The sailor's Sabbath

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

79364

Title

The sailor's Sabbath

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Rev. Titus Coan's 1846 treatise challenges the whaling industry to observe the Sabbath, arguing that seafaring men are spiritually and morally degraded by working on the Lord's Day. The text appeals to conscience over custom, asserting that true prosperity depends on holiness.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in Honolulu in 1846, Rev. Titus Coan's 'The Sailor's Sabbath' serves as a passionate moral indictment of the whaling industry's desecration of the Lord's Day. While acknowledging that many seamen possess noble and generous minds, Coan argues that the vast majority suffer from a lack of moral elevation due to the systematic violation of the Sabbath. He contends that ships frequently depart port on Sundays not out of necessity, but through carelessness, superstition regarding 'unlucky' days like Friday, or a misguided belief that commerce demands it. Coan systematically dismantles common excuses used by sailors and masters. He rejects the argument of custom, noting that following the customs of lying, stealing, or drunkenness would not be acceptable. He challenges the fear of losing whales or economic necessity, asserting that no contract obliges a man to work seven days a week and that civil laws protect Sabbath observance. He warns that forcing men to sin is tyranny, robbing them of an inalienable birthright. The essay exposes the hypocrisy of ship owners who, despite often professing Christian faith, approve of or require Sabbath whaling to maximize profit. Coan criticizes ministers in sea ports for failing to rebuke this sin and notes that some clergy have even taught sailors it is their duty to work on the Sabbath if commanded by a captain. He argues that such silence allows darkness to be called light and evil to be deemed good. Coan concludes with a vision of reform where every ship flies the 'Bethel Flag,' signaling a commitment to rest and worship. He envisions a future where seamen joyfully hail the Sabbath sun, praising God who made both the sea and dry land, thereby restoring physical, social, intellectual, and moral health to the sailor's life.

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Categories

• Adventure
• Religion