CHAPTER II. Foreign Service.
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CHAPTER II.
Foreign Service.
Sails for America--Conversion--Captain Hedley Vicars--Dr Twining --Sunday-school Teacher.
"In the golden lightning
Of the sunken sun,
O'er which clouds are bright'ning,
Thou dost float and run,
Like an embodied joy whose race is just begun."
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CHAPTER II.
OVER the sea! over the sea! How exhilarating the thrill of a brave young spirit, borne away in all its ardent thirst for adventure to a new land of enterprise! The ship that carries the young hero to the scene of his struggles and triumphs seems to share his enthusiasm, and to fly over the waters as though she would outrun even his eager anticipation.
Thus it was with Marjouram, as, on, the 9th of April 1851, he set sail for Halifax with his company. Their vessel was the Birkenhead, soon afterwards lost at the Cape of Good Hope with four hundred lives. They landed after a rough passage of twenty-one days. He was at once employed as servant to Lieutenant G-----, and remained in that situation until the October following, when he was again appointed acting bombardier. But let us return to his diary:--
"Since I have been in Halifax' he writes, "I have ceased to be an habitual drunkard; but still my mind was unchanged until March 1852, when it pleased the Lord to alarm my guilty soul, and to shew me that I was under the curse of the law. Terror took hold upon me; I felt that
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my condemnation was just, and a fearful doom seemed to await me. How unsearchable are the ways of God! He might have said, 'Let him alone; he is joined to his idols;' but no, a Saviour's pardoning love was offered even to me; and the instrumentality employed in my conversion was one for which many have, and I trust will have throughout eternity, abundant cause to praise God.
"About this time, in answer to the prayers of a few of God's faithful followers, a gracious revival had begun in the Wesleyan Church. Aged sinners cried aloud under the spirit of conviction; and many who had long borne the name of Christians (but were at ease in Zion) were alarmed and constrained to join the general prayer. And possibly ministers themselves received such a manifestation of God's blessed Spirit as armed them anew for their Master's cause. Among those who at this time received pardon and grace was a serjeant belonging to my company, whose name was Thompson. He had long been an enemy to anything like religion, and might (except myself) have been the last that was likely to have been led to a pardoning God. But the Lord opened his eyes and gave him faith, and he believed to the saving of his soul. This happy man, having experienced the joys of the new birth and the happiness of being a child of God, felt it to be his duty to persuade others to become partakers of this great salvation. I, was an object of his daily solicitude, and was prevailed upon to attend evening meetings. The first time I went, I felt ashamed to mingle with those in the body of the chapel, so I stole into the gallery, and
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CONVERSION.
there, unseen by mortal eye, I listened to the invitation given by the ministers to come to Christ. Oh! what a struggle there was between the strivings of God's Spirit and the carnal affections of my mind. I felt fully condemned; but the thought of meeting with my old companions as a disciple of Christ had almost sealed my doom, when, by an influence which I could not control, I was constrained to take the decisive step. I cast myself at the feet of Jesus, and pleaded for mercy and deliverance from the distracted state into which my soul was plunged. How long I remained here I cannot tell, but when I ventured to look up, the chapel was nearly empty, and only one or two ministers were standing by me. I cannot say I experienced any excessive joy on rising from my knees, yet I felt like a man who knows that he is safe in time of danger. But Satan did not seem willing to part with his prey so easily. He stormed, and tossed my poor soul about in such a manner, that I could have almost wished for death rather than life. But the next morning, a peace beyond expression had settled in my mind and heart. I felt, of a truth, the Spirit bearing me witness that I was a child of God. My companions soon discovered the change, and, for about six months, did all they could to perplex and annoy me; but, blessed be God! I was not only enabled to return good for evil, but even rejoiced in doing it. Soon was the wrath of man turned to God's praise; for I remember, on one occasion, about six months after my conversion, I was on my knees in a barrack-room, surrounded by about ten or eleven men. During
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the time I was engaged, in prayer their curses were fearful; but I was strengthened to pray for them, and felt little disturbance. The next morning, one of these very men came to me and said, 'Bombardier, I hope you will forgive me for disturbing you last night; oh! I would give anything if I were like you!'"
In writing to his mother, the first time after his conversion, he says--
"And now, dear mother, 1 I have something to tell you which will greatly please you. I do not know if you have been praying to God to turn our hearts; if you have, your prayers have been heard. Catherine and myself have joined God's people, and we hope God will strengthen us with faith to walk in His ways; and if we are not to see you again on earth, I trust that we shall meet in heaven."
