[Via-commits] Hich sent it far away from the ship's side. The _Laurel_ gave one plunge forward

[Cawein Cowart]

F Australia out of sight. CHAPTER TWENTY. OVERBOARD. We had been some
weeks at sea. Captain Slack showed his evil disposition by throwing
every impediment in the way of Mr Newton when he attempted to hold a
service on board. He could not, however, prevent him from having prayers
in his own cabin, to which I and Dick, and those who were willing to
come, were invited. Among them was a half-caste lad, called Bill
Gennill, of a not over-prepossessing countenance, to whom I had spoken.
While others scoffed, he listened, and had before we reached Sydney
gladly accepted the truth. This exposed him to the sneers, and often to
the ill-treatment, of his messmates, though Dick and I did our best to
protect him. He expressed his gratitude, and, opposing gentleness to
brutality, showed every day more and more earnestness. Mr Newton
encouraged him to persevere. Miss Kitty often spoke kindly to him, and
frequently brought up her Bible, and read such portions as he could best
understand. "I think that Bill understands the fundamental truths of the
gospel," she said to me: "that being all sinners by nature, and outcasts
from God, and become again His dear children by simple faith in the
glorious fact that Christ died, and was punished instead of us, and that
our debt to God being thus paid, our sins are blotted out of His
remembrance, and that we being clothed with the righteousness of Christ,
we can approach boldly the throne of grace, and are made heirs with Him
of that kingdom which He has gone before to prepare for us. He knows,
too, that, being possessed of these privileges, we are called on by the
aid of the Holy Spirit to try and imitate Christ, to live pure and
blameless lives, to make His name known to others, and do all the good
we can to our fellow-creatures, especially to those of the household of
faith. I am thankful to find, Charley, that you, too, know these truths,
and are not ashamed of Christ." "I ha