Chapter 2

On a Sailor's LIFE

On a Sailor's Life

In the Trade to Africa for Slaves, and in the Management of Ships going on these Voyages, many of our Lads and young Men have a considerable Part of their Education.

Many of our boys and young men receive a considerable part of their education in the trade to Africa for slaves and in managing ships on these voyages.

Now what pious Father beholding his Son placed in one of these Ships, to learn the Practice of a Mariner, could forbear mourning over him?

Now, what devout father could see his son placed on one of these ships to learn to be a sailor without mourning for him?

Where Youth are exampled in Means of getting Money so full of Violence, and used to exercise such Cruelties on their Fellow Creatures, the Disadvantage to them in their Education is very great.

When young people see such violent ways of making money and are accustomed to treating their fellow creatures cruelly, their education suffers greatly.

But I feel it in my Mind to write concerning the Seafaring Life in general.

But I feel moved to write about seafaring life in general.

In the Trade carried on from the West-Indies, and from some Part of the Continent, the Produce of the Labour of Slaves is a considerable Part.

A considerable part of the trade from the West-Indies and some parts of the continent consists of goods produced by slaves.

And Sailors who are frequently at Ports where Slaves abound, and converse often with People who oppress without the Appearance of Remorse, and often with Sailors employ'd in the Slave Trade, how powerfully do these evil Examples spread amongst the Seafaring Youth!

And sailors often visit ports where slaves are numerous. They often talk with people who oppress others without appearing to feel remorse, and with sailors employed in the slave trade. How powerfully these evil examples influence young sailors!

I have had many Opportunities to feel and understand the general State of the Seafaring Life amongst us, and my Mind hath often been sad on Account of so many Lads and young Men been trained up amidst so great Corruption.

I have had many opportunities to experience and understand the general conditions of seafaring life among us. I have often felt sad that so many boys and young men are raised amid such great corruption.

Under the humbling Power of Christ I have seen, that if the Leadings of his Holy Spirit were faithfully attended to by his professed Followers in general, the Heathen Nations would be exampled in Righteousness. A less Number of People would be employed on the Seas. The Channels of Trade would be more free from Defilement. Fewer People would be employed in Vanities and Superfluities.

Under the humbling power of Christ, I have seen what would happen if most of his professed followers faithfully followed his Holy Spirit. The Heathen Nations would see an example of righteousness. Fewer people would work at sea. Trade would be less tainted by wrongdoing. Fewer people would work on frivolous and unnecessary things.

The Inhabitants of Cities would be less in Number.

Fewer people would live in cities.

Those who have much Lands would become Fathers to the Poor.

Those who own much land would become fathers to the poor.

More People would be employed in the sweet Employment of Husbandry, and in the Path of pure Wisdom, Labour would be an agreeable, healthful Employment.

More people would enjoy the pleasant work of farming. Following the path of pure wisdom, they would find work pleasant and healthy.

In the Opening of these Things in my Mind, I feel a living Concern that we who have felt Divine Love in our Hearts may faithfully abide in it, and like good Soldiers endure Hardness for Christ's Sake.

As these things unfold in my mind, I feel a deep concern for those of us who have felt divine love in our hearts. May we remain faithful to that love and, like good soldiers, endure hardship for Christ's sake.

He, our blessed Saviour, exhorting his Followers to love one another, adds, As I have loved you. John xiii. 34.

Our blessed Saviour urges his followers to love one another, adding, As I have loved you. John 13:34.

He loved Lazarus, yet in his Sickness did not heal him, but left him to endure the Pains of Death, that in restoring him to Life, the People might be confirmed in the true Faith.

He loved Lazarus, yet he did not heal him when he was sick. Instead, he let him suffer the pains of death. He did this so that, by bringing Lazarus back to life, he might strengthen the people's belief in the true faith.

He loved his Disciples, but sent them forth on a Message attended with great Difficulty, amongst Hard-hearted People, some of whom would think that in killing them they did God Service.

He loved his disciples, but he sent them on a mission that would be very difficult. They would go among hard-hearted people, some of whom would think they were serving God by killing them.

So deep is Divine Love, that in stedfastly abiding in it, we are prepar'd to deny ourselves of all that Gain which is contrary to pure Wisdom, and to follow Christ, even under Contempt, and through Sufferings.

Divine Love is so deep that, by remaining steadfast in it, we become ready to give up all gain that goes against pure wisdom. We become ready to follow Christ, even when facing contempt and suffering.

