WHALE-SHIP SABBATH BREAKING. 225 



and this without the pretence of a plea of neces- 

 sity, as in working a ship, but solely in order to 

 " fill up " as soon as possible, and return to port 

 with a cargo, taken as it comes, it matters not 

 how, whether in those sacred hours which the 

 easy owner ashore has been spending at church, 

 or in the busy week days which he devotes to 

 the counting-room, or farm, or workshop. 



Owners, too, know this when their ships go 

 from port, are generally willing it should be so, 

 and are averse to have it otherwise. Owners, 

 captains, officers, and men are alike the willing 

 participators in this gross violation of the Lord's 

 day, for the sake of the gain they think it brings 

 them; else either of these parties, by asserting 

 their right to the Sabbath, and refusing to own 

 or sail in ships that violate it, could easily pre- 

 vent it. 



But while there is an individual participa- 

 tion in this sin, the guilt of it rests especially 

 upon owners and captains ; and it is they who 

 are chargeable with it, and who are to be 

 arraigned at the bar of public opinion, as tln-y 

 will be at the tribunal of Almighty God. It 



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