, who has an over- 
 seer or governor upon it, who manages his busi- 
 ness. This governor has one white overseer 
 under him, and about one hundred slaves, whose 
 business chiefly is to raise stock and carry it to 
 Antigua, which lies about thirty miles to the
 
 38 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 southward of Barbuda. There are kept here 
 two small vessels, which carry the produce of 
 the island to the aforesaid place, and also two 
 large boats, rowed by fourteen hands, which are 
 sent to the assistance of those whose lot it may 
 be to get on these rocks, which almost surround 
 the island. 
 
 " When the boat landed, some negroes who 
 were near the place came and conducted the 
 captain to the governor's house, where he re- 
 mained until next morning, and ordered the 
 boat on board, with directions to load her again 
 with the most valuable articles, and all to come 
 on shore, which we did, and landed a little be- 
 fore dark. The next morning we all went on 
 board again, and endeavored to save what we 
 could, and brought it on shore, where we re- 
 mained the second night ; and the day follow- 
 ing, returning on board, we brought every thing 
 which it was possible to save. 
 
 " November 5th, we sailed with the effects of 
 the wreck for Antigua, where we arrived the 
 next day, and the effects, being landed, were 
 sold at auction, when we received our wages, 
 and every one took what course he thought 
 proper. I took passage for the island of Gua- 
 daloupe, in hopes to meet with some vessel for 
 New York; but, not finding any, I proceeded
 
 RESTORED TO COUNTRY AND FRIENDS. 39 
 
 to St. Eustatia, and from thence to St. Mar- 
 tin's, where I fell in with the sloop Arabia, Cap- 
 tain Johnson, bound for New York, who offered 
 me a passage, which I willingly accepted. We 
 sailed November 28th, and, after a passage of 
 twenty-one days, arrived at New York. 
 
 " From thence I proceeded to Newark, to visit 
 my relations and friends, having been absent 
 from them about three years. I was received 
 by my connections and acquaintance with 
 marks of sincere congratulation, some of whom 
 professed a great desire that I would quit the 
 seafaring business, and undertake something on 
 shore. But I had become too great a rover to 
 listen to such entreaties. After spending a few 
 days at Newark, I went to see my parents at 
 New Windsor, whom I had not visited in five 
 years, and who always had expressed great sat- 
 isfaction on my returning from sea. I remained 
 with them about ten days, when a letter was 
 received from my brother at Newark that a 
 Mr. S. wanted me to return and act as mate of 
 a schooner which he was fitting out for North 
 Carolina, and commanded by William Whit- 
 more. To this I consented, and we sailed from 
 New York February 3d, 1791, for Wilmington. 
 
 " I now began to throw off' that watchfulness 
 over my conduct and seeming duty to God
 
 40 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 which engaged my thoughts in times of distress, 
 and had nearly forgotten all the promises I had 
 made heretofore. And though I did not give 
 way altogether to such gross acts of sin as I 
 had been guilty of before, yet, it grieves me to 
 say, I lived entirely in the neglect of every re- 
 ligious duty, and became more and more care- 
 less about my eternal welfare. How wonderful 
 is the forbearance and long-suffering of God in 
 sparing such guilty creatures. Surely it is be- 
 cause the Lord is God and not man that we are 
 not consumed. 
 
 " We arrived at our desired port after a pas- 
 sage of twelve days, where we lay some time, 
 and then proceeded for Charleston, South Car- 
 olina, and from thence to New York again, 
 where we arrived the first of April, fitted out 
 for the West Indies, and sailed the sixteenth for 
 St. Thomas, an island belonging to the Danes. 
 We reached it in safety, after a passage of 
 twenty-five days, and lay about eight weeks 
 discharging our cargo and taking in another. 
 
 "Being ready for sea, July 14th, we sailed 
 for New York again, where we arrived after a 
 moderate passage of twenty days. August 25th, 
 I engaged on board the same vessel again for 
 the purpose of fitting out with a cargo of horses 
 for Port au Prince.
 
 DIVINE PROVIDENCE ILLUSTRATED. 41 
 
 " By this time, I say it sorrowing, I had be- 
 come, as it were, an abandoned reprobate, and 
 had put off the fear of God from before my eyes. 
 Why was I not cast off and plunged into the 
 deepest hell ? Why did the Almighty reach 
 forth his hand and save me when, to all appear- 
 ance, we were in imminent danger ? To illus- 
 trate the mercy of God to me in a providential 
 manner, I shall relate a circumstance which 
 took place October 6th, being then in the lati- 
 tude of twenty-seven degrees north, and longi- 
 tude of sixty-six degrees west. 
 
 " Toward evening of the afore-mentioned day, 
 it began to blow fresh, and came on very thick 
 weather. Accordingly, we shortened sail. It 
 continued to blow much the same, with exces- 
 sive heavy rain and exceedingly dark, until 
 about eleven P.M., when, all on a sudden, we 
 were struck by a violent squall, which knocked 
 us down on our beam ends, and, at the same 
 time, all the hay that was upon the awning 
 went overboard. Providentially for us, the 
 horses had been well secured before night, so 
 that none of them fetched away or broke loose. 
 Had not this been the case, in all probability 
 we should have been lost, for every thing in the 
 cabin fell to leeward, and it was with great dif- 
 ficulty that the watch below got on deck. We
 
 4'J CAPTAIN 1 ODADIAII COXGAR. 
 
 lay in this condition about five minutes, in the 
 course of which time we cut the main halyards 
 and got the sail down. Upon this being done, 
 she wore round, and having got her before the 
 wind, she righted, and we continued to scud to 
 the westward until daylight, when we hove to 
 under a balanced main sail. In the after part 
 of the day the wind shifted suddenly to the 
 westward, attended with tremendous flashes of 
 lightning, insomuch that the sea appeared as if 
 it were all on fire, while the hoarse thunder fol- 
 lowed, peal on peal, as though nature were 
 about to give its last expiring groan. 
 
 " During this voyage in particular, I had be- 
 come very profane, and had almost totally ban- 
 ished the fear of God from my mind. But, 
 while lying in Port an Prince, I was seized with 
 a fever, which brought me to reflect a little, so 
 that I left the practice of swearing, and would 
 sometimes attempt to pray. But those were 
 prayers that needed forgiveness. 
 
 " We arrived at New York from Port au 
 Prince December 18th, and, having discharged 
 our cargo, I left the vessel, determining never 
 to go another voyage with a load of live-stock ; 
 and as Mr. S. gave me to understand that he 
 intended to put horses on board, I gave up all 
 idea of proceeding in her, and on the twenty-
 
 KM.I3T8 FOR A VOYAGE TO CHINA 43 
 
 fourth of said month went over to Newark, with 
 an intention to remain at home through the 
 winter, and study the French language, from 
 an apprehension that it might be of signal serv- 
 ice to me in the West India trade. I engaged 
 in and continued my study, though not with the 
 strictest attention, until the sixth of March, 
 1792. At this time, my teacher being taken 
 sick, and having run through nearly all my 
 money, I began to think it high time to go to 
 sea again. Accordingly, I went over to New 
 York with a view to look for a berth, and hap- 
 pening to fall in with an acquaintance who was 
 going as second mate of the ship Nancy, Cap- 
 tain Wheaton, for Canton, in China, the voyage 
 pleasing me, I engaged to go before the mast or 
 otherwise, in the capacity of a sailor. 
 
 " Being about to undertake a voyage which 
 would be longer than I had been accustomed 
 to, I began to consider seriously what I had 
 been doing, and to take myself to task for my 
 past life. I had been living in a course of sin 
 and neglect of religion for many months. Add 
 to this, that I considered my time and money 
 spent to little advantage while studying French. 
 Once more, then, I resolved to quit my sinful 
 habits, and live more conformably to that relig- 
 ion which I had been educated in. But, alas!
 
 44 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 evil had become so rooted in my very nature, 
 that nothing short of Almighty power could 
 heal my corrupted heart, and enable me to tread 
 the paths of virtue and piety. 
 
 " We had a very favorable passage to the 
 island of St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verds, 
 where we watered and replenished our stock, 
 and sailed again on the sixteenth of April, and 
 reached the Cape of Good Hope by the twen- 
 ty-third of June. At this place are two road- 
 steads, one at Table Bay, which is the principal 
 place at the Cape, and the other at False Bay, 
 which lies on the southeast side of the prom- 
 ontory, and where ships ride from May until 
 October. About this time the prevailing winds 
 come from the southeast, and then ships go 
 round to Table Bay until the May following. 
 
 " We lay at the Cape until July llth, dis- 
 charging part of our cargo and taking on board 
 seal skins. Great part of the time we lay at 
 this place the winds blew exceedingly strong 
 from the northwest quarter, which being favor- 
 able for us, we proceeded in due time on our 
 way to Canton. August 21st, we entered the 
 Straits of Sunda. On the twenty-second we 
 were off Ango Point, and several canoes came 
 alongside with turtle, poultry, fruit, tortoise 
 shell, walking-sticks, monkeys, birds, and a va-
 
 REMARKS ON THE MALAYS. 45 
 
 riety of curiosities. The land along here ap- 
 peared very fertile, with abundance of cocoa- 
 nut trees. 
 
 " The town at Ango Point is small and very 
 compact, built with bamboo and covered with 
 thatch, and inhabited by natives who are called 
 Malays, an uncivilized and very savage people. 
 The Malays are generally about five feet two 
 or three inches high, not very stout made, and 
 of a copper or tawny complexion. In the Straits 
 of Malacca, and among all those islands, they 
 frequently capture merchantmen, the crews of 
 which they instantly put to death. These peo- 
 ple make use of a composition called fanam, 
 which they chew in order to make their teeth 
 black. 
 
 " From the Straits of Sunda to Canton we 
 had favorable winds, and on the thirteenth of 
 September made the Grand Ladrone Island, 
 and the same day came to anchor in Macao 
 Roads. Macao is a considerable town, inhab- 
 ited by the Chinese and Portuguese ; but though 
 it is partly garrisoned by the latter, yet they 
 have but little to say respecting the police. 
 They are the only nation who are entitled to 
 the privilege of settling in China, this favor be- 
 ing granted them on account of their being the 
 first navigators that found a passage from Eu-
 
 46 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 rope to this great empire by water, thus open- 
 ing the great trade now carried on from all 
 parts of the world to this country. 
 
 " September 14th, we proceeded up to Wam- 
 poa, a small town about fourteen miles below 
 Canton, and nearly one hundred from Macao. 
 Here the shipping lie, there not being water 
 sufficient for them to proceed further up. Thus, 
 after a passage of nearly six months (including 
 the time we lay at the Cape of Good Hope), we 
 arrived at what the Chinese vaingloriously call 
 the Celestial Empire, the distance being about 
 twelve thousand miles from America. 
 
 " As I hinted at the commencement of this 
 voyage, my mind took a religious turn again, 
 and on the passage I had often formed resolu- 
 tions to betake myself to such a course of life 
 as would insure some happiness, having, upon 
 mature consideration, come to this conclusion, 
 that happiness was not to be found in a sinful 
 course of life : thence the reason why I had 
 never experienced any. Having much oppor- 
 tunity, my mind was much employed contem- 
 plating on these things. Yet, under these im- 
 pressions, I could not see that beauty in religion 
 that I would be willing to give up all for the 
 sake of it ; and though I had beheld many of 
 the wonders of Providence, yet I could not take 
 God for my portion.
 
 PERILOUS BOATING TO MACAO. 47 
 
 " About a month after our arrival at Canton, 
 a Captain Smith, who had sold his vessel in 
 India, a Mr. Green, and Mr. Woods, who had 
 been mates of vessels, had some business to 
 Macao, and, as we were not much employed on 
 board, they prevailed upon Captain Wheaton 
 to let them take the ship's long boat and two 
 hands to take them to the above-mentioned 
 place, having with them two American sailors, 
 one of them named Allen and the other Melvin, 
 besides a Frenchman, who wished to take a 
 passage with us. 
 
 " David Andress and myself were the two 
 pitched upon for this expedition. We left the 
 ship on Saturday, October 13th, 1792, at about 
 one o'clock P.M., being eight in number. The 
 wind being favorable, though but light, and the 
 tide being with us, we passed through the Bogue 
 of Tigris, which is about thirty-five miles from 
 Canton, at eight P.M. We continued on as far 
 as Green Island, and came to anchor about nine 
 miles from the Bogue of Tigris, it being thought 
 imprudent to run in the night, on account of the 
 fishing stakes placed in different parts of the 
 passage which leads from Canton to Macao. 
 By means of a rope stretched from one to the 
 other, about eight feet from the water, for the 
 purpose of strengthening them, the passage is 
 rendered very dangerous for small boats.
 
 48 CAPTAIN OB ADI AH CONGAR. 
 
 " Under an apprehension that these stakes 
 might be fatal to us should we venture to run 
 in the night, our gentlemen thought most pru- 
 dent to come to anchor and wait for daylight. 
 Now, however imprudent it might be to run 
 while the tide was against us, it certainly was 
 much more so with the tide in our favor. Nev- 
 ertheless, our gentlemen became impatient, and, 
 the wind springing up pretty fresh, they determ- 
 ined to get under way and proceed on our pas- 
 sage. Accordingly, we hove our anchor up at 
 half past one o'clock on Sunday morning, the 
 fourteenth of October. The wind blowing fresh, 
 we took a reef in our main sail, and, as it was 
 dark, one person was stationed in the bow of 
 the boat, with a cutlass in his hand, that he 
 might cut the rope in case we should see and 
 could not avoid it. 
 
 " We had not run more than two hours when 
 the one forward upon the look-out cried out to 
 the man at the helm that the stakes were ahead, 
 the boat going at so great a rate that the words 
 were scarcely out of his mouth before we were 
 foul of the rope, the man with the cutlass miss- 
 ing his blow. The tide was running so rapid 
 that the boat upset and filled in an instant ; see- 
 ing which, I sprang for the rope, and held on, 
 while the boat was carried down with the tide.
 
 PROVIDENTIAL AND STRANGE ESCAPE. 49 
 
 Supposing it bad sunk, having stone ballast in, 
 I held on to the rope a few moments, when 
 something coming across my hands broke them 
 loose, and I was left on the water to shift as 
 well as I could, the night being dark, and we 
 at least ten miles from any land. 
 
 " It were impossible for me to describe my 
 doleful apprehensions at this juncture. I cried, 
 * Lord, have mercy on me !' and saw no pros- 
 pect but that this was all of earth to me. Hear- 
 ing some of my companions hallooing, I joined 
 in the general cry, hoping that some fishing 
 boat might be near us. In this sad dilemma, I 
 swam toward them, not supposing, at the same 
 time, they had any better dependence than my- 
 self. But blessed be God ! who in this trying 
 time was near and ready to save by a provi- 
 dence all his own. It so happened, when the 
 boat went down or upset, that the ballast tum- 
 bled out ; therefore she floated, and, as I came 
 up with the others, I found part of them hold- 
 ing on to the wreck, which kept them from 
 sinking. But, alas! those gloomy waters that 
 dismal night were already the grave of three of 
 our number. These were Allen, Melvin, and 
 the Frenchman, whom we never heard of more. 
 Reflect upon this providential discrimination for 
 thee, oh my soul, and bless God that thou wast 
 D
 
 50 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 not numbered with thy companions who met 
 an untimely death. 
 
 "As soon as I had hold of the boat, I exercised 
 myself immediately in securing some spars to- 
 gether to keep myself up, and in this condition 
 fancied I was as safe as on land, comparatively 
 speaking, and I thanked God for the signal in- 
 terposition of his providence in saving me in so 
 perilous a time. Had I been truly sensible of 
 our critical situation, perhaps I should not have 
 felt so easy, for we were now nearly eight miles 
 from land, and the night very dark. Moreover, 
 the wind beginning to blow quite hard, the 
 swell rose so as to almost wash us from the 
 boat. And, besides, the inhospitality of the Chi- 
 nese is such that we had something to fear, rath- 
 er than any thing to hope from them, in our dif- 
 cult circumstances. 
 
 " While in this situation we felt the cold se- 
 verely ; the water was chilled, and we without 
 clothing, for we had thrown the most part off, 
 so that our condition was truly distressing. We 
 drifted down with the tide and wind, without a 
 glimmering of relief, until daylight, which was 
 nearly three hours from the time we upset. 
 
 " As soon as it was fairly light, we discovered 
 some fishing boats at anchor about two miles 
 from us, and as the tide and wind drifted us
 
 SAVED BY CHINESE FISHERMEN. 51 
 
 directly toward them, our hopes revived, but 
 only to sink again ; for, the tide being nearly 
 spent, we soon ceased to drift, and melancholy 
 sat upon each countenance. 
 
 " We now joined our voices, in hopes that 
 some of them might hear us ; and, although we 
 judged we were fairly within hearing, yet no 
 one regarded. In this desperate and unfriend- 
 ed peril, one small ray of hope yet remained. 
 The tide of flood being made, we saw several 
 Chinese boats getting under way to beat up. 
 After some time, one of them, standing across 
 the bay, came pretty near us, and we made 
 signs to them of our distress, but all in vain ; 
 they looked on and passed us by, like the priest 
 and the Levite. 
 
 " But it pleased the Lord that we should not 
 perish. In a short time after another boat came 
 near, when, with our cries, and offering them a 
 gold watch which one of the gentlemen had 
 saved, besides one hundred dollars, they were 
 prevailed upon to take pity on us and carry us 
 to Macao. These, indeed, seemed to have some 
 feeling for the distressed, for they gave us some 
 clothes to put on (we having been about four 
 hours in the chill water, and the weather quite 
 cool), and some boiled rice and cakes to eat. 
 We got the boat bailed out, and saved the most
 
 52 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 of the sails and rigging, and took her in tow 
 with us to Macao, where we arrived at five P.M. 
 the same day. 
 
 " Methinks if I ever exercised gratitude to- 
 ward the Supreme Being for any deliverance, I 
 did at this time, and not without resolutions to 
 live henceforth in a very different manner from 
 what I had done. Yea, I thought now none 
 should ever turn me from my serious purpose 
 of serving God. We remained in Macao until 
 the Saturday following, repairing and fitting 
 our boat in order to return to Wampoa, where 
 we arrived on the Tuesday evening following, 
 to the joy of all on board. 
 
 " By the twenty-sixth of December, our ship 
 being loaded and ready for sea, we unmoored 
 and dropped down the river, in company with 
 the ship Hunter, Captain Homestead, bound to 
 New York. December 28th, passed Macao, 
 discharged the pilot, and stood to sea, with a 
 fine breeze and glad hearts. We had a fine run 
 to North Island, in the Straits of Sunda, where 
 homeward-bound ships frequently touch for 
 wood and water. As soon as we had brought 
 our ship to anchor and furled her sails, on the 
 thirteenth of January, 1793, we hove the boats 
 out, and went with them wooding and watering. 
 On the same day the Hunter came to anchor 
 hero nl^o.
 
 INCIDENTS OF HOMEWARD VOYAGE. 53 
 
 " The natives here are much more savage 
 than at Ango Point, insomuch that we found it 
 necessary to go armed with muskets and cut- 
 lasses, in case we should be attacked by them. 
 Tuesday, the fifteenth, we sailed from North Isl- 
 and, and on the seventeenth left the Straits of 
 Sunda. We stood into the latitude of about 
 ten degrees south, where, having a good trade 
 wind, we shaped our course for the Cape of 
 Good Hope. 
 
 " At this time my mind took a more serious 
 turn than ever on the things which concern the 
 soul ; and now I resolved to make religion the 
 principal concern of my life. We had a favor- 
 able time until we arrived at the Cape of Good 
 Hope, which was on the eighth of March. Here 
 we lay trafficking and repairing our rudder, 
 which was in bad condition, until the twenty- 
 first of the same month, when we sailed for the 
 West Indies. 
 
 " April 27th, in latitude sixteen degrees and 
 twenty minutes north, and longitude fifty-seven 
 degrees west, we saw a sail standing toward 
 us ; and, being desirous to speak her, we took 
 in our light sails and laid aback. She soon 
 came up with us, and proved to be a small 
 armed sloop. We hailed her from whence she 
 came. The answer was, ' From a cruise, and
 
 54 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 bound on a cruise.' At the same time we ob- 
 served her decks to be full of men, and saw that 
 she was armed to the teeth. 
 
 " Surprised and alarmed at this, not know- 
 ing any thing of the war between France and 
 England, some believed her to be a pirate. As 
 she passed along under our lee and wore ship, 
 we cleared our guns and loaded them well, get- 
 ting them all on one side. But when they 
 came up with us the second time, they were 
 more mild in their language, and informed us 
 there was war in Europe, and that they had 
 letters of marque and reprisal, and were cruis- 
 ing for French ships. They examined our pa- 
 pers, and being in want of water, we supplied 
 them with a cask, and parted, happy to find it 
 no worse. 
 
 " Monday, the twenty-ninth, made the island 
 of Guadaloupe, and on the thirtieth came to 
 anchor in St. Eustatia Roads, the ship Wash- 
 ington lying here, which had sailed eleven days 
 before us from Canton. We lay in St. Eusta- 
 tia till the eleventh of May, and then sailed for 
 New York, where we arrived after a pleasant 
 passage of eleven days, much rejoiced to see 
 my native land once more, especially when 
 looking back and reflecting what various and 
 giant dangers I had escaped. Country and
 
 HAPPINESS OP A HOME ASHORE. 55 
 
 friends seemed dearer to me than ever before ; 
 the wish of my heart was that I might never 
 leave them more, and I envied those who were 
 quietly settled ashore." 
 
 HAPPY the man, not doomed afar to roam, 
 
 In distant lands, beneath a foreign sky, 
 
 Who hath a humble and secluded home, 
 
 Bathed by the little brook that prattles by, 
 
 With trees begirt, and birds that warble nigh. 
 
 He, as he sitteth in his humble state, 
 
 Hath little cause for earth's poor gauds to sigh ; 
 
 He needs not envy whom the world calls great, 
 
 Who live in splendid house, with men that on them wait
 
 56 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS, PROVIDENCES, TRIALS, 
 AND TRIUMPHS. 
 
 MAN'S spirit hath an upward look, 
 And robes itself with heavenly wings; 
 E'en when 'tis here compelled to brook 
 Confinement to terrestrial things. 
 Its eye is fastened on the skies ; 
 Its wings for flight are opened wide ; 
 Why doth it hesitate to rise ? 
 And still upon the earth abide ? 
 
 T. C. UPHAM. 
 
 WE have now reached a period in this auto- 
 biography when the POWERS OF THE WORLD TO 
 COME seized the subject of it with a grasp that 
 was never after lost, though sometimes relaxed, 
 until himself passed into that dread world. We 
 have seen the growing seriousness of mind and 
 gratitude to God induced by danger and deliv- 
 erance, and that ease did not at once recant 
 vows made in pain. His first act, on getting 
 once more among his friends at Newark, was 
 to offer up public thanks in church to the Au- 
 thor and Preserver of his life for his great good- 
 ness in restoring him in safety to his relatives 
 and native land, and his language was that he 
 
 ' O D
 
 CAPTURED BY PRIVATEERS. 57 
 
 had now resolved to make it the business of his 
 life to seek and do the will of that God who 
 had preserved him when in imminent danger, 
 and when all hope had fled. 
 
 It was not long, however, that he remained 
 ashore, his services being soon called for as mate 
 of a vessel to the West Indies. During his ab- 
 sence at this time, his vessel was twice over- 
 hauled by privateers, and a prize-master put 
 on board, and property belonging to Frenchmen 
 confiscated. The second time he lay sick of a 
 fever incurred in the port to which they had 
 been ordered. Scarcely had they landed the 
 condemned cargo and hastily taken another and 
 stood out to sea, when they were boarded by 
 the privateer Fanny and Polly, Captain Don- 
 ald, who, after examining their papers and the 
 passengers' trunks, upon suspicion of still hav- 
 ing French property on board, ordered them to 
 Jamaica, putting a prize-master and crew on 
 board, and taking part of the vessel's crew on 
 board the privateer. The sick mate they per- 
 mitted to remain on board the schooner by rea- 
 son of his illness. " This," he says, " was a 
 trying time to me. The fever ran high, and, 
 the cabin being full of passengers, there was 
 no place where I could be comfortable, and 
 scarcely any one to give me a drink of water.
 
 58 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 In this situation I remained until we arrived at 
 Port Antonia, on the east end of Jamaica. The 
 next day after our arrival I went on shore and 
 sent for a physician, who at once administered 
 medicine. I continued extremely low three or 
 four days, insomuch that there was little hope 
 of my recovery. 
 
 " At this time my thoughts were much en- 
 gaged about the concerns of my soul. I viewed 
 myself as a great sinner threatened with death, 
 and without hope, except such as arose from 
 an idea that my prayers and cries might pre- 
 vail upon the Most High to have mercy upon 
 me. This, however, did not give me peace. I 
 read the Bible whenever I was able ; I repented 
 because I was afraid of punishment ; I made 
 solemn vows, if the Lord spared me, that I 
 would live a better life ; and, at the same time, 
 the tempter was permitted to fill my mind with 
 thoughts too bad to mention. But my life was 
 to be prolonged, to show what was in my heart. 
 In about a week's time, through the skillfulness 
 of my physician and good nursing, it pleased 
 God that I should once more recover so far as 
 to be able to walk about. Nevertheless, I re- 
 mained still feeble, and under apprehensions. 
 
 " On the nineteenth we were ordered round 
 to Kingston to take our trial. I was put on
 
 TAKES THE WEST INDIA SICKNESS. 59 
 
 board a small schooner, a prize to the same pri- 
 vateer, and which they were taking round to 
 have her trial likewise, having the said priva- 
 teer in company with us. The next morning 
 after we sailed we saw a sail which was sup- 
 posed to be a French privateer; accordingly, 
 we made the best of our way back to Port An- 
 tonia. The privateer and our schooner, being 
 ahead of us, fell in with her, and finding her to 
 be an English vessel, therefore made the best 
 of their way to Kingston. I remained at Port 
 Antonia until the twenty-eighth, and an oppor- 
 tunity then offering for Kingston, I embraced 
 it, and arrived at that port September 1st. The 
 same evening, being taken with a relapse, I 
 went on shore, where I remained extremely 
 low five or six days, after which time the fever 
 abated, and I recovered appetite and strength. 
 "In the mean time the schooner was dis- 
 charged, and such part of the cargo as appeared 
 to belong to the passengers was condemned, 
 and we were permitted to take the rest on board 
 and proceed home. By the nineteenth of Sep- 
 tember I had so far recovered as to be able to 
 go on board again, and on the twenty-first we 
 dropped down to Port Royal, leaving our pas- 
 sengers behind at their desire, and on the twen- 
 ty-third we sailed for New York. The day
 
 60 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 before, however, I was taken with a second re- 
 lapse ; and now, being out of the reach of a 
 physician and those necessaries requisite in such 
 cases, I was greatly alarmed. 
 
 " Daily growing worse, and expecting a long 
 passage, knowing we had to go through the 
 Gulf of Florida, my spirits sank, and I had 
 nearly given up all hopes of seeing my native 
 land ever again. But, blessed be God ! it was 
 determined otherwise. I continued extremely 
 low until we had nearly reached the coast, in- 
 somuch that sometimes the captain despaired 
 of my life ; but, on approaching the land, and 
 getting the weather a little cool, my appetite 
 came again, and I once more began to mend." 
 
 Narrowly escaping shipwreck, they reached 
 port on the twenty-eighth of October. Through- 
 out that fall and the ensuing winter, up to the 
 spring of 1794, he was subject to relapses of 
 fever, which entirely laid him by, and did much 
 to mpair his constitution, but much also, in the 
 discipline of God's wise providence, to repair 
 and renovate his soul. He found, as many have, 
 like David, that it was good for him to be af- 
 flicted, that he might keep God's law. Ill 
 health went far to soften and subdue him, and 
 make him put a true estimate upon sublunary 
 things. It was a necessary part of the treat-
 
 THE DISCIPLINE OF AFFLICTION. 61 
 
 ment he was undergoing by an all-wise Physi- 
 cian for the restoring of health to his soul. We 
 think we see evidence that its effect upon him 
 was that always meant and often realized by 
 such schooling. 
 
 The heart that God breaks with affliction's stroke, 
 Oft, like the flower when stricken by the storm, 
 Rises from earth, more steadfastly to turn 
 Itself to heaven, whither, as a guide, 
 Kindly, though stern, AFFLICTION still is leading, 
 Even to the home of endless joy and peace. 
 There, on the borders of that better land, 
 Shall Pain's sharp ministry forever cease. 
 Then shall we bless Thee, safely landed there, 
 And know above how good thy teachings were ; 
 Then feel thy keenest strokes to as in love were given, 
 Thnt hearts most crushed on earth shall most rejoice in heaven. 
 
 By June of 1794 the health of our mariner 
 was so far restored that he was able to under- 
 take a voyage to the island of Curaqoa as chief 
 mate of the brig Iphigenia ; and in August of 
 the same year we find him in command of the 
 brig William for the same island, on the pas- 
 sage to which he was boarded successively by 
 Spanish, French, and English privateers, but 
 suffered to proceed. 
 
 Early in 1795 he is at Kingston, Jamaica, 
 where he was again exposed to the yellow fe- 
 ver, and lost by it his chief mate and one of his 
 men, all being more or less sick. He describes
 
 62 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 in the following manner, from eye-witness, the 
 funeral ceremonies performed by the blacks in 
 the island of Jamaica : " As soon as any person 
 is dead, the connexions and acquaintance gath- 
 er around the corpse, and begin to sing and 
 dance, and play upon the banjo and other kinds 
 of music as simple. When evening comes 
 on, they gather in greater numbers, insomuch 
 that their noise may be heard a mile. They 
 continue in this manner until daylight, when 
 they depart every one to his house. In the 
 afternoon they assemble again, bring the corpse 
 out into the yard, and, if it is a person of dis- 
 tinction among them, the coffin is very neatly 
 painted and costlily furnished. Then they com- 
 mence dancing, singing, and playing upon their 
 musical instruments again, which they continue 
 until near evening. When the corpse is taken 
 up to be carried to the place of interment, two 
 or three of the most distinguished among them 
 are ornamented with ribbons in their hats, and, 
 carrying colors, follow the corpse. The rest 
 men, women, and children bring up the rear, 
 with singing, dancing, and music as before. 
 Thus they proceed until the person is interred, 
 when each one returns to his place. I have 
 been informed they have an idea that the soul 
 of the deceased returns to its native country
 
 COMMANDS A SHIP FOR FRANCE. 63 
 
 (Guinea), and that music, dancing, &c., ren- 
 ders the soul more happy until it reaches its 
 home." 
 
 Saved again from a grave in the West In- 
 dies, and narrowly escaping shipwreck on the 
 Double-headed-shot Keys, Captain Congar re- 
 turns to New York, and is immediately put in 
 command of the new ship Alexander Hamilton, 
 bound to the port of Nantes, France. On this 
 European passage his human sensibilities as a 
 benevolent and careful captain were greatly af- 
 fected by losing overboard one of his sailors 
 from the main yard. The voyage was success- 
 ful, and he proceeded from Nantes to the Downs 
 and London, and thence to St. Ubes, Portugal, 
 for a cargo of salt. Dismasted, on the way 
 back to New York, in a furious squall, their 
 course was delayed ; and they fell out of pro- 
 visions, but were providentially supplied by 
 another vessel fallen in with. 
 
 Soon after arriving at New York, he entered 
 the marriage state, in January, 1796, with Miss 
 P. V. Riper, of Newark, being himself in the 
 twenty-eighth year of his age. Almost imme- 
 diately after he sailed for Ireland and St. Ubes, 
 and on his return was at once off again to Liv- 
 erpool, taking his employer and family as pas- 
 sengers. The fourth day out, his employer
 
 64 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 died, and soon after a friend who had accom- 
 panied him, leaving his widow to the sympathy 
 and care of Captain Congar, who himself fell 
 ill with the same distemper that had carried 
 off his passengers. He gratefully notices the 
 sovereign mercy of God in his recovery, and in 
 an opportunity afforded him in a succeeding 
 voyage to save the crew of a leaky ship, at a 
 great risk to his own. 
 
 Through perils in port and sea, by privateers- 
 men and men-of-war, from terrific gales and 
 prospect of foundering in a leaky ship, which 
 he with difficulty kept his men from abandon- 
 ing, we track his course through the pages of 
 his journal up to 1798. It is always the course 
 of a humane, upright, liberal, and conscientious 
 American sea captain, yet without the peace 
 of God, which passeth all understanding, keep- 
 ing his heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and. 
 consequently, not happy. On the ninth of May, 
 1798, he enters that his mind had been consid- 
 erably exercised upon religion on the late pas- 
 sage to Madeira, in the ship Ceres. 
 
 " Having with me Hopkins's System of Di- 
 vinity, I read it with great attention, my mind 
 being particularly affected with that part which 
 treats of the sins of all mankind being made 
 manifest or revealed at the judgment. Know-
 
 READING THEOLOGY AT SI. A. 65 
 
 ing my sins to be of a crimson dye, I trembled 
 at the thought of having them made known to 
 the world ; and, as I had often done in difficult 
 circumstances before, so now I resolved to live 
 more in the fear of God, and with a view to the 
 judgment of the great day." 
 
 Severe trials now befell him in a course of 
 disasters on ship-board, and the sickness of his 
 wife, and his arrival at New York at the height 
 of the prevalence of yellow fever in the sum- 
 mer of 1798, when seventy-two were falling 
 victims to it in one day. " Death." he says, 
 "seemed to brandish his scythe as though he 
 were commissioned to cut down all. This pas- 
 sage in the Lamentations appeared to be veri- 
 fied in a particular manner : ' How doth the 
 city sit solitary that was full of people !' Sol- 
 itary indeed ! I have passed through a whole 
 street, and scarcely observed a soul moving. 
 
 " On one of these days of pestilence we cast 
 off from the wharf. The wind being very light, 
 our boy, who was about twelve years of age, 
 was sent up to clear away the main top-gallant 
 royal, but, on what account we never could 
 learn, he had scarcely reached the top-gallant 
 yard when he fell. Hearing something shock 
 the deck, I cast my eyes around, and saw the 
 boy lying on the companion way, flat on bin face, 
 E
 
 CAPTAIN OBAUIAH COXGAR. 
 
 and motionless. We took him up, supposing 
 him to be dead, but he soon began to cry. We 
 then rubbed him all over with camphor and 
 spirits, and put him in a warm bed, and in less 
 than a week he was able to walk considerably, 
 and in a week more returned to his duty again. 
 Had I not been eye-witness to these facts, I 
 could not have believed it possible for any per- 
 son to have survived such a fall." 
 
