234 THE WHALE AND 



Pretexts for Sabbath Whaling. Replies of Reason. 



ery means in my power to shorten that time, 

 and secure a voyage for myself and owners. 

 If I do not lower for whales when they are in 

 sight, the Sabbath will be more desecrated by 

 the men's grumbling than it would be by cheer- 

 ful labor in taking whales. The business of 

 whaling is of such a precarious nature, that, 

 unless all chances are seized, successful voya- 

 ges will not be made ; therefore it is necessary 

 also to use the Sabbath in this work when 

 Providence presents the game. No one regards 

 the Sabbath more than I do when ashore, but 

 my business exempts me from the obligation 

 of such a strict observance of it at sea. 



Now to all these specious efforts at self-justi- 

 fication, which we have heard put forth at dif- 

 ferent times and by different persons, and to 

 every other of a similar sort, it is enough to re- 

 ply, first, that there is no lawful worldly call- 

 ing, except that whose immediate end is to re- 

 lieve human suffering, or minister instruction 

 and comfort to the soul, which it is right to 

 pursue on the Sabbath. Six days shall thou 

 labor and do all thy work. But the seventh is 

 the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou 

 shall not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor 



