THE SQUARE RIGGED CRUISER; OR, LORRAIN'S SEA-SERMONS. DEDICATED TO THE UNITED STATES NAVY, OFFICERS AND SEAMEN OF AMER- WHETHER COURSING ON THE HIGH SEAS, LAKES AND RIVERS OF PUBLISHED BY SWORMSTEDT & POE, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AT THE WESTERN BOOK R. P. THOMPSON, PRINTER. 1855. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, BY ALFRED M. LORRAIN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Ohio. 882 28760 PREFACE. Ir gives me sincere pleasure to make a few prefatory remarks to this publication, at the request of the author. Our acquaintance commenced in early life, and soon ripened into a strong friendship which has increased with the lapse of years, and now, being, by the blessing of God, "time-honored," I doubt not will always last. The author of this volume of sermons served an apprenticeship on the seas, and afterward sailed as an officer for some time, and may well be supposed to have a pretty thorough acquaintance with the usages of mariners. Still, it must appertain to the maritime community to pronounce on the merit of the sermons, as it respects their nautical peculiarity. No doubt many thousands will read these sermons who never had any connection with the seas; such may be assured they will find much to interest, to edify, and to comfort them. The race of man everywhere takes an especial interest in every thing belonging to the watery world; and it has been owing partly to this, perhaps, that these discourses have been delivered by the author in his itinerant labors, in various parts of our country, with so much eclat and success. Those of our population, who have some knowledge of the affairs of "old ocean,” and |