 This was the first of a train of difficulties 
 that ran through this voyage. The first day 
 out for Liverpool, yellow fever appeared on 
 board, to their great dismay. Another of their 
 most able-bodied seamen was thrown oft' duty 
 by a severe fall, and fatal shipwreck was bare- 
 ly avoided on Sable Island. On the return, the 
 journal says, " I believe it will not be far from 
 the truth if I say we lay to almost every other 
 day all the month of January; and about ten 
 days before we arrived, as we were hove to, a 
 heavy sea came on board, which knocked the 
 long boat out of the chocks, washed away the 
 booby-hatch, a great quantity of water going 
 down in the steerage, stove in the quarter-boards, 
 washed the binnacle overboard, and set us all 
 afloat in the cabin. This happened while we 
 were at supper, so that it made a clean sweep 
 of every thing on the table. Fortunately, there
 
 A TRAIN OF DISASTERS ON SHIPBOARD. 67 
 
 was but one man on deck, and he had notice 
 of it time enough to secure himself. 
 
 " February 22d, 1799, we made Sandy Hook, 
 but it coming on to blow very hard from the 
 northwest, we were under the necessity of let- 
 ting go our anchors to prevent being blown off, 
 though we were twelve miles from the land, 
 and, consequently, pretty rough swell. Our 
 anchors had not been down more than an hour 
 when the small bower cable parted, and the 
 other being insufficient to hold her, she contin- 
 ued to drag all night, so that in the morning 
 we could scarcely see the Highlands of Never- 
 sink. 
 
 " The sea having broke over us fore and aft 
 in the night, which froze instantly, our vessel 
 appeared one solid body of ice from the stem to 
 stern-post. At eleven o'clock next day, the 
 weather moderating, we went to work clearing 
 the ice off the decks, and hove up the anchor, 
 but, to our mortification, there was little more 
 than the stock left. The wind being from the 
 westward, we could not get up to the Hook un- 
 til the twenty-fourth. This night the cold was 
 terrible ; we could not come to anchor, for we 
 had none, therefore were obliged to carry sail 
 all night, in order to keep in with the land, and 
 we barely escaped freezing. Next day we for-
 
 68 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 tunately reached the city, through very much 
 ice running in the channel. Thus ended a voy- 
 age begun with trouble and finished with hard- 
 ships." 
 
 These extreme hardships had well-nigh driv- 
 en Captain Congar from the sea. But, like the 
 innately industrious every where, he found it 
 harder to bear a want of employment than to 
 brave the battle and the breeze ; and, after four 
 months of tedious shore life, we find him in an 
 armed merchant ship, sailing in company with 
 a fleet of others to the West Indies, for protec- 
 tion against pirates and privateers. In this 
 voyage, only six of the forty that made up the 
 complement of his ship, besides himself, escaped 
 the West India fever ; and eight of the number 
 they buried on the island of St. Domingo. 
 
 The nineteenth century opened with a voy- 
 age to Bristol, England, in command of the ship 
 Penelope ; and it is at the close of this that we 
 find the first satisfactory indications of the life 
 of nature slain, and the life of God beginning 
 in the soul of the mariner whose experience we 
 trace. In another chapter we will pursue and 
 develop those indications. 
 
 WHEN I review my ways, 
 I dread impending doom ;
 
 BEGINNING OP THE LIFE OF GOD IN THE SOUL. 69 
 
 Bat sure, a friendly whisper says. 
 " Flee from the wrath to come." 
 I see, or think 1 see, 
 
 A GLIMMERING PROM AFAR! 
 
 A beam of day that shines for mo, 
 
 To save me from despair. 
 Forerunner of the sun, 
 
 It marks the pilgrim's way ; 
 I'll gaze upon it while I ran, 
 
 And watch the rising day.
 
 70 CAPTAIN OBAD1AH CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, PROFESSION, TEMPTATIONS, 
 AND ESCAPE. 
 
 When I, in my distress, my anchor Hope can cast 
 Within the promises, it holds my vessel fast : 
 
 Safely she then at anchor rides, 
 
 Mid stormy blasts and swelling tides. 
 
 If a dead calm ensues, and Heaven no breezes give, 
 The oar of prayer I use, I tug, and toil, and strive : 
 
 Through storms and calms for many a day, 
 
 I make but very little way. 
 
 But when a heavenly breeze springs up and fills my sail, 
 My vessel goes with ease before the pleasant gale ; 
 
 It runs as much an hour, or more, 
 
 As in a month or two before. 
 
 The Heavenly Mariner. 
 
 WE are now entering the most remarkable 
 period in Captain Congar's history the period 
 within which he solemnly consecrated himself 
 to the service of his Maker, and entered into 
 covenant relations with the visible church. In 
 the month of June, 1800, he makes this entry 
 in his journal : " Perhaps there have been few 
 instances of a life spent like mine. Those re- 
 ligious impressions made on my mind, through 
 the unwearied instruction and solicitude of a
 
 RESOLVES TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 71 
 
 tender parent, could not easily be erased ; so 
 that, although convictions have been stifled and 
 serious reflection banished at times when I have 
 given myself up to abandoned wickedness, yet, 
 when some afflictive providence has befallen me, 
 or some threatening of God's wrath has been 
 ready, as it were, to be executed on me, then I 
 have thought upon my ways ; so that by turns 
 I have been the subject of great convictions, 
 and then, again, would fall into the most aban- 
 doned licentiousness and profaneness. 
 
 " The difficulties experienced on the outward- 
 bound passage of the last voyage seemed once 
 more to rouse me up, and compel me, like the 
 affrighted mariners of Tarshish, to call upon 
 my God. Methought I took greater delight in 
 reading the Scriptures than ever I had done be- 
 fore, many passages of which seemed to strike 
 my mind with great force, and I wondered that 
 I should have misimproved so great a boon as 
 the Bible so long. I now once more formed 
 resolutions to amend my ways, and not only 
 lead a moral life, but, through the assistance of 
 God's grace, to become a Christian. I felt, in 
 a measure, my own weakness, and endeavored 
 to look for strength from above ; and when I ar- 
 rived in Bristol, I attended public worship more 
 constantly than had usually been the case before.
 
 72 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 In the course of this voyage T often reflected 
 upon the propriety of performing family wor- 
 ship when at home, and frequently resolved to 
 make the attempt if I should be spared to re- 
 turn. But, alas ! here I failed again. Surely 
 I did not see the worthiness in Jehovah to be 
 adored by all his intelligent creatures, or I 
 would not have withheld the praises due unto 
 his name. 
 
 " Nevertheless, before I went to sea again, I 
 acquainted my wife that it was my wish to join 
 in prayer with her morning and evening, which 
 she acquiesced in, and for the first time I made 
 the attempt. Soon after we sailed on another 
 voyage to Bristol, through the course of which 
 my mind was generally exercised, more or less, 
 on the importance of religion, and particularly 
 on the subject of family worship at home, which 
 practice, through divine assistance, I was ena- 
 bled to pursue when restored to them again. 
 How far I was sincere in my devotions the 
 Searcher of hearts knows best, but I have rea- 
 son to conclude it was more the force of educa- 
 tion than a real desire to glorify God. Be this 
 as it may, I certainly was very ignorant of the 
 nature of true religion." 
 
 From this time we find him more and more 
 sensitive to sin. and also to the goodness of God,
 
 EXPERIENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE. 73 
 
 in his deliverance from a certain imminent dan- 
 ger. But he was plunging deep into the war- 
 fare described in the seventh chapter of Ro- 
 mans ; and his experience now was that narra- 
 ted with so much simplicity in the old " Dia- 
 logue between a Believer and his Soul." 
 
 Oh ! I sink beneath the load of my natureV evil ; 
 Full of enmity to God, captived by the devil : 
 Restless as the troubled seas ; feeble, faint, and fearful ; 
 Plagued with every sore disease, how can I be cheerful T 
 
 " Think on what thy Savior bore in the gloomy garden. 
 Sweating blood at every pore, to procure thy pardon : 
 See him stretch'd upon the wood, bleeding, grieving, crying ; 
 Suffering all the wrath of God, groaning, gasping, dying." 
 
 This by faith I sometimes view, and those views relieve me ; 
 Bnt my sins return anew ; these are they that grieve me. 
 Oh ! I'm leprous, filthy, foul quite throughout infected : 
 Have not I, if any soul, cause to be dejected T 
 
 " Pore not on thyself too long, lest it sink thee lower; 
 Look to Jesus, kind as strong, mercy join'd with power. 
 Every work that thou must do, will thy gracious Savior 
 For thee work, and M thee too, of his special favor." 
 
 Jesus' precious blood once spilt, I depend on solely, 
 To relieve and clear my guilt, but I would be holy. 
 " He that bought thee on the cross can control thy nature, 
 Fully purge away thy dross, make thee a new creature." 
 
 That he can I nothing doubt, be it bat his pleasure. 
 " Though it be not done throughout, may it not in measure 7" 
 When that measure, far from great, still shall seem decreas- 
 ing 
 " Faint not then, but pray and wait, never, never ceasing.''
 
 74 CAPTAIN OBAD1AH CON'GAR. 
 
 While in the experience of this conflict, Cap- 
 tain Congar's ship was again ordered to Ireland 
 with a cargo of flaxseed, one of his owners being 
 on board as a passenger. On their arrival they 
 found that great numbers of the inhabitants 
 were about leaving their native soil for the 
 United States, and that some ships were al- 
 ready preparing to receive them. The pros- 
 pect of gain, therefore, induced the owner to 
 put up the newly-arrived American ship for 
 passengers. As soon as the cargo was dis- 
 charged, says the journal, we went to work put- 
 ting up berths and building houses on deck for 
 them. In the mean time, I was employed en- 
 gaging them and receiving passage - money, 
 which was at the rate of four guineas and a 
 half for every full passenger. 
 
 " About the middle of April, having about 
 three hundred engaged in all, including men, 
 women, and children, we began to receive them 
 on board. But such was the rage of this peo- 
 ple for going to America, about eighty more 
 made their appearance, so that at last I was 
 much at a loss where to put them, and even 
 then others came and begged for a passage, and 
 would hardly take no for an answer. When 
 they were all on board, our ship presented a lit- 
 tle town, for we had no less than six houses on
 
 TKI.U.3 WITH I..MK.ISAXT PASSENGERS. 75 
 
 the quarter-deck- that would hold about six or 
 eight, and two on the main deck, each of which 
 held eighteen ; and, besides, we built a shed 
 over the long-boat, where six or eight more took 
 up their residence. Thus we set sail the twen- 
 ty-eighth day of April, and on the second of 
 May took our departure from Cape Clear. By 
 this time many of them were very sea-sick, and 
 would gladly have been on the turf again. But, 
 alas ! many of them were never to see it more. 
 " Unhappily for us, we had not been at sea 
 many days before some of them were taken sick 
 with a fever, and some with the dysentery, and 
 though not many of them died while we were at 
 sea, to such a degree had these disorders in- 
 creased among them, that not less than eighty 
 were sick when we arrived, several of whom 
 lived but a short time after. Among the rest, 
 I had a touch of the fever a few days before 
 we made the land, but was so far recovered as 
 to be able to attend to business when we got 
 into port. Providentially, we had a favorable 
 passage, or it would most likely have gone very 
 ill with us indeed. We came to anchor at 
 Staten Island in forty-two days, having buried 
 at sea six adults and seventeen children; and, 
 from what I could learn, about one hundred in 
 all died before they left the quarantine ground.
 
 76 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 One successful voyage after this to Madeira, 
 and the sea life of Captain Congar is suspended 
 for a few years, during which he assayed the 
 business of a dry goods merchant at Newark. 
 About this time we find the following entry : 
 " Since my arrival from Madeira, my mind has 
 been more engaged about religion than usual, 
 which some of my friends observing, hinted to 
 me, one evening, as we were walking to church, 
 that the present would be a favorable opportu- 
 nity of offering myself as a member, inasmuch 
 as the Session were about to meet shortly for 
 the purpose of examining such as came forward 
 to join. This hint started me like one awaked 
 out of sleep, and before I could make an an- 
 swer, drew the conclusion that I was not fit ; 
 for, though I had thought some time past of of- 
 fering myself as one desirous to join the Church, 
 yet I had not brought the time so near. From 
 this forward my thoughts have been more en- 
 gaged about my situation, and have besought 
 the Lord more earnestly that he would direct 
 me to do that which should be most for his 
 glory. 
 
 " When searching more attentively into my 
 own heart, I found it exceeding hard and vile. 
 Some persons, I found, could melt into tears 
 when the idea of a crucified Savior was held up
 
 HAPPY RKLIOIOl rf EXERCISES. 77 
 
 to view, and in my youthful days methinks I 
 have felt something like this too, moving my 
 passions when this subject has been preached. 
 But now it was quite otherwise; my heart 
 seemed harder than adamant, and sometimes I 
 was tempted to conclude the Lord had left me 
 to a state of impenitency and hardness of heart ; 
 and that, although there never appeared a more 
 seasonable time to embrace religion, now I could 
 not find it in my mind to do it, for my external 
 performances did not satisfy me. I had done 
 all that was required. I now cast myself upon 
 the mercy of a gracious God, imploring his for- 
 giveness, and that he would soften my hard 
 heart, and lead me to sincere repentance and 
 faith in Christ ; and to ray exceeding great com- 
 fort, surely the Lord was pleased to hear my re- 
 quest. Early on Sunday morning, the third of 
 January, 1802, my mind was more than usually 
 impressed with the importance of having an in- 
 terest in the Redeemer's blood ; and, feeling my 
 helpless condition, I was led to seek God with 
 my whole soul, that he would pardon my many 
 transgressions, and heal a polluted mind, and 
 teach me the way of life. Such were my ex- 
 ercises, that I rose to prayer before day, and 
 then went down stairs to make a fire. While 
 employed in this office, I began to sing,
 
 78 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 " ' Comd hither, all ye weary souls.' 
 
 " At this time my soul seemed overcome 
 with a sense of my great unworthiness, and of 
 the adorable perfections of Jehovah. These 
 wrought upon my mind so that I burst into 
 tears. I again went on my knees, imploring 
 the Divine direction that I might not be deceiv- 
 ed, and that I might be preserved from offend- 
 ing God any more, desiring these impressions 
 might be lasting. This was a pleasant Sab- 
 bath to me. If I be not deceived, I could truly 
 say, One day in the courts of the Lord are bet- 
 ter than a thousand elsewhere. My mind seem- 
 ed to soar above the things of time and sense, 
 and held converse with Heaven. 
 
 " I now formed resolutions to forsake every 
 sin and follow God's commands. My mind has 
 been composed, by turns, concerning my spir- 
 itual state, and by turns I have felt hardened, 
 and sometimes indifferent, and at other times 
 see so much vileness in myself that I can not 
 help forming a conclusion that I am yet in the 
 gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity ; and then, 
 like St. Paul, I find a law in my members war- 
 ring against the law in my mind, and bringing 
 me into captivity to the law of sin which is in 
 my members. 
 
 " This evening, being at a conference meet-
 
 THE DL.AUE, THE EAR, FULL CORN IN THE EAR. 79 
 
 ing, I was called upon to pray, which, for the 
 first time in public, I attempted, according to 
 the best of my ability, but not without a sense 
 of my great unworthiness and insufficiency. 
 Shortly after, I lost sight, more or less, of that 
 glorious character which had but a little before 
 filled my mind with delight, so that when I at- 
 tended meeting the Thursday following, I found 
 very b'ttle comfort, and rather felt, as it were, 
 condemned, and without hope. I was full of 
 fear lest my ingratitude had provoked a just 
 God to cast me oft'. These struggles in my 
 mind broke me of my rest. The next day it 
 pleased a merciful and all-wise Sovereign to 
 give me such views of himself, that I felt will- 
 ing to be in his hands, esteeming myself un- 
 worthy of the least mercy, and earnestly en- 
 treating that I might not be left to unbelief and 
 hardness of heart, and that I might be enabled 
 to lead such a life before him as would be ac- 
 ceptable through Jesus, the dear Redeemer. 
 
 " From this time onward till Wednesday, the 
 twenty-seventh of January, 1802, I frequently 
 had views of myself as a great sinner for neg- 
 lecting so many precious calls and warnings, 
 and misimproving so much precious time. At 
 other times the character of God through Jesus 
 Christ appeared so desirable, that my soul chose
 
 80 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 this God for my portion and hope, and methinks 
 I find a greater pleasure in approaching the 
 throne of grace than I have usually experi- 
 enced. At this time I called to see one of the 
 elders, to whom I related my exercises, and who 
 told me he thought it would be proper for me 
 to come forward on the next occasion and make 
 a public profession of religion. 
 
 " Although my mind had been much exer- 
 cised on this matter of late, yet I was not fully 
 resolved what to do. I did not seem to fear the 
 revilings of men so much as my own insincer- 
 ity. Though it appeared the duty of every in- 
 telligent creature to love God with all his mind 
 and strength, and the plan of salvation by Jesus 
 Christ seemed reasonable, and fit, and worthy 
 to be embraced by every son of Adam, yet I 
 felt a great backwardness lest I should be de- 
 ceiving myself and act the part of a hypocrite. 
 Two days from this time I called to see Doctor 
 M'Whorter, to whom I related my experience, 
 and who seemed satisfied with the account I 
 gave of myself. On Friday, the eleventh of Feb- 
 ruary, in company with five or six others, I met 
 the Session of the Newark Presbyterian Church, 
 who heard our different relations, and we were 
 dismissed. The Sunday following one of the 
 elders called to inform me that, if it were my
 
 COVENANT VOWS ASSUMED. 81 
 
 wish, I should be propounded the same day, it 
 appearing proper to them that the others should 
 wait till next opportunity. This Sabbath, if I 
 be not deceived, I experienced some tokens of 
 the Divine favor which strengthened me great- 
 ly in the cause I had embraced. But oh ! the 
 warfare within! How must we fight if we 
 would come off conquerors ! 
 
 u Sunday, February 28th, I was taken into 
 the Church according to the customary regula- 
 tions of the same, and methought the Lord ap- 
 peared very gracious in strengthening and sup- 
 porting me in so solemn a transaction ; and I 
 trust I felt rejoiced that I had been granted this 
 opportunity of acknowledging my Lord and my 
 Redeemer in this public manner. The Sabbath 
 following, the sacrament was administered, and 
 though I did not experience the Divine presence 
 as some have done on these occasions, yet it 
 was a profitable season. The wonderful con- 
 descension of Jehovah seemed very great in thus 
 dealing with his sinful creatures. 
 
 " And now it was reasonable to expect that 
 I should be more engaged to serve my Lord and 
 Master than heretofore ; but, alas ! my foolish 
 heart soon began to wander from my God, and 
 a sort of lethargy or spiritual deadness seemed 
 to accompany all my acts of devotion, insomuch 
 F
 
 82 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 that I could not avoid drawing unfavorable con- 
 clusions respecting myself. My heart seemed 
 hard and my mind deeply blinded ; but I was 
 not suffered to remain in this state long with- 
 out a chastising. Sabbath, March 14th, the 
 Rev. Mr. Kollock preached in Newark from 
 these words of our Savior to Peter, ' Lovest 
 thou me ?' While the preacher was setting 
 forth the character of those who loved Christ 
 in sincerity, my mind was deeply affected, and 
 I feared very much I never had experienced 
 what it was to love God and Christ with pure 
 and holy motives ; and, if so, I was yet in my 
 sins, and without hope. 
 
 " These thoughts overpowered me to that de- 
 gree that my nerves became exceedingly agita- 
 ted and weak, so that it was with great diffi- 
 culty I supported myself from falling. 
 
 " The only comfort that I could derive from 
 past experiences was founded on my affection 
 for the people of God. Finding myself quite 
 feeble, and my mind deeply exercised, I did not 
 go to church in the after part of the day, but 
 implored the Divine presence and aid that I 
 might not be left to perish in my sins, and that 
 I might be enabled to love Christ Jesus with 
 right views and motives, and be more engaged 
 in following his commands. Doubts and fears,
 
 INSTRUCTIVE AND HOPEFUL RECORDS. 83 
 
 with some faint rays of hope, prevailed by turns, 
 and sometimes the adversary seemed to almost 
 get the advantage. But, blessed be the Father 
 of mercies ! about the first of June he was 
 pleased to manifest himself to me (if I be not 
 deceived) as lovely in all his character and gov- 
 ernment, and I rejoiced to have found him once 
 more whom my soul loveth. 
 
 " Saturday evening, June 18th, being at a 
 conference meeting, methinks I was greatly af- 
 fected with the situation of a guilty world, and 
 my heart's desire seemed to be that God would 
 more abundantly pour out his Spirit, that care- 
 less sinners might be awakened, and see their 
 need of a Savior, and that religion might in- 
 crease and prevail over vice and infidelity. The 
 day following, the sacrament of the Lord's Sup- 
 per was administered, and there were thirty and 
 one new members admitted to the communion. 
 The scene was delightful to the friends of relig- 
 ion, and, if not deceived, my soul rejoiced in 
 the event. Methought how lovely is this place. 
 ' I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of 
 my God, than to dwell in the tents of wicked- 
 ness.' 
 
 " My prayer is, that I may have a humbling 
 sense of my own unworthiness, and that I may 
 live to the praise of my God and Redeemer all
 
 64 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAE. 
 
 the days of my appointed time. Through the 
 grace of God I am resolved to strive to this end. 
 But, alas ! what reason have I to lament my 
 inconsistency. Not more than one fortnight 
 had passed around when I began to fall into a 
 lukewarmness, and a sort of spiritual sloth 
 seemed to hang about every thing I engaged in. 
 This dullness was followed by a disrelish for 
 religious duties, and a sort of dread at meeting 
 any of the principal members of the Church. 
 On this account, or lest I should be called upon 
 to pray or converse, I frequently neglected at- 
 tending the evening societies ; and with trem- 
 bling I entered the courts of the Lord, for fear 
 something might be spoken that would put me 
 into confusion. And so far was I from exercis- 
 ing a spirit of meekness and forbearance, that, 
 manifesting an unchristian temper one day, 1 
 was reproached with these words, ' Ah ! where 
 is all your boasted religion now ?' Instead of 
 being humbled under a sense of the dishonor 1 
 had brought upon the cause of Christ, I was 
 highly offended at the person who made the 
 expression. Forgive, O my God ! what I thus 
 confess with shame and confusion of face." 
 
 Hid by the clouds from sight, no sun did now appear. 
 Nor could I in the night behold thr moon or star:
 
 LEAVING THE FIRST LOVE. 85 
 
 Twa then for days and weeks, or more, 
 I could not aee the sky or shore. 
 
 The old elementary leaven of a certain natu- 
 ral instability of character, now breaking out in 
 Captain Congar, along with this departure from 
 his first love, and merchandising having become 
 tiresome as well as unprofitable, he sold the 
 goods that remained on hand, and with the 
 proceeds thereof embarked on a sort of trading 
 expedition to Charleston, New Providence, and 
 the Bahamas. In this he had but indifferent 
 success, and returned safely, though ill at ease 
 in his mind, to New York. And here he enters 
 in his journal, " Now did it become me to have 
 embraed the first opportunity of meeting with 
 my friends in Newark, and offering up public 
 thanksgiving to my Almighty preserver, who 
 had blessed me with a great share of health, 
 and restored me to my native country once 
 more. Had my heart been right, I should have 
 rejoiced that God was pleased to favor me with 
 such an opportunity to declare his goodness, and 
 his wonderful works to the children of men. 
 But, alas ! my conscience testified against me 
 that I had departed from God ; and on this ac- 
 count I felt such a backwardness of appearing 
 among my Christian friends, that I took care 
 not to be there on the Sabbath day, but went
 
 88 CAPTAIN' OBADIAH CONOAR. 
 
 to church in New York, and experienced very 
 little satisfaction or comfort therein. 
 
 " Thus about a month elapsed, when a cir- 
 cumstance happened that brought strong con- 
 viction to my mind that God was now about to 
 chastise me for backsliding. As I was sitting 
 at the breakfast table on the ninth of May, one 
 of the company related a story which in some 
 measure touched hard upon myself. I was im- 
 mediately seized with a kind of tremor, and had 
 to hurry from the table in confusion, endeavor- 
 ing at the same time to conceal it as much as 
 possible. From this time, let me go where I 
 would, or in what company, I felt guilty, and 
 my sins stared me in the face, so that I found 
 no rest. Sometimes I resolved to flee away 
 where nobody knew me, and at other times I 
 despaired of finding peace on earth, and was 
 tempted to drown myself. Thus was I harassed, 
 continually beset with temptations and fears, 
 till, on Saturday, May 21st, I went over to 
 Newark, hoping I might find some relief to my 
 mind ; but ah ! my sins followed me close. 
 God had not done chastising me yet for depart- 
 ing from him. 
 
 " My wife and friends could not conceive 
 what ailed me, neither was I able fully to con- 
 vince them. I now began to give up all my
 
 BOHE CONFLICTS AND TEMPTATIONS. 87 
 
 hopes, and was bordering on despair. At this 
 time I was strongly tempted to starve myself, 
 from an apprehension that all these troubles 
 were sent upon me for an over-fondness of in- 
 dulging my appetite, and, dreading every thing 
 here, I sometimes wished to die. 
 
 " Sunday being come, I knew it was my 
 duty to go to church, but I was filled with 
 such confusion and dread of appearing among 
 my friends, or any body who knew me, that I 
 had not resolution. Oh, the horrors of a guilty 
 conscience ! Though a return to God, by a 
 deep and hearty repentance, was the only ra- 
 tional way I could hope for any comfort, yet I 
 was so far from this, that I seemed determined 
 on obstinacy and rebellion. I could not endure 
 to see any of my acquaintance even at home, 
 and I shunned the society of every body. My 
 distress, indeed, compelled me to call on Rev. 
 Mr. G., one of our ministers, and upon some of 
 the elders, to whom I made known my difficul- 
 ties. They all seemed to feel for me, and ex- 
 horted me to trust in God, through Christ; 
 and told me it was no uncommon thing for the 
 people of God to be exercised in this way more 
 or less. 
 
 " I now began to consider myself as a vile 
 hypocrite, and looked upon it as only adding
 
 88 CAPTAIN UBAUIAH CONGAR. 
 
 sin to my guilt to pray in my family, or perform 
 those external duties incumbent on professors 
 of religion, and, for one time, I neglected pray- 
 er with this view. It is not easy to describe 
 my feelings at this time. Astonishment took 
 hold of me, and I was ready to cry out with 
 the Psalmist, ' My confusion is continually be- 
 fore me, and the shame of my face hath cov- 
 ered me.' It often appeared as though my dis- 
 tress was, in a measure, such as the damned 
 will experience, so far as it consists in a sense 
 of their sins being known to the world ; for it 
 seemed as though every body knew all my 
 crimes, and judged me. 
 
 " Thus I spent another week in this melan- 
 choly, dejected manner, and, Saturday evening 
 being come, I summoned up resolution enough 
 to attend society ; but, looking upon myself as 
 an outcast, and having forfeited all the bless- 
 ings of social worship, I returned as I went, 
 without consolation . Sabbath following I found 
 myself still in the same difficulty as before, and 
 could not form resolution to go to church, though 
 being earnestly entreated by my wife for that 
 purpose. In the evening, however, I attended 
 a society, but without any relief to my troubled 
 mind. Some of my friends told me that these 
 things did not shake their hope for me as being
 
 MENTAL ANGUISH LAID BARE. 89 
 
 a Christian. But, for ray part, I could see ev- 
 f>ry thing else in myself but the character of 
 such a one. 
 
 " Though I had little heart to pray, or desire 
 others to pray for me, yet now I could not think 
 of giving it wholly up. Ingratitude seemed a 
 monstrous sin in me. Tuesday, thirty-first of 
 May, and the day following, I felt myself some- 
 what composed, and desired this trial might be 
 sanctified to me : could read the Scriptures with 
 some degree of pleasure, and endeavored to 
 form resolutions, through Divine assistance, to 
 seek the will of God, though he should still see 
 fit to hide his face from me : striving to place 
 my dependence on the merits ofChrist alone 
 for hope of acceptance, and renouncing my own 
 works, which seemed, indeed, but as poor filthy 
 rags. Friday, June 3d, being preparatory lec- 
 ture, I was enabled to attend public worship, 
 but, alas ! the coldness and hardness of my heart, 
 and how insensible to the Divine character and 
 perfections. Such a stupor had seized my soul, 
 methinks I received little benefit from this op- 
 portunity. I did, indeed, form resolutions to 
 prepare for the duties of the following Sabbath, 
 and, the day being come, with fear and trem- 
 bling I entered the courts of the Lord. At first 
 I was greatly confused, and had nearly sunk
 
 90 CAPTAIN OBAD1AH CONGAR. 
 
 down ; but, endeavoring to look for support 
 from above, I seemed to be strengthened, and 
 remained tolerably composed the rest of service 
 time, and joined once more with the people of 
 God in commemorating the dying love of a 
 Savior, though not without doubts and fears. 
 And, in proportion as they have the ascendency, 
 so the delight in the ordinance must be propor- 
 tionably less. 
 
 "And now, my soul, what hast thou done? 
 Thou hast once more engaged to be the Lord's ; 
 not living to thyself, but unto him that died to 
 save such an unworthy sinner. What grati- 
 tude dost thou not owe to thy Creator and Re- 
 deemer ! Thou didst seek death and destruc- 
 tion, and yet he has brought thee to his ban- 
 queting-house ; see to it, then, that thou dost 
 perform unto the Lord thine oaths. Oh Lord, 
 help me to perform. But, alas ! my goodness 
 was like the morning cloud or early dew, that 
 vanisheth away ; my resolution failed me, and 
 melancholy returned, so that the next Sabbath 
 found me in as great dejection and distress as 
 ever before. And now every ray of hope seemed 
 to be departing from me, and I began to con- 
 clude that I need not look for any peace or com- 
 fort here, and that the only remedy would be 
 to wander away from all society, and take up
 
 A FUGITIVE FROM HOME AND HAPPINESS. 91 
 
 ray abode in some solitary clime among the 
 savages, or others as ignorant as they. 
 
 " These reflections pierced me to the heart and 
 brought many a sorrowful tear from my eye. 
 What, said I, must I part with wife and friends, 
 and never more behold them on this side the 
 grave ! how can I bear the thought ? Some- 
 times, indeed, this little hope seemed left, that 
 perhaps traveling would be the means of re- 
 lieving my mind, so that I might once more 
 take a little comfort on earth. 
 
 " I now gave my wife to understand that I in- 
 tended going up the North River, first to a broth- 
 er's I had living near Albany. To this at length 
 she very reluctantly consented, and packed up 
 some things for me ; and on the fourteenth 
 of June I left Newark with heavy heart ; for 
 though I gave her only to understand that my 
 object in leaving home was merely to relieve 
 my mind, which was true in some measure, yet 
 nevertheless, harboring an idea that I should 
 never more enjoy my friends at home, or take 
 comfort again in my native place, I had secret- 
 ly determined never more to return. 
 
 "With this view, when I got to New York 
 I sold all my nautical books and instruments, 
 giving up every thought of going to sea more ; 
 and not knowing whither I should go or how I
 
 92 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 should get a maintenance, I thought it advisa- 
 ble to take all the money I could conveniently 
 get hold of, in case of the worst. I arrived at 
 Albany in three days, and went at once to my 
 brother's, who, with his family, received me glad- 
 ly. But, as I had anticipated before, my mind 
 was far from being calm and quiet. Though 
 relieved, in a measure, from that embarrass- 
 ment which I found at home, yet I became 
 very melancholy and dejected, apprehending 
 the judgments of God would pursue me wher- 
 ever I went. 
 
 " I did not acquaint my brother with my 
 real motive in leaving Newark, but rather hint- 
 ed that it was on account of my temporal diffi- 
 culties, and from a determination to quit the sea, 
 and that, if I should undertake some laborious 
 occupation for a maintenance, being so near the 
 sea as Newark, I should be the more likely to 
 give it up again, and betake myself to my for- 
 mer profession, for which I had conceived a 
 great distaste. 
 
 " Before I left home, the thought had struck 
 my mind, that as my brother understood the 
 cut-nail business, probably we might undertake 
 it with some advantage to us both. And now 
 it appeared the only thing I could engage in 
 that would suit the state of my health, both of
 
 EXPEDIENTS TO GAIN RELIEF. 93 
 
 body and mind, and be the means of procuring 
 a support. This thought I soon made known 
 to my brother, who, although he said it would 
 be a great mortification to see me engaged in 
 so low a calling, yet, if it was my sincere wish, 
 he had no objections to join me in the business, 
 not doubting but that we might make it an- 
 swer a tolerable purpose. 
 
 " I now called forth all the powers of body 
 and mind, went to work early and late, and 
 made rapid progress in the knowledge of this 
 new art, so that in two or three weeks I could 
 make as handsome a nail as others who had fol- 
 lowed it a much longer time. 
 
 " Although I attended public worship con- 
 stantly at Troy, and evening conferences where 
 my brother lived, yet I was often, on these oc- 
 casions, much confused and distressed, so that it 
 frequently appeared to me I must fly again, 
 and whither I knew not. These reflections 
 wrung me to the very heart, and I endeavored 
 to look up to God that he would pass by my 
 many transgressions, and bring about means 
 that I might be restored to my family and 
 friends again, but fearing this was never to be 
 my lot more." 
 
 I thought the brnte creation were better off than me ; 
 I spent my days in anguish, no pleasure could I tee :
 
 94 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Through deep distress and sorrow my Savior led me on, 
 Then show'd his love unto me when all my hope was gone. 
 
 While suffering these sore temptations, and 
 in this strangely unnatural state both of body 
 and mind, Captain Congar endeavored to per- 
 suade his wife to dispose of their property at 
 Newark, and come and take up her abode with 
 him. She at once yielded to his desire that she 
 would visit him, but her entreaties, and a bet- 
 ter judgment, perhaps, in this matter, persuaded 
 him to abandon a line of life for which he was 
 all unfit, and to consent to return to Newark. 
 But apprehensive, he says, that I should labor 
 under the same difficulties when I got among 
 my friends that I had experienced before, I ob- 
 tained a promise from my wife that, should this 
 be the case, she would accompany me some- 
 where to a more southerly climate. But, alas 
 for him, 
 
 In vain the unhappy rover flies, 
 In hopes of finding happier skies ; 
 In vain he changes clime and air, 
 For still unhappy self is there. 
 
