250 THE WHALE AND 



True in Fact, but poor for Excuse. Silence of Ministers. 



bath whaling." And it has even been intimat- 

 ed that a clergyman, who should be faithful in 

 reproving for this sin, would not be endured long 

 in any of our whaling ports. 



Now, though a poor excuse, this, we believe, 

 is in fact true. Whether, by reason of mere ap- 

 athy or inattention, this form of Sabbath break- 

 ing not being before their eyes ; or, holding, as 

 some do, that we are only to preach principles, 

 and let them apply themselves ; or, as fearing to 

 offend wealthy parishioners, whose support the 

 Church can not well spare from one or all of 

 these reasons combined, ministers in whaling 

 ports (unless we have been greatly misinform- 

 ed) have had little or nothing to say upon the 

 sin of Sabbath whaling ; and their parishioners 

 have, consequently, kept on owning and sailing 

 in Sabbath-breaking ships, kept in countenance 

 by their own minister's silence, which has (em- 

 phatically to them) spoken consent. 



It can hardly help reflecting upon the fideli- 

 ty of clergymen at whaling ports, in some of 

 which there have been of late years powerful 

 revivals of religion, that ship-masters, officers, 

 and men, converted in those very revivals, have 

 gone out upon the high seas organized compa- 



