THE

BETHEL FLAG:

A

SERIES OF SHORT DISCOURSES TO SEAMEN.

BY

GARDINER SPRING, D.D.,

PASTOR OF THE BRICK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

NEW YORK:

BAKER AND SCRIBNER,

36 PARK ROW AND 145 NASSAU STREET.

KD42693

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by
BAKER & SCRIBNER,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for
the Southern District of New York.

THOMAS B. SMITH, STEREOTYPER,
216 WILLIAM STREET, N. Y.

S. W. BENEDICT, PRINTER,

16 SPRUCE STREET.

1

CONTENTS.

PRAYERS FOR THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES OF THE LORD'S

Page.

DAY, AT SEA

SERMON I.

THE SABBATH AT SEA.

Psalm xxvi. 8. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house,

and the place where thine honor dwelleth

14

24

. 34

UNBELIEVERS WITHOUT HOPE.

Ephesians ii. 12. Having no hope

46

SERMON V.

THE CURSE OF ABANDONMENT RELUCTANTLY EXECUTED.

Hosea. 8. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? How shall I

deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah, and

set thee as Zeboim ?

SERMON VI.

SIN DETECTED AND EXPOSED.

Numbers xxxii. 23. And be sure your sin will find you out

SERMON VII.

THE GREAT ALTERNATIVE.

Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned

SERMON VIII.

FEAR RELIEVED BY TRUST IN GOD.

Psalm lxvi. 3. At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee

SERMON IX.

THE TERMS OF DISCIPLESHIP.

Matthew xvi. 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man

will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,

and follow me -

SERMON X.

THE BRAZEN SERPENT.

John iii. 14, 15. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever be-

lieveth in him should not perish, but have eternal life

SERMON XI.

ALL IS WELL.

Mark vii. 37. He hath done all things well

SERMON XII.

REMEMBRANCE OF SIN.

Ezekiel xvi. 63. That thou mayest remember, and be confounded,

and never again open thy mouth any more because of thy shame,

when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done

SERMON XIII.

RUNNING FOR THE PRIZE.

/ Corinthians ix. 24. So run that ye may obtain

SERMON XIV.

AGGRAVATIONS OF SIN.

129

140

Luke xii. 49. And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and

prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be

beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did com-

mit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes 150

SERMON XV.

CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY A PRESERVATIVE FROM EVIL.

Psalm xxv. 21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me -

SERMON XVI.

DEATH ON BOARD THE SHIP.

Page.

- 165

Isaiah xl. 6. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I

cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the

flower of the field

175

SERMON XVII.

RESTRAINING PRAYER.

Job xv. 4. And restrainest prayer before God

SERMON XVIII.

THE FEAR OF GOD THE GREAT PRESERVATIVE FROM SIN.

Nehemiah v. 15. But so did not I, because of the fear of God

SERMON, XIX.

THE WANDERER RESTORED.

Psalm xxiii. 3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths

of righteousness for his name's sake

SERMON XX.

GOD'S CALL REFUSED.

182

193

201

Proverbs i. 24-31. Because I have called, and ye refused; I

have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have

set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I

also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear

cometh ; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your de-

struction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish

cometh upon you: then shall ye call upon me, but I will not

answer; they shall seek me early, but shall not find
me; for

that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the

Lord: they would none of my counsel; they despised all my

reproof: therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,

and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of

the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall de-

stroy them

212