THE EARLY LIFE OF E. J. PECK 5 



sailor began to read a Bible which his sister had 

 given him when they parted. Illness had awakened 

 him to his need of spiritual and eternal things, and, 

 in his own words, he " made great efforts to secure 

 peace to his soul." These efforts, however, were in 

 vain, for they were made in his own strength only, 

 and " in the energy of the flesh." Mr. Peck con- 

 cludes the review of this portion of his life with the 

 expressive sentence, " While weakness lasted, I 

 went on in what I may term the trying-to-be-a- 

 Christian state." 



As his health did not improve, he was invalided 

 home to England in the autumn of 1868. After 

 some time on furlough he was sent to Nelson's old 

 flag-ship, the Victory. Speaking of this time, 

 Mr. Peck says : " Many strange thoughts stirred 

 within me as I looked upon that spot upon the 

 Victory's quarterdeck where England's noblest 

 naval hero fell fighting the battle which freed Eng- 

 land from her foes. But little did I think at that 

 time that the Lord would call me to a conflict 

 mightier than that of earthly battles, because 

 eternal destinies hang upon the triumphs of the 

 host of God." 



When drafted from the Victory he joined his old 

 vessel, the Caledonia, though with a new crew. At 

 this time there seems to have been some retrogression 

 in the struggle for spiritual life. With returning 

 health, as often happens, good resolutions grew 