 " The unhappy state of my mind led me to 
 grasp at any thing that would promise relief. 
 In the fore part of August I made my appear- 
 ance in Newark, but very little better composed 
 than when I left it last, and, if possible, more
 
 STILL IN DARKNESS AND THE DEEP. 95 
 
 regardless of the ties of friendship and every so- 
 cial relation. I seemed now to myself to have 
 lost all good- will and affection for every one 
 here, even those to whom I had been strongly 
 attached. I took no delight in religion nor so- 
 ciety, and thus passed my time like some sol- 
 itary being who is displeased with himself and 
 all around him ; who, though surrounded with 
 the good things of life, enjoys nothing, and is 
 only happy when sleep drowns the anxiety of a 
 disturbed mind. 
 
 " In this condition the soul finds little peace; 
 sometimes under the most dreadful apprehen- 
 sions about futurity, and then only concerned 
 for the present ; often wishing for death, yet 
 afraid to die. At one time I acknowledged the 
 justness of my punishment, and at other times 
 was tempted to fret and complain because I 
 was thus dealt with, continually resolving and 
 unresolving, a compound medley of unruly pas- 
 sions. For the first three or four days after my 
 return I was pretty generally fixed on setting 
 off again, dreading the Sabbath should come, 
 being apprehensive I should not be composed 
 enough to go to church ; and so it happened, 
 for I could not form resolution to make the at- 
 tempt. I still continued sad and solitary, and 
 though I felt, that help must come from God
 
 96 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONUAR. 
 
 alone, yet had I very little heart to pray. The 
 denunciation in the prophet Isaiah seemed very 
 applicable to my case : ' And the pride of Is- 
 rael testifieth to his face ; and they do not re- 
 turn to the Lord their God, nor seek him for 
 all this. Ephraim also is like a silly dove with- 
 out heart ; they call to Egypt, they go to As- 
 syria. When they shall go, I will spread my 
 net upon them ; I will bring them down as the 
 fowls of heaven ; I will chastise them, as their 
 congregation hath heard. Wo unto them, for 
 they have fled from me ; destruction unto them, 
 because they have transgressed against me ; 
 though I have redeemed them, yet they have 
 spoken lies against me. And they have not 
 cried unto me with their heart when they howl- 
 ed upon themselves. Though I have bound and 
 strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine 
 mischief against me. They return, but not to 
 the Most High ; they are like a deceitful bow.' 
 " Toward the latter part of the week the Lord 
 was pleased to remove his stroke from me in 
 some measure ; I began to feel somewhat cheer- 
 ful, and could go among my friends without ex- 
 periencing such confusion. Nevertheless, it re- 
 mained a matter of doubt with me whether I 
 should feel composed enough to attend public 
 worship the ensuing Sabbath.
 
 TRANQUILLITY BEGINS TO BE RESTORED. 97 
 
 " On Saturday evening, the thirteenth of 
 August, my brother's wife had been to pay us 
 a visit, and, with true Christian charity, re- 
 proved me pretty sharply for the neglect of so 
 important a duty. I did not feel in the least 
 offended at her for this, but soon began to make 
 up my mind to go to church next day, endeav- 
 oring to look to the Lord for assistance. Bless- 
 ed be his name, I was enabled to wait upon 
 him in his house, and my mind was generally 
 composed through the day ; I esteemed this an 
 unmerited favor, and desired to be truly thank- 
 ful. Finding a degree of tranquillity restored 
 to my mind, my thoughts of leaving home again, 
 on this occasion, have vanished, and, through 
 the whole week, have been more composed than 
 has been the case for some time. But I still 
 experience a great dullness in religious duties, 
 and little pleasure in the company of Chris- 
 tians. 
 
 " Saturday evening, the twentieth of August, 
 I attended a conference meeting, rejoicing once 
 more that I had an opportunity of joining with 
 the people of God in religious exercises, and 
 grateful for this instance of Divine compassion 
 and forbearance, resolving now to return to him 
 from whom I had deeply revolted. Sabbath 
 following I went to the house of God with eon-
 
 98 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 siderable satisfaction, and pretty well composed, 
 but without those consolations of the Holy Spir- 
 it which are so reviving to a soul in distress. 
 Still I endeavor to wait upon God and hope in 
 his word, confessing my unworthiness to receive 
 any mercy. The next Friday a lecture was 
 delivered, preparatory to the sacrament, from 
 these words : ' Looking diligently, lest any man 
 fail of the grace of God.' 
 
 " The Sabbath following I joined once more 
 with the people of God in commemorating the 
 dying love of a Savior. One great end brought 
 to view by this ordinance seemed to be the ne- 
 cessity of living on Christ by faith, as the body 
 is nourished by bread and wine. From this 
 time my mind became more composed, and I 
 no longer thought of leaving Newark again, as 
 on a late occasion, but endeavored to commend 
 myself to the Lord, and wait his will with re- 
 spect to temporal as well as spiritual concerns." 
 
 And now the cloud is lifted, and light is 
 once more breaking upon the tried and tempted 
 Christian mariner, faith and submission hav- 
 ing been inwrought into his soul by the disci- 
 pline of a gracious Providence. This ever is 
 the way of God with the soul of man. He 
 bends the human will into sweet acquiescence 
 with His own will by trials and mortifications,
 
 GODS WAY AND GOD'S END. 09 
 
 and, that secured, then there can be permanent 
 joy and peace. 
 
 The path f Borrow, and that path alone, 
 Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown. 
 
 Sorrowing and troubled reader, whosoe'er thou 
 art, cast down, perhaps, and almost despairing, 
 only sweetly yield thy will to God's, and then 
 thou shalt cheer up and take courage. 
 
 In the day of visitation, 
 
 When the clouds have o'er thee passed, 
 And thou thinkest that salvation 
 
 May not bless thee at the last ; 
 In the hour of doubts and fearing, 
 
 When the Savior seems afar, 
 And thy spirit, without cheering, 
 
 Is the night without a star 
 Know that it is all to try thee, 
 
 And that Jesus loves thee still ; 
 Nor will ever He deny thee, 
 
 If thou walked IN His WILL. 
 
 He hath set the great example, 
 
 Follow on, as he hath trod ; 
 Doubts and sin beneath thee trample, 
 
 Live, and act, and hope in God. 
 Then, though light or dark attend thee, 
 
 In the end 'twill be the same ; 
 If the Savior doth befriend thee, 
 
 Thou shalt ne'er be put to shame.
 
 100 CAPTAIN OBADIAIi CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 NAVIGATING FOR ETERNITY. THE LIGHTS AND 
 SHADOWS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 
 
 THOU Star of the Christian ! thou Guide of the lost ! 
 
 Oh, withhold not the beams that can lead and can gladden 
 Frail man on the ocean of life when he's toss'd ; 
 
 When the billows run high, and the wild tempests madden. 
 Blest Savior ! once more be the light of my soul ; 
 
 And, amid all the dangers and griefs that oppress me, 
 This heart shall submit to thy faultless control, 
 
 The song of these lips shall unceasingly bless thee. 
 
 T. C. UPHAM. 
 
 UPON the mountain wave we mount again 
 with our mariner, whom a call, deemed by him 
 providential, induces to make his home once 
 more on the deep. Having command of the 
 ship Enterprise, and taking with him his wife, 
 he sailed for Cork, Ireland, on the twenty-eighth 
 of August, 1803. The voyage seems to have 
 been propitious, and its issue all that could be 
 desired, his own health and spirits being better 
 for engaging in an employment to which he had 
 been trained, and his wife's health also improv- 
 ing. With a becoming piety, he took occasion 
 of the first Sabbath after his return to offer up 
 public thanksgiving to his gracious Preserver ;
 
 INCREASING COMFORT IN RELIGION. 101 
 
 and, though he was not yet entirely free from 
 those embarrassments of mind that had before 
 so greatly afflicted him, he endeavored to look 
 to the Most High for support and submission. 
 
 Early in 1804 he sailed again to Wilming 
 ton, North Carolina, and thence to Hull, En 
 gland, where he notes with gratitude that hi 
 had frequent opportunities of public worship 
 with " a sacred pleasure therein." An offering 
 of thankfulness was duly paid in the Lord's 
 house on his return, and we find him saying 
 that " at this time the Lord was pleased tt 
 grant me those consolations of his blessed Spirit, 
 which are so reviving to an afflicted soul. Ev- 
 ery time I met in public worship while at home, 
 I enjoyed more or less of the comforts of relig- 
 ion, and could join with my brethren in society 
 with considerable freedom and delight." 
 
 On a subsequent voyage, being again at Wil- 
 mington, on his way to Bristol, and without 
 the company of his wife, he writes, " I expe- 
 rience the want of society much, and some- 
 times, alas ! I feel very low-spirited ; but God 
 is still gracious. I enjoy a great share of health, 
 and am not without the consolations of his 
 Spirit, I would hope. True, it is desirable to 
 have always the assurance of blessedness ; but 
 are we to look for this at all times? It is a
 
 102 CAPTAIN OB ADI AH CONGAR. 
 
 mercy that such a sinner as I am is at this 
 moment out of the regions of woe. May my 
 spared life be spent for the glory of God. 
 
 " Near the coast of Europe, Sunday, Janu- 
 ary 27th, 1805. This day my soul is much 
 cast down. I view myself as a great sinner. 
 Oh, how vile is the human heart ! it is deceit- 
 ful above all things. How exceeding sinful 
 does sin appear, and mine in a particular man- 
 ner aggravated; but, though my sins appear 
 like huge mountains over my head, ready to 
 burst forth upon me, yet I would look to God 
 in Christ for pardon and sanctification." 
 
 The grounding of his ship in trying to go 
 over the Swash at the mouth of the Avon, made 
 it necessary to put her into dock for repairs, and 
 this delayed his return, but he sought and found 
 comfort in the society and worship of God's 
 people while in port. Finding, after getting 
 out to sea, that one of his passengers was a min- 
 ister, he solicited his services as preacher all 
 the Sabbaths of the passage. 
 
 The following summer he made a very agree- 
 able voyage to Madeira with his wife for a car- 
 go of wine, in the course of which he had many 
 occasions to note the Providence and mercy 
 of God, which he duly remembered in public 
 thanksgiving on his return. It was now, how-
 
 RELIGIOUS DISABILITIES -OP A LIFE AT SEA. 103 
 
 ever, that the natural instability of character 
 we have before remarked upon, joined, perhaps, 
 with a diminution of bodily vigor as he ad- 
 vanced in life, set him upon thinking again to 
 quit the sea ; and these are his reasonings 
 upon it: 
 
 " It is a life fraught with difficulty and care, 
 anxiety and perplexity. We frequently ex- 
 perience much trouble with the crew, as was 
 the case the last two voyages. We are greatly 
 exposed to temptation ; we are deprived of the 
 principal sources of happiness in this life, so- 
 ciety, and the opportunity of meeting with the 
 people of God on Sabbath days ; and those who 
 have families, with whom they live in habits 
 of mutual affection, striving which can be most 
 kind and tender, and whose greatest pleasure is 
 to make each other happy, must necessarily 
 feel great anxiety at parting with them, and 
 being absent so long a time without an oppor- 
 tunity of hearing from one another. At one 
 time duty bid me go; at another time the same 
 reason influenced me to stay ; so that we were 
 nearly ready for sea before my mind became 
 settled which way to act. I made it my re- 
 quest, in all my supplications to the throne of 
 grace, that I might be directed in this import- 
 ant matter ; and I desire to be thankful that
 
 104 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 God heard me, for my mind became calm and 
 settled, and it appeared clearly my duty to en- 
 gage again in this business ; and seeing no oth- 
 er way opened whereby I might be useful in 
 life, I became reconciled, and submitted to the 
 pain of leaving my bosom friends, and, I may 
 add, almost every thing that renders life pleas- 
 ant, to seek my bread upon the great waters. 
 
 " And now I pray God that I may go in his 
 name and in his strength to the work that is 
 before me, that he would enable me to fulfill 
 every duty incumbent on me in the sphere 
 wherein I am placed ; 'that he would grant me 
 his blessing and presence, and restore me to my 
 family and friends in his own good time, richly 
 laden with experience of his goodness and lov- 
 ing-kindness. 
 
 " In setting out on this voyage, several dis- 
 couraging circumstances took place, which were 
 by no means calculated to compose the mind at 
 a time like this. Monday, January 13th, 1806, 
 we hauled the ship off into the river, that we 
 might be in the more readiness to proceed with 
 the first wind. The day following, a snow and 
 hail storm came on from the northeast: where- 
 fore we thought it advisable to haul the ship 
 into the wharf again. It being extremely cold, 
 with difficulty we got her secured before night,
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS HOW RELIEVED. 105 
 
 leaving two anchors off in the river. Wednes- 
 day, 15th, the wind was favorable, but, blowing 
 a gale, this day we spent in getting our anchors 
 on board again. 
 
 " Thursday the weather continued intoler- 
 ably cold, insomuch that we found it difficult 
 to loose the sails, that we might get them soft- 
 ened a little. The ice now began to make fast. 
 Friday, the 17th, the weather moderated, and 
 the wind continuing favorable, we set sail, and 
 had a very good time down to the Hook, and 
 getting to sea. In no instance that I recol- 
 lect has my mind been more tranquil and com- 
 posed at the time of leaving my native shores ; 
 but this desirable peace did not abide with me 
 long ere I had to feel the want of that society I 
 had left. Now I became dejected and discon- 
 solate, and sometimes it seemed as though I 
 should not be able to bear up under the load of 
 melancholy. 
 
 " The fifth day after we sailed came on a 
 tremendous gale of wind from the southeast, at 
 which time our ship began to leak very badly, 
 and the steward, being taken very ill of a pleu- 
 risy at the same time, I had to officiate myself 
 in that capacity. Under all these discourage- 
 ments, I endeavored to rest my hopes on the 
 Rock of Ages ; from God I sought relief, and
 
 106 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 with gratitude I would acknowledge I have 
 found relief. January 28th, 29th, and 30th. 
 The winds are adverse, yet my mind is quite 
 composed, and I feel willing the Lord should do 
 what seemeth him good, and, blessed be his 
 name, if I am not deceived, I do enjoy religion 
 even here. 
 
 " Saturday, the 8th day of February, we ex- 
 perienced a gale of wind from the westward, in 
 the course of which we were struck by three 
 very violent seas, which damaged our boat over 
 the stern considerably, and even threatened the 
 safety of us all. I arose, and called upon Him 
 who holdeth the winds in his fists and the wa- 
 ters in the hollow of his hand, and the Lord 
 was pleased to hear the request of a poor sin- 
 ful creature. The violence of the winds and 
 seas abated, and we were delivered from our 
 fear. 
 
 " From this time we had a considerable spell 
 of favorable winds, so that we made good prog- 
 ress on our way. One important end may be 
 answered by this solitary life which I have upon 
 the seas, which could not be attained so well in 
 the midst of society : I now call to mind the 
 sins of my whole life, and reflect upon them 
 with repentance. I have an opportunity to 
 search out the evil nature and consequences of
 
 REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS AT SEA. 107 
 
 sin ; this leads me to self-abhorrence on account 
 thereof, and to admire the wonderful forbear- 
 ance of God in sparing so great a rebel. In 
 general, my mind is tolerably well reconciled 
 to my situation, except on Sabbath days. It is 
 then that my soul looks to the land of inhabit- 
 ants meeting together for social worship. But 
 why should I complain ? Have I improved the 
 advantages of society, and the many opportuni- 
 ties I have been favored with, of hearing the 
 Gospel preached ? Alas ! no. I feel unworthy 
 of any of the comforts of life, and yet I daily ex- 
 perience many. I enjoy a great share of health, 
 and have the continuation of my rational facul- 
 ties, and still am preserved on the mighty deep. 
 Me thinks I never have had such affecting views 
 of the evil of sin as I have had at sea, particu- 
 larly in the course of the last voyage to Bristol, 
 and also for a few days past It seems won- 
 derful there should be so much happiness in a 
 world so full of it. This appears to be the pro- 
 curing cause of all the evil we suffer in this life, 
 or dread in that which is to come. I trust I 
 feel grateful to the blessed Spirit for opening my 
 eyes to see sin to be so exceeding sinful, and 
 affording me any hope of salvation from it this 
 day, eighteenth of February." 
 
 There are repeated instances in this part of
 
 108 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Captain Congar's autobiography of his resorting 
 to the Bible when under apprehension of losing 
 his ship by the dangers of the seas, and finding 
 its promises to afford him sweet relief; so that 
 he could say from his own personal habit as a 
 Christian mariner, 
 
 The Bible is my chart ; by it the seas I know ; 
 
 I can not with it part, it rocks and sands doth show : 
 
 It is a chart and compass too, 
 
 Whose needle points forever true. 
 
 When through a strait I go, or near some coast am drove, 
 The plummet forth I throw, and thus my safety prove ; 
 
 My conscience is the line which I 
 
 Fathom the depth of water by. 
 
 My vessel would be lost in spite of all my care, 
 But that the Holy Ghost himself vouchsafes to steer ; 
 
 And I through all my voyages will 
 
 Depend upon my Steersman's skill. 
 
 Once, when winds used to become contrary, 
 he bore it impatiently, and would grumble ; but 
 now he could cheerfully submit, and behold the 
 faithfulness of God in all his dealings, and we 
 hear him say, " In some good measure I find 
 myself believing that God is infinitely wise and 
 good in all that he does, and therefore worthy to 
 be submitted to and confided in under all the 
 vicissitudes of life. And besides, how many 
 instances could I call to mind wherein I have 
 been delivered from death in a manner miracu-
 
 HOLY COMPLACENCY IN GOD. 109 
 
 lous ; and I am now experiencing great health 
 and innumerable mercies. Wherefore, oh my 
 soul, be no more stiff-necked and rebellious, but 
 rather seek to possess the temper of the proph- 
 et, who says, ' Though the fig-tree shall not 
 blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine ; the 
 labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall 
 yield no meat ; the flocks shall be cut off from 
 the fold, and there shall be no herd in the 
 stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in 
 the God of my salvation.' April 29th, the 
 wind still remains unfavorable, but, if I am not 
 deceived, I feel this day such a complacency in 
 the Divine character, that I can rejoice in some 
 good degree with the prophet above." 
 
 Sunday, May 17th, 1806, on the passage 
 back to Wilmington, he writes, " My mind for 
 some days past has been more deeply affect- 
 ed with my spiritual condition than usual. I 
 ponder on my sins, I weigh my actions, I judge 
 myself, and frequently doubt the sincerity of 
 my profession. Although my sins have been 
 of a crimson dye before I joined the Church, 
 yet my greatest doubts arise from a view of the 
 inconsistency of my conduct and temper since 
 that event took place. These reflections pierce 
 my soul with bitter mourning and lamentations. 
 Once methinks I walked in the light of God's
 
 110 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 countenance, could call the Savior mine, but 
 now his face is hid, and I am troubled ; I am 
 bowed down ; my sins have gone over mine head 
 as a heavy burden ; I am greatly oppressed. 
 Sin, that dreadful enemy of the soul, hath caused 
 all this." 
 
 Come, Holy Ghost, and blow 
 A prosperous gale of grace ; 
 Waft me from all below, 
 
 To heaven, my destined place ! 
 Then in full sail my port I'll find, 
 And leave the world and sin behind. 
 
 Rather more than a year from this date, after 
 much experience of danger and deliverance in 
 the course of two voyages to Liverpool, we find 
 this entry on the twenty-sixth of June, 1807 : 
 " This day closes the thirty-ninth year of my 
 age. Alas ! I have to mourn much misspent 
 time, many shortcomings, and little progress 
 in the Divine life ; and, notwithstanding so 
 many imperfections, and so prone to go astray 
 as I yet remain, the Lord has been gracious to 
 me in a variety of instances through the year 
 past. May my soul be filled by humble grati- 
 tude, and may I be enabled, by Divine assist- 
 ance, to live henceforth through the rest of my 
 days more becoming one who has professed to 
 be a follower of the blessed Redeemer."
 
 ADVANTAGES OF KEEPING A JOURNAL. Ill 
 
 Saved by grace, I live to tell 
 
 What the love of Christ baa done 
 He redeem'd my soul from hell, 
 
 Of a rebel made a son : 
 Oh, I tremble still to think 
 
 How secure I lived in sin ; 
 Sporting on destruction's brink, 
 
 Yet preserved from falling in. 
 In a kind, propitious hour, 
 
 To my heart the Savior spoke ; 
 Tonch'd me by his Spirit's power, 
 
 And my dangerous slumber broke : 
 Then I saw and own'd my guilt ; 
 
 Soon my gracious Lord replied, 
 Fear not, I my blood have spilt, 
 
 'Twas for such as thee I died." 
 
 " Methinks it would be well for every person, 
 if possible, to keep a sort of journal or memo- 
 randum of the most material occurrences in life. 
 Though many, perhaps, would have nothing to 
 notice that others would feel interested in, yet 
 surely a history of one's own life ought to be of 
 the most consequence to us above all others. 
 We take great pains to obtain a knowledge of 
 the lives and characters of others, and this may 
 be well ; but surely we ought to know some- 
 thing about ourselves, which can not well be 
 done if we neglect to notice events as they pass. 
 Thus, for instance, to-day I feel considerably 
 composed and cheerful, and am enabled to re- 
 joice in that good Hand which hath guided me
 
 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 through so many difficult scenes ; and I do now 
 purpose to live while I be spared more in the 
 exercise of a gracious temper and disposition, 
 under the various dispensations I may be called 
 to pass through, and to be more engaged in the 
 great concerns of eternity ; but, behold, to-mor- 
 row's sun finds my sins continually swell before 
 my eyes like huge mountains, and though I 
 deeply lament for my transgressions, still I find 
 my soul prone to wander from God. This gives 
 me disquietness, oh wretched man that I am ! 
 " July 10th. I am still oppressed by the 
 weight of my sins ; more and more do I seem 
 convinced of the iniquity and deceitfulness of 
 my heart. But, under these melancholy appre- 
 hensions, the Scriptures afford a ray of hope. 
 Therein do we discover that God is merciful 
 and gracious. He says to the humble and con- 
 trite, ' Though your sins be as scarlet, they 
 shall be white as snow ; though they be red like 
 crimson, they shall be as wool.' Nevertheless, 
 I am still in difficulty lest my repentance be 
 only legal, and arise merely from a dread of the 
 misery my sins have brought upon me. And, 
 besides, the Scriptures declare that only he that 
 believes in Christ shall be saved, and here also 
 I want evidence. But the Scriptures inform 
 us that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
 
 THE CHRISTIAN'S GROUNDS FOR REJOICING. 113 
 
 the chief of sinners, and such am I, and such 
 as I need salvation most. Therefore there is 
 room for hope that his grace may also be be- 
 stowed on me." 
 
 Hi lived to silence all my fears, 
 
 He lives to stop and wipe ny tears ; 
 
 He lives to calm my troubled heart, 
 
 He lives all blessings to impart. 
 
 He lives and grants me daily breath, 
 
 He lives, and I shall conquer death ; 
 
 He lives my mansion to prepare, 
 
 He lives to bring me safely there. 
 
 He lives my kind, my heavenly friend, 
 
 He lives and loves me to the end; 
 
 He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing, 
 
 HE LIVES MT PROPHET, PRIEST, ASD KINO. 
 
 A month or two after this outpouring of a 
 gracious soul, we find him again sitting apart 
 like a dove, and mourning over his corruptions. 
 44 Every day methinks I behold more and more 
 vileness in my heart, which, indeed, as the Scrip- 
 lures express it, has been the cage of every 
 unclean bird. Could I but trace out one sin- 
 gle good action that had proceeded from a pure 
 principle of love to God, I had some ground of 
 hope ; not that I should merit forgiveness for 
 s<uch good action, but only as an evidence there 
 might be a small spark of grace in the heart, 
 notwithstanding its dreadful corruption." 
 
 On his return from sea in* the fall of 1807, 
 H
 
 114 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONOAR. 
 
 and offering up public thanksgiving, as his man- 
 ner was, to Him who holdeth the winds in his 
 fists and the waters in the hollow of his hands, 
 he found a very extraordinary revival of religion 
 had begun in Newark and vicinity, of which he 
 thus takes notice : " At this time the inhabit- 
 ants of my native town were much engaged in 
 religion, and it appeared the Lord was about to 
 do wondrous things among us. I had resolved 
 to stay at home this winter, partly on account 
 of the threatening difficulties from the belliger- 
 ents, and partly because the voyage was intend- 
 ed to be a very long one, as before, and I found 
 my constitution rather unable to bear so long 
 the hardships of the sea. 
 
 "Now I had opportunity of meeting with the 
 people of God almost every day or evening, and 
 at times methinks I enjoy this favor. The first 
 Sabbath in March, 1808, there were added to 
 the Church ninety-seven persons, and the prob- 
 ability is there will be as many on the next sac- 
 ramental occasion. 
 
 " The time for administering the sacrament 
 beginning to draw near, and my mind having 
 for a considerable time been very uneasy re- 
 specting my spiritual condition, I now have 
 given myself to serious inquiry into this matter, 
 and have resolved- by Divine assistance to seek
 
 THE SHADOWS FLEEING AWAY. 115 
 
 God by fasting and prayer, that I may know 
 whether I be in the faith or not ; being per- 
 suaded that I never can be useful as a member 
 of the Church while I remain so beset with 
 doubts and fears. 
 
 " Sabbath, June 5th, the sacrament was ad- 
 ministered. With thanksgiving I desire to men- 
 tion the exceeding goodness of God to me this 
 day. I trust I had some views of a Savior pre- 
 cious to my soul, and my doubts and fears are 
 banished in a great degree. Oh ! how wonder- 
 ful is the faithfulness of our God. At this time 
 my elder brother, who had been laboring under 
 great difficulty of mind, and seemed bordering 
 on despair, found relief, and was enabled to re- 
 joice in the Savior once more. 
 
 " Sabbath, June 26th. This day methinks I 
 have enjoyed a visit from my Savior. Oh ! how 
 kindly does he draw by the cords of love, and 
 how pleasant was it to wait upon God in his 
 sanctuary." 
 
 Beneath his cooling shade I sat, 
 To shield me from the burning heat ; 
 Of heavenly fruit he spreads a feast, 
 To feed my eyes and please my taste. 
 
 Kindly he brought me to the place 
 Where stands the banquet of his grace. 
 He saw me faint, and o'er my head 
 The banner of his love he spread.
 
 116 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 With living bread and generous wine 
 He cheers this sinking soul of mine ; 
 And opening his whole heart to me, 
 He shows his thoughts how kind they be. 
 
 Oh ! never let my Lord depart ; 
 Lie down and rest upon my heart. 
 I charge my sins not once to move, 
 Nor stir, nor wake, nor grieve my love. 
 
 " Monday, June 27th, 1808. This day I have 
 entered upon the forty-first year of my age. 
 Alas ! when I look back upon my life past, what 
 do I survey but a scene of rebellion the greater 
 part, and base ingratitude for unmerited favors. 
 But as the stubborn and rebellious Jews were 
 destroyed in the course of the forty years in the 
 wilderness, so may all my corruptions be slain, 
 and may I now engage, as it were anew, upon 
 the service of my Creator and Redeemer. From 
 this time onward until the first of December, I 
 trust I was enabled to rejoice in God my Sa- 
 vior. I felt that all my salvation was of free 
 grace. I can now take a sincere pleasure in 
 public and private duties of worship, and in the 
 society of Christians. If I be not deceived, I 
 felt strong desires for the salvation of poor sin- 
 ners, and I was enabled to see how God could 
 be glorified, and to rejoice in it ; and methinks 
 I felt such confidence in his faithfulness that I 
 could commit to him all my future destinies."
 
 TRACK OF THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN. 117 
 
 Having pursued thus far through the lights 
 and shadows of the Christian life herein traced, 
 we leave our navigator for the present in this 
 happy estate, the race of his life just half run ; 
 praying that the peace of God which passeth 
 all understanding may in like manner be the 
 portion of every earnest mind that peruses these 
 pages. 
 
 SAT not 'tis all a dreary way, 
 
 With rocks beset, with briers growing, 
 Where never beams of sunlight stray, 
 
 And ne'er a gentle stream is flowing. 
 Or, if it be that thou dost stray 
 
 Through scenes so darksome, wild, and frightful, 
 Yet there is one who loves thee so, 
 
 That he can make e'en this delightful. 
 Then drive away thy doubts and fears, 
 
 Nor dread the ills that threat to hurt thee ; 
 For Christ, that saw thee in thy tears, 
 
 Hath said, He never will desert thee. 
 
 FOOTMAN in the heavenly race 
 Fellow-sinner, saved by grace, 
 If thou hast indeed begun 
 In the heavenly way to run 
 Many a cloud will gather o'er thee, 
 Many a trial lies before thee, 
 Many a wild along the way 
 Waits to tempt thy foot astray ; 
 Many a hill, whose rugged road 
 Will not let thee hoar thy load
 
 118 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 (Save the inseparable cross), 
 
 Thou must climb, and leave thy dross. 
 
 But there waiteth at the end 
 Such a home and such a Friend, 
 Such a crown and such a throne, 
 Such a harp of heavenly tone, 
 Such companions, such employ, 
 Such a world of hallow'd joy ! 
 And thou hast, along the way, 
 Many a promise for thy stay ; 
 Strength and comfort from above, 
 Heavenly hope and heavenly love ! 
 Footman, speed thy heavenward pace, 
 Trust in God, and win the race.
 
 CHECKERED EXPERIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN. 119 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 LABORS WITH HIMSELF AND LABORS IN BEHALF OF 
 THE SABBATH FOR SEAMEN. 
 
 WE'RE often like the lonesome doTe that mourns her absent 
 
 mate, 
 
 From hill to hill, from vale to vale, her woes she doth relate: 
 But Canaan's land is just before, sweet spring is coming on; 
 A few more beating winds and rains, and winter will be gone. 
 Sometimes like mountains to the skies, black Jordan's billow* 
 
 roar, 
 
 And make us weary pilgrims fear we never shall get o'er : 
 But when, as from Mount Pisgah's top, we view the vernal 
 
 plain, 
 
 To fright our souls may Jordan roar, and hell may rage in vain. 
 
 TIEBOUT'S Hymnt. 
 
 THE web of human life is always party-col- 
 ored : the tissue of the soul's history especially 
 is made up of many threads, some black, some 
 bright, and all closely interwoven with one an- 
 other. The fabric of religious experience un- 
 rolled in the present chapter is of this descrip- 
 tion ; for in the life of Captain Congar, as in 
 that of most other men, the clouds followed 
 sunshine, storm came after calm, and a day of 
 brightness and joy was frequently succeeded by 
 a night of gloom. Men's faults, according to
 
 120 CAPTAIN OBADIAU CONGAR. 
 
 the dramatist, would despair if they were not. 
 nursed by their virtues ; and our virtues would 
 grow proud if they were not whipped by our 
 faults. 
 
 Early in tho spring of 1809 we find him in- 
 stituting a rigid self-examination, taking him- 
 self seriously to task, and sighing like Job, 'O 
 that it were with me as in months that are 
 passed, when the candle of the Lord shined 
 upon me.' " We naturally love," says he, 
 " pleasant gales and a smooth sea ; but when 
 the rough winds of adversity begin to blow, 
 how soon do our spirits sink. Not long since 
 I trust I could say with a good degree of sin- 
 cerity, ' The Lord is my portion ; what need I 
 more !' I fondly hoped I should never again be 
 exercised with doubts and fears ; but ah ! I 
 have reason to fear that I looked too much to 
 my own self, and forgot that, without Christ, I 
 could do nothing. The state of my mind being 
 so very different from what it was last summer, 
 I have endeavored to draw a contrast between 
 my exercises then and now. The Divine char- 
 acter, perfections, and government appeared to 
 me then admirable and lovely, and every way 
 worthy the chief regard of all intelligent creat- 
 ures. Now these glories seem hid, or other- 
 wise the mind is so exceeding dull and stupid
 
 BROUGHT TO BKARING3 BY 8ELK-1NUUIRY. 1*21 
 
 that it takes very little satisfaction in meditat- 
 ing on them. 
 
 " Then I felt a sweet dependence upon the 
 grace of God for all I needed both for time and 
 eternity. Now the thoughts are employed 
 much of my time in seeking to do something 
 on the score of law, and frequently intent on 
 quieting conscience. Then methinks I relied 
 entirely on the atonement of the blessed Re- 
 deemer for all hope of pardon and acceptance 
 with God, and cordially embraced him for my 
 Savior and my portion. Now the excellences 
 of the Redeemer are not seen but at a distance, 
 and the soul is bent on seeking some good 
 work, or falls into melancholy. Before, there 
 was an inconceivable composure of mind, that 
 was pleased at all times, and could look for- 
 ward to a never-ending eternity even with de- 
 light. Now the mind knows but little of such 
 feelings ; but, on the other hand, there is con- 
 siderable anxiety for my future state. Then 
 was experienced a liberty of soul, a deliverance 
 from the shackles of Satan, and freedom from 
 the reigning power of sin. Now new tempta- 
 tions arise, the mind is filled with fears and 
 doubts, difficulties increase, and I am in trou- 
 ble, constantly harassed with vain and sinful 
 thoughts. Then methinks I could approach
 
 122 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 the throne of grace with an humble boldness, 
 and, though my desires were ardent for some 
 particular mercies, especially the salvation of 
 one who was dear to me, yet I felt a calm sub- 
 mission that could leave all in the hands of 
 God and say, His will be done. Now the duty 
 of prayer is, I am ashamed to say, burden- 
 some ; there is too often a want of liberty, the 
 mind is much disturbed with wanderings, and 
 there is very little sense of the great privilege 
 granted to sinners in thus holding converse 
 with the Most High. Then the society of 
 Christians was pleasant and comfortable, and 
 the affection they shared in my heart was 
 strong and sincere, and much I enjoyed in their 
 company. Now such seasons I realize not. I 
 am sensible of very little fellowship with Chris- 
 tians, and there is frequently a disposition to 
 shun their society; however, I can not say that 
 I fully take pleasure in the society of those I 
 deem destitute of religion. Then, if I be not 
 deceived, I felt a benevolence and good-will to- 
 ward my fellow-creatures, and strong desires 
 for their salvation as connected with the glory 
 of God ; but at present a great indifference 
 prevails with regard to both these objects. Ah ! 
 how little is to be enjoyed in the soul without 
 religion in present exercise !"
 
