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selections from the New Testament, translated into their own tongue, The full benefit of such a system of instruction can hardly be appreciated in the course of a single generation; but in the children who frequent these schools a moral and intellectual improvement is already discernible, the regularity of their attendance,-their readiness in acquiring knowledge, their hand-writing, and the accuracy with which they are enabled to answer arithmetical and other questions, exhibit a proficiency, such, it is stated, as few parochial schools in England have, in a similar space of time, exceeded.

The Society next advert to the state of its affairs in North America and the West Indies. The import ance of the former increases daily, in consequence of the increasing emigration from the mother country; and the latter, it is added, "present a field for the promotion of Christian knowledge which has never before been seen in that quarter of the globe."

In the diocese of Quebec, the schools have been maintained both at Quebec and Montreal with great success. Two sums of 500. each have been granted by the Society for the use of the diocese of Nova Scotia; the first of which is placed at the disposal of the bishop, to be employed at his discretion in aid of the Society's designs; the second to be applied to King's College, Nova Scotia, and to be employed in providing two or more tutors, to superintend the morals and the religious instruction of the students, under the direction of the bishop.

In the West-Indian islands, now divided into the dioceses of Jamaica and Barbadoes, the prospects of the Society, it is stated, are of the brightest kind. A report had been received from the Jamaica Committee, informing the Society that, with the approbation of the bishop of the diocese, they had invited the different rectors of the island to explain the constitution, nature, and objects of the Committee to the proprietors in their respective parishes, and to solicit their assistance in promoting its views by donations of money or books. The clergy who are members of the Society had been requested to make an annual collection at their churches in aid of the designs of the institution. Large supplies of books have been requested and forwarded both in Jamaica and Barbadoes.

The Report concludes as follows: "Upon a review of the proceedings detailed in the foregoing pages, the Society has again to thank God for the blessing which has attended its labours, and to express a hope that such encouraging results will be followed up by increased exertions. An immense field now opens before it; and it is not too much to entertain a humble confidence that the same Almighty Hand, which has raised the church from small beginnings to her present flourishing condition, will in like manner enable the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge to diffuse the principles and enforce the practice of the Gospel, as long as the name of England endures, and as far as its empire extends."

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. IN opening the Report of the proceedings of the past year, France is the first point to which the Committee direct their attention. The Society's foreign agent, Dr. Pinker, ton, was requested to undertake a journey to Paris, to inspect the foreign editions of the Scriptures printing at the expense of the So

ciety; and to inquire as to the best means of assisting the French Protestant Bible Society at Paris. The Turkish Bible he found advanced as far as the Book of Job. Professor Kieffer continues his indefatigable exertions in editing the work. It appeared advisable that 2000 additional New Testaments should be

printed, which the Committee ordered. The Syriac and Carshun editions of the New Testament have been expedited: the Persian and Coptic versions are in progress; the modern Armenian Testament is completed; and copies were preparing to be forwarded for the use of the Armenians, at Constantinople and in other parts of Turkey.

The Paris Bible Society has continued to receive many testimonies of the utility of its labours to the Protestant communions in France. The Associations have gone on increasing. The Scriptures have been received in many instances with lively joy; and their perusal is reported to have produced beneficial effects. Among the works completed by the Paris Society during the past year has been Ostervald's Bible, stereotyped. Extensive distributions of the Scriptures take place from the Society's depôt at Paris. An application, from an island in the Mediterranean, for 300 Bibles and 3000 Testaments, for the use of schools, has been met from this source.

In Spain, Portugal, and Italy, little can at present be done towards disseminating the holy Scrip

tures.

The Report of the Netherlands Bible Society states, that there have been put into circulation, during the year, 5837 Bibles and 6490 Testaments. The same document contains a letter from the Dutch East-India Bible Society, communicating the Report of a special Committee appointed to examine the Chinese version of the Bible, by the Rev. Drs. Morrison and Milne, which states that the translation was ascertained to be well executed in consequence of this Report, the Committee of the Netherlands Bible Society have ordered a number of copies to be forwarded to the Dutch settlements in the East Indies.

