the hour prevented him from saying more than that he earnestly hoped the Divine blessing might attend its labours.

The Rev. F. Elwin (Secretary to the Bristol Church Missionary Society) said, that the friends of missions in that city had not abated in their zeal, but sh wed themselves men of business, as well as Christians, in the mode of carrying on the work of missions. He presented, as the result of the last sermon and anniversary meeting in that city, the sum of 500l. The Noble Chairman then requested that the Rev. Mr. Pope (so much distinguished in the late Bible discussions in Ireland) would address the Meeting. The Rev. Gentleman, however, to the great disappointment ef the Meeting, pleaded extreme fatigue and indisposition, and declined the honour offered to him.

James Stephen, Esq. having had some experience formerly, as connected in the affairs of the Society, could conscientiously vouch that they had ever been conducted with admirable method, sagacity, and success. Its officers and committee were men of piety and simplicity, of integrity and candour, men of good English

sense and English energy. He wished that the Clerical Members of the Society would more frequently attend the Committee of Correspondence in the Society: He was reminded of an illustration drawn from the mechanical arts, that the union of metals is necessary to correct the various expansions of each, and for the perfection of a pendulum, on which depends the accurary of the time-keeper. might say, that at present the baser metal preponderated-the laymen outnumbered the clergy. He therefore exhorted all the clerical friends of the Society to lend their valuable aid, and the advantage of their presence and counsel, and he anticipated mutual benefit and blessing.

He

The Rev. Mr. Dealtry, of Clapham, seconded the resolution in a few impressive words. After which Mr. Sumner briefly acknowledged the vote of thanks; and the Meeting was closed by the Noble Chairman, with the well-known lines :Jesus shall reign where'er the sun Doth his successive journeys run; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, Till suns shall rise and set no more.

The Twenty-first Anniversary Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society was held in the great room at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen street, on Wednesday May 4. On no former occasion did there appear a greater anxiety to witness the proceedings of the society, and the room was in consequence crowded at an early hour with an immense and most respectable assembly.

The chair was taken at eleven o'clock by Lord Bexley, in the absence of Lord Teignmouth, the President of the Society, who was incapacitated from attending by serious indisposition.

The Noble Chairman proceeded to say, that no man could more regret the absence of their noble and venerated President than himself. When he reflected on the eminent piety and services of his Noble Friend, and more particularly on the advantages afforded by his long and welldirected exertions to the cause of the British and Foreign Bible Society, he could not avoid feeling that the individual called upon to fill his place that day must experience a day of trial. He could have no pretensions to supply the place of their respected President in an adequate manner, but trusted that the spirit of love and religious charity, which were the usual characteristics of their anniversary meetings, would make proper allowance for his deficiencies, and do more towards supplying the lamented absence of his Noble Friend than any feeble exertions of his.

Communications were then read from his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Right Reverend the Bishop of Norwich, and Mr. Wilberforce, expressive of the regret they felt at being obliged to absent themselves from the proceedings of the Meeting, and of their warmest wishes for the success and prosperity of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

The Report was then read by the Rev. A. Brandram, secretary. It gave a succinct account of the progress of the Society during the past year, and adverted to the increased distribution of the Scriptures in France, Germany, and the Netherlands, under the auspices of the Society. The King of Wirtemberg was stated to have contributed 500 florins in furtherance of the circulation of the Bible. In Russia many difficulties impeded the progress of the Society; but they had not. been inactive or discouraged, for they had in a few years distributed 450,000 copies of the sacred Scriptures in the Russian empire alone. In Greece and the Ionian Islands the Society had also distributed large quantities of Bibles, and the Greeks were known to have employed themselves in the study of the word of God in the intervals of warfare, and while awaiting the attacks of their enemies. The Report then proceeded to advert to the apostolic gift of tongues as an evidence and an argument in favour of the translation of the Scriptures. Looking to another quarter of the globe, in our East-Indian

drew amid the warmest tokens of the sympathy of the assembly.

