SUNDAY ON THE SEA. 45 



abodes, and with fair winds and a good run we compose ourselves 

 to the first real rest that we have had since leaving home eight 

 days before. We read and doze in the bright, warm sun like dogs, 

 or cats, or insects, insensible to all save the inspiration of rest and 

 the enjoyment of ease. 



At sea on board a vessel there are two counteracting influences 

 at work to render Sunday — especially if it come as ours did on 

 the next day after setting sail — either a day of rest or a day of un- 

 rest. In the latter case, to one who would not attend any place of 

 divine worship, even were he at home and on shore, the desire to 

 be quiet is drowned by a deluge of worldly activity that waits and 

 longs for the morrow that his conscience may be easy in pursuing 

 his own pleasures, and so the hours pass heavily, and " the longest 

 day I have known for a perfect age," as it is often aptly styled, comes 

 to its close, with no refreshment to the mind, and thus a con- 

 tinued increase rather than decrease of the bodily infirmities ; since 

 the real health of the body is, in a certain measure and to a greater 

 extent than perhaps we imagine, dependent upon that refreshment 

 of mind, from a spiritual source. In the former case, it is differ- 

 ent. A day of rest means, in every sense of the word a day of 

 rest, mentally and spiritually, hence, more or less directly, bodily. 

 While many thousands enjoyed this rest in attending church at their 

 homes this beautiful Sabbath day, we enjoyed it in indulging our 

 own thoughts of rest, quiet, and all good things, while bathing in a 

 flood of bright, warm sunlight ; while watching the almost calm 

 surface of the now sun-reflecting water ; and while reading or con- 

 versing with each other on pleasant topics, yet in no mere sensual 

 manner. 



Night came soon enough, and if the day had been quiet and 

 peaceful, the evening, with its moon full at yesternight, was much 

 more so. After an almost perfect day we retired to rest. The 

 clear sky remained throughout but part of the night and then gave 

 place to clouds ; the calm, warm, almost hot weather turned them 

 to mist, fog and then rain ; the west wind to east southeast. 



We awoke Monday morning with an uncomfortable feeling 