 THE CHRISTIAN MARINER'S NIGHT BIDE. 123 
 
 A morbid melancholy now possessed him for 
 a little season, and his mind preyed upon itself, 
 owing mainly to a want of steady, satisfying 
 employment while off the sea. But the severe 
 self-scrutiny and sorrow for sin he underwent 
 resulted in benefit to his Christian character, 
 and to the establishment of his soul in grace. 
 At length, on the twenty-fourth of April, 1809, 
 we find this entry in his journal : 
 
 " An arrangement being fixed upon between 
 the British minister and our government for the 
 renewal of commerce, I have this day taken 
 command of the ship Atlas, belonging to the 
 house of W. Neilson & Son, in whose employ I 
 had been before the embargo took place. I trust 
 I entered upon this business with prayer to God 
 that I might be enabled to seek his glory in all 
 my pursuits, and be useful to my fellow-creat- 
 ures in the sphere wherein I am placed. I 
 feel, indeed, insufficient for the duties of my sta- 
 tion,, but I endeavor to look up to the Lord for 
 direction and support. This ship being nearly 
 loaded before I took charge of her, we had but 
 little to do in order to get ready for sea. 
 
 "May the llth we left New York, and on 
 the 13th sailed from Sandy Hook with a fine 
 breeze, which scarcely left us until we were at 
 anchor in King Road, being thirty-three days
 
 I'AFTAI.V OBADIAH COXGAU. 
 
 from New York. We sailed again from Bristol 
 on the eighth day of August, with a full freight 
 for New York. 
 
 " On the 19th of October, after being seven- 
 ty-two days at sea, and a part of the time in 
 great danger from icebergs, we arrived safe in 
 New York, much to the satisfaction of my 
 friends and employer, who all had their fears 
 for our safety. The Sabbath following I was 
 once more favored with an opportunity of meet- 
 ing my Newark friends, and of making public 
 acknowledgments to Almighty God in his house 
 for his mercies to me while absent. Methinks 
 I experienced peculiar satisfaction in the soci- 
 ety of my Christian brethren, with whom of 
 late I had been in habits of so much intimacy, 
 and who seemed to say in their countenances 
 as well as with their lips, Welcome once more 
 in the land of the living. 
 
 " Soon after we had delivered the cargo we 
 contemplated another voyage, and as by a late 
 law we were now restricted from going to En- 
 gland, my employers finally concluded to order 
 us for Madeira. Although the difficulties to be 
 expected in our business seemed to be increas- 
 ing, nevertheless I engaged in this voyage with 
 much less reluctance than was the case the pre- 
 ceding voyage. In general, I trust I can say
 
 CONSIDERATIONS OF DUTY TO HIS CREW. 125 
 
 with sincerity that, notwithstanding the un- 
 pleasant sensations at parting with friends, and 
 all the difficulties incident to my situation in 
 life, yet I have found much peace of mind and 
 much of the favor of God ; mercies which I de- 
 sire to feel grateful for, and hope that I may 
 cherish a due sense of my obligations at all 
 times upon my mind. 
 
 " Since I have been preparing for this voyage, 
 my thoughts have been much employed on the 
 importance of endeavoring to instruct those who 
 might fall under my care in the great business 
 of religion. I have viewed with concern that 
 this class of men, whose occupation is on the 
 mighty waters, are necessarily excluded from 
 the common opportunities of religious instruc- 
 tion and means of grace with which people on 
 land are favored, and / could not see how their 
 situation was ever likely to be otherwise, ex- 
 cept those who have the command feel it in- 
 cumbent, and undertake to supply the place of 
 others more capable. And I have often thought 
 our particular situation at sea would greatly 
 assist the feeblest efforts which might be made 
 to lead men to consider their ways. 
 
 " What is better calculated to teach us our 
 dependence on God than to be exposed on the 
 wide ocean, and sometimes in a crazy vessel
 
 126 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 too, to every gust of wind that blows, and to 
 innumerable dangers which human foresight 
 can not discover, or, if discovered, could not pre- 
 vent ? Is not the mighty power of God re- 
 markably displayed in raising up the stormy 
 wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof, and 
 sometimes threatens destruction to every thing 
 before them ? In the 107th Psalm is a grand 
 description of God's power in the deep, and of 
 the situation of those who behold these awful 
 displays. Besides, the sea is particularly favor- 
 able to reflection. Called upon for a time to 
 part not only with the most endearing comforts 
 of life, but with those scenes of mirth and folly 
 which drown every serious thought, the sailor, 
 while he stands his watch on deck, is compelled 
 to reflect ; and I believe few instances occur 
 where sailors do not feel some secret misgivings 
 for their misspent time while at sea, and resolve 
 to amend their ways. 
 
 " And, besides, I have felt accountable to God, 
 in some degree, for the souls of those whom he 
 should put under my care and authority. I 
 did not, indeed, consider myself placed in the 
 situation of a parent, for then, as a professor of 
 religion, I could not have neglected these duties, 
 but rather considered myself as a master and a 
 watchman. I have thought much of the im-
 
 STRUGGLE BETWEEN DIFFIDENCE A SO DUTY. 127 
 
 port of the words contained in the sixth verse 
 of the thirty-third chapter of Ezekiel. I cer- 
 tainly profess and trust I do see, in some meas- 
 ure, the judgments of God coming upon all 
 finally impenitent sinners ; how, then, can I neg- 
 lect to give them warning, whether they will 
 hear or whether they will forbear, that at least 
 I may deliver my own soul ? 
 
 "I have also understood the apostle's argu- 
 ments in the tenth chapter of Romans and four- 
 teenth verse, to be a direction and injunction on 
 all who have the Scriptures in their hands, and 
 hope they understand, in some degree, the will 
 of God as contained therein, to use their influ- 
 ence as they have opportunity, in instructing 
 those who hitherto have remained ignorant or 
 regardless of so important a matter. 
 
 " And, if I be not deceived, I see that God is 
 infinitely worthy to be loved by all his intelli- 
 gent creatures. And do I not believe that all 
 mankind are under sin, and have need of a Sa- 
 vior ? and shall I be content so long as I secure 
 my own salvation, let what will become of oth- 
 ers ? Some hints thrown out by the Reverend 
 William Woodbridge, while I was at home, had 
 considerable influence on my mind in determin- 
 ing what ought to be done. But when the va- 
 rious difficulties presented themselves to me
 
 128 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 when I began to count the cost, my resolution 
 began to fail ; for I felt wholly insufficient for 
 so great an undertaking, and my own dullness 
 and stupidity rendered me so insensible to the 
 great objects which had now engaged my atten- 
 tion, that I was on the point of giving up the 
 whole as impracticable. 
 
 "With all my resolutions and fears before 
 me, I turned my eyes toward the mighty God 
 of Jacob, and resting, I trust, on his promise, 
 that as our day is so shall our strength be, I 
 called the crew together on New-year's day, 
 1810, and informed them of my intentions, at 
 the same time using arguments to convince 
 them of the necessity and propriety of attend- 
 ing constantly and seriously to the important 
 concerns of religion. They listened to me with 
 apparent readiness to unite in the duties which 
 I had proposed, and accordingly we fixed upon 
 the hour of six o'clock the same evening to meet 
 for these exercises. 
 
 "At the time appointed we assembled in the 
 cabin gangway (our cabin being filled with car- 
 go), and spent some time in reading and mak- 
 ing some observations on the Scriptures, and 
 concluded with prayer. In the performance of 
 these duties I experienced much less difficulty 
 than I anticipated, and I can say. to the credit
 
 Till: riABIIATII KXPKKI.MKVI MI. lV*J 
 
 of the crew, they all behaved with a very be- 
 coming deportment. 
 
 " Sabbath, January 7th. Feeling it import- 
 ant that the day set apart for religious worship 
 on shore should be observed in something like 
 such a manner at sea, I made some observations 
 to the crew on the propriety of considering the 
 Sabbath of God's appointment, and as a day set 
 apart for religious worship, and therefore bind- 
 ing on all men and in all places, as circum- 
 stances wouid admit ; adding, that it was my 
 desire we should meet at the hour of two o'clock 
 in the afternoon for the purposes before men- 
 tioned. 
 
 " When the hour arrived we came together, 
 and spent some time in prayer, reading the 
 Scriptures, and something from the works of 
 Mr. Bellamy, &c. While attending to these ex- 
 ercises they all behaved orderly and decent, and, 
 indeed, through the whole day. On the whole, 
 the day has been comfortable to me, far beyond 
 what I have experienced many Sabbaths at 
 sea, and I am not without hopes these feeble at- 
 tempts to restrain the prevailing vices of those 
 whose business is on the great waters, and to 
 teach the fear of God even in a ship, may not 
 be altogether in vain. Although I dare not say 
 with confidence my motives are pure, and that 
 
 r
 
 130 CAPTAIN UBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 my actions spring wholly from sincere desires 
 to promote the Redeemer's kingdom, yet some- 
 times I do hope this is the case. 
 
 " Our passage was very comfortable, consid- 
 ering the season of the year, and otherwise much 
 more agreeable than it usually is on board of 
 ships. On the thirty-third day from our leav- 
 ing New York we were off the town of Fun- 
 chal (Madeira), and about coming to anchor, 
 but the weather growing squally, we stood to 
 sea again, and the same night came on a heavy 
 gale from the northwest. We returned to the 
 roads again and anchored the eighteenth of 
 January. Found a large number of vessels ly- 
 ing here, a circumstance by no means desirable, 
 it being a wild roadstead at the best. Our car- 
 go being intended for the British market, we 
 were obliged to wait for vessels from England 
 to take it on board. The first fourteen days 
 after our arrival had fine weather, and met with 
 no difficulty ; but from this time until we took 
 our departure from the island, we were obliged 
 to put to sea five different times, and on the 
 last of these occasions we were out twenty-three 
 days. Several of our crew got hurt in one way 
 or another, but none proved fatal." 
 
 April 7th, having completed discharging the 
 cargo, they sailed for the Cape de Verd Islands
 
 BENIGN EFFECT OF HALLOWING THE SABBATH. 131 
 
 fur a cargo of salt ; but, being disappointed in 
 obtaining it, they proceeded at once in ballast 
 to New York. In reviewing this voyage, he 
 says, " With respect to any effect produced on 
 the crew by attending religious duties, I think 
 I can say with truth, that in general they be- 
 haved much less immoral, and for the most 
 part more orderly and decent in their conduct 
 than is usually the case on board of ships, and 
 one of them, a native of Sweden, gave consid- 
 erable evidence, on his return home, of his hav- 
 ing experienced the power of religion on his 
 heart. 
 
 " We were not long in port at this time be- 
 fore our employers concluded to send the ship 
 to Liverpool, and, with this view, commenced 
 loading with all possible dispatch. It now ap- 
 peared advisable for me to acquaint some one 
 of the clergy in the city with my proceedings, 
 and, should they be approved of, to ask further 
 advice and assistance. I saw Dr. Romeyne. 
 He encouraged me to continue the practice, and 
 promised to procure some Bibles from the New 
 York Bible Society, to be disposed of on board 
 as I might deem proper ; he also recommended 
 me to get some religious tracts, to be distribu- 
 ted among the crew as occasion might offer. 
 And now the time drew near that I must part
 
 132 CAPTAIN MB ADI Ail CONGAR. 
 
 with connections and friends, with the society 
 of Christians, and, I may add, almost with the 
 world, to pursue my occupation again on the 
 deep. But this reflection calmed my mind : 
 The Lord is every where myself and all that 
 is dear to me are in his hands; and with grati- 
 tude I can say I don't recollect an instance 
 when I have been so composed on these occa- 
 sions. 
 
 " We were now again a little family of stran- 
 gers, formed promiscuously of different charac- 
 ters, and about one half of our number were 
 colored people. Sabbath morning, July 8th, 
 being the first opportunity which offered, I called 
 the crew together, and, after entreating them 
 to observe a decency of conduct, to refrain from 
 profane and unbecoming language, and to re- 
 gard the Sabbath day differently from what is 
 usually the case at sea, I informed them it was 
 my desire we should meet together as often as 
 circumstances would admit to attend upon re- 
 ligious duties after the manner which we had 
 done the voyage before. I also distributed the 
 Bibles among them, as they were destitute, with 
 the religious tracts. I have the pleasure to say, 
 on all occasions when the crew have been called 
 upon to attend on religious exercises, their con- 
 duct would have done honor to a better-informed
 
 VIEWS* UK HIM.-IM.l \\U "K ColJ. 1 '.M 
 
 society, and I am not without hopes the Lord 
 wUl bless these means to the good of some. 
 Wednesday, July 18th, being about the Banks 
 of Newfoundland, we fell in with a large island 
 of ice, appearing to be at least forty feet above 
 the surface of the water. This makes the fourth 
 time I have fallen in with ice in these latitudes ; 
 and I can not but remark the interposition of 
 Providence in our escapes from shipwreck, since 
 we have always had thick blowing weather just 
 before we have seen them, after which the 
 weather continued fine until we considered our- 
 selves out of danger. 
 
 " My thoughts at this time are dwelling much 
 on the deceitfulness of my own heart. I find 
 that by nature it is desperately wicked ; who 
 can know it ? And it is astonishing what pleas 
 Satan and corrupt nature will urge that sin 
 may be indulged. But where sin abounded, 
 grace did much more abound. Thanks be to 
 God, the consolations of his word are equal to 
 our wants ; herein I found relief to my mind 
 under these fears and doubts from the following 
 passage in the 119th Psalm and 49th verse: 
 * Remember the word unto thy servant, upon 
 which thou hast caused me to hope.' I find 
 nothing in the Scriptures spoken particularly 
 to me as a foundation to build rny hopes upon,
 
 134 CAPTAIN OBAUIAII COXGAR. 
 
 but I find there, ' God so loved the world, that 
 he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever 
 believeth on him might not perish, but obtain 
 everlasting life ;' and, indeed, the whole Bible 
 is calculated to afford consolation and support 
 to the mourner for sin." 
 
 On their return from Liverpool, a sudden 
 and awful tempest was experienced, respecting 
 which we find it entered in the Journal : " This 
 I reckoned the third heaviest gale ever witness- 
 ed by me. Our ship lay very safe, notwith- 
 standing she would sometimes roll the fore-yard 
 six feet under water. As soon as we had se- 
 cured the sails I called the crew down into the 
 cabin, and sought by prayer and supplication 
 the protection of Him who holdeth the winds 
 in His fists and the waters in the hollow of His 
 hand ; and blessed be His name, we were de- 
 livered from all evil in this difficult time. Oh 
 that men would praise the Lord for his good- 
 ness and for his wonderful works to the chil- 
 dren of men." 
 
 In another voyage to England, immediately 
 subsequent to this, he took the same course 
 with respect to the Sabbath on the first Lord's 
 day out of port, distributing Bibles and tracts 
 as before, and addressing his crew on the du- 
 ties of religion ; and he remarks, in recording
 
 A VERY COMM'iN Mfsi .\Kl. i'< iRUIXTKI) 
 
 it, "I must now take notice of a circumstance 
 which I can not but deem as providential. 
 Previous io my undertaking to perform relig- 
 ious exercises on board, I had for some consid- 
 erable time been subject to a great weakness 
 of the lungs, insomuch that I found it difficult 
 to read or speak even for a few minutes ; but, 
 from the first attempt until the present time, 
 I have found no difficulty on this account, though 
 I have sometimes been engaged reading and 
 speaking two hours together. On the afternoon 
 of the Sabbath above alluded to, we met and at- 
 tended to reading the Scriptures, a hymn, some- 
 thing from the confession of faith on prayer, and 
 also Watts's guide to prayer on the same sub- 
 ject, and concluded with prayer. 
 
 " Although most part of the crew were stran- 
 gers to me, and strangers to such proceedings at 
 sea, they conducted with the strictest propriety 
 and good order, and I am now fully convinced 
 that the notion winch many masters and offi- 
 cers of ships entertain, that sailors can not be 
 governed without rough usage and bad lan- 
 guage, is altogether void of weight ; since 1 
 have found, by considerable experience, much 
 int difficulty in the matter than when, as for- 
 merly (with shame I confess it), I have myself 
 used these practices. And it is also a mistake
 
 130 CAI'TAIN OBADIAH CONG All. 
 
 that sailors will mock at every thing like relig- 
 ion on board. It is true that some appear to 
 be very little affected with its weighty con- 
 cerns, and is it not true, also, that many dis- 
 cover the same indifference on land ?" 
 
 On their return from Bristol they took on 
 board a number of passengers both in the cabin 
 and steerage ; and with the Christian fidelity 
 and carefulness for souls which had now be- 
 come a part of Captain Cougar's character, he 
 took occasion, as soon as they were over their 
 sea-sickness, to express his wish that they should 
 attend to religious duties on Sabbath days, and 
 on the evening of every day. This, he says, 
 they all readily assented to, and some of them 
 even seemed desirous of it. 
 
 " One of the passengers in the steerage, being 
 a professor of religion, used to assist on these 
 occasions, and this practice we continued all 
 the passage, and it was not only comfortable to 
 myself, but I hope in some measure profitable 
 to all. The latter part of the passage we had 
 more favorable winds, and arrived in New York 
 July 13th, being forty-four days, all in good 
 health ; for which mercies I desire to be thank- 
 ful, but especially for the consolations of the 
 Spirit afforded me at different times while at 
 sea, so that I trust I could say His favor is
 
 RELIGIOUS ENJOYMENT IN ORDINANCES. 137 
 
 life, and his loving-kindness is better than 
 life." 
 
 This habit he continued in successive voy- 
 ages to and from England until the interrup- 
 tion of commerce with Great Britain by the war 
 of 1812. The inconvenience of being put out 
 of business thereby, he gratefully takes notice, 
 was made up to him by the satisfaction found 
 in the society of friends and Christian ordinan- 
 ces. At the Lord's Supper he had humbling 
 views of his own unworthiness, and reviving 
 views of Christ, that made him exclaim, 
 
 Why was I made to hear thy voice, 
 
 And enter while there's room, 
 While thousands make a wretched choice. 
 
 And rather starve than come. 
 
 " Having, therefore, professedly set to my 
 seal that God is true, oh that I might be ena- 
 bled to dedicate myself to His service. Surely 
 his service is an easy service. It is perfect free- 
 dom. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. 
 Have I not found by experience that the service 
 of God is easier than the service of sin and Sa- 
 tan, without regard to consequences ? Awake, 
 then, my sluggish soul, trim up thy lamp, and 
 be like them that wait for their Lord, when he 
 shall return from the wedding. 
 
 ' It \vonM surpass my powers to mention
 
 138 CAPTAIN UBAUIAH CONOAK. 
 
 the tender mercies of God toward me since I 
 have been at home with my friends. Much I 
 have enjoyed in their society and that of my 
 Christian brethren. 
 
 " It now became my duty to resume my pro- 
 fession. The state of war in which our nation 
 was unhappily engaged with Great Britain, to- 
 gether with the difficulty which we were liable 
 to on the ocean from the armed vessels of other 
 nations, particularly the Algerines, who had 
 lately declared hostilities against the United 
 States, rendered this business extremely haz- 
 ardous. But, believing that my duty lay in 
 that line, and endeavoring to commit my way 
 unto the Lord, who is always ready to relieve 
 the wants of his dependent creatures, I went to 
 New York for the purpose of seeking employ. 
 I had been in the city but a few days before I 
 met with Mr. N., my late employer, who gave 
 me to understand he was about preparing the 
 ship Susannah for a voyage to Lisbon, and in- 
 timated a wish I should take charge of her. 
 This I readily agreed to, and on the 18th of 
 October commenced my new engagements on 
 board the above ship. 
 
 " Without interruption from the cruisers of 
 any nation, we passed the Azores in twenty 
 days, on the llth of December made the Rock
 
 DIVEE8 DAN6EE* HAFELY PABdKD. 1 ,T.< 
 
 of Lisbon, and at 3 P.M. of the next day came 
 to anchor in the Tagus, all well. While lying 
 here, a heavy blow from the westward did great 
 damage to the shipping. Several were obliged 
 to slip or out their cables and run on shore, in 
 order to avoid greater damage ; and two drifted 
 down with the ebb tide, and, for want of cables 
 and anchors, were totally lost. Providentially," 
 says Captain Congar, " we escaped with trifling 
 injury. From the commencement of the voy- 
 age we have been accustomed to the practice 
 of attending religious duties as often as possi- 
 ble, and I am happy to say on these occasions 
 the crew have generally behaved with great 
 decorum and regularity. But, alas ! what stu- 
 pidity and coldness is but too manifest among 
 us. For my own part, I am constrained to ac- 
 knowledge that, after all my professions and at- 
 tainments, all my resolutions and hopes, if the 
 spirit of grace should withdraw from me, I am 
 undone ; and I feel convinced that heaven can 
 never be attained by my own strength or wis- 
 dom. Oh Lord ! preserve me from that luke- 
 warmness, and its dreadful consequences, with 
 which the Church of the Laodiceans are charg- 
 ed, and for which they are threatened; and 
 warm my heart with the Savior's love, that I 
 may not merely possess the form of godliness
 
 140 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAK. 
 
 while destitute of the power thereof. Oh for 
 the constant witness of the Spirit that I am 
 born of God ! Let my hope of heaven be steady 
 and bright, then will I hold on in the way of 
 obedience, and wax stronger and stronger." 
 
 THROUGH night, and clouds, and gloomy fears, 
 
 Though dragons often roar, 
 Yet in the great Redeemer's strength 
 
 I'll press to Canaan's shore. 
 Methinks I now begin to see 
 
 The borders of that land ; 
 The trees of grace with heavenly fruit 
 
 In beauteous order stand : 
 The wint'ry time will soon bo gone, 
 
 The summer soon appear ; 
 The glorious day is rolling on, 
 
 The great Sabbatic year. 
 Oh ! what a glorious sight appears 
 
 To my believing eyes ; 
 Methinks I see Jerusalem, 
 
 A city in the skies. 
 Oh ! that my faith were strong to rise, 
 
 And bear my soul away, 
 I'd give all glory to the Lamb, 
 
 Through everlasting day.
 
 MI-I.I: WORTHY OP IMITATION. 141 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DUTIES AT SEA CONTINUED. 
 
 BOUGHT by Christ's blood, and to the purchase true, 
 The Christian runs with cheerfulness the race 
 Which God in wisdom bath seen fit to trace, 
 
 Nor turns, some other object to pursue ; 
 
 Nor slacks bis steadfast course; sometimes he sees 
 Fires in his path, or hears the serpent's breath, 
 Or raging men with implements of death, 
 
 But still goes on, nor like the coward flees. 
 
 The road is strait and narrow ; if he turns, 
 Ruin awaits him ; if he onward gem, 
 
 With face erect and heart with love that burns, 
 However great the obstacles, he knows 
 
 That God, who hath all power, all things can do, 
 
 Will guard him in hi* straits, and bear him glorious through. 
 
 Scripture Sonnett. 
 
 EARLY in the year 1813 we find Captain Con- 
 gar again in command on the deep, keeping the 
 Sabbatli day holy before his crew, and so act- 
 ing as their minister and friend as to secure 
 their good-will and hearty concurrence in his 
 measures for sanctifying the Lord's day. His 
 voyages were in a high degree successful, es- 
 caping both the ordinary dangers of the sea and 
 those from hostile privateers and cruisers. He 
 returned to share in the remarkable work of
 
 142 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 grace which was then in progress through New 
 Jersey and other parts of the Middle States. 
 He entered into it with great delight, and a 
 manifest refreshing to his own soul, remarking 
 respecting it, " Thus are the walls of the spirit- 
 ual Jerusalem building up even in troublesome 
 times." 
 
 But he was not now to enjoy it long, for his 
 employer soon informed him of his intention to 
 dispatch the ship again to Lisbon. " I could have 
 wished," he says, " to have stayed a little longer 
 with my family and friends, and the people of 
 God, but I endeavored to submit to the will of 
 Providence, trusting that all things were or- 
 dered in wisdom and in mercy. 
 
 " Friday, April 9th, our ship being loaded, 
 and seeing but little prospect of getting out to 
 sea before the Sabbath, my mind became con- 
 cerned to know how far it would be consistent 
 with the command to remember the Sabbath 
 day to keep it holy, to proceed on the voyage 
 should a favorable wind offer on the Sabbath. 
 My mind had been more or less exercised on 
 this subject for a long time past, and I had 
 come to this conclusion, that when no unavoid- 
 able occurrence made it necessary, we ought by 
 all means to refuse commencing the voyage on 
 that day, which was not only set apart as a day
 
 A NOBLE RKdolATloN TAKEN. 143 
 
 of worship, but as a day of rest from worldly 
 concerns, that thy man-servant and thy maid- 
 servant may rest as well as thou. 
 
 " Sabbath morning arrived, the wind was fa- 
 vorable, and my employer anxious, fearing a 
 blockade from the British, we proceeded. But, 
 as though the Lord intended to show us that 
 our exertions and anxieties were fruitless, when 
 we reached Sandy Hook the wind became un- 
 favorable, and continued so three days. I now 
 had time to reflect upon what we had done, and 
 In ii n the reasons enjoined in the Scriptures, my 
 own feelings on the subject, and the remon- 
 strances of conscience, I formed this resolve, 
 that, through the assistance of divine grace, 
 should I ever have the command of a ship of- 
 fered me again, I would, at the same time, 
 give my employer to understand my determina- 
 tion not to commence the voyage on a day clear- 
 ly instituted by divine wisdom for the most ex- 
 alted employment of which man is capable. 
 
 " The same evening we left the city, we com- 
 menced attending religious duties as on other 
 voyages ; and although on each voyage some 
 part of the crew were strangers to me and 
 strangers to such a practice, yet they mani- 
 fested a readiness to unite in these duties, which 
 could scarcely have been expected." This was
 
 144 CAPTAIN OBAD1AH CONGAR. 
 
 a speedy and successful voyage, and they sailed 
 again from the Tagus, homeward bound, June 
 4th. "We had all been very healthy while in 
 port, but, shortly after sailing, almost every one 
 of the crew complained of bad colds, attended 
 with soreness of the throat and pains in the 
 bones ; and, among the rest, I had an attack of 
 the same, the nature of which assumed the char- 
 acter of the influenza as nearly as any other 
 complaint. Oh, may these light afflictions, 
 which are but for a moment, work for us a far 
 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 
 How very just are the remarks of an ancient 
 poet on the good of evils : 
 
 One week's extremity may teach us more 
 
 Than long prosperity had done before ; 
 
 Death is forgotten in our easy state, 
 
 But troubles mind us of our final fate ; 
 
 The doing ill affects us not with fears, 
 
 But suffering ill brings sorrow, woe, and tears. 
 
 " It is not easy to reflect that we are mortal, 
 dying creatures ; that we are liable every mo- 
 ment to be crushed before the moth when pros- 
 perity, health, and ease attend us constantly. 
 How salutary, then, are afflictions. Herein we 
 learn our absolute and entire dependence on 
 God for all things, even those mercies which 
 by reason of their commonness we too often 
 overlook. Herein do we realize the vanitv of
 
 HEALTHFUL DISCIPLINE OF SICKNESS. 145 
 
 sublunary enjoyments, and how little comfort 
 they can administer in a time of trouble, and 
 thus, through divine grace, are we enabled to 
 seek a portion in a better world. Nothing so 
 effectually writes vanity on all things beneath 
 the sun as afflictions. Yet there is a real good 
 in possessing health, wealth, and the varied and 
 multiplied comforts of a kind Providence. The 
 great evil arises from our abuse of, or an inor- 
 dinate attachment to these gifts, which were 
 not designed as the best portion Infinite Love 
 had to give ; and it would be as inconsistent 
 for us to consider temporary enjoyments any 
 thing more than transient comforts afforded us 
 while passing through the journey of life to the 
 haven of rest, as it would be for the traveler to 
 sit down contented with the first commodious 
 inn he might stop at, and say I am fully satis- 
 fied with what I find here, and so make no 
 further attempts to prosecute his way, though 
 immense wealth was ready for him at his jour- 
 ney's end. 
 
 " Methinks I can now join the Psalmist and 
 say, ' It was good for me that I was afflicted.' 
 One great mercy it would be the highest in- 
 gratitude in me not to remember and acknowl- 
 edge. The Lord has graciously been pleased 
 to afford me pretty generally, during my pres- 
 K
 
 140 CAI'TAIN !!. \IU.\II CONGAR. 
 
 ent trouble, a comfortable sense of his Divine 
 favor. 1 have not felt over-anxious about the 
 issue of this disease : I trust I feel in good 
 measure willing the Lord should do with me 
 as seemeth good in his sight. I am entirely 
 in his hands, and I have no claim on goodness 
 or mercy. Every comfort I receive, and every 
 hope afforded me, I consider gratuitously free 
 and undeserved. But alas ! how many errors 
 and imperfections do I discover in my heart and 
 life. Affliction bring* about, as it were, a sort 
 of court of inquiry into all our actions. This 
 we approve, and that we condemn, and we dis- 
 cover many failings which otherwise would nev- 
 er have been detected. 
 
 " Thursday, June 17th. Through the infinite 
 kindness of Him who restores the sick and pre- 
 serves the health of his dependent creatures, 
 we are all again comfortable, and favored with 
 winds and pleasant weather, each one hoping 
 soon to meet his friends on the shores of Colum- 
 bia. May it be the sincere and unreserved 
 language of every heart on board, ' What shall 
 I render to the Lord for all his benefits ?' June 
 27th. This day I have entered upon the forty- 
 sixth year of my life. Not to examine what I 
 have been doing the whole period of my exist- 
 ence, let me glance over my temper and con-
 
 BIRTH-DAY REVIEW AND EXAMINATION. 147 
 
 duot the years just past, if by these means I 
 may discover whether I have gone forward in 
 the divine life, or whether I must be constrained 
 to draw the unfavorable conclusion of the re- 
 verse. And here I not only have to lament 
 my dullness, and shortcomings, and unprofit- 
 ableness in the things of religion, but, in too 
 many instances, by my temper and behavior, I 
 fear that I have given occasion for the enemies 
 of religion to speak reproachfully. But the 
 Lord's mercies exceed our faults. With grati- 
 tude I desire to acknowledge the kindness and 
 patience of God toward rne in bearing with my 
 infirmities, and affording me so many instances 
 of his fatherly care, in watching over my life 
 and health, and bringing me to the commence- 
 ment of a new era of my existence in circum- 
 stances of comfort beyond my deserts, and so 
 far beyond what so many of my fellow-creat- 
 ures enjoy : ' Bless the Lord, O my soul ! and 
 forget not all his benefits.' 
 
 " And now, since through that same mercy and 
 goodness which I have been the subject of from 
 the day of my birth am I again entered upon a 
 new period of my mortal life, what engagements 
 does it behoove me to make ; what resolutions 
 to form ? Surely I ought to love the Lord 
 with all my might and strength. Every fac-
 
 148 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONOAR. 
 
 ulty should be swift to do his will. May I then 
 go on, in the strength of my Redeemer, to every 
 work allotted me, taking up my cross daily. 
 Oh that I might learn habitually to deny my- 
 self, to subdue every corrupt passion, and thus 
 be preparing for the society of those blessed 
 spirits who, with one heart and voice, cease not 
 to cry, ' Holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ; the 
 whole earth is full of thy glory.' Oh, when 
 shall I be there with them !" 
 
 By faith I see the land, 
 
 The port of endless rest : 
 My soul, thy sails expand, 
 
 And fly to Jesus's breast ! 
 Oh, may I reach the heavenly shore, 
 Where winds and waves distress no more ! 
 
 On their return from Lisbon, being warned 
 by a frigate and privateer, fallen in with east 
 of Halifax, not to attempt New York or the 
 Sound, they put in to Newport. In the small 
 town of Somerset, not far from there, the ship 
 was laid up and crew discharged, the prosecu- 
 tion of the war forbidding any farther com- 
 merce. For eighteen months Captain Congar 
 was now at home, enjoying highly the religious 
 privileges with which he was favored, and find- 
 ing them eminently conducive to his edifica- 
 tion. In order that he might be useful at the
 
 SCHOOLMASTER IN WAR CAPTAIN' IN PEACE. 149 
 
 same time, he opened a school at his own house, 
 which he continued teaching until the middle of 
 February, 1815, when we find it thus entered in 
 the journal : " A messenger arrived from En- 
 gland with a treaty of peace between Great Brit- 
 ain and the United States, concluded at Ghent, 
 and ratified by the British government. This 
 gratifying news was received throughout the 
 United States with the most lively sensibility, 
 and by many with devout thankfulness. 
 
 " I now began to turn my thoughts once more 
 toward the sea, and in a few days received a 
 letter from my late employers giving me to 
 understand they had a ship, the command of 
 which I might have as soon as the ice should 
 dissolve so that she could be brought down the 
 river (being then at Poughkeepsie, about eighty 
 miles above New York). Having dismissed 
 my school, I proceeded on my way, the eight- 
 eenth of March, to take charge of the ship Ni- 
 agara, the ice in the river being principally 
 broken up. In about a week we returned to 
 New York with the ship, and almost immedi- 
 ately began preparing to sail for New Orleans. 
 As I had done before, so soon as circumstances 
 . opened a way, I introduced the practice of at- 
 tending religious worship on the Sabbath, hav- 
 ing a number of passengers, and also distribu-
 
 150 CAPTAIV OBADIAH CONUAH. 
 
 ted some Bibles among the crew, supplied me 
 by the Auxiliary Bible Society of New York, 
 and several religious tracts." 
 
 They reached New Orleans safely on the elev- 
 enth of June, and left again for Liverpool on the 
 twenty-eighth, " happy in the prospect of being 
 not only relieved from the oppression of the 
 heat, but from being annoyed by the muske- 
 toes, which, for the time we were coming down 
 the river, seemed almost insupportable. 
 
 " Soon after being at sea, I informed the crew 
 it was my intention to attend religious ivorship 
 morning' and evening' of every day token the 
 weather and other circumstances would permit, 
 giving them to understand, at the same time, 
 that I wished them to feel perfectly at liberty 
 to attend on these occasions, or to omit if they 
 thought proper, recommending to them, how- 
 ever, the diligent use of the means of grace as 
 the most likely way to obtain the pardon of sin, 
 and insure the Divine blessing on the work of 
 our hands. 
 
 " Sometimes I would take opportunity to 
 exhort them to repentance and to forsake their 
 sins, endeavoring to show them, in my feeble 
 manner, the dreadfulness of lying under the 
 curse of God, and recommending religion as the 
 only thing to prepare us to live or die, setting
 
 mm vi -i \ 151 
 
 forth the reasonableness of the Divine com- 
 mands, and the wickedness and folly of rebel- 
 ling against the God of heaven and earth. The 
 Lord is a sovereign ; with him I desire to leave 
 my endeavors to promote religion among my 
 fellow-seamen. If he should see fit to make 
 me an instrument of good to any who sail with 
 me, to his name be all the glory. 
 