possessions, there had been a decided increase in the distribution of Bibles, and the Scriptures had been translated into many new dialects; among others into the Parsee, which was only inferior to the Sanscrit in universality. In various States of South America 15,000 copies of the Scriptures had been distributed at the expense of the Society. Corresponding exertions had been made with most satisfactory_effect in North America; and even the Esquimaux had profited by the efforts of the Society, and had now an opportunity of reading the sacred Scriptures translated into their own tongue. In Ireland a great increase had taken place in the distribution of the Scriptures. The Jews had evinced a desire for the possession of the Hebrew Scriptures; and many Spaniards in this metropolis were furnished with the word of God in their own language, by means of the Society. A grant had been made to that excellent institution, the Seaman's Hospital, of Bibles in no less than eight different languages, for the use of its inmates. His Majesty had been graciously pleased to accept a complete set of the Society's translations of the Bible into all the different languages and dialects, and allow them a place in his private library. On the whole, notwithstanding some deficiency in the receipts of the year, compared with that which had preceded it, and the existence of some difficulties and checks upon their exertions on the Continent of Europe, the Society did not feel discouraged, but, on the contrary, was resolved to go on its way, whether those difficulties should subside or increase. In some instances, they had experienced opposition; in others, the noble of the earth had fostered and encouraged their exertions. Various openings, and combinations of events over which they could have had no control, had operated in their favour in innumerable instances. Merchants and soldiers, statesmen and literary travellers, had in many cases, while merely pursuing their own proper avocations, made a way for the operations and progress of the Society, and opened for it a way in the desert. The Committee would conclude with hoping that they might still look forward and expect the accomplishment of much greater things, as the period approached when " every mountain should become a plain, and every valley be filled up," and "blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, should be to Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever!"

The Earl of Harrowby rose to move that the Report be printed, and expressed his regret that he was rendered incapable of addressing them, on a subject so dear to them all as the success of the British and Foreign Bible Society, by severe indisposition. The Noble Earl then with

The Rev. William Dealtry, in seconding the resolution, expressed his regret that that noble personage was unable to address them on the present occasion, more particularly from the cause that occasioned his present silence. He felt himself perfectly incapable of following, through all its pleasing details, the delightful and animating Report. He did not remember, on any previous occasion, to have experienced more sincere pleasure than he had that day derived from the Society's proceedings during the past year, and he trusted they would all go away animated and encouraged to greater and further exertions, by the result of that day's proceedings. They had indeed learned, that the same facilities were not in all places now afforded to the Society as formerly, but the knowledge of this circumstance should not cause them to despair, so long as they possessed the blessing of Almighty God upon their endeavours. They had also learned, that some diminution had taken place in the amount of contributions to the Society during the past year; but this may have arisen from different causes, and should only rouse them to increased exertions. What could be the reason of the decrease? Was it that their friends were becoming supine, because they believed there existed less scope for their exertions than formerly, and that the world was now nearly occupied by auxiliary and branch associations? If they thought so, they were mistaken. True, societies for the distribution of the Scriptures had increased and extended, but as yet the world was only studded with them at intervals-they were planted here and there like stars on the dark expanse of heaven, and had not yet collected in that galaxy of Christian light which it was the object of the Gospel to diffuse. There was, alas! a still larger portion of the earth wholly unoccupied by their labours; to those parts he wished to direct their attention, where superstition and idolatry still continued to exist. Providence set narrow limits to their exertions? He thought not. True it was there were some places they had not access to, but many countries were open to their labours; and he might add, that in distant and populous parts of the world many were to be found thirsting for a knowledge of the word of God. It might, at another period, have been assigned as a reason for their not contributing to an institution such as this, that they were placed in a situation of difficulty and distress, but_at_that period their funds had never failed. They had just heard, in the course of the Report, of individuals who had been ruined by the inundations in Hanover, who nevertheless continued to subscribe what they could spare to the funds of the

Had

Bible Society. But when he looked to the importance of the object to be effected, and the prosperous condition, the high and palmy state of this empire at the present period, he did not think it to be too great a demand that they should come forward and evince their gratitude by contributing liberally to the funds of this Society. A Reverend Friend had urged that argument with effect the other day, and he trusted it would not be urged ineffectually, but that, as freely they had received, they would freely give." The resolution that the Report be printed was then put, and agreed to unanimously.