While Friends were kept truly humble, and walked according to the Purity of our Principles, the Divine Witness in many Hearts was reached; but when a Worldly Spirit got Entrance, therewith came in Luxuries and Superfluities, and spread by little and little, even among the foremost Rank in Society, and from thence others took Liberty in that Way more abundantly.

While Friends remained truly humble and lived by the purity of our principles, the divine witness in many hearts was reached. But when a worldly spirit entered, it brought luxury and excess. These gradually spread, even among the most prominent members of society. Others then felt free to indulge even more.

In the Continuation of these Things from Parents to Children, there were many Wants to supply, even Wants unknown to Friends while they faithfully followed Christ. And in striving to supply these Wants many have exacted on the Poor, many have enter'd on Employments, in which they often labour in upholding Pride and Vanity. Many have looked on one another, been strengthen'd in these Things, one by the Example of another, and as to the pure Divine Seeing, Dimness hath come over many, and the Channels of true Brotherly Love been obstructed.

As these practices passed from parents to children, many wants arose that Friends had not known while faithfully following Christ. To satisfy these wants, many have exploited the poor. Many have also taken up work that often supports pride and vanity. Many have looked to one another and been encouraged in these practices by one another's example. As a result, many have become dim in their ability to see with divine clarity. The channels of true brotherly love have been blocked.

People may have no intention to oppress, yet by entering on expensive Ways of Life, their Minds may be so entangled therein, and so engag'd to support expensive Customs, as to be estranged from the pure sympathizing Spirit.

People may have no intention of oppressing others. Yet they may become so caught up in an expensive way of life and maintaining its customs that they lose touch with a pure spirit of sympathy.

As I have travell'd in England, I have had a tender Feeling of the Condition of poor People, some of whom though honest and industrious, have nothing to spare toward paying for the Schooling of their Children.

As I have traveled in England, I have felt deep sympathy for poor people. Some are honest and hardworking, but have no money to spare for their children's schooling.

There is a Proportion between Labour and the Necessaries of Life, and in true Brotherly Love the Mind is open to feel after the Necessities of the Poor.

There is a relationship between work and the necessities of life, and true brotherly love opens the mind to the needs of the poor.

Amongst the Poor there are some that are weak through Age, and others of a weakly Nature, who pass through Straits in very private Life, without asking Relief from the Publick.

Among the poor, some are weakened by age, and others are frail by nature. They endure hardship in private without asking for public assistance.

Such who are strong and healthy may do that Business, which to the Weakly may be oppressive; and in performing that in a Day which is esteem'd a Day's Labour, by weakly Persons in the Field and in the Shops, and by weakly Women who spin and knit in the Manufactories, they often pass through Weariness; and many Sighs I believe are uttered in secret, unheard by some who might ease their Burdens.

People who are strong and healthy may be able to do work that would be a burden to the weak. Weak people working in fields and shops often grow weary trying to complete what is considered a day's work. So do weak women who spin and knit in factories. I believe many sigh in secret, unheard by some who might ease their burdens.

Labour in the right Medium is healthy, but in too much of it there is a painful Weariness; and the Hardships of the Poor are sometimes increased through Want of a more agreeable Nourishment, more plentiful Fewel for the Fire, and warmer Cloathing in the Winter than their Wages will answer.

A moderate amount of work is healthy, but too much work brings painful weariness. The hardships of the poor are sometimes made worse because their wages cannot pay for better food, more fuel for the fire, and warmer winter clothing.

When I have beheld Plenty in some Houses to a Degree of Luxury, the Condition of poor Children brought up without Learning, and the Condition of the Weakly and Aged, who strive to live by their Labour, have often revived in my Mind, as Cases of which some who live in Fulness need to be put in Remembrance.

When I have seen some households living in luxury, I have often thought of poor children growing up without education. I have also thought of frail and elderly people who struggle to live by their labor. Some who live in abundance need to be reminded of their plight.

There are few, if any, could behold their Fellow Creatures lie long in Distress and forbear to help them, when they could do it without any Inconvenience; but Customs requiring much Labour to support them, do often lie heavy on the Poor, while they who live in these Customs are so entangled in a Multitude of unnecessary Concerns that they think but little of the Hardships which the poor People go through.

Few people, if any, could watch their fellow human beings suffer for long without helping them, if they could help without inconvenience. But customs that require much labor to maintain often weigh heavily on the poor. Meanwhile, those who follow these customs are so caught up in unnecessary concerns that they give little thought to the hardships poor people endure.