 " Friday, July 28th. This birth-day my soul 
 is bowed down under a sense of my sin, and I 
 go mourning all the day. Alas ! for my follies 
 the past year. But oh ! the mercies bestowed 
 by a covenant God. How many of my coun- 
 trymen have fallen in battle ; how many fami- 
 lies have been driven from their homes; how 
 many suffered to run into evils and temptations, 
 while I have been preserved and delivered from 
 the snare of the fowler. Divine Savior, keep 
 me still by thy power, through faith unto sal- 
 vation. But oh ! my inconstant heart ! What 
 abundant reason have I to distrust it ? Surely 
 it is deceitful above all things, and desperately 
 wicked ; who can know it ? What a wonder 
 of grace that I am spared. Oh Lord, give me 
 not only repentance for all my sins, but give me 
 faith in thy blood, that I may always apply to 
 that all-sufficient fountain, wash, and be clean." 
 
 They reached Liverpool safely, but soon aft-
 
 152 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 er leaving for New York a heavy gale overtook 
 them, during which they found it difficult to 
 keep off the land. " In this perilous time," 
 says Captain Congar, "I called the crew to- 
 gether, expressed to them my fears for our safe- 
 ty, and besought them to join me in imploring 
 mercy and Divine protection from shipwreck ; 
 and, blessed be that God whose ears are always 
 open to the cries of the needy who put their 
 trust in him, we were saved from all our fears. 
 The winds moderated and became more favor- 
 able, and we proceeded on our way." 
 
 The ensuing whiter of 1815-16 was spent 
 at home ; but in June Captain Congar is put 
 in charge of the ship Phocion by his old em- 
 ployers, and dispatched to Lisbon and St. Ubes, 
 whither he takes his wife with him, and arrives 
 back from a successful voyage on the twenty- 
 sixth of September, 1816. At its close he 
 says, "According to our usual practice, we at- 
 tended our religious duties on board, and I hope 
 not without some good effect. The crew, when 
 paid off, very liberally put into my hands thir- 
 teen dollars for the New York Bible Society." 
 
 Immediately after discharging cargo, the 
 Phocion was ordered again to Wilmington, 
 North Carolina, and thence to Hull, England. 
 On the passage we find this entry : " Sabbath,
 
 EUROPEAN VOYAGE IN THE PHOCIUN. 153 
 
 April 13th, 1817. This day, the weather be- 
 ing fine, we had a more favorable opportunity 
 to attend religious duties than usual. Accord- 
 ing to my imperfect manner, I read the Scrip- 
 tures, exhorted, admonished, and prayed with 
 my crew. They attended with decency of con- 
 duct; and I still hope, through the Divine mer- 
 cy, that my feeble efforts to be some way useful 
 to my fellow-seamen will not be altogether in 
 vain. But oh, my soul, what art thon doing ? 
 Thou teachest others ; teachest thou not thy- 
 self? I am indeed in heaviness through mani- 
 fold temptations. 'Oh Lord, undertake for 
 me, and deliver me ; so shall I praise thy name.' 
 " Friday, 18th. Oh ! how shall sinners stand 
 at the bar of God to answer for the deeds done 
 in the body ? ' If my heart condemn me, God is 
 greater than my heart, and knoweth all things.' 
 How little do we know of ourselves, except the 
 Spirit of truth open our eyes to see the extent 
 of the Divine commands, and to see what a holy 
 Being we have to do with. If I were called to 
 an account for my neglects of duty to my fel- 
 low-creatures, what could I answer ? Alas ! 
 how numberless have been my failures. How 
 unfaithful to my wife, in not admonishing with 
 meekness, how little concerned for her ever- 
 lasting welfare. 1 am distressed lest she should
 
 154 CAPTAIN OBAD1AH COXGAR. 
 
 perish through my criminal indifference for her 
 soul's salvation. Oh, how little charity, how 
 little true benevolence for men ! How faint my 
 zeal for the Redeemer's kingdom, except the 
 Divine life be maintained in the soul. ' Woe to 
 them that are at ease in Zion, that trust in the 
 mountain of Samaria.' Too long have I been 
 at ease, and trusted in my own righteousness. 
 " How dangerous is prosperity, either in tem- 
 poral or spiritual things. ' Surely I am more 
 brutish than any man, and have not the under- 
 standing of a man.' O Lord, if prosperity 
 cause me to wander from thee, let me never 
 have prosperity while I live. Keep me by thy 
 grace in the valley of humiliation. Deep hu- 
 mility best becomes so great a sinner. Oh, 
 rather let me go softly all my years, in the bit- 
 terness of my soul, than that I should be lifted 
 up with spiritual pride, and forget God. April 
 24th. I am made to feel that sin is a great 
 evil, and to realize that the Lord is a God of 
 knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 
 How desirable is it to have a comfortable sense 
 that our sins are forgiven ; but, alas for me ! 
 what right have I to look for comfort? My 
 backslidings reprove me, and I am made to pos- 
 sess the iniquities of my youth. The precious 
 volume of inspiration is, indeed, full of conde-
 
 IIEAVEXWARD HOPES AND ASPIRATION*. 155 
 
 scending and gracious invitations to sinners to 
 return to their offended Sovereign. I would 
 endeavor, through Divine assistance, still to 
 hope in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. 
 Blessed be his name that we read that he came 
 to save them who, through fear of death, were 
 all their lifetime subject to bondage, and that 
 he suffered, being tempted, that he might suc- 
 cor them that are tempted." 
 
 1 CLEARS* me, O Lord, and cheer my tool 
 
 With thy forgiving love ; 
 O make my broken spirit whole, 
 
 And bid my pain* remove. 
 Let not thy Spirit quite depart, 
 
 Nor drive me from thy face ; 
 Create anew my vicious heart, 
 
 And 611 it with thy grace. 
 Then will I make thy mercy known 
 
 Before the sons of men ; 
 Backsliders shall address thy throne, 
 
 And tarn to God again."
 
 156 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAU. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PECULIAR RELIGIOUS EXERCISES AND ORIGINAL COR- 
 RESPONDENCE WITH REV. THOMAS SCOTT. 
 
 THUS from the Elect, regenerate through faith, 
 Pass the dark passions, and what thirsty cares 
 Drink up the spirit. Lo ! they vanish, or acquire 
 New names, new features by supernal grace 
 Enrobed with light, and naturalized in heaven. 
 Who feeds and saturates his soul with love, 
 He from his small particular orbit flies 
 With bless'd outstarting ! From himself he flies, 
 Stands in the sun, and with no partial gaze 
 Views all creation : and he loves it all, 
 And blesses it, and calls it very good ! 
 
 COLERIDGE. 
 
 THE year 1817, while it was distinguished in 
 the religious annals of America for the extraor- 
 dinary working of the Holy Spirit throughout 
 the churches, was a year of great heart-search- 
 ing and anxiety for souls on the part of Captain 
 Congar. He seems to have been exercised 
 with very affecting views of the sinfulness of 
 sin, and the holiness of God, and the fearful 
 liability of the soul in a state of condemnation. 
 The burden of souls often lay like a mountain 
 of iron upon his own breast. His anxiety for 
 the salvation of his wife, who was not ono with
 
 ANXIETIES FOR BOUL8 AT SEA. 157 
 
 him in the hopes, and joys, and desires of the 
 Christian, was, as it will appear in this chapter, 
 deep and absorbing, while it was altogether so- 
 ber and rational, and set him upon the use of 
 proper means of grace and awakening. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth of April we find the 
 following entry in his journal, being at sea : 
 " This day my soul is full of heaviness, my 
 heart within me is desolate. If this be the 
 fruit of sin in this life, oh how dreadful to lay 
 under the weight of God's wrath through an 
 endless eternity ! and yet it would be just for 
 me to be dealt with in this awful manner. If 
 I be saved, what a monument of mercy ! what 
 a miracle of grace ! How often has the lan- 
 guage of my heart been, in its pride, such as 
 this, ' That I am rich, and increased in goods, 
 and have need of nothing ; and knew not that 
 I was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and 
 blind, and naked.' But the glorious Redeem- 
 er," says he, " ' stands at the door and knocks ; 
 and if any man hear his voice and open the 
 door, he will come in to him, and sup with him, 
 and he shall sup with me.' Oh ! may my heart 
 be opened to receive the heavenly guest, and 
 may he abide with me, and may I abide in 
 him. But ah ! the deceitfulness of the human 
 heart ; T only know that I am anxiously seek-
 
 158 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 ing to be delivered from the burden of sin. But 
 here again I am encouraged ; the blessed Savior 
 says, ' The whole need not a physician, but they 
 that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, 
 but sinners to repentance.' ' : 
 
 Here follow a course of letters to Mrs. Con- 
 gar, written on ship-board, when travailing with 
 desire for her soul. 
 
 " At sea, March 25th, 1817. 
 
 " MY DEAR WIFE, The emotions of my 
 heart, excited by our late parting, under circum- 
 stances somewhat afflicting, have caused deep 
 anxiety in my soul for your present and future 
 welfare. Were I to strive, I could not erase 
 from my mind those solemn scenes which I 
 have witnessed within a few months past. You 
 have indeed been an afflicted woman for a 
 course of years, but, in some instances of late, 
 your distress appeared next to insupportable. 
 You seemed like one in a perfect agony ; your 
 expressions of horror, your cries for mercy, the 
 convulsions of your body, rent my very youl, 
 while I endeavored to supplicate the throne of 
 grace in your behalf. 
 
 " And now, O my dear wife, how can I prove 
 a sincere regard for your good better than by 
 entreating you earnestly to consider what you 
 should do ? You have seen how easy it would
 
 AFFECTING PERSUASIVES TO PIETY. 159 
 
 be for the Lord to out you off. You have had 
 numberless instances of frailty, and must we 
 not allow that sin is the procuring cause of all 
 our sufferings? You may, indeed, live many 
 years, but it can not be looked for according to 
 the course of things. Your constitution and 
 health are so far impaired, and you are subject 
 to such violent and complicated disorders, that 
 it often appears to me like a miracle that you 
 have survived such dreadful shocks, and yet 
 live. I beseech you, therefore, no longer delay 
 the great concerns of your immortal soul. 
 
 " You have been deeply afflicted about your 
 situation in the time of your distress. Your 
 language was such as the following : ' If I was 
 prepared to die, I should not wish to live one 
 moment ; but oh ! I am not prepared to die. 
 Father of mercies, Father of mercies, spare 
 me ; have mercy on me ! O that I was pre- 
 pared to die. (Addressing yourself to me), Can 
 you do nothing for me ? I must die :' and such 
 like. 
 
 " You know that something is necessary to 
 be done to fit you to die ; but yon do not know 
 how long space of repentance will be granted. 
 The Lord Jesus is willing and able to save any 
 sinner who will come to him with a broken 
 In-art. If you find your heart is hard and un-
 
 160 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 humbled, beg of him to give you a new heart, 
 and to not leave you to yourself and the tempt- 
 ations of Satan. We do need his blood to 
 cleanse us from all our sins. If you die in 
 your sins, where he is you can not come. And 
 oh ! what mortal on this side eternity can con- 
 ceive how dreadful it will be to possess a heart 
 at enmity with God and all holy beings for- 
 ever, and to be a companion of devils and wick- 
 ed spirits. If we could not endure the society 
 of some disagreeable character a day or an hour, 
 how could we endure to be shut up to all eter- 
 nity with those we hate, and where there is 
 nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnash- 
 ing of teeth ? 
 
 " But I forbear. You are highly favored with 
 the means of grace, and you have many pious 
 friends with whom you may converse. Al- 
 though I have been sadly negligent in the 
 things of religion, yet I firmly believe nothing 
 else can afford true happiness here, or secure our 
 peace with God beyond the grave. I am now 
 going three thousand miles from you. We can 
 not fathom the dispensations of Providence. 
 Whether we shall be permitted to see each oth- 
 er's face in the land of the living is to us un- 
 known. I beg you, then, not to take offense at 
 what I have hinted, but accept it as a token of
 
 MOVING PLEAS AND EXPOSTULATIONS. 161 
 
 my affectionate regartLfor your peace and hap- 
 piness. I feel much for you. I endeavor to 
 pray for you. May the Lord grant you mercy, 
 for his name's sake." 
 
 " Thursday, March 27th. 
 
 " MY DEAR WIFE, What can I do better 
 than write you, who, though absent in body, yet 
 are present in mind ? I am sensible of your 
 case. It calls for compassion. You have read 
 the lives of martyrs. You see how triumphant- 
 ly they left this vain world. The sting of death 
 was taken away. They had no fears beyond 
 the grave. They even longed to depart when 
 they knew that they were to be thrown to the 
 wild beasts. The grace of the Lord Jesus made 
 them what they were ; and he is as ready now 
 to give his grace to any who will seek it with 
 humility, as in those days of martyrdom. 
 
 " We need this divine principle. The whole 
 soul must be renovated. The heart must be 
 purified by faith. We must have a relish for 
 heavenly things. And we need not, like Dives, 
 desire that one might be sent from the dead to 
 show to us the realities of the invisible world. 
 We have better testimony in the Bible than any 
 mere man could give. In that precious volume, 
 while sinners are warned against the danger of 
 perishing through obstinate unbelief, they are 
 L
 
 162 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 encouraged to apply for mercy through the great 
 Redeemer's blood. 
 
 "Oh! let not Satan tempt you to despond- 
 ency. It is one of his devices to ruin souls. 
 Desponding melanoholy will never save us, 
 though we should indulge it to all eternity. 
 We want no other evidence than the Bible af- 
 fords that the Lord is gracious, willing, and able 
 to save, even those who have sinned against him 
 until the eleventh hour. Such is the grace of 
 the Gospel that none need despair. The bless- 
 ed Savior has a compassionate heart. It was 
 this that moved him to die for sinners, and he 
 has not promised more than he'will perform. 
 He says, 'Come unto me, all ye that are weary 
 and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' 
 
 " But oh ! how hard is it to humble ourselves 
 before God. How long will the rebellious tem- 
 per of fallen man refuse to submit ? May we 
 remember that we can not contend against an 
 Almighty arm and prosper. We shall be con- 
 strained to submit willingly, and be happy, or 
 unwillingly, and be miserable. 
 
 " Now is the time he bends his ear, 
 
 And waits for your request ; 
 Come, lest he rouse his wrath, and swear 
 You shall not see my rest.
 
 CLAIMS OK EELIGIUN TO INSTANT REGARD. 163 
 
 " Thursday, April 3d. 
 
 " MY DEAR WIFE, From the fullness of my 
 heart I write. I tremble to think of the solemn 
 circumstances in which we are. I beseech you, 
 let not the long-suffering and patience of God 
 induce you to put far off eternal things. You 
 know that for several years I have been a pro- 
 fessor of religion. You have seen me in great 
 distress of mind, and, again, you have witness- 
 ed my joy, as I then trusted in God my Savior. 
 But oh ! my sins have separated between God 
 and my soul, and I often fear I have been de- 
 ceiving myself. We have now lived in the mar- 
 riage relation more than twenty years. Alas ! 
 how little have we done for each other's ever- 
 lasting welfare. As we are united in the bonds 
 of matrimony, we ought to have been united 
 in serving God. We are in a world of sin and 
 temptation. We need each other's counsel, we 
 need each other's prayers. 
 
 " I hope and pray these lines may find you 
 in health. If so, be not flattered thereby. 
 Health is precarious. Improve it to prepare 
 for a time of affliction, and to prepare for death. 
 We can not live without the favor of God. We 
 can only look for this by deep and humble re- 
 pentance for all our sins, and an unfeigned faith 
 in the blessed Redeemer. It is matter of ever-
 
 CAPTAIN OBAUIAII CONGAR. 
 
 lasting praise that the great Jehovah should 
 condescend to invite such rebellious creatures 
 to return to him. Rather might he not justly 
 have left us to perish without hope ? Why, 
 then, should we slight such love and grace ? 
 
 " Every thing has been done that was neces- 
 sary to open a way for God to be propitious to 
 our fallen race. What can we promise our- 
 selves from sin or the world ? Have we not 
 seen enough to satisfy us that we must not look 
 here for true enjoyment? Were our hearts 
 right with God, we should take a sacred pleas- 
 ure in contemplating his divine glories and per- 
 fections. His commandments would not be 
 burdensome and grievous. The angels in heav- 
 en take a sacred pleasure in serving their Cre- 
 ator, and ought not we of the footstool to esteem 
 it our highest privilege to be thus employed ? 
 . " But ah ! we have a body of sin and death. 
 This must be mortified ; our corrupt passions 
 be regulated, our wills subdued, and our whole 
 souls transformed into the image of God. We 
 must be born again. 
 
 " Oh ! then, let us give ourselves no rest or 
 peace until we can entertain some rational hope 
 that our sins are pardoned, and our names writ- 
 ten in the Lamb's book of life.
 
 AFFECTING CONSIDERATIONS ENFORCED. 165 
 " Sunday, April 13tb. 
 
 " MY DEAR WIFE, Though ignorant of what 
 has befallen you since we parted, I still hope, by 
 this time, you are returned safe to the bosom 
 of your connections and friends. If so, reflect 
 on the goodness and mercy of God in sparing 
 your life, preserving you from the perils of the 
 deep, succoring you under your sore afflictions, 
 and restoring you to the society of your dear 
 friends once more. And while your soul is fill- 
 ed with gratitude for these temporal mercies, 
 oh ! ponder with humble admiration on the 
 greatness of that grace which moved the coun- 
 sels of eternal wisdom to provide a ransom for 
 sinners. 
 
 " You are in a place highly favored with the 
 blessings of the Gospel, and this is a day of the 
 Lord 1 s merciful visitation. He is, no doubt, 
 calling many who have long been the subjects 
 of Satan into his kingdom ! Oh ! let us fear, 
 lest a promise being left us of entering into his 
 rest, we should come short of it. Consider that 
 by nature we have evil hearts of unbelief, prone 
 to depart from the living God, and that we can 
 not return to him by our own strength. 
 
 ' ' Time is precious, and our souls are of in- 
 finite value. What if our whole lives had been 
 spent in the service of our Maker, we should
 
 166 CAPTAIN OBADIAH COXGAR. 
 
 have done but our duty, and we should have 
 suffered no loss, for wisdom's ways are ways of 
 pleasantness. The yoke of Christ is easier to 
 bear than the yoke of Satan. Satan is a hard 
 master. He oppresses and destroys his sub- 
 jects ; but Christ protects, supports, and com- 
 forts them which belong to his kingdom, and will 
 finally conduct them to never-ending felicity. 
 
 " But, alas for me ! how often have I will- 
 ingly subjected myself to the service of Satan. 
 Why was I seduced by the great deceiver ? I 
 lament my follies past, and I would mourn 
 over them ; but I must remember that my re- 
 pentance can not make amends. I never can 
 pay the debt which I have contracted. If Christ 
 be my surety and pay the debt, I shall have a 
 discharge ; my sins and iniquities will be re- 
 membered no more against me ; if otherwise, I 
 must pay the debt by everlasting torments. 
 May the mercy of God be extended, that I may 
 not come into this condemnation ! 
 
 " MY DEAR MARY, I often feel deeply distress- 
 ed in my mind lest I should never be permitted 
 to see your face again in the land of the living., 
 I have been so unfaithful, have done so little 
 for your everlasting interest, and in many in- 
 stances, I fear, have done much to prejudice 
 your mind against religion. Have I lived only
 
 LOVE EXPRESSED AND SIN BEWAILED. 167 
 
 to harden you in sin ? We have traveled to- 
 gether many leagues over the boundless ocean, 
 and have seen much of the wonders of God in 
 the deep. Why have we not been excited 
 thereby to strive more to serve God and seek 
 each other's happiness ? In the light of eterni- 
 ty we shall discover things very different from 
 what we now do. Oh, I beseech yon, recollect 
 the scenes we have passed through, reflect upon 
 the goodness of God, and seek first of all his 
 kingdom and righteousness, and ail other things 
 shall be added unto you. 
 
 "Friday, April 18th. 
 
 "Mr DEAR WIFE, Oh, how shall sinners 
 stand at the bar of God to answer for the deeds 
 done in the body ? ' If our hearts condemn us, 
 God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all 
 things.' Ho'w little do we know of ourselves, 
 except the Spirit of truth open our eyes to see 
 the extent of the Divine command, and to see 
 what a holy Being we have to do with. If we 
 were called to an account for our neglects of 
 duty to each other and to our fellow-creatures, 
 what could we answer ? Alas ! how numberless 
 have been our failures ; how little true benevo- 
 lence to man ; how infinite our shortcomings to 
 God. 
 
 " I deeply bewail my want of charity to you,
 
 108 CAPTAIN OI1AD1A1I CONUAR. 
 
 and the many instances of my conduct which, 
 I fear, have been a stumbling-block to you and 
 others. But let us leave the things that are 
 behind, and press toward the mark for the 
 prize of the high calling of God in Christ Je- 
 sus. I have written to you briefly and but in 
 part of my thoughts concerning you. Your 
 sore afflictions have excited my tendercst sym- 
 pathy. Could I now be certain you are once 
 more returned to the bosom of your friends, per- 
 haps my anxieties would in some degree abate ; 
 but still you would be in the hands of a just 
 God, who marks all our ways, and whose long- 
 suffering will not always bear with our sins. 
 Oh, then, return to him and make your peace, 
 and thereby good shall come unto thee. 
 
 " What an invaluable treasure is the volume 
 of inspiration. The whole tenor of its language 
 is, ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him re- 
 turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy 
 upon him, and to our God, for he will abund- 
 antly pardon.' I was particularly struck witli 
 the condescending and gracious manner in which 
 sinners are invited to return to their offended 
 Sovereign by the Prophet Jeremiah, in the third 
 chapter and first verse : ' They say if a man put 
 away his wife, and she go from him and become
 
 THE WAW OF GOD AND THOSE OF MAN. 109 
 
 another man's, shall ho return unto her again ? 
 Shall not that land be greatly polluted ? But 
 thou hast played the harlot with many lovers ; 
 yet return again to me, saith the Lord.' 
 
 " And, moreover, he expostulates with us in 
 the most kind and endearing language : ' Oh, 
 my people, what have I done unto thee? and 
 wherein have I wearied thee ? Testify against 
 me.' 
 
 " Why are such methods used to bring rebel- 
 lious sinners back to God? Why should we 
 be treated thus? We can only say because 
 the Lord's ways are higher than our ways, as 
 the heavens are above the earth. Methinks I 
 never before had such solemn reflections on the 
 importance of the marriage relation with refer- 
 ence to eternity as I now have. How seldom 
 do we consider that our conduct toward each 
 other will be the means of promoting our ever- 
 lasting felicity or enhancing our never-ending 
 woe. We too often live as though we were to 
 have no existence beyond the grave. Is it not 
 to bo feared that many a day has passed since 
 our connection without ever once entertaining 
 a single thought about each other's salvation ? 
 How seldom do we consider the importance of 
 example. Alas ! how much idle conversation. 
 May the Lord forgive, and, if we be spared to
 
 170 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 meet again, enable us to act more consistently 
 with our mutual engagements, and with the 
 duties which we owe to our great Creator. 
 
 " How different has been our conduct to each 
 other from what is enjoined by the apostle to 
 the Ephesians, 5th chapter, from the 21st verse 
 to the end, and in the 3d chapter, first epistle 
 of Peter, from the beginning to the 9th verse. 
 Have we not too much reason to lament deeply 
 our want of meekness, and kindness, and long- 
 suffering, and charity ? But oh, where will the 
 catalogue of failures in duty end? We must 
 look to Sovereign grace to pardon and wash 
 away all our faults in the atoning blood of the 
 great Redeemer." 
 
 His benevolent care for and sympathy with 
 his passengers appear frequently on his return 
 voyage from Hull with a complement of fifty ; 
 and they place the prudent and religious ship- 
 master in an attractive light, and worthy of im- 
 itation. Near the close of the passage there is 
 an entry to this effect: " Getting near the land, 
 as we supposed, one of the passengers, a lad 
 named Thomas Jackson, thirteen years of age, 
 went up into the main-top, with a view to look 
 for land, and shortly after fell from thence on 
 deck, and instantly expired. This was an af- 
 fecting stroke to his aged parents, as he was the
 
 DEATH AT SEA REVIVAL ASHORE. 171 
 
 only child they had with them, and on whose 
 account principally they had left their native 
 land. It pierced my own heart, and I deeply 
 mourned for them. But God only could bind 
 up the broken heart." 
 
 Arrived safely in port, and returning to New- 
 ark, he had the pleasure to hear that a very ex- 
 tensive revival of religion had taken place dur- 
 ing his absence, so that upward of two hund- 
 red and fifty had been added to the different 
 churches in that place ; and there were still 
 new cases of awakenings. He prayed with 
 fervor, " May this glorious work continue and 
 spread until the kingdoms and nations of this 
 world shall become the kingdoms and nations 
 of our Lord and of his Christ." 
 
 We now turn a leaf in Captain Congar's his- 
 tory that will be perused with no ordinary in- 
 terest and profit by all conscientious Sabbath- 
 keeping mariners. It opens thus on a voyage 
 to Liverpool, undertaken immediately after his 
 last arrival from Hull : 
 
 " Sabbath day, the 7th of September. Last 
 evening the weather had been blowing hard, 
 which obliged us to shorten sail ; and as I felt 
 conscientious about making all the sail we could 
 on the Lord's day, the passengers were not a 
 little dissatisfied, which they expressed to me.
 
 172 CAPTAIN OBADTAH CONGAR. 
 
 I stated to them my reasons for not making the 
 same exertions on the Sabbath days as at other 
 times, but they were no better reconciled. 
 
 " Feeling myself at a loss how to act, I en- 
 deavored to make my case the subject of prayer ; 
 but, not seeing my way entirely clear, I wrote 
 the following letter to an eminent divine in En- 
 gland, intending to forward it on our arrival at 
 Liverpool, being desirous to have the senti- 
 ments of one on the subject whom I considered 
 very correct in his expositions of the Scriptures. 
 
 "REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, Although I have 
 not the pleasure of being personally acquainted 
 with you, yet, from the high character you sus- 
 tain in America as an expositor of the sacred 
 Scriptures, and particularly with myself, I have 
 taken the liberty to write you, requesting your 
 opinion on a subject which has long occupied 
 my mind, and which has more than once in- 
 volved me in some difficulty with my fellow- 
 creatures. I beg leave to inform you, sir, that 
 I am master of an American vessel ; that I have 
 been a professor of religion a number of years ; 
 and that, since I was first brought to see, in a 
 measure, the extent of the Divine requirements 
 as contained in the ten commandments, I have 
 had many scruples as to the consistency of ei-
 
 SCRUPLES ON MAKING SAIL SUNDAY. 173 
 
 ther engaging myself, or of employing those un- 
 der my care, in the common transactions of sail- 
 ing a ship on the Sabbath day. 
 
 " I will endeavor to explain my views. I 
 consumer the command to keep the Sabbath day 
 holy binding on all men, as well at sea as on 
 land ; that it is as necessary one day in seven 
 should be distinguished as a day of religious 
 worship on the deep as on shore, and that this 
 ought always be attended to whenever the 
 weather and other circumstances will permit. 
 I suppose it right to employ our hands in what- 
 ever is necessary for the safety of the ship ; and, 
 further, that we may so trim our sails, when a 
 change of wind takes place, as to keep the ship 
 as near her destined course as possible. But I 
 do not consider it proper to make the same ex- 
 ertions, by spreading all the canvas possible, to 
 get the ship on her way, which would not only 
 be proper on other days, but absolutely a duty. 
 Some are of opinion that it is right to make the 
 best of a favorable wind when it comes, as well 
 on the Sabbath as on any other day. I can not 
 acknowledge the justness of this principle. I 
 consider, also, the practice of going to sea on 
 the Sabbath a breach of the Divine command, 
 and I have had some disputes with my employ- 
 er on the subject.
 
 174 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 " For several years past I have been in the 
 habit of calling my crew together on the Lord's 
 day to attend religious duties, which I esteem 
 a great privilege. Every kind of unnecessary 
 work, therefore, must break in upon a regular 
 attendance on those duties, and so far do away 
 any impressions which might be excited by at- 
 tending to the things of religion. I feel deeply 
 sensible I ought to possess a clear judgment of 
 what is duty and what is not, in order that I 
 may not, through conformity to the world or 
 ignorance of the commands of God, habitually 
 and knowingly transgress ; or lest I should be 
 more rigid in this respect than the Scriptures 
 enjoin, and thereby become chargeable with be- 
 ing righteous over much, and instead of rec- 
 ommending the religion of the Bible to others, 
 should be the means of prejudicing their minds 
 against it. 
 
 " The particular circumstances which gave 
 rise to this letter were the following: On our 
 late passage from New York to this port, it so 
 fell out that we had blowing weather three suc- 
 cessive Saturdays, which obliged us to shorten 
 sail ; and, as I before observed, I felt conscien- 
 tious in not ordering more sail to be set on Sab- 
 bath morning, which might have been done, 
 and which we should have done on any other
 
 CASES OP CONSCIENCE STATED. 175 
 
 day of the week. We had on board three gen- 
 tlemen passengers, who had noticed that we did 
 not use the same efforts to get along on our 
 way Sabbath days as at other times, and wish- 
 ed to know what I meant ; remarking that they 
 were anxious to get to our destined port, and 
 would not submit to such treatment. 
 
 " I explained to them my views in the best 
 manner I was capable, but they were no better 
 satisfied ; observing that, whatever religious 
 customs I might see fit to introduce in the ship, 
 I ought not to let these things interfere with 
 any exertions to make the best of our way ; 
 that it was altogether an uncommon circum- 
 stance ; and that, had they been acquainted be- 
 forehand with my practice in this respect, they 
 would not have taken passage with us. 
 
 " I did not immediately comply with their 
 wishes ; but, about noon, the wind was favora- 
 ble, and fine weather, and discovering one of 
 the passengers in a great passion, I thought it 
 best to order more sail to be set. We did not, 
 indeed, set all sail possible ; but my heart smote 
 me, and my conscience is hurt. I have offend- 
 ed them, and, I have reason to fear, offended 
 my Almighty judge. One of the gentlemen ob- 
 served to me that, if I considered work done on 
 board the ship as a breach of the Sabbath, to
 
 176 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 be consistent, I ought to have all the sails furl- 
 ed on Saturday, and lay by until Monday morn- 
 ing; and, indeed, that if I would keep it strict- 
 ly, I must not follow the water business at all. 
 
 " You will perceive, sir, how difficult I must 
 find it to preserve good order in the ship, as re- 
 spects the due observance of the Sabbath, and 
 yet give no offense to worldly men ; for all men 
 have not faith. And how necessary it is that 
 I should be fully persuaded what is duty in my 
 situation, and what is not. There is now a 
 gentleman in the Established Church who was 
 formerly a lieutenant in the royal navy. As 
 he has long been conversant with the sea, and 
 as I consider him a truly pious man, I should 
 be glad to consult his opinion on this subject 
 were I acquainted with him. lie is the author 
 of a little work entitled the Retrospect (a work 
 which I have read with much pleasure) ; and 
 as I have no doubt, reverend sir, you are ac- 
 quainted with his name, I should be glad you 
 would favor me witli it, and also where he re- 
 sides. I feel a great esteem for him. Would 
 to God I had the same faith, and the same bold- 
 ness in the cause of Christ, which he manifest- . 
 ed while in the navy ! 
 
 " And now, dear sir, my case is before you, 
 and if you have leisure In make some reflections
 
 OPINION AND ADVICE SOLICITED. 177 
 
 upon it, and will do me the favor to drop me a 
 few lines by post, I shall feel greatly indebted 
 to you ; and though I may never have the pleas- 
 ure to meet with you on this side eternity, yet 
 my hope is that we shall meet where seas and 
 continents will no longer separate those who 
 belong to the fold of Christ. 
 
 " I remain, reverend and dear sir, with Chris- 
 tian affection, yours, 
 
 OBADIAU CONGAB. 
 " REV. THOS. SCOTT, > 
 
 " Aaton Sandford, Bucks county." > 
 
 The above letter was forwarded from Liver- 
 pool, and the following answer was received in 
 due course of mail : 
 
 " Aston Sandford, October 5th, 1817. 
 
 " DEAR SIR, For your very interesting let- 
 ter induces me thus to address you, though 
 otherwise unknown you have brought before 
 me a subject which, consulted as I have been 
 in cases of conscience during many years, nev- 
 er before called for my attention, or, indeed, 
 occupied my mind, so that in this respect I am 
 very incompetent to give counsel. I never was 
 at sea, except in the Margate packet to and 
 from London ; and never was on board one on 
 the Lord's day, so had no idea in what way the 
 sacred rest might or might not be observed in 
 M
 
 178 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 the management of the vessel. I have been 
 acquainted with pious men who had been com- 
 manders of vessels (especially the Rev. Mr. 
 Newton), yet I do not remember to have heard 
 from any of them one word on the subject of 
 your letter. 
 
 " Israel was not a seafaring nation, and the 
 case which you state does not appear to be at 
 all alluded to in any regulations of the Mosaic 
 law ; and the sailing of the apostles or others, 
 as to long voyages in the New Testament, was 
 generally, if not always, in vessels belonging 
 to the heathen, so that all we can conclude on 
 the subject must be by analogy, and the case 
 resembling or not resembling others concerning 
 which regulations are made or examples re- 
 corded ; and this shows that there are cases of 
 this kind, in which things are duties, for which 
 chapter and verse can not verbatim be quoted, 
 or sins which are nowhere in so many words 
 forbidden. 
 
 " Arguing, then, from Scriptural principles 
 by analogy, I should first conclude that, by sea 
 as well as land, works of real necessity, of char- 
 ity, of piety, were no violation of the sacred' 
 rest, and thus that every thing was lawful 
 which the safety, or health, or important good, 
 or relief of the persons on board required ; this
 
 WORKS OF NECESSITY AND MERCY. 179 
 
 the Lord of the Sabbath, in the New Testa- 
 ment, has fully shown. I should also argue 
 that many things are necessary to those under 
 authority which they can not decline, though 
 not so in themselves, as in the case of slaves in 
 the apostles' days in heathen families ; to slaves 
 in our West Indies ; not to say to servants in 
 many families of Christians, in this land at 
 least. 
 
 " In these cases it must often be unavoidable 
 to do as necessary to them what is not neces- 
 sary in itself. Your situation as master of the 
 vessel in great measure exempts you and your 
 seamen also from this ; but whether regard to 
 the will of your employer (who yet is probably 
 as conceding as most are) may or may not, in 
 some degree, require what otherwise might well 
 be avoided, I must leave you to determine, as 
 well as how far it is practicable or proper for 
 passengers to be made acquainted with your 
 plan in this respect; for if the result be any 
 considerable delay, it will certainly be consid- 
 ered by eager, worldly men as ill usage, and 
 assume in their view the appearance of evil. 
 