66

The Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry moved the thanks of the assembly to the Right Honourable Lord Teignmouth. That noble and venerated man had been a constant and never-failing encourager of the Society, in its infancy, in its maturity, and in its progress down to the present period. At all those times he had proved equally its support, its defence, and its ornament. To such an individual their thanks were undoubtedly due, for his services, his exertions, and his sacrifices in their cause. For twenty years he had afforded them his protection, and in times and occurrences when it was peculiarly required by the multifarious nature of the business the Society had to transact, and the extensive intercourse and communications it was obliged to maintain with numerous individuals, possessing different views, objects, and interests. On all those occasions had Lord Teignmouth proved himself the steady friend and supporter of the Society; and he was sure the name of that nobleman would be received on the present occasion, as it had often been before, with unabated respect and affection.

The Earl of Rocksavage seconded the motion; and the Hon. C. Shore returned thanks for the affectionate testimony of the respect of the Meeting for his near and beloved relative.

The Rev. S. Dwight, (a Representative of the American Bible Society, Boston) expressed his gratification at seeing the same spirit which actuated thousands and hundreds of thousands in his own country. predominating here. The Americans were British in their blood, their character, and the general tenor of their institutions. If the persons composing that assembly could be transported across the ocean, they would have an opportunity of witnessing, in the ensuing week, an American Meeting as numerous as the present, constituted for the very same purpose. And if the Americans could witness the present meeting, it would no doubt tend to increase their zeal in the common cause. He had just returned from a tour of 8,000 miles on the continent of Europe.

He

had frequently heard, what to him appeared surprising, accounts of the scarcity of the Scriptures in that part of the world, and he had directed his inquiries to enable him to ascertain the truth or falsehood of the report. In fifty cities on the continent of Europe he had gone into the book stores, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Bible could be found in them, and, with two exceptions, his search had been fruitless, till he arrived in the north of Germany. In one of those instances, where he had been fortunate enough to meet with the holy Scriptures, they consisted of a copy in ten vols. folio. The other copy which he discovered contained merely the four Evangelists, and was in the Latin language, with an Italian translation. He did not mention the names of those two cities, and perhaps it was not necessary to do so he pledged himself to the correctness of the facts. What was the consequence of this almost total absence of the Divine Word? Did they find the same tone of healthy character and feeling pervading the people there as here? Was the moral sense so fine, or the female character so pure and elevated, as in these more favoured countries? No one could doubt that the Bible was the greatest of all the blessings conferred by Almighty God upon his creatures. If he were asked to point out the brightest glory in the British character, he would turn to the formation of this Institution, the British and Foreign Bible Society.

Lord Calthorpe said, he could not recur, without feelings of pleasure, to the facts announced by the Reverend Gentleman who spoke last. They proved that British blood, character, and institutions, could be transferred to distant climes and countries, without losing ground. Though the two countries were now no longer united in a political point of view, they still participated in the same moral feelings, and were both combined in promoting the object of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He had to advert to one part of the Report with peculiar pleasure, and it was with no small satisfaction he perceived that the Society had not permitted itself to be confused by the variety of its objects and the remoteness of the countries it proposed to benefit. It had not, while providing for foreign claims, neglected its nearer and more immediate interests. Within the limits of this empire, its exertions had not been wanting, and the Sister Kingdom appeared to have called forth the fresh activity of the Society. This circumstance afforded him peculiar pleasure: that country required much at the hands of the English people, and in every thing which they did for her, they should be prompted by a recollection of past neglect, and selfreproach for that neglect. No man, who knew the state of Ireland, but must be