His second letter, dated 28th April 1852, shews a decided growth in grace:--
"DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER, --I received your letter in due time, and was glad to hear that you are all well, as (thanks be to the Lord!) we are at present. Blessed be His name! we grow in grace, and in the fear of our God every day. We see that we have been sinful creatures, and that we stood on the brink of destruction; but it has pleased the Lord to turn our hearts from sin, and to incline us to praise His most holy name. Oh, what a happy thing it is to say that we have the Lord on our side. We
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CAPTAIN HEDLEY VICARS.
stand in His fear, and we acknowledge Him as our God. He is our hope, and refuge, and consolation whenever we are in trouble. Oh, mother, if you could but imagine my feelings when I look around and see so many of my comrades living in darkness. Oh, that I could but see them turn unto the Lord! I have only one friend (a serjeant) to whom I can confide my joys and feelings. I allude to him who took Catherine and myself to the house of prayer, who told me of the love of God to His people, and whom I shall remember and bless as long as I live. Our time is spent very happily. I wish you were here to join us when we return thanks to God for His mercies towards us."
At this time he joined the Bible-class held by Dr Twining, in which so many officers, non-commissioned-officers, and men, received most valuable instruction from that eminent Christian. In a letter written from New Zealand, in July 1858, to a dear friend in Woolwich, he says:--
"Do you know that Captain Hedley Vicars and myself used to meet in the prayer-meetings in Halifax? That Bible-class of Dr Twining's, too, I know; and remember almost every meeting Captain (then lieutenant and adjutant) Vicars attended, from the time he gave his heart to God. Even the six o'clock prayer-meeting he mentions that he attended on Sunday morning, I, too, was there, and, in fact, it was the first place in which I ever heard him pray. I came home from America in the same vessel with him (the Simoom), but after we landed at Deal I
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heard no more of him until his fate became known to the world so you may think how much I value the written life of this good soldier; would to God the army were full of such men!"
He often spoke of the sound advice given in the Bible-class by this eminently godly man, with whom he soon became more intimately acquainted.
A letter, dated 27th September 1852, indicates his progress in the new course:--
"DEAR MOTHER, --I am still holding fast by the blessed hope of everlasting life; although I have to contend against great trials, and discover that Satan is always on the look-out to entice the people of God from their allegiance. Yet, blessed be God! I can say that, though
'Surrounded by a host of foes,
Storm'd by a host of foes within,
Nor swift to flee, nor strong t'oppose;
Single against hell, earth, and sin--
Single, yet undismay'd I am,
I dare believe in Jesus' name.'
Yes; I wish to give my heart wholly to Jesus. I know that He has said, 'He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.' Oh! what a blessed hope is ours!--a hope full of immortality, a hope that will be thoroughly realized in the possession of Christ's kingdom. Dear mother, I often think I do not give enough of my time to God; I am afraid I feel too unconcerned about the souls of others. I think I might do more good, and speak more of the
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SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHER.
goodness of God. But what is it keeps me back? Is it shame? No! Is it fear? No! I am afraid it is the world; for when I allow myself to talk to worldly people about the world, I forget about God and His glory, until that inward monitor tells me I am wrong. But, perhaps, you will say, 'You have no business with the world. True, I have not, but the duties of my profession often lead me into conversation with bad people, whom, if I were in any other situation, I might shun. But, dear mother, do not think that I believe this to be any excuse for a man at the day of judgment--for I do not; neither do I believe that there is any man in a Christian country that can plead it or any other for his soul remaining unsaved. I am a teacher in the Sunday-school, and find the humblest office in the house of God to be a little heaven to my soul. Oh, may He give me a true sense of the charge of the immortal souls of the young children whom He has placed in my care! 0 Lord,
'Take my poor heart, and let it be
For ever closed to all but Thee!'
"There are some who, without thought, say that soldiers cannot be religious; but this is false. I feel great pleasure in doing my duty, more so than when I lived without God as my support; and I find that in all my employments my heart is lifted up to God, and He is ever ready to answer my prayer. To Him shall be all the praise. The Rev. Dr Twining, who is the garrison chaplain here, a very pious and kind gentleman, is a great help to me in explaining any passage of Scripture I may not
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understand. There are a few of us who meet with him every Sunday evening in a Bible-class, and. he takes great delight in teaching us. The Lord grant that he may receive his reward in heaven!"