 " With these previous limitations or cautions, 
 I must, as far as I can judge, reasoning by anal- 
 ogy from Scripture, consider your main princi- 
 ple as well grounded, and your adopting it a
 
 J80 CAPTAIN OBAUIAH CONGAR. 
 
 proof of a sound judgment, as well as strict con- 
 scientiousness. Supposing that the Saturday, 
 and, indeed, all the preceding week, in harvest 
 very unfavorable, and the Lord's day favorable 
 to gathering in the precious grain, though we 
 do not know but the Monday may again be 
 unfavorable, yet sound theologians and consci- 
 entious Christians do not think it allowable to 
 violate the sacred rest, and employ the day in 
 harvest work, but to rest on the Sabbath ac- 
 cording to the commandment, and trust the 
 Lord as to the future in so doing. Yet in some 
 great emergencies, as, for instance, a bank 
 breaking, and the prospect of an inundation 
 destroying the crop, the necessity might justify 
 an exception in their conduct. 
 
 "Thus, then, at sea, whatever relates to the 
 safety of the vessel, &c., must be attended to, 
 as we deem it lawful to fodder our cattle and 
 milk our kine, &c. Emergencies may justify 
 what is somewhat further in several cases, but 
 the main principle seems stable. After even 
 an unfavorable week, the whole advantage of a 
 fair wind must not be taken, if it greatly inter- 
 fere with the main duties of the sacred rest, 
 but God must be trusted in the path of duty. 
 Yet, perhaps, any thing in altering the sails, so 
 as to forward the voyage, with not more labor
 
 THE DIVINE ENDORSING THE CAPTAIN. 181 
 
 than tending the cattle, &c., on land requires, 
 and which can consist with the public and pri- 
 vate duties of the day, may be allowable ; and 
 it is not desirable to appear stiffly unaccommo- 
 dating. 
 
 " Setting sail on the Lord's day, when it can 
 possibly be avoided, seems altogether wrong, 
 and decidedly to be resisted. In all things we 
 ought to give up our own will to please others 
 for their good, but never give up the Lord's will. 
 Afraid of venturing too far on untrodden ground, 
 I have suggested all the limitations I can rec- 
 ollect. As to the main principle, I can not 
 doubt but in that you are right ; yet I fear you 
 should push it too far, and not only be tender 
 in conscience, but uncomfortably scrupulous. 
 May the Lord give you wisdom, and render 
 your example useful to others in your station. 
 
 " I am sincerely your friend and servant, 
 
 "Tnos. SCOTT. 
 
 " Mr. OBADIAH CONOAR."
 
 182 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAK. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DESPONDENCY CONFESSED, CORRECTED, AND CURED. 
 
 THY heart is sad, and deeply thou complain'st 
 That dull and wandering thy affections prove ; 
 That, lingering far, BO often thou remain'st 
 Apart from Him who claims thy highest love. 
 Oh, meditate Him more, and the world less: 
 At morn, and pensive eve, give Him thy thought, 
 Recall how Me hath saved thee, and doth bless 
 With that redemption, which his life-blood bought : 
 Then deeply think, till thou hast deeply felt ; 
 "When thought is busy, love is busy too. 
 Oh think, until thy stony heart doth melt, 
 Of all thy Savior did, and yet will do ; 
 How he hath condescended, suffered, died, 
 And, even now, doth clasp thee to his bleeding side. 
 
 T. C. UPHAM. 
 
 WE pass without notice more than two years 
 of the varied sea and shore life of Captain Con- 
 gar, during which, although there is no evidence 
 of grievous departure from God, religious de- 
 spondency again stole over him, owing, in part, 
 to a domestic infelicity arising from a want of 
 correspondence of views and feelings on the sub-' 
 ject of religion. From August, 1819, onward, 
 there are frequent entries of spiritual exercises 
 and prayers like the following, entitled.
 
 PENITENTIAL CONFESSIONS AND PRAYERS. 183 
 
 " A Prayer for Mercy and Peace with God. 
 
 " O God of infinite mercy, who hast said, 
 * Thou wiliest not the death of a sinner, but 
 rather that he turn from his ways and live ;' 
 and, that backsliders might not be left to de- 
 spair, hast said, ' Go and proclaim these words 
 toward the north, and say, Return, thou back- 
 sliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not 
 cause mine anger to fall upon you : for I am 
 merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep 
 anger forever. Only acknowledge the iniquity 
 that thou hast transgressed against the Lord 
 thy God.' Now, O Lord, I confess that I am 
 indeed the chief of sinners, and not worthy to 
 lift up my sinful eyes toward thy holy habita- 
 tion. Yet, O Lord, I deprecate thy wrath ; I 
 fear thy frowns ; I mourn the hidings of thy 
 face ; I am oppressed with anxious forebodings 
 that I shall at last perish from thy presence. 
 Thou, O Lord, seest me filled with melancholy 
 and disconsolate thoughts, and that I spend 
 much of my time in a wretched uncertainty 
 what will be my future destiny. 
 
 " I acknowledge, O God, that my sins have 
 hid thy face from me. ' I was shapen in iniq- 
 uity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.' 1 
 confess that, soon as I became capable of moral
 
 184 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 action, I commenced my sinful career, and as I 
 grew in years I grew in vice. Justly may it be 
 said of me that I drank in iniquity like water. 
 I acknowledge that I have sinned against the 
 pious instructions of a tender and affectionate 
 parent, against the admonitions and convictions 
 of my own conscience, the strivings of thy Holy 
 Spirit, and my most solemn vows and engage- 
 ments. I have sinned secretly and presump- 
 tuously, in thought, word, and deed. I have 
 sinned against mercies and against judgments. 
 " I confess, O Lord, I have been very rebel- 
 lious and stiff-necked since the day I was born, 
 that I have walked contrary to thy holy com- 
 mands, to the dictates of reason, and to my 
 own true interests. I confess that I justly de- 
 serve all the distress of mind and all the fears 
 and doubts with which I am afflicted ; for too 
 often hast thou called and I refused. Thou 
 hast stretched out thy hand, but I would not 
 regard. Thou mightest now disregard my cry 
 and mock at my fear. O Lord, while I make 
 this mortifying confession, I would mourn that 
 I have sinned against thee. O enable me to re- 
 pent in dust and ashes. O may this confession 
 produce in my mind an abiding sense of the evil 
 of sin, especially as committed against God, and 
 may I now return to my offended God and Sav-
 
 THE CONTRITE HEART PANTING AFTER CHRIST. 185 
 
 ior, and say, Take away all mine iniquity, and 
 receive me graciously, and do thou heal my 
 backslid ings, and love me freely. 
 
 " Mercifully sanctify to me the present af- 
 flicting state of my mind. O teach me humil- 
 ity and patience, that I may say I will bear the 
 indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned 
 against him. Let me never trust in my own 
 righteousness and strength ; but may I look to 
 Jesus alone, who is able to save unto the utter- 
 most. O may I possess unfeigned faith in his 
 blood and righteousness. O divine and heavenly 
 advocate, intercede for me that my faith fail not. 
 O Lord, I beseech thee, have mercy on me, and 
 pardon the numerous transgressions of my life, 
 and restore to me thy favor, which is life, and 
 cause me to walk in the light of thy countenance. 
 Suffer not Satan to tempt me above what I am 
 able to bear. Hear me for the sake of my only 
 high priest and intercessor ; and to God the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be endless praises, 
 Amen." 
 
 Thou Man of griefs, remember me, 
 
 Who never canst thyself forget, 
 Thy last mysterious agony, 
 
 Thy fainting pangs and bloody sweat. 
 When, wrestling in the strength of prayer, 
 
 Jhy spirit sunk beneath its load ! 
 Thy feeble flesh abhorr'd to bear 
 
 The wrath of an almighty God !
 
 186 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Father, if I may call thee so, 
 
 Regard my feeble heart's desire ; 
 Remove this load of guilty woe, 
 
 Nor let me in my sins expire 
 I tremble lest the wrath divine, 
 
 Which bruises now my sinful soul, 
 Should bruise this wretched soul of mine 
 
 Long as eternal ages roll ! 
 To thee my last distress I bring; 
 
 The heighten'd fear of death I find ' 
 The tyrant, with his direful sting, 
 
 Appears, and hell is close behind ! 
 I deprecate that death alone, 
 
 That endless banishment from thee ! 
 O save, and give me to thy Son, 
 
 Who trembled, wept, and bled for me ! 
 
 " Throughout this day I have been greatly 
 depressed in spirit, under the apprehension of 
 apostasy from God. We read of the sins of 
 Noah, David, Manasseh, Peter, and Paul, who 
 called himself the chief of sinners ; but my 
 sins swell beyond all these. Can there be hope 
 in my case ? Yes ; a glimmering ray appears 
 through the dark clouds of despairing thoughts 
 which hover over my benighted soul. I hope 
 that the Lord, though greatly offended by my 
 wanderings and backslidings, yet has not totally 
 given me up to impenitency and judicial blind- 
 ness ; I hope the Spirit of grace is not only 
 showing me that my sins have exceeded, but is 
 bringing me to remember my own evil ways,
 
 BACKSLIDING BEWAILED AND DEPRECATED. 187 
 
 and my doings that were not good, that I might 
 loathe myself in my own sight for my iniquities 
 and for my abominations ; I feel that it would 
 be just if God should seal my everlasting de- 
 struction, and swear, in his wrath, I shall never 
 enter into his rest. Yet I am a monument of 
 his long-suffering and patience ; therefore will I 
 hope in his mercy, and renew my supplications 
 to the throne of grace, that I may be healed of 
 my backslidings, and my soul restored to the 
 image of God, and that I may once more walk 
 in the light of his countenance. 
 
 " A Prayer for the Pardon of Sin and Re- 
 storing Grace. 
 
 " O Lord, I beseech thee, look from thy holy 
 habitation in mercy upon thy sinful and pollut- 
 ed creature, who, although beset with fears and 
 doubts, and a deep sense of guilt, would venture 
 to plead with thee, in the name of Jesus, my 
 only hope, that rny sins and iniquities may be 
 blotted out from the book of thy remembrance ; 
 that I may be healed of all my backslidings; 
 that my sinful soul may be cleansed in that pre- 
 cious blood which cleanse th from all sin ; and 
 that the Lord would be pleased to grant me new 
 discoveries of the glories and worthiness of the 
 Divine Redeemer, and his ability to save.
 
 188 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 " Dear Savior, thou knowest the strength of 
 my corruption ; thou knowest the deceitfulness 
 of my heart ; thou knowest the subtlety and 
 power of Satan. O deliver me from my sins 
 and from my fears, and endue me with thy free 
 grace, that I may renounce every beloved idol, 
 and give my heart unto thee. O keep me by 
 thy mighty power through faith unto salvation, 
 and the praise shall be ascribed to the ever- 
 blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
 world without end. Amen. 
 
 " August 24th, 1819, on the way to Oporto. 
 We are surrounded with a multitude of fish 
 which sailors call boneto. They are busily em- 
 ployed catching flying-fish, flocks of which are 
 seen flying every few minutes to escape the 
 jaws of the boneto ; but, as they can not fly 
 more than two or three hundred yards at a 
 time, the dolphin and boneto keep so near un- 
 der them, that as soon as they light in the wa- 
 ter they become a prey. The Psalmist says, 
 1 These all wait upon thee, that thou mayest 
 give them their meat in due season ; that thou 
 givest them they gather ; thou openest thine 
 hand, they are filled with good.' This kind of 
 fish are rather scarce on the ocean, and in gen- 
 eral are difficult to take ; yet, extraordinary as 
 it is, they have followed the ship more than
 
 EVENTS, ETC., OF A VOYAGE TO OPORTO. 19 
 
 three weeks, and we find no difficulty in taking 
 them at any time. They are not generally held 
 to be very palatable, notwithstanding they make 
 a pretty good mess, by way of a change. 
 
 " The sea is smooth, the sky serene, and gen- 
 tle breezes are wafting our ship along the briny 
 way in stately magnificence, with all her can- 
 vas spread. Our crew are all in good health. 
 The principal part of our little company attend 
 religious worship morning and evening, and in 
 a very becoming manner, and I hope to some 
 profit. I have myself enjoyed a great share of 
 health this voyage, and we have had a large 
 proportion of fine, comfortable weather. 
 
 " But, with all these favors, there is one thing 
 to remind me that this is not the place of my 
 rest. The enjoyment of His presence who has 
 created all these things is wanted. This day, 
 indeed, I trust the Lord has condescended to 
 speak in some degree comfortably to my troubled 
 mind. I feel a hope that the Spirit of grace has 
 not utterly forsaken me. The gracious conde- 
 scension of Jehovah, and his promises of mercy 
 to the idolatrous and disobedient Jews, which 
 we find in the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel, 
 from the sixtieth verse to the end, and again, 
 from the twenty-first verse of the thirty-sixth 
 chapter to the end, encourages me to hope that
 
 190 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 the Lord will yet be favorable to me, but not 
 for my sake. Yet, though the Lord has been 
 pleased to make known his purposes of mercy 
 even to those who have been very rebellious for 
 his own name's sake, he still says he will be in- 
 quired of by the house of Israel to do those 
 things for them. O may I now with a holy 
 importunity beseech the Father of mercies to 
 cast an eye of pity toward his helpless creature, 
 and may my cries, sprinkled with the atoning 
 blood of Jesus, reach his mercy-seat and receive 
 a gracious answer. 
 
 " A Prayer with Thanksgiving for some Gra- 
 cious Tokens of Divine Favor. 
 
 " O Lord God ! I acknowledge that I am less 
 than the least of all thy mercies. I have for- 
 feited every right to thy compassions. I have 
 strayed from thee like a lost sheep. I confess 
 that my sins have provoked thee to withdraw 
 from me thy wonted favor. Thou, O God ! hast 
 justly hedged up my way, and made my paths 
 crooked. Yet I thank thee, O thou God of 
 mercy ! that a ray of hope is still afforded me 
 under the darkness of my mind and the hidings 
 of thy face. I thank thee that I am permitted 
 to indulge the consoling reflection that there is 
 forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be fear-
 
 THE 801 1. K.\STJ\<; AND MOURMN<;. 191 
 
 ed. I pray, O Lord, that the necessities of my 
 case may plead for my importunity, and that 
 thou wouldst verify thy promises of faithfulness 
 and truth wherein thou hast caused me to hope, 
 and carry on thy begun goodness to me, O Lord, 
 until I can say with thy servant of old, ' Lord, 
 thou knowest all things, thou k newest I love 
 thee.' Will the Lord hear my prayer and at- 
 tend unto my cry for his own holy name's 
 sake, and to the only wise God, Father, Son, 
 and Spirit, I would render everlasting praises, 
 Amen. 
 
 "Thursday, 26th. I begin to feel more and 
 more sensible that my case, as it respects my spir- 
 itual condition, calls for extraordinary thought- 
 fulness and solemnity, and, if there be any rem- 
 edy, to apply to it with all that solicitude and 
 diligence which my peculiar situation requires. 
 In looking over my journal, I find that about 
 eleven years since I was much oppressed with 
 doubts and fears, and that, after laboring under 
 these difficulties of mind for some time, I re- 
 solved to seek unto God, by fasting and prayer, 
 for relief. The Lord was gracious to me, and 
 delivered me from all my fears and apprehen- 
 sions. Am I not, then, encouraged to look to 
 Him in the same way for the removal of pres- 
 ent anxieties, and that he would once more set
 
 192 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONUAR. 
 
 my soul at liberty from the bondage of death 
 and sin, and cause me to rejoice in his salvation? 
 
 " But it is not by past experience only that I 
 feel encouraged to hope and wait on the Lord 
 by renewed importunity for a favorable change, 
 but by the solemn exhortations and promises of 
 the Lord himself; for he says, in the second 
 chapter of Joel and twelfth verse, ' Therefore 
 also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me 
 with all your heart, and with fasting, and with 
 weeping, and with mourning; and rend your 
 heart, and not your garments, and turn unto 
 the Lord your God : for he is gracious and mer- 
 ciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and 
 repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he 
 will return and repent, and leave a blessing be- 
 hind him ; even a meat-offering and a drink-of- 
 fering, unto the Lord your God.' And again, 
 in the sixth chapter of Matthew and at the sev- 
 enteenth verse, our Savior teaches not only how 
 to fast acceptably, but promises important bless- 
 ings in answer to the performance of this duty. 
 
 "Hoping in the mercy and faithfulness of 
 God, I resolve, by the assistance of his grace, 
 to seek unto him more earnestly, until he be 
 pleased to appoint unto me beauty for ashes, 
 the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of 
 praise for the spirit of heaviness. And oh ! may
 
 THE SORROWING SOUL COMFORTED. 1U3 
 
 I experience all this mercy for his own name's 
 sake. 
 
 "Prom this time onward the remainder of 
 our passage, my mind was more than usually 
 occupied with reflecting on the sins of my life, 
 and endeavoring to humble myself before God 
 on account thereof; and I felt as though noth- 
 ing could give me enjoyment unless I once 
 more experienced some tokens of the Lord's 
 gracious designs toward me. I did not long 
 continue in that state of fearful apprehension 
 that the mercy of God was clean gone, and that 
 I should never again enjoy his favor ; for I be- 
 gan to entertain a feeble hope that my case was 
 not irrecoverable, and this hope excited me to 
 plead more earnestly for the forgiveness of all 
 my sins, and that through grace I might make 
 a new surrender of myself unto God, to be his 
 for time and eternity, resolving henceforth to 
 be more watchful over my heart and life, that 
 I might not sin against God or bring a disgrace 
 on religion. 
 
 " On the twentieth of September came on a 
 most violent gale of wind, which continued al- 
 most incessantly for three days. The good hand 
 of God was displayed in a striking manner in 
 preserving us from the perils which surrounded 
 us, and which threatened our safety. To Him 
 N
 
 194 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONOAR. 
 
 only who holds the winds in his fists could we 
 look in the time of our trouble, and, blessed be 
 his name, he not only rebuked the sea, and 
 granted us moderate weather, but sent us fa- 
 vorable winds, and conducted us safely into our 
 desired port. On the next Sabbath I was fa- 
 vored with an opportunity of going to the house 
 of God, and offering up my thanksgiving, and 
 paying my vows. And O, blessed be the name 
 of the Most High, who hath not only restored 
 me to my home and to the society of my fam- 
 ily and friends, but hath granted me once more, 
 I trust, some discoveries of his love and mercy 
 to my soul ; hath banished, in a great degree, 
 my doubts and fears, so that I am enabled to 
 rejoice in the light of his countenance. I do 
 feel as though this promise was verified to me, 
 ' I will cast thine iniquities into the depths of 
 the sea, and remember them no more.' 
 
 " But oh, why all this condescension to me, 
 the chief of sinners ? I can only say, even so, 
 Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight. I 
 would be thankful for all those Divine rebukes 
 and corrections which have been the means of 
 humbling me under his mighty hand ; and it is 
 my prayer, if I be not deceived, that whatever 
 methods the Lord may see fit to use with me, 
 I might always be kept, not only humble for
 
 TOKENS OF DIVINE FAVOR RENEWED. 105 
 
 my sins which are past, but sensible, also, of 
 my entire dependence on the grace of the Lord 
 Jesus to assist me in resisting sin and tempta- 
 tion for the time to come." 
 
 What may be ray future lot, 
 Well I know concerns me not ; 
 This should set my heart at rest, 
 What thy will ordains is best. 
 I my all to thee resign : 
 Father, let my will be thine ; 
 May but all thy dealings prove 
 Fruits of thy paternal love. 
 Guard me, Savior, by thy power, 
 Guard me in the tryiug hour; 
 Let thy unremitted care 
 Save me from the lurking snare. 
 Let my few remaining days 
 Be directed to thy praise ; 
 So the last, the closing scene, 
 Shall be tranquil and serene. 
 To thy will I leave the rest, 
 Grant me but this one request : 
 Both in life and death to prove 
 Token* of thy special love.
 
 19(5 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ABANDONMENT OF THE SEA. TRAVELS AND EX- 
 PERIENCE IN THE SOUTHWEST. 
 
 WHAT matter whether pain or pleasures fill 
 The swelling heart one little moment here ? 
 
 From both alike how vain is every thrill, 
 While an untried eternity is near ! 
 
 Think not of rest, fond man, in life's career, 
 The joys and griefs that meet thee, dash aside 
 
 Like bubbles, and thy bark right onward steer, 
 Through calm and tempest, till it cross the tide, 
 Shoot into port in triumph, or serenely glide. 
 
 CARLOS WILCOX 
 
 BEING now upward of fifty years of age, and 
 having acquired a patrimony sufficient, in his 
 judgment, to carry him along for some years, 
 Captain Congar resolved upon quitting the sea, 
 and undertaking something else for a livelihood 
 and employment. This, had he purchased a 
 spot of ground and turned to farming, would 
 have been judicious, and there is good reason 
 to believe would have succeeded well, as it ofte 
 does with men in his line of life. But finding 
 himself and wife unable to agree as to the course 
 to be pursued, and seeing their difference of 
 opinion was one that could not be easily set-
 
 A SINGULAR RESOLUTION TAKKN. 197 
 
 tied, and was likely, he thought, to lead to se- 
 rious difficulties, he drew the conclusion that it 
 would be useless for him to attempt any Jcind 
 of business at home, and that the best way was 
 to endeavor to effect some business arrange- 
 ment abroad. 
 
 In one view, after the example of the pru- 
 dent man, who foreseeth the evil and hideth him- 
 self, this was wise as it was bold ; but, in the 
 large view of things, it would have been far bet- 
 ter for him to have resumed his business on the 
 deep. Having taken his resolution to banish 
 himself a while from his family and friends, 
 
 The world was all before him, where to choose 
 His place of rest, and Providence his guide. 
 
 "My great desire," he says, "was that I 
 might not be banished from God's presence, 
 and that wherever I might be directed to so- 
 journ, I might be useful, and be prepared for 
 his holy dispensations. From the time my 
 thoughts were first turned to this business, I 
 earnestly besought the Lord to direct me in all 
 my steps, to open a way in his providence to 
 follow some useful occupation, and that I might 
 see the path of duty clear in all things. It was, 
 indeed, an affecting thought to leave my native 
 town, where I had enjoyed much in the society 
 of connections and friends where the Gospel
 
 198 CAPTAIN' OB ADI AH CONOAK. 
 
 was preached in its purity, and where so many 
 interesting scenes had taken place to sojourn 
 I knew not whither, and perhaps never to see 
 the face of those I love again in the land of the 
 living. But what is this world ? What can it 
 give ? Alas ! it only brings cares and anxie- 
 ties, and happy is he who, delivered from its 
 troubles, has reached the haven of rest above." 
 On the thirteenth of November, 1820, he took 
 passage to New Orleans with a small assort- 
 ment of goods, and thence to Natchez, where 
 he arrived on the thirteenth of December, busy- 
 ing himself at all stopping-places with distrib- 
 uting tracts. Landing there a stranger, he 
 seems to have expected little else than troub- 
 les. But, after landing his goods and getting 
 them stored, he called on an old acquaintance, 
 the Reverend William Woodbridge, who gave 
 him much useful information relative to the 
 place, and also introduced him to respectable 
 friends. " From him," says the Journal, " I 
 learned that the state of religion was melan- 
 cholily low, that very few followers of Jesus 
 were to be found, and that vice and iniquity 
 greatly abounded. This was, indeed, a sad re- 
 flection to me ; but it has been the subject of 
 my prayers, from first to last, that I might be 
 directed where to sojourn, and this would ap-
 
 8TEP8 OF A GOOD MAN DIVINELY ORDERED. 199 
 
 pear to be the spot. I can not, indeed, calcu- 
 late, should I remain here, on any thing but 
 trials. But may the good hand of God pre- 
 serve me from sin and temptation, and give me 
 some good to do at this place. 
 
 " I must not omit to notice, and I would do 
 it with humble gratitude to Almighty God for 
 rendering my whole journey to this place so 
 comfortable and prosperous, that, had I been 
 delayed only three days longer on my way, the 
 consequences might have been highly disas- 
 trous. My goods were landed and put in store 
 on the thirteenth. On the evening of Friday, 
 the fifteenth, came on a tremendous storm of 
 lightning and thunder, with torrents of rain. 
 So violent were the shocks of thunder, the house 
 shook to the very foundation, and the windows 
 rattled as though they would have fled from 
 their places. I slept that night alone at Mr. 
 Woodbridge's, but I never knew what it was 
 to enjoy a calm and serene frame of mind in 
 such an awful scene before. I laid me down 
 while the earth comparatively shook under me, 
 and went to sleep. The Sabbath night follow- 
 ing the same scene took place, and until this 
 time, Tuesday, it is still raining, and continues 
 bad traveling ; consequently, had I reached here 
 at this time, my goods would have been liable
 
 200 CAPTAIN OBAUIAH CONGAR. 
 
 to injury and loss, and to great expense in se- 
 curing them. After having made every inquiry 
 and searched through the town to procure a 
 store, or part of a store, I at length agreed with 
 Messrs. Berthe & Co. to take their old stand, 
 and to pay forty dollars a month for six months. 
 
 " On Friday, the 22d, I commenced opening, 
 and on Saturday made some good sales. Among 
 the many instances of Divine goodness which I 
 have been the subject of since I left home, I 
 would not forget to record the gracious conde- 
 scension and love of God in granting me some 
 precious manifestations of his presence and fa- 
 vor. He has spoken peace to my soul, and re- 
 stored to me the joy of his salvation. And why 
 is all this favor shown to me, the most unwor- 
 thy of the race of Adam ? For his name's sake 
 he declares in the thirty-second verse of the 
 thirty-sixth chapter of Ezekiel, ' Not for your 
 sakes do I do this, saith the Lord God, be it 
 known unto you : be ashamed and confounded 
 for your own ways, O house of Israel.' 
 
 "The first and second month after I com- 
 menced business at Natchez, I sold quite as. 
 much as I had any reason to expect, whereat I 
 was encouraged to send to New Orleans for a 
 supply of such articles as were wanted to keep 
 my assortment good. In order to be at as little
 
 FOLLOWING llli: THREAD OP PROVIDENCE. 201 
 
 expense as possible, and that I might not be 
 absent from my shop, I lived alone at my place 
 of business, and often felt keenly the want of 
 society. Yet even in solitude I found pleasures 
 which a busy world does not meddle with. My 
 greatest anxieties were always excited by re- 
 flecting on the future course which it would be 
 best to pursue. To spend my days here in sol- 
 itude, even if I were successful in business, 
 seemed a melancholy thought." 
 
 By the end of February, 1821, business had 
 fallen off, and a letter received at the same time 
 from his wife, bewailing his absence and begging 
 his return, wrought in him commiseration. 
 
 Soon his heart relented 
 Toward her, hU life BO late and sole delight, 
 Now at his feet submissive in dutresc. 
 
 "My prayers," he says, "were now more 
 earnestly lifted to the Supreme Governor of the 
 universe that I might be directed whither to 
 remove ; and trusting in the promise annexed 
 to the command to ' commit thy way unto the 
 Lord,' I endeavored to wait until some provi- 
 dence might point the path I ought to pursue. 
 
 "While my mind was thus occupied from 
 day to day, I received a second letter from my 
 wife, in which she again mentioned her low es- 
 tate of health, and especially that her spirits
 
 202 CAPTAIN OBAUIAH CON'GAR. 
 
 were greatly depressed. After perusing her 
 letter, the relation she gave of her difficulties 
 and trials so affected my mind that I could no 
 longer hesitate what to do. I resolved to make 
 the most of my goods as soon as possible, and, 
 if spared, to return home, leaving all my affairs 
 in the hands of Him who gave me my being." 
 Having procured a release from his obligations 
 in respect to the store occupied by him, he made 
 immediate arrangements for leaving and return- 
 ing North. 
 
 " And now," he writes, " I desire to acknowl- 
 edge the goodness of God toward me since I 
 left home. I have enjoyed a good degree of 
 health ; I have been protected from many sur- 
 rounding evils ; I have been prospered in my 
 business in a measure equal to my expecta- 
 tions ; I have found some pleasant and Chris- 
 tian society ; I have enjoyed great privileges in 
 this place ; and especially would I make men- 
 tion of the loving-kindness of the Lord in grant- 
 ing me, I trust, some precious tokens of his fa- 
 vor, and in his purposes of everlasting mercy to 
 my soul. And while I confess much imper- 
 fection and many failures in duty, I would re-' 
 cord with gratitude what the Lord has done for 
 me. ' Oh .' my soul, bless the Lord ; show forth 
 his salvation from day to day '
 
 HE BAldE A PILLAR OF GRATITUDE. '408 
 
 On his return to the north, by way of New 
 Orleans, he was brought very low with the dys- 
 entery common upon the Mississippi, and, in 
 prospect of dying, his soul was flooded with 
 peace. His life, however, was spared, and he 
 reached his family convalescent by way of the 
 sea. Nothing better opening in a business way 
 at Newark during the summer, he embarked 
 in the fall again for Natchez, with his family, 
 consisting of his wife and her sister. His busi- 
 ness adventure was successful, and, the proceeds 
 thereof being invested in cotton, they returned 
 to the North in the summer of 1822. This ex- 
 pedition, dangerous as it then was from pirates 
 by sea and yellow fever in port, was repeated 
 for two or three successive seasons. 
 
 In November, when just arrived at Natchez, 
 through many perils, we find him recording 
 with gratitude, in view of the gracious provi- 
 dences that had appeared in his behalf, " Ver- 
 ily I can say the Lord is my shade on my right 
 hand, therefore I have not been greatly moved. 
 I would also remember the goodness of God in 
 sparing my wife, and affording her so much 
 health. Our fears at leaving New York, lest 
 some person on board might have the yellow 
 fever, were great ; and no less so were they lest 
 some of us might take the disease in New Or-
 
 '<i04 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAH. 
 
 leans. We have had a large share of health, 
 and have been delivered from all those evils 
 which, for the time, produced some degree of 
 terror ; and no less were our fears of falling into 
 the hands of pirates, than of falling a prey to 
 the malignant diseases which banished many 
 of the citizens of New York and New Orleans 
 from their homes. May we be enabled at all 
 times to cherish a due sense of our obligations 
 to the God of our lives, whose mercies, indeed, 
 are more than can be reckoned up." 
 
 His speculations and ventures in 1823 did 
 not turn out as advantageously as they had 
 done ; and this, there is reason to believe, wor- 
 rying the wife more than the husband, elicited 
 in his journal the following sensible considera- 
 tions upon a practical matter, the truth and the 
 applicability of which to many cases, rather 
 than any peculiar originality or profoundness, 
 justify their insertion here : " There is a sub- 
 ject which sometimes is talked of among pro- 
 fessors of religion, and appears to them of vast 
 importance, which yet, notwithstanding, when 
 human passions get the ascendency, loses all 
 its weight and influence on the mind, and is 
 forgotten. I allude to the practice of Christians 
 marrying with unbelievers. In the 6th chapter 
 of 2d Corinthians, 14th verse and onward, this
 
 A DELICATE SUBJECT DISCUSSED. 205 
 
 practice is expressly prohibited by the apostle 
 as utterly inconsistent ; * For,' says he, ' what 
 fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteous- 
 ness? and what communion hath light with 
 darkness?' &c., as if he had said, ' Two can not 
 walk together except they be agreed. There 
 can be no union of heart where two diametric- 
 ally opposite principles govern ; and where there 
 is no union of heart and principles, there can 
 be no concord.' 
 
 "It is strange that where so much is at 
 stake there should frequently be discoverable 
 so great an unwillingness to let the judgment 
 rule instead of the passions. Through this er- 
 ror thousands have plunged themselves into all 
 the miseries of a guilty conscience, and the 
 mortifying reflection that they have entered 
 into league and covenant with an enemy of 
 God. I am inclined to believe that few Chris- 
 tians have ever committed this error without 
 repenting of it all the days of their lives after. 
 Scarcely a day will pass without some transac- 
 tion taking place which will cause grief and so- 
 licitude on the part of the one who would con- 
 scientiously walk in the ways of God's holy 
 commands. 
 
 " The Christian sees every object in a differ- 
 ent light from the unregenerate person. The
 
 206 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONOAB. 
 
 Christian's God is the Lord of heaven and earth ; 
 the unregenerate person's god is this world with 
 its vanities. The Christian's end and aim is to 
 do something for the advancement of the Re- 
 deemer's kingdom among men ; the unregen- 
 erate person's end is to advance self, to in- 
 crease wealth, to live in luxury and ease. The 
 Christian feels it obligatory to devote a part of 
 every day to secret prayer, and to contribute a 
 portion of his worldly substance, as God hath 
 prospered, to benevolent objects ; the unregen- 
 erate person's language is, what need of so much 
 solicitude about religion we have need of all 
 we can earn for our own use, for we know not 
 what shall befall us, and we ought to provide 
 for a rainy day, and so on. 
 
 " A Christian friend must not be introduced 
 into the family, lest the subject of religion be- 
 comes the topic of conversation, and the thoughts 
 of religion always produce uneasiness in the 
 mind of the unregenerate. On the other hand, 
 gay, vain, and foolish company never can suit 
 the mind that is looking beyond this terrestrial 
 ball for something more substantial and lasting. 
 
 " There will therefore exist a constant source 
 of disquietude and perturbation, which noth- 
 ing can dispel but Almighty grace. How dan- 
 gerous is it for Christians to marry with unbe-
 
 EVIDENCE OF GROWTH IN GRACE. 207 
 
 lievers : how unhappy it is sure to make them ! 
 The Christian can not engage in any benevo- 
 lent enterprise, but the unregenerate clog is al- 
 ways hanging back ; or, if it go, it must be car- 
 ried, for it has no fret to walk, no eyes to see, 
 no tongue to talk." 
 