aware that such an institution as the present holds in its hand the only suitable remedy for the ills of that country. Whatever other remedy of a political nature he might be disposed to recommend for that island, this Society possessed the only one of a moral and religious nature at all applicable to its wants. He owed it to himself to declare, whatever might be the present state of the church predominating in Ireland, that he never could consider the genius and character of its religion changed, till he saw the ministers of that church engaged in the circulation of the Scriptures. He never would cease to consider that religion less for the hope than the perplexity of nations, till its waters were deprived of their bitterness and impurity, by being mingled with the pure stream of the Gospel. However, from facts which had come to his knowledge, he was happy to under stand the Scriptures were obtaining a larger and more extensive circulation in that part of the empire. A thirst for an acquaintance with the word of life had gone abroad, which would be gratified, in defiance of threats or opposition. The demand for Bibles had doubled. Under these circumstances, he hoped that numbers who had never been attached to that Society, would seriously consider their conduct in withholding their aid, and ask themselves whether its "work be of man or of God," lest, in continuing their opposition and neglect, they may be found "to fight against God."

Mr. R. Grant, felt considerable reluctance in obtruding himself on what he feared was the fatigued attention of that great assembly. He thought they would do well to signalise the present anniversary the period at which their Society came of age-by fresh exertion, and a larger distribution of their bounty. On such an occasion as that of the young heir's attaining his majority, the voice of congratulation might not be improper. He hoped the Institution, which had displayed a childhood of promise and a youth of performance only not miraculous, would proceed in its maturity with achievements which should throw its former actions into the shade. He would be unwilling to pursue the allusion too long, or too fancifully; but, perhaps, he might be permitted to say, that when a young heir arrives at his possessions, the first and general inquiry was, how had he qualified himself for their enjoyment; whether he had acquired the necessary knowledge by means of books at home or travels abroad? Now it happened that the heir, whose birth-day they were now celebrating, had been peculiarly distinguished by his acquaintance with, and experience of, both those channels of information. The Report of that day proved that he possessed an immense collection

of books, a vast library, comprising an infinite variety of languages, some of them to be sure very strange ones. But one remarkable circumstance was, that this great collection consisted all of one book. This had been made a reproach to him by some who, like Erasmus, considered no man so dangerous as the man of one book. In fact, some found fault with him because he had confined his attention to only one book, while others seemed to think that one book one too many. His answer to those objections was this, that one book is the only book-the book, in the unloosing of whose seals the host of heaven took an eager interest-the book which will live when all books of moral authorship are consumed; nay, when the great book of heaven itself shall be rolled up like a useless scroll. But their heir was not only a great book-collector, but a great traveller. And some complained that he travelled too much, and others that he travelled too little. Some exclaimed, he was grown half a foreigner, and should reside more on his paternal domain; and others said, the best thing he could do was to keep abroad. To those who would banish him, he replied, he could not entirely separate himself from his patrimonial possessions and the country which had made him what he is. On the other hand, to those who felt disposed to coop him up within the limits of the narrow seas, he pointed out the immense fields already white unto the harvest, and the wilderness, and the solitary place, which demanded the labour, not of the reaper, but of the tiller. He wished to advert to one more topic before he should conclude. It was difficult to live twenty-one years in the world without experiencing the vicissi tudes which chequered the scene of earthly existence. Their young heir was this day deprived of the pleasure and privilege of seeing many of his early friends. Some of them he had outlived, and others were unable from sickness and other casualties to attend this celebration of his birth-day. The topic was one full of solemnity: he trusted it would animate them with zeal and soften them into charity. He felt particular pain and sorrow that their respected and venerated President was unable to fill the chair on this as on former occasions, a sorrow which was certainly mitigated by the noble substitute who occupied his place. There was a common but true remark, that one of the principal evils of long life consisted in outliving one's friends, yet he sincerely hoped and prayed that their young establishment might not only live till all the hearts now beating in its cause in that room were stilled in death, but till the millions of eyes throughout the world, that brightened at the mention of its name, should be also closed for ever. He repeated his wish

that this might be the case with their Society, and that "no weapon formed against it might prosper."

