Capt. James Hart 1792 - 1864 Va. > Staten Island Seaman
Christian Advocate and Journal, August 18, 1864.
CAPTAIN JAMES HART, superintendent of the "Seaman's Retreat", Staten Island, died Feb. 24, 1864, aged 72.
He was a native of Virginia and at the age of 8 years he began life's struggle an orphan sailor boy. At 21 he was master of a vessel and married, and until43 he lived a careless, reckless, blaspheming sailor. In 1826 he made the one-important voyage of his life; embarking all he possessed upon one venture, he left home and family with a vow to return rich or not at all. He came back rich, but not with wealth his soul then dreamed of. But a few hours after leaving port a terrific hurricane came upon them; his vessel was thrown upon her beam ends; he and his crew lashed themselves to the deck to keep from being wahed away. Death stared them in the face and yet he cursed the crew, who in this hour of helpless horror cried to God for help. Turning his eyes to windward he saw an immense sea combing up with gathering power as it bore down upon the sinking craft..in that moment he thought of God, eternity and prayer and cried out in these strange , half-believing words, " O God if there is any God, come down and show thy mercy to a poor sinner doomed to hell with his eyes wide open ". Immediately there seemed to him to come an audiable voice saying , " Arise, and I will guide thee safe". He sprang to his feet , told his men to be of good cheer; God had heard his prayer and everyone would be saved. Shortly after a vessel hove in sight and bore down for their relief. Leaving in their boat they reached the side and as the last man stepped on her deck a sea dashed the boat in pieces and in a few moments they saw their sinking craft go down...From that 6th day of December, 1826, Capt. Hart walked a Christian path that only grew brighter by its length until he stepped within the vail. The next year he made a public profession of his fath, uniting with the Forsyth street M.E. Church, N.Y. From 1826 to 1848 every vessel that carried him carried the Bethel flag. In the latter year he was elected to the position he held at the time of his death. Of his labors in the 'Retreat" among sick and dying sailors . His first efforts was the formation of the temperance society, with wonderful success. A powerful speaker and one who knew so well the sailors heart and life..his voice of prayer has been the last earthly sound in the ear of hundreds of dying sailors and eternity alone will reveal how many are the stars set in his crown of rejoicing.
------
[ this is not my family, only post the interesting articles from the wonderful Methodist publication.]
More Replies:
-
Re: Capt. James Hart 1792 - 1864 Va. > Staten Island Seaman
Rennie Miller 5/26/09