 Notwithstanding the peculiar trials of Cap- 
 tain Congar, and his unfavorable changing life, 
 there is evidence in these years of a pretty uni- 
 form growth in grace, and an abiding fixedness 
 of purpose to glorify and serve God. In a sub- 
 sequent passage South to that referred to above, 
 after enumerating the Divine providential fa- 
 vors to himself and family, he adds, with great 
 appearance of sincerity and fervor, " But the 
 greatest of all blessings bestowed upon the chief 
 of sinners is in general (if I be not deceived, 
 and I trust I am not, by the spirit which he 
 hath given me) a uniform and comfortable 
 hope that I am interested in the covenant mer- 
 cy of God through Jesus Christ ; that he has 
 wrought in my soul a work of grace, which is 
 an earnest of the complete perfection of soul 
 and body in his heavenly kingdom ; and, hav- 
 ing such hopes, I endeavor, in some measure, 
 to purify myself as Christ is pure. But, alas, 
 my sin and folly ! Not a day of my life but I 
 am called upon to lament more or less mis-
 
 208 CAPTAIN OBAU1AH CONGAK. 
 
 spent time, some thought, word, or deed which 
 is contrary to the Divine requirements, and in- 
 consistent with my own most solemn vows and 
 engagements. When will the time come that 
 I shall love the Lord with all my heart, and my 
 neighbor as myself? May the Lord create in 
 me a new heart, and renew a right spirit with- 
 in me. 
 
 1 1 Wednesday, twenty-ninth of October. The 
 winds are favorable, but very light. At eight 
 o'clock A.M. made the land, being what is call- 
 ed the Harbor Islands. We are all well on 
 board, in number about forty persons besides 
 myself; and, alas ! what a melancholy reflec- 
 tion, that I find no good grounds to believe there 
 is one truly pious individual among them ! It 
 might, indeed, be thought, that in the judgment 
 of that charity which believeth all things, which 
 hopeth all things, I ought to form a different 
 conclusion, and not discover so much partiality 
 or selfishness as to think unfavorably of every 
 one but myself. 
 
 "There is no doubt but self-preference is in- 
 terwoven with our very natures, so that a mix- 
 ture of it may be seen even in those who are 
 most distinguished for their graces. But in 
 forming our opinion relative to the state and 
 condition of our fellow-men in a religious point
 
 STATE AND PRuSPECTf- OK THE UNGODLY. 209 
 
 of view, we must always be governed by the 
 decision of the Bible, and therefore what the 
 Bible approves we must approve, and what the 
 Bible condemns we must condemn. 
 
 " When, therefore, we see men from day to 
 day spending their whole time playing cards, 
 frequently taking their Maker's name in vain, 
 and idling away the Sabbath, or vainly amus- 
 ing themselves by reading some novel or tri- 
 fling publication, while the Bible is wholly neg- 
 lected, what can we say ? Must we not con- 
 clude there is no fear of God before their eyes ? 
 And surely there can be no love of God in their 
 hearts. 
 
 " Here, then, some might suppose is a great 
 opening to do good, an opportunity to suggest 
 occasionally the great concerns of the soul, and 
 seeking the knowledge of God ; yet, in general, 
 the fear of souring the minds of those around 
 me by introducing a subject to which the hu- 
 man heart is so much averse, together with a 
 want of capacity for discussing even those things 
 which, to my own apprehension, are perfectly 
 clear and satisfactory, hinders me from doing 
 much save distributing a few tracts. With 
 what feelings, then, should I indulge the hope, 
 that while so many are left in nature's dark- 
 ness, and living daily without any due sense of 
 O
 
 210 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 the evil of sin, and regardless of the way of es- 
 cape from the wrath to come, I alone, who am 
 the chief of sinners, should be made a monu- 
 ment of Divine mercy ! Surely the ways of the 
 Lord are not as our ways, neither his thoughts 
 like our thoughts. I pray that I may never 
 lose sight of my original state by nature, nor of 
 the exceeding wickedness of my former prac- 
 tices, nor yet my manifold imperfections and 
 shortcomings, lest, being lifted up with spirit- 
 ual pride, I should think myself to be some- 
 thing when I am nothing. 
 
 " Friday, 31st. Passing the Berry Islands, 
 with a pleasant breeze and delightful weather. 
 I never come this way without noticing how ex- 
 actly the temperature of this climate suits my 
 habit and constitution, and I often wish these 
 islands were fertile and inhabited, that I might 
 find an abode where the cold winds of the north 
 could not reach me, and where the summer heat 
 would not relax the system as it does in the 
 southern sections of my own country. But why 
 should I make calculations, or imagine that this 
 or that country, or place, or society would af- 
 ford those pleasures which are unfading, dur- 
 able, and pure ?" 
 
 His experience found itself portrayed in the 
 lines of Madam Guyon :
 
 A SOURCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. 21 1 
 
 Thou, Lord, alone, art all thy children need, 
 
 And there is none beside : 
 From thee the streams of blessedness proceed ; 
 
 In thee the bless'd abide. 
 Fountain of life and all-abounding grace, 
 Oar source, oar center, and oar dwelling place. 
 
 With me remains nor place nor time, 
 
 My country is in every clime : 
 I can be safe and free from care 
 
 On every shore, for God is there. 
 
 " But ah ! the thought that my wife is still in 
 the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity often 
 makes me go mourning all the day long. When 
 I reflect on her situation as a sinner, and ap- 
 parently becoming more and more insensible of 
 her sad state, and when I find, also, her unwill- 
 ingness to converse on the subject of religion, 
 and, at the same time, fear she indulges some 
 kind of a false hope, I feel under serious appre- 
 hensions for her eternal welfare, and cease not to 
 pray for her, although, I may add, with a feeble 
 hope. But I endeavor still to commend her to 
 the mercy of God, who is a wise and holy sov- 
 ereign, and who has a right to do with his creat- 
 ures as seemeth good in his sight. I beseech 
 the Lord, for Christ's sake, to give me grace to 
 pray for her more fervently, and from pure and 
 holy motives, that his name may be glorified 
 in her salvation. O Lord, let her not perish
 
 212 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 through my sin and unfaithfulness. Saturday, 
 first of November. Light winds and very un- 
 pleasant weather : sailing over the Banks all the 
 past night and this day, in three fathoms water. 
 The thermometer is generally about seventy- 
 eight degrees to-day it stands at eighty-one 
 degrees ; but, notwithstanding the weather is 
 warm, it is by no means oppressive. At three 
 P. M., it being nearly calm, and not wishing to 
 go off the|Banks with so light a wind, we came 
 to anchor in ten fathoms water. 
 
 " We continued at anchor until the day fol- 
 lowing, when, at two P. M., a smart breeze sud- 
 denly sprung up from the northward and east- 
 ward, which we readily embraced by getting 
 under way and standing on our course. We 
 steered west-southwest, going eight miles per 
 hour. At two o'clock in the morning the watch 
 on deck supposed they saw breakers ahead, 
 which, for the instant, threw us in the utmost 
 confusion. The ship was immediately wore 
 round, and brought under snug sail until morn- 
 ing. Then, having discovered the Double-head- 
 ed-shot Keys as far as we could see to the east- 
 ward, we concluded that our fears had been 
 groundless. Tried the temperature of the 
 water, and found it seventy-eight degrees, and 
 the air, in the shade, seventy-four. Thursday,
 
 PAIXED BY THE SIGHT OK ^ABBATII-BREAKIVU. 
 
 6th. The wind continued favorable : at two 
 P. M., saw the land about the Balize bearing 
 west three leagues. 
 
 " Sabbath, 9tb. The holy Scriptures declare 
 this is the day the Lord hath made. But, alas ! 
 how little is it regarded by many on ship or 
 shore ; and what numerous occasions does the 
 water-business give men for profaning the Lord's 
 day by working thereupon, without exposing 
 them to the censures of the godly and Sabbath- 
 keeping. But they forget that the Sabbath's 
 avenging Lord is eyeing them, and is sure to 
 bring them up : 
 
 " Who restctli not one day in seven, 
 That poul shall never rest in heaven.' 
 
 My soul is grieved at seeing all hands on board, 
 with about twenty slaves besides, employed in 
 warping the ship through the English Turn, 
 with the wind ahead a thing for which none 
 can plead the least pretense of necessity. 
 
 " I can not help remarking the power of un- 
 belief in the carnal heart, and the determination 
 which it manifests to reject every thing which 
 does not accord with its own notion. A strik- 
 ing instance of this I have noticed in the con- 
 duct and conversation of our captain. He 
 seems willing to allow that the Scriptures con- 
 tain many things which are excellent, and well
 
 214 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 calculated to promote the good of mankind, but 
 by no means acknowledges that the whole of it 
 is the word of God, and absolutely considers 
 some part of it too horrible ever to have been 
 published ; and yet allows that those who live 
 strictly according to its requirements will event- 
 ually have the advantage of all others, but says 
 he wishes he had never read it. 
 
 " Respecting his conclusions relative to the 
 Bible, he is confirmed in his opinion by observ- 
 ing that many of those who profess to believe 
 its authenticity, and to take it for their rule 
 and guide, do not appear to be better men than 
 others, nor is it discoverable that they are in- 
 fluenced by purer principles. Would to God 
 these remarks did not apply to myself. I blush 
 and am ashamed to think how often I have oc- 
 casioned a reproach to religion. O Lord, cleanse 
 me from secret faults, and keep back thy serv- 
 ant from presumptuous sins ; let them not have 
 the dominion over me. Through thy grace I 
 will endeavor to be more consistent." 
 
 JEHOVAH, sov'reign of my heart! 
 
 My joy by night and day ! 
 From thee, oh ! never more I'll part, 
 
 From thee ne'er go astray.
 
 THK i:r.<;r\i:RATE 3OUL. 215 
 
 Whene'er allurements round me stand 
 
 And tempt me from my choice, 
 Oh ! let me find thy gracious hand ; 
 
 Oh ! let me bear thy voice. 
 This vain and feeble heart, I know, 
 
 To worldly ways is prone ; 
 But penitential tears shall show 
 
 There's joy in thee alone. 
 With God all darkness turns to day; 
 
 With him all sorrows flee ; 
 Thou art the true and living way. 
 
 And I will walk in thee.
 
 216 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 BUSINESS, BENEVOLENCE, AND MENTAL EXERCISES 
 ON SHORE CONTINUED. 
 
 THUS, lady, fares the man that hath prepared 
 A Rest for his desires; and sees all things 
 Beneath him ; and hath learned this Book of Man, 
 Full of the notes of frailty ; and compared 
 The best of glory with her sufferings: 
 By whom I see you labor all you can 
 To plant your heart, and set your thoughts as near 
 His glorious Mansion as your powers can bear. 
 
 OLD DANIEL. 
 
 UP to the year 1828 Captain Congar contin- 
 ued to spend his winters in Natchez, doing bus- 
 iness successfully with the assortments of goods 
 which he brought with him from the North 
 from year to year. He engaged zealously in 
 the Sabbath school and the support of religious 
 ordinances in the Southwest, and was much es- 
 teemed by a circle of Christian friends as a man 
 of high integrity, conscientiousness, and relig- 
 ious zeal. He records frequently, with devout 
 gratitude, his providential deliverances by sea 
 and land in going to and fro, sometimes on the 
 floating steam volcanoes of the Mississippi and
 
 AFFECTIONATE DESIRE? AS A Ht'SBAND. 217 
 
 other waters of the West, sometimes in the dan- 
 gerous navigation of the Capes of Florida. 
 
 The malignant diseases of the climate, as the 
 bilious, yellow, and coast fevers, he was happi- 
 ly preserved from ; but both himself and wife 
 had occasional attacks of the fever and ague, 
 which few at that time escaped. During an 
 illness of his wife at Natchez in 1826, his affec- 
 tion as a tender husband and Christian was 
 sorely tried. " How," said he, " did my bow- 
 els yearn over her, when, in an agony of pain, 
 she would cry for mercy ! Her distress, during 
 these paroxysms, has torn my very heart with 
 grief and dismay. Oh ! that she might indeed 
 find mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ, who 
 hath opened a door of mercy through his aton- 
 ing blood, even for those who, sensible of their 
 misery, come to him at the eleventh hour. Al- 
 though I felt unwilling to leave her for a mo- 
 ment, yet I was constrained to retire for a little 
 when an opportunity offered, to plead at the 
 throne of grace on her behalf. I wrestled in 
 her behalf that this sore trial might be sancti- 
 fied to her, and be made the means of bringing 
 her to see that she needed salvation from sin as 
 well as from suffering. Through the Divine 
 goodness, she was soon restored to usual health 
 again."
 
 ii!8 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAH. 
 
 In the summer of 1829 we find him establish- 
 ed in business at Savannah, Georgia, and this 
 is a fragment of his autobiography on entering 
 upon his sixty-second year: "June 27th, 1829. 
 I have now the satisfaction to record the good- 
 ness of Almighty God to me in the numerous 
 instances of his kindness through every period 
 of my existence, and particularly for permitting 
 me to enter upon the sixty-second year of my 
 age in so much health, enjoying the use of my 
 reason, surrounded with friends, and especially 
 favored with a comfortable hope that my sins 
 are pardoned and my name written in heaven, 
 through the boundless mercy of God in Christ 
 Jesus, to whom be glory forever, Amen. I 
 have, indeed, great reason to be humbled for 
 my sins of the year past, as well as of my whole 
 life. May I henceforth redeem my misspent 
 time, and weave more carefully my warp of 
 life, since its threads must be nearly through. 
 Many things are admonishing me of life's un- 
 certainty. Day before yesterday this city was 
 visited with a destructive storm of lightning 
 and rain. The thunderbolts were in such swift 
 and startling succession that men thought the 
 artillery of the last day was discharging upon 
 them, and that the advance couriers of the judg- 
 ment had come. A woman and her child, about
 
 SHORT RELAPSE INTO DESPONDENCY. 219 
 
 four years of age, were killed instantly. A 
 horse was also killed, a vessel's mast shivered, 
 and a house struck. Verily, in the midst of 
 life we are in death. Oh ! may my future days, 
 be they many or few, be devoted to the service 
 of my God and Savior, that when death comes; 
 whether suddenly or with long warning, I may 
 have nothing to do but die." 
 
 In the winter of 1830, his business being 
 depressed, and being afflicted also with sore 
 sickness in his family, he seems to have fallen 
 again into a state of painful despondency. Re- 
 membering that as iron sharpeneth iron, so 
 doth the countenance of a man his friend, he 
 wisely called upon two of the elders of the 
 Church, and freely communicated with them 
 respecting his spiritual concerns. They treat- 
 ed him, he says, with great kindness and skill, 
 and prayed with him, and from this time for- 
 ward his mind was much relieved, and was en- 
 abled in a measure, as before, to rejoice in the 
 Lord. But the situation of his wife, both as 
 to her bodily and spiritual estate, excited his 
 deepest solicitude. 
 
 In April we find him saying, "It is with a 
 degree of heartfelt gratitude to Almighty God 
 that I am enabled once more to cherish a com- 
 fortable hope that I have found mercy and
 
 220 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 grace in his sight. I am still, indeed, oppressed 
 with a deep sense of sin and of the awful de- 
 pravity of the human heart, but I am freed in 
 a good degree from that dark, despairing frame 
 of mind which seemed almost to overwhelm 
 me at times. I trust God is faithful. Jesus 
 Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for- 
 ever. I hope I have committed my cause to 
 him, and that he hath heard my prayers ; and 
 I think I feel thankful for those chastisements 
 which have been the means of bringing me to 
 consider my ways and doings, which were not 
 good. 
 
 " I have found the exercises and solemnities 
 of the communion season well suited to relieve 
 the mind of the doubting and desponding sin- 
 ner who still hopes the Lord has not utterly 
 forsaken him, who still hopes the Spirit of grace 
 is exciting him to a more firm and uniform re- 
 liance on the mercy of God in Christ for every 
 blessing, and waiting and longing for new and 
 brighter discoveries of the Divine perfections, 
 and for a more complete deliverance from the 
 bondage of sin. I think I can say in truth that, 
 in general, from the communion season until 
 this day, I have experienced some sweet tokens 
 of the Lord's kindness. 
 
 Tuesday, August 24th. This day has been
 
 GRACIOUS TOKENS OF DIVINE FAVOH. 221 
 
 recommended by our pastor to be observed as a 
 day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, that 
 God would revive the languishing graces of his 
 own people, and stir them up to a greater con- 
 cern for his glory and the salvation of souls. 
 At ten A.M. a goodly number met, and the ex- 
 ercises were interesting, and such as were cal- 
 culated to arouse the slumbering Christian and 
 bring the unhumbled sinner to feel his danger. 
 As regards myself, my mind for some days past 
 has been more than ordinarily employed with 
 serious thoughts relative to my own spiritual 
 condition' Methinks I have seen more and 
 more of the deceitfulness of my heart than ever, 
 and I do groan, being burdened. I fear I have 
 thought myself to be something when I was 
 nothing. I am resolved, by Divine assistance, 
 to watch my heart and life with more care, and 
 to make it my business to compare, not only 
 my outward conduct, but the temple of my 
 heart, with the requirements of the Gospel, and 
 to bring all my thoughts and actions to that 
 test. I feel resolved to engage in good earnest 
 in a holy warfare with the powers of darkness, 
 and not to spare my own lusts and corruptions, 
 but seek to have them all slain through the 
 power of the great Captain of my salvation. 
 Satan, I know, will roar and fling hi* fiery
 
 222 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 darts. Dear Savior, shield me, and grant me 
 deliverance, that I may yet sing a song of vic- 
 tory, and praise thy name for thy loving kind- 
 ness and for thy truth." 
 
 Oh ! that I had not this divided heart, 
 
 A mind self-sunder'd, and at war within ; 
 Which gives, or seems to give, to Heaven a part, 
 
 But gives, alas! a greater part to sin. 
 Sometimes I think the victory to gain, 
 
 And plant my standard on the heavenly height ; 
 But suddenly imperious passions reign, 
 
 And put my faithfulness and hopes to Sight. 
 My conscience prompts me to the better way, 
 
 The Holy Spirit makes it still more clear; 
 But foul temptation leads my steps astray, 
 
 And heaven is lost, because the world is dear. 
 'Tis he in triumph and in peace shall run 
 
 The Christian's trying race, whose heart, whose 
 soul is one. 
 
 His business adventures not succeeding in 
 Savannah so prosperously as they had hoped 
 for, and restlessness in his family consequent, 
 probably in great degree, upon ill health calling 
 for a change, Captain Congar removed in 1831 
 to St. Augustine, East Florida, not, he said, 
 that it offered much as a place of business, but 
 as a climate more congenial to their habits and 
 constitutions than any other in the United 
 States. He purchased a small homestead and 
 store there, with the design of a permanent
 
 LIFE AND LABO&S AT ST. AUGL'STINE. 223 
 
 abode for the remainder of his days ; and he en- 
 gaged in humble religious labors, in connection 
 with the Presbyterian Church, with his wonted 
 zeal and conscientiousness, obtaining, in a high 
 degree, the confidence of the whole community, 
 and the warm regard of a circle of friends. 
 
 But in the year 1838, a settled dissatisfac- 
 tion in his family, arising, in part, from an in- 
 terruption of friendly intercourse with the di- 
 rectors of the St. Augustine Banking Institution, 
 and more, perhaps, from internal unrest and dis- 
 quiet, compelled him, though ^sorely against his 
 will, to transfer his residence first to St. Mary's, 
 Georgia, and thence to Jacksonville, Florida, 
 meanwhile visiting at the North. His desire 
 to do good and to glorify God held him fast 
 through changes that were far from satisfactory 
 or profitable to one in his years. 
 
 On his seventieth birth-day, June 27th, 1838, 
 being on a visit to Newark, surveying the mer- 
 cies of his active and green old age, and look- 
 ing beyond the cloud that just then hung over 
 him, we find him thus resolving, as in the vig- 
 or of youth : " To use the world as not abusing 
 it, renouncing it as his portion, and keeping it 
 under foot ; to resist the powers of darkness, and 
 to live to the glory of God. It is. indeed, but 
 little I can expect to do the remainder of rny
 
 224 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 days, either for God my Maker, Christ my Re- 
 deemer, or my fellow-man. I consider my days 
 of activity and usefulness, if, indeed, I have ever 
 been useful, nearly at an end. But I beseech 
 the Most High to succor and strengthen me to 
 do his will, and to enable me to bear up under 
 the trials, vicissitudes, and changes of this mor- 
 tal life without complaining, trusting in his 
 name that all will be well. 
 
 " We remained in New York and among our 
 friends until the beginning of September fol- 
 lowing. After much deliberation and prayer, 
 it was finally agreed upon by us both that it 
 would be best to return to Florida as soon as 
 convenient, and with a view to locate ourselves 
 at Jacksonville (a new place), about twenty 
 miles from the St. John's Bar." 
 
 Having purchased a new stock of goods 
 with this view, they took passage in the schoon- 
 er Essex, Captain Jeffery. Just after leaving 
 New York they experienced a heavy gale of 
 wind, and lost both anchors ; but, having ob- 
 tained a pilot, they were successful in running 
 the vessel upon the beach, without loss of life^ 
 The wind afterward subsiding, the vessel was 
 lightened, got off, and taken to the city for re- 
 pairs. 
 
 On the thirtieth day of September they em-
 
 SETTLEMENT AT JACKSONVILLE. 225 
 
 barked again, and, after a pleasant passage of 
 nine days, arrived safe over the St. John's Bar. 
 Reaching Jacksonville on the twelfth of October, 
 he says, " We engaged a house, landed our 
 goods, and commenced business immediately. 
 Thus far the Lord has led me on. Thus far 
 his power prolongs my days." 
 
 Here Captain Congar was permitted to spend 
 a period of seven years, respected, beloved, and 
 useful, up to that immediately preceding the 
 date of his death. On the anniversary of his 
 seventy-third birth-day there is this entry: 
 " My earthly race is well-nigh run. I shall 
 have little more to do with a world in arms 
 against its Sovereign, the great and mighty 
 God. With that Sovereign I have an advo- 
 cate, even Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is 
 the propitiation for my sins. O blessed Ad- 
 vocate, plead my cause, do all for me, and 
 strengthen me to do and to suffer all thou wilt 
 appoint me ; and all the days of my appointed 
 time let me wait till my change come, and be 
 more consistent than I have been as a member 
 of the community, as the head of a family, and 
 as a professed follower of the Lamb. 
 
 " It was the Psalmist's saying, ' One thing 
 have I desired, that will I seek after.' This do 
 I pant after with my whole heart, to be emp- 
 P
 
 226 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAE. 
 
 tied of self and the world, and filled, like a va- 
 cant vessel, with all the fullness of God. The 
 world is dead to me, and I am dead to the 
 world, though still busy in it. Its maxims, its 
 fashions, its amusements, its pleasures, its ac- 
 quisitions, how gladly I can quit them all." 
 
 World, adieu, thou real cheat, 
 
 Oft have thy deceitful charms 
 Fill'd my heart with fond conceit, 
 
 Foolish hopes and false alarms : 
 Now I see as clear as day 
 How thy follies pass away. 
 
 Vain thy entertaining eights ; 
 
 False thy promises renew'd ; 
 All the pomp of thy delights 
 
 Does but flatter and delude : 
 Thee I quit for heaven above, 
 Object of the noblest love. 
 
 " Could I be sure that my days of usefulness 
 were at an end which my heavenly Father ap- 
 points to me, I think I could have done with all 
 terrestrial things without one sigh but that I 
 had not better served my Lord and Master. 
 The hopes which religion inspires are now my 
 only solace in the worldly work which I have 
 still to do. The cares and business of this life 
 only harass and vex ; the consolations of relig- 
 ion calm and soothe. Oh ! that the longer I 
 dwell here, the more I may become transformed
 
 MOUNT PISGAH CLIMBED. 227 
 
 into the image of my Savior ; that, when death 
 comes, I may doff all mortal fear, and shout in 
 triumph, through Him who makes me conquer, 
 ' O Death, where is thy sting ! O Grave, 
 where is thy victory !' " 
 
 SOMETIMES I upward lift mine eyes, 
 
 And, fill'd with pleasure, see 
 The happy hosts that throng the skies, 
 
 The blood-wash'd company. 
 How beautiful their robes, I say ; 
 
 Their garments all, how white ! 
 Fair as the sun's ascending ray, 
 
 And clear as noon-day light. 
 
 Oh Savior, thou hast made them clean, 
 
 The garments they do wear ; 
 And all who wash in thee their sin, 
 
 May in those garments share. 
 Let me, too, wear that spotless dress, 
 
 Its beauty may I prove : 
 That robe of finish'd holiness, 
 
 The garb of perfect love !
 
 228 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LIFE, LABORS, AND EXPERIENCE AT JACKSONVILLE. 
 
 THAT man may last, but never lives, 
 Who much receives, but nothing gives ; 
 Whom none can love, whom none can thank, 
 Creation's blot, creation's blank. 
 But he who marks, from day to day, 
 In generous acts his radiant way, 
 Treads the same path his Savior trod, 
 The path to glory and to God. GIBBONS. 
 
 IN accordance with his usual energy and zeal 
 in the things of religion, Captain Congar had 
 not been long in Jacksonville before we find 
 him earnestly engaged in measures for its mor- 
 al and spiritual improvement. His record of 
 events and of personal observations and doings 
 there is not so full as in years before, but some- 
 thing is supplied by letters to friends. 
 
 In a communication to a sister in Newark, 
 dated Jacksonville, East Florida, August 15th, 
 1842, he says : " I have several subjects which 
 call my attention in writing you at this time, 
 and which I might touch upon a little ; but it 
 is sometimes with me as it is with some preach- 
 ers I have heard, who, having arranged their in- 
 tended discourse under several heads, commence
 
 RECAPITULATION OP MERCIES. 229 
 
 thus : ' In the first place, let me call your at- 
 tention to the consideration of the first clause of 
 such a verse;' after which they forget to say 
 any thing about the second, third, or fourth 
 place, and go on promiscuously. But on this 
 occasion I say, in the first place, Mary and my- 
 self have both been highly favored with usual 
 health ; not that we are altogether without the 
 infirmities of human nature, and especially of 
 years, but we know nothing, since we came to 
 this place, of lingering disease ; this I esteem a 
 comfort which demands corresponding grati- 
 tude to our Almighty preserver and benefactor. 
 " We have, in the second place, been deliver- 
 ed from the hand of the savage foe, who have 
 been permitted to deal death and destruction to 
 many families not far distant. 3d. We have 
 been protected from the devouring element, 
 which has often consumed in a few moments 
 all that man could call his own on this whirling 
 globe. 4th. Though not in affluence, we have 
 a competency of such things as are needful. 
 5th. We now have the Gospel preached every 
 Sabbath, and, although we have no evidences 
 of awakenings among us, yet a degree of deco- 
 rum and good order has prevailed which would 
 do credit to some villages in the land of steady 
 habits.
 
 230 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 " Our social intercourse with our neighbors 
 is mostly of a friendly character, and perhaps 
 there is no place of the same size in our land 
 where there is less poverty or absolute want 
 than in Jacksonville ; and if we do not recog- 
 nize the good hand of God in all these mercies, 
 it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom 
 and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for 
 us. A great moral improvement has taken 
 place within the last two years. Profaneness, 
 Sabbath-breaking, and intemperance abounded 
 to an alarming degree when we first came here, 
 and, although we can hardly say the people of 
 Jacksonville are a church-going people, yet 
 numbers do attend, let who will preach. 
 
 " It is a long time since I have heard of any 
 new and extensive revivals of religion any where. 
 Are Christians awake to this momentous con- 
 cern ? I sometimes fear, much fear, that the 
 whole Church has become greatly conformed to 
 the world, although it is so clearly enjoined 
 upon us to set our affections on things above, 
 and not on things of this world. St. James 
 says, ' Whosoever will be a friend of the world 
 is the enemy of God.' How should we take 
 care in this, as well as all other matters that 
 concern our usefulness here, and our everlasting 
 destiny beyond the bounds of time and sense.
 
 EARTH RENOUNCED HEAVEN ANTICIPATED. 231 
 
 Let us pray for each other, and for all our dear 
 friends, some of whom, we have reason to fear, 
 are yet strangers to God and Christ, and in love 
 with darkness. You, and I, and more of us 
 have got far on our journey toward another 
 world, and the admonition, ' Set thine house in 
 order,' may, and ought to be listened to by us 
 as a voice from God. I think I can say from 
 the heart, with our favorite Watts, ' Heaven is 
 before, and the world behind.' 
 
 " ' Lord, I renounce my carnal taste 
 
 Of the fair fruit that sinners prize ; 
 Their paradise no more shall waste 
 One thought of mine, but to despise. 
 
 Come, heaven, and fill my vast desires; 
 
 My soul pursues the sovereign good : 
 She was all made of heavenly fires. 
 
 Nor can she live on meaner food.' 
 
 That the Lord, in mercy, may take charge of 
 us all while we are sojourning here, and, through 
 his abounding goodness in Christ Jesus, bring 
 us, with all our dear friends, to meet in a bet- 
 ter world, is the desire and prayer of your affec- 
 tionate but unworthy brother, 
 
 " OBADIAH CONGAR." 
 
 In December of 1843, four others having 
 united with Captain Congar in church-fellow- 
 ship, they were duly organized into the First
 
 232 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, in connec- 
 tion with the presbytery of Georgia, Rev. Mr. 
 Baird, from St. Mary's, being present with them 
 as a delegate from that body. Mr. William B. 
 Barton and Captain Congar were at once elect- 
 ed and ordained elders. " The Sabbath day fol- 
 lowing," says the journal, " being the thirty- 
 first of December, the significant and touching 
 rite of the Lord's Supper was administered to 
 our little number, and, at the same time, one 
 new male member was added to the church by 
 examination, viz., Stephen Eddy, from Massa- 
 chusetts, for several years a resident of this vil- 
 lage, making our whole number six. Thus ends 
 the year 1843. The mercies and favors be- 
 stowed on me during the course of it have been 
 like a running river : they have flowed on from 
 the fountain of God's goodness without ever 
 once stopping. Oh that my gratitude and obe- 
 dience might correspond! How weighty, and 
 yet, because of its sweetness, how light is the 
 obligation which rests upon me, to consecrate 
 the few remaining days I may yet have below 
 to the service of my covenant-keeping God and 
 Redeemer. Oh that I could realize my entire 
 dependence on the grace of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ to furnish me with every needed good for 
 this world, but especially to furnish me with
 
 HOPES AND DESIRES OF THE GRACIOUS SOUL. 233 
 
 heavenly armor, that I may fight the battles 
 of the Lord as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, 
 and be enabled to resist every adversary that 
 would oppose my march onward to a better 
 world. 
 
 " Through Divine assistance, I am resolved, 
 though old, to set out anew in this heavenly 
 enterprise. But when I look back and see how 
 many vows have been broken, how many reso- 
 lutions to be more faithful, and more exempla- 
 ry, and more consistent have fallen short, were 
 it not for the promise of God to keep by his 
 power, through faith unto salvation, all who 
 have chosen him for their everlasting portion, 
 my soul would sink into despondency. Through 
 his grace, grace only, I hope to persevere unto 
 the end. My soul, wait thou only, only, only 
 upon God : my expectation is from him." 
 
 Oh, could I rule each erring thought, 
 
 Each wrong desire subdue ; 
 And serve my Maker as I ought, 
 
 And thou wouldst have me do : 
 Oh, could I discipline my mind 
 
 To seek the heavenly goal ; 
 Nor strive in earthly things to find 
 
 A treasure for the soul- 
 Then should my lips no more complain, 
 
 Sin only makes my grief; 
 And Thou, that givest ease for pain, 
 
 Wouldst quickly bring relief:
 
 234 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Ascendent over time and sense, 
 
 My feet should upward move, 
 Protected by thy providence, 
 
 Rejoicing in thy love. 
 
 "Monday, January 1st, 1844, finds me in 
 the experience of countless blessings from my 
 heavenly Father. My health, indeed, is not 
 very good, but yet I enjoy much more than I 
 suffer. My family has been spared to me, and 
 I to them. Our worldly substance, though not 
 increasing, is yet sufficient for our present 
 wants ; and we think, with good reason, the 
 state of society is fast improving among us. 
 There is now far less intemperance, Sabbath- 
 breaking, and open vice and immorality here 
 than when I came to this place. Preaching, 
 also, is performed almost every Sabbath through 
 the year. And now, if it be my Father's will 
 to keep me here another year, may I be more 
 humble, more meek, more patient, more engaged 
 in the all-important duties of religion, in serv- 
 ing my God and Savior, and striving to do 
 good to my fellow-men ; bearing up under the 
 trials of life without murmuring; submitting 
 myself to my heavenly Father in all things ; 
 always keeping in mind that my final dissolu- 
 tion is drawing nigh, and that the great day of 
 account is at hand."
 
 ANNIVERBAEY BIRTH-DAY THOUGHTS. 235 
 
 Ob, may this thought posses* my breast, 
 Where'er I rove, where'er I rest ; 
 Nor let my weaker passions dare 
 Consent to sin, for God is there. 
 
 In April of this year Captain Congar was 
 elected by his fellow-citizens to the office of In- 
 tendant, or Mayor, of Jacksonville. With his 
 characteristic diffidence and self-distrust, he at 
 first refused the honor ; but his objections were 
 overruled, and he filled the post, it is believed, 
 with acceptance and good ability. His unaf- 
 fected humility appears in the notice taken of 
 it in his journal. It will have been observed, 
 also, how uniformly the subject of this auto- 
 biography devoted the anniversaries of his birth 
 to special reflection and review of his life and 
 character as a man and a Christian. This habit 
 he continued to the close of life ; and when, in 
 his last years, the entries are rare, birth-days 
 are never omitted. At the close of his seventy- 
 seventh year, we find him making this record 
 in the words of the patriarch : " Few and evil 
 have been the days of the years of my pilgrim- 
 age. Evil, not so much because my sufferings 
 and afflictions have been great, but because of 
 sin, the greatest evil. This has been the pro- 
 curing cause of all other evils borne by me and 
 by the rest of the human family. Yet to real-
 
 236 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 ize this mortifying truth is difficult. I find 
 daily the infirmities of age gaming upon me. 
 May I be suitably affected thereby, and hence- 
 forth keep my end in view more than ever I 
 have yet done, and especially the great end of 
 my existence in this world, the glory of God. 
 
 "It is not uncommon for a man to keep a 
 record of the most important affairs and con- 
 cerns of human life, and yet it is not common 
 with men in general to record or notice partic- 
 ularly the day which ushered them into life and 
 immortal being. I have often noticed, and some- 
 times with a deep interest, this era of my soul's 
 beginning at least interesting to my God and 
 to me. My whole life, though of little account 
 to the world at large, is of great and momentous 
 account to myself. The very thought that I 
 have an existence as a free moral agent, and 
 that that existence will continue to all eterni- 
 ty, is a deeply interesting and momentous con- 
 sideration to every one of the human family. 
 What have I then to do in order that this ex- 
 istence may prove a blessing to myself as well 
 as to my family and to all with whom I have 
 to do ? A man's way is said by Cecil to be de- 
 clarative of his end. The wise man concludes 
 his admonitions and exhortations thus : i Let us 
 hear the conclusion of the whole matter : fear
 
 INSTRUCTIVE CONTRACTS OF EXPERIENCE. 
 