The very Rev. the Dean of Salisbury; the Rev. Mr. Monod, from Paris; the Rev. George Hamilton; the Right Hon. Lord Gambier; Sir G. Rose; Professor Tholuck; J. Thornton, Esq.; Sir T. S. Raffles;

Sir T. D. Acland; Sir R. H. Inglis; the Rev. J. Dyer, and the Rev. R. Newton, successively addressed the Meeting, in speeches of considerable interest, but which we are unavoidably compelled to omit. The receipts of the Society for the last year were 93,2851. 5s. 2d. being 4,4331. less than the preceding.

The Anniversary Meeting of this Society, instituted for the establishment of Schools and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in Ireland, was held at the Freemasons' Hall, on Saturday, May 6th. The Hall was crowded at an early hour, and vast numbers were compelled to withdraw for want of room

Upon the motion of the Earl of Gosford, in the absence of the Duke of Gloucester, the patron of the Society, the Right Honourable Lord Gambier was called to the chair.

His Lordship opened the business of the day by expressing his regret at the absence of the illustrious patron, and then referred to a letter from the Right Honourable Lord Bexley, expressing his regret that his attendance at a meeting, which could not be postponed, prevented him from being present.

The Chairman said,

it was a universally admitted fact that the mass of the Irish people was degraded in morals, and wanting in spiritual information. It was the endeavour of the Society to raise the Irish from this degraded state; and the Society was confident that much might be done by the application of one remedy, which, if received in a becoming spirit, would relieve the Irish from all evils, supply their wants, and raise them from their present condition. The remedy to which he alluded was the Bible; which was calculated to enlighten the minds of the ignorant, and to teach them those things which it is needful they should know. It was his fervent prayer that the exertions of the Society might be attended with beneficial effects.

The Rev. T. Webster, the secretary, having read the Annual Report,

Lord Lilford rose, and, having proposed a resolution, he should have considered that his duty was discharged, but that, from transactions which occurred during the last year, he felt himself personally identified with the cause of the Society. At the last Anniversary Meeting he had pledged himself to stand forward in the spirit of peace as the champion of the Society, Since then a systematic opposition had been offered to the Society's operations, and he now felt himself bound to stand forward and redeem his pledge, by the re-assertion of those principles upon which the Society are successfully acting. The JUNE 1825.

London Hibernian Society had no peculiar tenets, no favourite doctrines to promulgate. It desired the co-operation of all, to extend to the Irish people the full benefit of that which was the only foundation of Divine truth, the sacred word of God. The Society had met with difficulties. There were difficulties without and within. There were difficulties in Ireland, which he should rather forget than remember, though it was not always easy to preserve patience as opposition increased, nor to practise that charity which we teach. Yet it was necessary, not only that the principles of the Society should be laudable, and its established practice good, but even that the language of its friends should be moderate. Wherever violence or intemperance may have been used, this was not the place for it. This was not the place for recrimination or religious controversy; and he prayed those who should succeed him to bear in mind, that the stream of our charity ought not to be corrupted by such an infusion.

The Rev. J. W. Cunningham said, he could only account for being called upon to take a part in the business of the day, because he resided in a district remote from the scenes of contest in which the Society was involved, and was therefore expected to deliver his sentiments dispassionately, and with some degree of impartiality. Ireland was admitted on all hands to be in a most anomalous condition. It was on the borders of civilization without being civilized—it was in the centre of political light without being irradiated— and it came in contact with the purest form of religion, without partaking of its spirit. The evils which oppressed the sister island called loudly for the interference of the people of England. Yet it had been said, Let Ireland alone-let the agitated vessel float upon the stormy ocean, and it will right itself. Nothing could be more preposterous, If the mass was inert, it might be allowed to remain untouched, but whilst it was impregnated with its own vicious principles it must be attended to: we may let alone the silent lake, but not the rapid river. But it was said that political enactments would be found sufficient to regenerate Ireland; but every man of reflection must see that Acts of Parliament could not touch the

2 H