 God and keep his commandments, for this is 
 the whole duty of man.' 
 
 " Saturday, June 28th, 1845. Yesterday, 
 the twenty-seventh, I commenced the seventy- 
 eighth year of my age. My thoughts were oc- 
 cupied considerably on the goodness of God in 
 sparing so great a sinner so many years, while 
 thousands, to appearance far better than I, have 
 long since been numbered with the dead. I 
 stand a monument of the forbearance and pa- 
 tience of a holy God, and I have only to won- 
 der that that patience has been so eminently 
 extended to me, the chief of sinners, whom judg- 
 ments and mercies did so long fail to soften. 
 Glory to his sovereign grace that I was ever 
 brought to submit," 
 
 Once I had a heart within, 
 
 Thankless and opposed to God, 
 And, wandering in the ways of sin, 
 
 In wisdom's ways had never trod. 
 Mercies were regarded not, 
 
 Judgment* came my soul to try, 
 But in a moment were forgot, 
 
 And left me still to vanity. 
 
 Bat the spirit showed at last 
 
 All the strictness of the Law, 
 And as its mirror o'er me pass'd, 
 
 My bean's depravity I saw. 
 Then my soul, in deep despair, 
 
 Felt within the rankling dart ;
 
 238 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 But Jesus pluck'd it out with care, 
 
 And gave a renovated heart. 
 What I loved and sought before, 
 
 Pleases me no longer now ; 
 But at the cross my prayers I pour, 
 
 At my Savior's feet I bow. 
 
 In the year 1846, the small band of Presby- 
 terians at Jacksonville, being without a minis- 
 ter, were under the necessity of a conditional 
 sale of their place of worship to the Methodists. 
 Captain Congar had paid nearly three hundred 
 dollars toward its erection, and it was a grief 
 of mind to have to sell it, although to another 
 evangelical society, who proffered them the use 
 of it for public services at all times when a 
 Presbyterian minister should be present. With 
 a practical energy and zeal seldom evinced 
 by one of his years, he now set about obtain- 
 ing materials for building a small session and 
 conference house on a lot of ground belonging 
 to himself, for the purpose of holding prayer- 
 meetings or other religious services when they 
 should have a minister. To this end he solic- 
 ited aid from friends in the North, and the fol- 
 lowing letters were written in that quest and 
 in acknowledgment of donations. 
 
 " Jacksonville (E. F.), January 12th, 1847. 
 " MY DEAR AND BELOVED SlSTER, 1 Wrote
 
 LETTERS SOLICITING BENEVOLENCE. 239 
 
 you on the first of December principally on a 
 matter in which I have felt a deep interest. 
 From the time I became acquainted with this 
 place and with this people, it has been my con- 
 stant study how, in what way, and when might 
 means be obtained for the purpose of putting 
 up a suitable building for the use of the Church 
 I mean, where Christians of all evangelical de- 
 nominations could meet together to make their 
 common supplications to the God of all mercy 
 and grace, that he would be pleased to stop the 
 flood-gates of vice and iniquity among us, pour 
 out his Spirit, and revive his work in our parts. 
 In the solemn and regular attendance of the 
 followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 
 a spirit of union and good feeling has often been 
 witnessed, and we trust the prayers and praises 
 of the people of God have been heard and an- 
 swered. When I came to this place, it might 
 well be called a sink of vice and open wicked- 
 ness. Through the mercy and gracious inter- 
 position of the Great Head of the Church, vice 
 and immorality have now received a check 
 which I trust will continue ; and could we get 
 through and finish the building we have now 
 under way, I hope a lasting blessing will yet 
 arise to this community, which will continue 
 when you and I have done with this world.
 
 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 "Dear sister, I feel and am persuaded that 
 it becomes us to work while the day lasts, for 
 the night cometh when no man can work. I 
 find myself failing in bodily strength, conse- 
 quently I can do but little for the Church or for 
 the world. My day is over for much effort in 
 any case, yet I aim to do something for genera- 
 tions to come. I have a little property, a part 
 of which I have consecrated for the service of 
 God my Creator, preserver, and glorious Re- 
 deemer. It is indeed but little that I can do, 
 but if this little be accepted, owned, and blessed, 
 my desires will be granted. The building I am 
 now erecting will seat between sixty and sev- 
 enty persons, and is in a convenient part of the 
 town ; and we have reason to expect that when 
 it is opened for worship, in a short time every 
 seat will be occupied. My object, therefore, in 
 writing you at this time is to solicit aid to help 
 me through with this business. I can not ob- 
 tain the aid which is needed in this place ; and 
 though you have manifested your good-will al- 
 ready, I hope you will respond to my request. 
 It is not likely that either of us will need this 
 world's goods much longer ; and did I feel at 
 perfect liberty to sell a portion of my property, 
 I should at once do it, and devote the same to 
 the purposes of religion and education here.
 
 BECOMING GRATITUDE REVEALED. 241 
 
 But your generosity and that of other friends, 
 on whom I throw myself, may render it unnec- 
 essary. Confidently commending my request 
 to you, and you to Him who loveth and who 
 will bless the cheerful giver, I remain your sin- 
 cere and affectionate brother, 
 
 " OBADIAH CONOAR." 
 
 "Jacksonrille, February 9th, 1847. 
 
 " MY DEAR SISTER, The receipt of a letter 
 from our mutual friend, Mr. Woodruff, inform- 
 ing me that you had handed him thirty dollars 
 as a contribution toward putting up a small 
 place of worship which I am going on with, to- 
 gether with the advice that our female relative 
 and friend Mrs. G. had also handed him five 
 dollars for the same purpose, could not fail to 
 produce emotions of gratitude to God our heav- 
 enly Father for his kind interposition in putting 
 such thoughts of pious benevolence into the 
 hearts of my dear friends at such a distance 
 from me/ And you, my dear sister, have pe- 
 culiar claims of gratitude on my part, not sim- 
 ply for this act of liberality, but for the uni- 
 form and constant regard which you have man- 
 ifested toward me ever since our first acquaint- 
 ance. 
 
 "ft is with much pleasure I reflect on the 
 
 Q
 
 242 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 relation which we hold to each other, and es- 
 pecially that relation which I trust will remain 
 when time shall be no more. Give my sincere 
 thanks to Mrs. G. for her precious gift, which 
 will do much toward aiding me in completing 
 the work I have undertaken. For your infor- 
 mation, as well as for others who may take an 
 interest in the cause of religion in Jacksonville, 
 I would state, that the building is now under 
 cover and the glass in, and I have the satisfac- 
 tion to say that my neighbors, and others friend- 
 ly to religious institutions, think the house well 
 adapted to the purposes for which it has been 
 erected, namely, for holding social prayer-meet- 
 ings in. 
 
 " For want of a suitable place to hold such 
 meetings, the numbers who have attended for 
 the last two years past have been very small. 
 One of the evil consequences of holding prayer- 
 meetings in a private house is, that the indi- 
 viduals who come together on these occasions 
 are mostly of the same class. In the public 
 place of worship none will be shut out. But 
 now, dear sister, don't feel as though you had 
 nothing more to do, but, I beseech you, plead 
 most fervently that the blessing of the God of 
 Israel may descend upon this weak and feeble 
 institution, that the hearts of all who may at-
 
 THE PILGRIM LOOKING BACK OVER LIFE. 243 
 
 tend may be united together in love, and that 
 the spirit of grace may enlighten the minds of 
 the unregenerate, and stir up Christians of all 
 denominations to more active zeal and engaged- 
 ness in the cause of their Lord and Master; 
 and oh, remember your unworthy brother and 
 his companion, that she too may become a hum- 
 ble follower of the Lord Jesus. You are aware 
 that we have lived together over fifty-one years, 
 and yet I fear she is a stranger to true relig- 
 ion. In the course of nature, it can not be that 
 we shall much longer abide together in this 
 earthly tent. May we only be fitted to live and 
 reign together with Christ in glory. Separa- 
 tion for eternity would be sad indeed, and yet 
 is there not reason to fear that will be, unless 
 we both have the uniting bond to Christ ? For 
 myself, it is a pleasant thought that my time 
 here can be but short. Life I am not weary 
 of, but I often long to be with Jesus. 
 
 1 1 BID my hoars to hasten on, 
 That I may be where Christ has gone ; 
 With him I long in heaven to meet, 
 To pay my honors at his feet 
 Oh thou blesa'd Savior ! thon dost see 
 How sad my heart, when far from thee ! 
 Though here on earth thy love I share, 
 Yet I had rather see thee there.
 
 244 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 Thou said'st, before thy feet were set 
 Upon their march from Olivet, 
 What time the clouds and heavens of light 
 Received thee from the gazer's sight, 
 That thou didst go, that there might be 
 A place prepared for us and Thee. 
 Oh, fit me for that dwelling-place, 
 Where I shall see thee face to face."
 
 THE LOO OF LIFE WRITTEN UP. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CLOSING YEARS, DEATH, AND RETROSPECT OP 
 CHARACTER. 
 
 JOT, joy to the soul that is ripe for ascending 
 
 If hope be the star that enlightens death's vale; 
 For why should we keep it from joys never ending, 
 
 To tenant this mansion of weeping and wail f 
 Its stains, wash'd away by the fall crimson gashes 
 
 From the woanded Redeemer, no longer remain ; 
 On the wings of an angel to heaven it rashes, 
 
 To be happy forever, and ever to reign. 
 
 The Departing Christian. 
 
 PORT is almost gained ; the voyage of life is 
 well-nigh up ; the Christian mariner's Snug 
 Harbor is nearly entered; eternal glory opens 
 to the view ; 
 
 Christian, cast anchor now, 
 Heaven is thy home. 
 
 We have followed the thread of this autobiog- 
 raphy till it is all but spent, carefully unravel- 
 ing and winding it off at intervals, and weaving 
 it up with an appropriate woof into the tissue 
 of this book. But little remains to complete 
 our fabric and lift it from the loom. The two 
 last years of Captain Congar's life, although he 
 continued in active business, were, on the whole,
 
 246 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 composed and peaceful above any that had gone 
 before. At the close of his seventy-eighth year 
 we find him making this cheerful entry in his 
 journal : 
 
 " I record this day that the same Good Hand 
 which has taken care of me through childhood, 
 youth, and riper age, has carried me deep into 
 the vale of years, even to the closing day of the 
 seventy-eighth year of my life. And here I 
 would express my gratitude to my Almighty 
 Preserver and Benefactor that I have wanted 
 for no good thing. My general health through 
 the year has been better than for some years 
 past, and no evil has befallen me or any of my 
 family, except that my wife has lost the sight, 
 in a great degree, of her right eye. We, how- 
 ever, have abundant reason to be thankful, none 
 to complain. Why, but of his sovereign grace, 
 has He so highly favored us !" 
 
 O, to grace how great a debtor, 
 
 Daily I'm constrain'd to be ! 
 Let that grace now, like a fetter, 
 
 Bind my wandering soul to thee. 
 
 " How does it now become me more than 
 ever to consecrate all my faculties and days that 
 remain to my God and Redeemer. Oh, how 
 poor a return for all his goodness ! Had I a 
 thousand lives to live, and a thousand hearts to
 
 THE ONLY PILOT IN THE SOUL's NAVIGATION. 247 
 
 give, they should be all devoted to him. But 
 'tis only this one poor offering I can now make." 
 
 Here, Lord, I give myself away ! 
 'Tis all that I can do. 
 
 " June 27th, 1847. To-day begins the eight- 
 ieth year of my earthly pilgrimage. How 
 strange that I should have navigated so long 
 without shipwreck that stormy sea of life on 
 which millions of barks, freighted with immortal- 
 ity, that sailed with me, have long since found- 
 ered ! When I ask, why is it so, my heart re- 
 plies, not for any thing in me, but 'Even so, 
 Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' My 
 Savior has been at the helm." 
 
 He is my Pilot wise ; 
 
 My compaM if his word ; 
 My soul all storms defies, 
 
 While I have such a Lord ! 
 I trust his faithfulness and power, 
 To save me in the trying hour. 
 
 " Hitherto the Lord hath helped me ; my 
 shortcomings and his long-suffering have gone 
 together until now; but methinks my heart 
 hopes and resolves to be his entirely henceforth 
 and forever. God has not only kept the taper 
 of my life burning so long, but he has spared 
 my family to me another year, and the health 
 of us all has been far better than we could have
 
 248 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAK. 
 
 expected. My life in the retrospect looks black 
 as ever, but so does the grace of Christ look 
 brighter than ever, and therefore I do not de- 
 spair and moan as I once did. For one thought 
 to myself, I now, like holy Baxter, give many 
 thoughts to my adorable Savior, for in him is 
 all my comfort and peace. ' God is in Christ 
 reconciling the world to himself, not imputing 
 their trespasses to them? and here is encour- 
 agement enough, together with that blessed 
 word, ' Him that' cometh unto me I will in no 
 wise cast outj for trembling sinners like me 
 every where to lay hold of. But ah ! the un- 
 belief that hangs so heavy, and makes us slow 
 of heart to embrace the encouragements held 
 out to us in the promises. How many pious 
 souls go mourning without cause all their days, 
 as I have done till near fourscore ; not so much 
 mourning for their sins, as that they find so 
 little comfort in religion, when they are all the 
 time looking into themselves for grounds of 
 comfort in their exercises and acts, instead of 
 looking aloft to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only 
 possible ground of true comfort to a sin-sorrow- 
 ing soul. Oh ! had I learned this secret earlier 
 of looking always to Jesus, how much more I 
 should have enjoyed ; how much happier I might 
 have been as a Christian all my days. I have
 
 THE SECRET OF HOLINESS LEARNED. 240 
 
 found it to be only union with Christ by faith, 
 and a constant recollection of him as a present 
 Savior, that can keep the soul happy by keep- 
 ing it from sin." 
 
 Oh, sacrel onion with the Perfect Mind .' 
 
 Transcendent bliss, which thou alone canst give ! 
 
 How bless'd are they this pearl of price who find, 
 And, dead to earth, have learned in thee to live. 
 
 Thus, in thine arms of love, oh God, I lie, 
 
 Now and forever lost to all bat thee ; 
 My happy soul, since it hath learn'd to die, 
 
 Hath found new life in thine infinity. 
 
 Ob, go and learn this leason of the Cross, 
 And tread the way which saints and prophets trod, 
 
 Who, counting life, and self, and all things lost, 
 Have found in inward death the life of God. 
 
 " October 14, 1847. The return of this day 
 reminds me of my narrow escape from drown- 
 ing fifty years ago, through the mercy of God, 
 while the ship I was attached to lay at Canton. 
 How vivid is the remembrance of it, although 
 my heart is not so deeply affected at this dis- 
 tance by calling to mind the goodness of my 
 Almighty Deliverer in this instance as it ought 
 to be. Ease did soon recant vows made in 
 pain, but it was not forgotten, nor its effect 
 wholly lost as a part of my heavenly Father's 
 discipline to bring me to himself. * He it was
 
 250 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 that took me and drew me out of many waters, 
 and saved me for his mercy's sake.' " 
 
 'Tis to his power I owe my breath, 
 And all my near escapes from death. 
 
 The following extracts from a letter dated at 
 Jacksonville, November 25th, 1847, furnish the 
 only remaining personal and domestic items to 
 be recorded of Captain Congar's residence and 
 employments in Florida : 
 
 " DEAR AND BELOVED SISTER, My heart has 
 been inditing you a letter for some weeks past, 
 and I must begin with what my heart is full 
 of, the goodness of God. My Mary and I, Dar- 
 by and Joan like, are sitting together in our 
 little dining-room. And, first, I desire to be 
 thankful to Almighty God, our heavenly Fa- 
 ther, for his protecting care over us, and the 
 numerous and unmerited favors which we have, 
 through all our journeyings by sea and by land, 
 received at his gracious hand. And it especial- 
 ly becomes us on this day, which has been rec- 
 ommended by the governor of this state to be 
 observed by all its citizens as a day of public 
 thanksgiving for all the mercies which a gra- 
 cious Providence has bestowed on us as a young 
 member of the great confederacy, and for the 
 blessings heaped upon our whole land as a peo-
 
 COMPORTS OP A LIFE IN FLORIDA. 251 
 
 pie I say, then, on this occasion, we are called 
 upon to record on our hearts the goodness of 
 God in bringing us thus far on the journey of 
 life, even to advanced age, and still rendering 
 our circumstances in life far more comfortable 
 than with millions as good or better than we. 
 We have a convenient dwelling, situated about 
 one hundred and eighty yards from the River 
 St. John's, with the beef and fish market in full 
 view from our house, and the same distance 
 from it. The market-bell is always rung to 
 notify when either of the above articles are for 
 sale. Our market has generally been well sup- 
 plied with both these necessaries at very cheap 
 prices. We get the best cut of the hind quar- 
 ter, whether for steaks or roasting, at six and a 
 quarter cents per pound, and we can rarely 
 consume six and a quarter cents' worth of ex- 
 cellent fish for dinner. We purchase the best 
 kind of wood at two dollars and fifty cents per 
 cord, delivered at our yard. Vegetables, the 
 growth of the country, are scarce, except sweet 
 potatoes, now thirty-seven and a half cents per 
 bushel. Our family numbers only three, viz., 
 Mary, myself, and our domestic, named Lydia, 
 now about fifty years of age. 
 
 " Our expenses would be within our income, 
 were it not for the large outlay of our yearly
 
 252 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 travel North. We have a competence, and with 
 that are content. He, I know, who feeds the 
 young ravens when they cry, will supply me 
 and mine with all things needful as long as we 
 shall want. But, if it would not be inconsist- 
 ent to desire more, I would that I had it, in or- 
 der to do more for the support of the Gospel, 
 and the religious institutions in this section of 
 our country. As a little family, we get along 
 very quietly together. We seldom exchange 
 visits except with a few particular friends. Our 
 habits have become quite domestic. This is 
 true of us all ; even our servant seems to have 
 taken a pattern by us in these respects. We 
 perceive a great alteration in her habits for the 
 better. 
 
 " I will now turn my thoughts a little on the 
 state of religion in this community, and its at- 
 tending privileges. I believe that I have already 
 apprised you that the Presbyterian clergyman 
 who had been sent here by the Presbytery of 
 Georgia left us twelve months ago last April, 
 since which we have had no minister of our own 
 denomination with us except a few Sabbaths. 
 The Presbytery of Georgia signified to us more 
 than a year since that they could not find a 
 man to send us, adding, at the same time, that 
 there are now more than six hundred organized
 
 ITEMS OF CHURCH HISTORY. 25& 
 
 churches nnder the care of the Board of Mis- 
 sions for which they were not able to furnish 
 pastors. When I received this information, I 
 was compelled to draw the conclusion that our 
 case was hopeless. The discouraging state- 
 ments of the Presbytery and of the Board of 
 Missions in Philadelphia led us to the determ- 
 ination to sell the Church property to the Meth- 
 odist Society. This measure I now fully ap- 
 prove, and am satisfied that the result has been 
 favorable both toward uniting Christians of dif- 
 ferent denominations in their feelings, and in 
 their efforts to promote religion among us. 
 
 The state of things in these respects is far bet- 
 ter than it has been at any time since I became 
 a resident here. These are the outward advan- 
 tages, then, which the whole community have 
 obtained by the purchase of the Baptist church 
 by myself and two other Presbyterians, which 
 we did to save it from falling into the hands of 
 worldly men to speculate upon, or use for sec- 
 ular purposes. And then, again, for want of 
 sufficient aid to support a minister and to keep 
 the building from decay, we were obliged to 
 transfer the property to the Methodist people. 
 All this has been (I consider) providential, and 
 was well done on our part, for we have secured 
 for this people a convenient house of worship,
 
 254 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 which might not have been the case otherwise. 
 It is true I was necessarily obliged to advance 
 myself more than two hundred dollars toward 
 the purchase of the building, but this amount, 
 together with what I collected when in New 
 York, and the donations so liberally and timely 
 forwarded us by yourself and cousin, have put 
 it in my power to erect a convenient and suit- 
 able building for the purpose of holding a week- 
 ly prayer-meeting in, where we unite with our 
 brethren of other denominations for worship. 
 I contemplate making a deed of this property 
 to the Churches. I am further happy to say 
 that the Methodist minister who labors among 
 us has done much to raise the standard of re- 
 ligion and Christian fellowship, and has been 
 the means of calling out many to attend relig- 
 ious services who heretofore have stood aloof 
 from the house of worship. The seats being 
 free, the rich and poor meet together. With 
 respect to my own religious feelings, exercises, 
 hopes, and expectations, I would only remark 
 that, on the whole, I trust I possess a more 
 abiding sense of my unworthiness and insuffi- 
 ciency, and that I wait with a comfortable as- 
 surance of eternal life, only through the unmer- 
 ited mercy of God in Christ Jesus, the great 
 Redeemer.
 
 VIEWS Ot PASSING EVENTS. 255 
 
 " A few thoughts concerning the present ca- 
 lamity with which as a nation we are sorely chas- 
 tised I mean, the war now going on between 
 our government and the republic of Mexico. I 
 profess not to be a prophet ; yet I did firmly 
 believe that, should Texas be annexed to the 
 United States, it would certainly result in a 
 war with Mexico. I mentioned this my full 
 persuasion to numbers around me ; and, besides, 
 I could not fall in with the policy of our gov- 
 ernment in seeking to extend our territory so 
 far, believing that, even if this new state should 
 be added by mutual agreement, as well of Mex- 
 ico as of Texas, that even then we should only 
 involve ourselves with new cares and difficul- 
 ties, which could never be balanced by any ad- 
 vantages to be gained. But when we reflect 
 upon the horrors occasioned by this impolitic 
 step ; when we reflect upon the increase of vice 
 and immorality which prevails when men are 
 congregated together by thousands, destitute of 
 the restraints of religion, and far from the so- 
 ciety of the good and virtuous, what can we 
 expect. But the melancholy loss of life and the 
 sorrows of the sick and wounded make up a 
 dreadful tale of woe. We know, to be sure, 
 that God can overrule all these awful events 
 for the advancement of his kingdom in this
 
 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 world ; but man meaneth not so. It is my 
 consolation that God reigns, and that his king- 
 dom is yet visibly coming on earth. We and 
 our nation are in the hands of the All-mighty 
 and All-wise. He will do with us and for us 
 that which is best and for his own glory. To 
 Him be endless praises. Amen." 
 
 During the year 1848, the last of Captain 
 Congar's mortal life, there are but two scraps 
 of autobiographical annals which reflect any 
 light upon his experience and habits as a man 
 of God. The first is at the opening of the year ; 
 the second, as usual, on the anniversary of his 
 birth. 
 
 " January 2d, 1848. Not one day have I seen 
 from my earliest recollection but what I have 
 been called upon to acknowledge the good hand 
 of my God. But especially at the commence- 
 ment of a new year is it both a duty and a joy 
 to raise a pillar of gratitude to the Lord's good- 
 ness. On this occasion I would notice with 
 thankfulness the kindness of my heavenly Fa- 
 ther in bringing me low and then raising me 
 up. The Psalmist says, ' I was brought low, 
 and He helped me ;' and my experience has 
 been his over again. In the month of July I 
 had a severe return of dyspepsy ; but my af- 
 fliction was short; I was soon restored, and
 
 HOW TO BE YOUNG WHEN OLD. 257 
 
 have been favored with better health than I had 
 known for some time ; and I have found by ex- 
 perience that strict temperance in eating, as 
 well as drinking, is essential to good health. I 
 am therefore resolved more than ever to attend 
 to this lesson, since the doing of all in my pow- 
 er for the maintenance of body and mind in 
 vigor while I remain below is a doty I owe 
 both to God and to my fellow-men." 
 
 Master, I own thy lawful claim, 
 Thine, wholly thine, I long to be ! 
 
 Thou seeat at last I willing am, 
 
 Where'er thou goest, to follow thee : 
 
 Myself in all things to deny; 
 
 Thine, only thine, to live and die. 
 
 Whate'er my sinful flesh requires, 
 
 For thee I cheerfully forego ; 
 My covetous and vain desires, 
 
 My hopes of happiness below ; 
 My senses' and my passions' food, 
 And. all my thirst for creature good. 
 
 Pleasure, and wealth, and praise no more 
 
 Shall lead my captive soul astray ; 
 My fond pursuits I all give o'er, 
 
 Thee, only thee, resolv'd t' obey : 
 My own in all things to resign, 
 And know no other will but thine. 
 
 " It is easy, comparatively, for an old man 
 like me to adopt this. Oh, that I had been all 
 this from my earliest days! What but grace 
 R
 
 258 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 did keep me from ruin by my sins in early life! 
 I am a wonder to myself, my lamp of life hold- 
 ing out so long. I stand a monument of the 
 Divine mercy ; and I would have my epitaph, 
 
 A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE. 
 
 " June 29th, 1848. Day before yesterday 
 was the birth-day of my eighty-first year. I 
 try in vain to realize that I have lived so long, 
 that I have been so many years a fixture in this 
 changing world, outliving almost all that began 
 with me the race of life. I often wonder why 
 it is that the most unworthy of my father's 
 house should be spared the longest. All my 
 brothers, one of them younger than I, have 
 years ago gone down to the tomb, while I still 
 enjoy a good degree of health, though subject 
 to the infirmities of age, and at times feeling 
 great weakness of body, especially in my knees. 
 But I have every thing to be grateful for, both 
 as regards my spiritual and my temporal con- 
 dition. In general, I have been favored of late 
 years with a comfortable hope, which I trust is 
 spiritual, that, whenever it shall please God to 
 call me away from this sublunary scene, I shall 
 be permitted to meet again with many dear 
 friends who have gone to heaven before me, and, 
 above all, to see His face who died for the sins
 
 CALM OUTLOOK UPON THE FUTURE. 259 
 
 of many, and now reigns in glory. Till I get 
 to the mansion which He has prepared for all 
 those who love Him, may I, by walking daily 
 with God as Enoch did, recommend my relig- 
 ion to all with whom I have to do, and be ena- 
 bled to bear up under all the troubles of this 
 mortal life with a holy confidence in the truth 
 and faithfulness of my covenant God and Fa- 
 ther, through the intercession of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Amen and Amen." 
 
 Heav'n is my bouse and portion fair ; 
 My treasure and my heart are there. 
 
 And my abiding home : 
 For me my elder brethren stay, 
 And angeU beckon me away, 
 
 And Jesus bids me come. 
 
 I go, thy sen-ant, Lord, replies; 
 I go to meet thee in the skies, 
 
 And claim my heavenly rest : 
 Now let the pilgrim's journey end ; 
 Now, O my Savior, Brother, Friend, 
 
 Receive me to thy breast ! 
 
 The personal memorials of our pilgrim-mar- 
 iner are now ended, and it remains only briefly 
 to record the manner of his death, and to present 
 a short synopsis of his character and virtues as 
 viewed by his friends and gathered from the 
 foregoing annals. The same summer with the 
 last date above, he visited the North, as it was
 
 260 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 his custom to do ; and, although his aspect of 
 health and activity was the general remark of 
 his friends, the impression was fixed upon his 
 own mind that this visit was to be his last. 
 While in the city of New York, he was seized 
 suddenly with erysipelas, on Thursday, Sep- 
 tember 14th, and died the next week on Friday. 
 Almost simultaneously with the setting in 
 of the disease, his brain was so affected that he 
 was thought to be sensible at only two short 
 intervals of time. His constitution was one in 
 which the sympathy was more immediate and 
 apparent than in the majority of cases between 
 the body and mind, and thence probably the li- 
 ability which we have observed to great depres- 
 sion when his health was at all impaired during 
 his lifetime. In his sickness he appeared not 
 to suffer pain, the dread of which was one of 
 his peculiarities in health. His final exit was 
 easy, and he passed into peace. In the lines 
 of his favorite, Charles Wesley, 
 
 The voyage of life 's at an end, 
 
 The mortal affliction is past, 
 The age that in heaven he'll speud 
 
 Forever and ever shall last. 
 
 His funeral took place in Newark, New Jersey, 
 and his remains were, conveyed to the first Pres- 
 byterian church burying-ground by a large con-
 
 UKLINEATION OF CHARACTER. 261 
 
 course of attached friends and relatives, there 
 
 to Wait THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST. 
 
 Beet, Christian, rest ! thy warfare is done, 
 
 Thou host fought the good fight, and the victory won. 
 
 In making out a brief synopsis of the char- 
 aoter developed in the foregoing autobiography 
 and memorial*, and as it appeared to the eyes 
 of friends, we are reminded of the remark of 
 Wordsworth, that the character of a deceased 
 friend or beloved kinsman ought not to be seen 
 otherwise than as a tree through a tender haze 
 or luminous mist, that spiritualizes and beau- 
 tifies it ; that takes away, indeed, but only to 
 the end that the parts not abstracted may ap- 
 pear more dignified and lovely, may impress 
 and affect the more. 
 
 Let us, then, concisely sketch that character 
 as it is given by friends that knew its virtues, 
 and were not blind to its faults. 1. His man- 
 ners. He was polite in his intercourse with all : 
 his words and ways were marked by a gentle- 
 manly civility and kindness. He was obliging, 
 affectionate, social, and sympathizing outward- 
 ly, because within there was the frank, noble 
 heart of a true Christian sailor, which was ever 
 ready to recognize a brother in a fellow-man. 
 In his dress, also, and personal appearance he
 
 202 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 was scrupulously neat and decorous, even to 
 ripe fourscore. 
 
 2. Integrity of character and benevolence. 
 Those who knew him little, trusted him, and 
 those who knew him best were never disap- 
 pointed or deceived in this sterling virtue. He 
 had that conscientious regard for his word and 
 for the interests of others that always belongs 
 to an upright mind, and that carries conviction 
 of it to others. As commander of a ship, and 
 intrusted by his employers with lives and prop- 
 erty, he secured their highest confidence, and 
 was no less beloved and trusted by his men. 
 Always unassuming and unaspiring, others 
 thought far more of his faithfulness than he did 
 of himself. 
 
 As a merchant, his honesty far surpassed the 
 standard of the present day. Exact in busi- 
 ness fulfilling all engagements and promises 
 his word was uniformly regarded as truth. It 
 was a rule with him never to purchase an arti- 
 cle of merchandise that he knew was not good, 
 and never to sell an article for what he knew 
 it was not ; and hece it followed that the poor 
 man, the slave, and all who traded with him, 
 held him in so high esteem and affection. The 
 grand principle that regulated his conduct was 
 of divine origin : " All things whatsoever yo
 
 HIS INTEGRITY AND BENEVOLENCE. 263 
 
 would that men should do to you, do ye even 
 so to them." A' reasonable profit was all that 
 he would have, although often he might have 
 had more, and under circumstances in which 
 the most of men would have taken more. He 
 has therefore left behind him a savor of honesty, 
 integrity, and singleness of purpose wherever 
 he went, that is his best eulogium. 
 
 This implies, also, benevolence, which shone 
 in him brightly as a trait of character, both in 
 large matters and in small, making him kind 
 to the poor and friendless, and generous, up to 
 his ability, to every good cause. Although 
 heavily drawn upon at home, he was always 
 giving to the great benevolent objects of the 
 day. The ground for a session-house at Jack- 
 sonville he gave outright, and erected the build- 
 ing upon it. One of his last acts before he left 
 the place was to give a deed to the Presbyterian 
 Church, conveying all his interest in the build- 
 ing and land. Impressed with the uncertainty 
 of life, when about to leave for his last visit to 
 the North, and when urged by friends not to 
 trouble himself about it, he refused to leave till 
 he had effected the conveyance. He was a lib- 
 eral contributor to the Seamen's Friend Society 
 and to the American Board, and the final dispos- 
 al of his property by will is to those societies.
 
 264 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 3. His Christian principle and piety. On ship 
 and shore, wherever he went, on deck or port, 
 he made himself known as a Christian, and it 
 was seen that he loved and was not ashamed 
 of THE FRIEND OF SINNERS. We have learned 
 by the foregoing memorials how he made it a 
 matter of conscience neither to leave port nor 
 to make sail on the Sabbath. He was deemed 
 a favorite of Providence, and his scruples never 
 cost him a berth, or even at all endangered his 
 discharge, for it used to be said among owners 
 that a special superintending Providence al- 
 ways took care of him and his ship. 
 
 It has been seen that his piety was an active 
 and working piety, and how carefully he looked 
 after the religious interests of his men at sea, 
 and of his neighbors on the land. As to his 
 own personal enjoyment of religion, for a large 
 part of his life he was what is called a doubting 
 Christian, owing chiefly to constitutional pecu- 
 liarities. Like truly modest persons always, 
 he thought less favorably of his own piety than 
 others did. But it will have been observed 
 with pleasure by the sympathizing reader how 
 it assumed a more cheerful aspect, and a tone 
 of greater assurance, as his pilgrimage drew to 
 a close. 
 
 4. His end. His sun grew larger at its
 
 HIS LIFE A PROPHECY OF HIS END. 2G5 
 
 setting, and his evidences and hope of heaven 
 became brighter as his shadow fell longer on 
 the plain of life. Friends noted the change, 
 and admired in him the grace of the Redeemer 
 ripening him for glory. When at length ho 
 was gathered, it was as a shock of corn fully 
 ripe in its season. Grace had gone so far in 
 its work of renovation as to correct natural cor- 
 ruptions, acidity, and bitterness, 
 
 " And lay the pallia of peevish nature even ;" 
 
 and, though neither eminently great, or wise 
 or lovely, he was, notwithstanding, greatly be- 
 loved by the friends who knew him, and they 
 are confident he has entered into the joy of the 
 Lord. " A man's way is declarative of his end." 
 " MARK THE PERFECT, AND DKHOLD THE UPRIGHT, 
 FOR THE END OF THAT MAN IS PEACE." 
 
 May the earnest minds of both landsmen and 
 mariners, who shall have been induced to follow 
 us through these simple memorials, be emulous 
 of the virtues and wary of the faults herein 
 portrayed ; and when our voyage of life is over, 
 and friends lay us in the narrow house appoint- 
 ed for all the living, may it bo said of each 
 friendly reader of these annals, with as much 
 confidence as it could be spoken of their sub- 
 ject,
 
 266 CAPTAIN OBADIAH CONGAR. 
 
 HE has gone into peace ; he has laid him down 
 To sleep till the dawn of a brighter day : 
 
 Aiid he shall awake on that holy morn, 
 When sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 
 
 THE END.
 
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 KINGS AND QUEENS; 
 
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