In Switzerland the Zurich Society has just completed its edition of 7500 copies of a large Bible. The

Bern Society writes, "Our Piscator's Bible is finished, and has already found its way into the cottages of the poor, as well as into our schools, both in town and country; and our Ladies' Associations, ever mindful of their founder (the late Mr. Owen), continue with unabated zeal to labour with us to promote the good work." The Geneva Committee have contributed towards supplying the Waldenses with the Scriptures. The Lausanne Society, besides an edition of 10,000 Bibles in quarto, have printed an edition of 4000 French Testaments; and have made an agreement for a second edition of 4000 copies. From the Basle Institution Antistes Falkeisen writes,-"The blessing of God has rested in a particular and even wonderful manner upon our Bible Society in the year past, for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful. Many Roman Catholics have applied to us for Bibles; and, as they are too poor to pay for them in money, they bring different kinds of produce, which is afterwards sold."

The last Report of the HamburghAltona Society mentions the completion of an edition of 12,000 Bibles and 15,000 Testaments.

In consequence of the desolations which have occurred by the late inundations in the kingdom of Hano→ ver, the Committee have voted 1000 German Testaments for the suffer. ers. The King of Bavaria has given the royal assent for the establish. ment of a Central Bible Society at Nuremberg, and some Auxiliaries are already formed around this central institution. To the Saxon Society assistance has been afforded by several grants. The last anniversary meeting of this Society was addressed by the venerable president, Count Hohenthal: "On this very day," said he, " nay, at this very hour, ten years ago, twentyseven persons who took delight in the Bible, met at my house, and, under the direction of Dr. Pinker. ton, formed a Society for the sole

object of circulating the holy Scriptures." He then recited their names, and added" Of these twentyseven, fifteen have departed this life, one resides in Berlin, another in Budissen, and a third in Prussian Lusatia; so that only nine of the first founders can be present with us this day." From these comparatively feeble beginnings a circulation has ensued of 33,490 Bibles and 7,767 New Testaments. Since these documents arrived, Count Hohenthal has himself been added to the number of the departed.

The Frankfort Society's distributions have been during the past year 928 Bibles and 5470 New Testaments. Among these have been more than 1000 New Testaments to pilgrims, who received them with the greatest readiness. The Society in the kingdom of Wuertemberg has distributed on its own account, during the past year, 5570 Bibles and 3009 Testaments; making a total of 102,432 copies since it commenced its labours. The desire, however, for the Scriptures is by no means abated. The King of Wuertemberg has renewed his donation of 500 florins. Some prisoners, who had received copies of the New Testament, made a collection among themselves, and remitted it to the treasurer; and, though it had been feared that the disastrous floods which had occurred, would have prevented the regular payment of the smaller subscriptions, one of the correspondents of the Wuertemberg Society writes, "I was agreeably mistaken; not a single member withdrew himself, and some whose houses were absolutely swept away by the inundation, continue their subscription with joy and thankfulness of heart." Every letter that has been received from Dr. Leander Van Ess has borne testimony to the prevailing desire for the holy Scriptures, notwithstanding the difficultieswhich have arisen in the way of their circulation. He had been supplied with 10,000 German Testaments of his

own edition and 2000 of Gossner's, 1000 Lutheran Bibles, besides some smaller quantities in the Hebrew, Greek, and other languages. An opportunity of supplying the Roman-Catholic schools in the kingdom of Wuertemberg having occurred, the Professor had applied for 10,000 Testaments for this important purpose, which the Committee readily granted. The zeal of this individual has stirred up others; and the Committee had heard with pleasure, that another professor in the Roman-Catholic communion had prepared a version of the New Testament, which has been approved by some ecclesiastical authorities in that church. The Minister of Finance in the Grand Duchy of Darmstadt, has waved the duties in favour of the Bible Society, as well as of the professor himself, and other individual distributors; and duties previously paid have been returned.

The secretary of the Prussian Central Bible Society, writes,"During the last year, ending October 1, 1824, we have put into circulation 3874 Bibles and 976 Testaments, and during the last ten years 78,247. Within the same period, a far larger number of copies of the Scriptures have been circulated by the Branch Societies in Prussia; so that at present there is not a poor man in the whole country, who may not, if he please, obtain the Bible or Testament at a very reduced price, or even gratis. This Society has superintended an edition of 10,000 Bohemian New Testaments.

In the Report of the Silesian Bible Society the following interesting statement occurs :-"The numerous difficulties and attendant anxieties with which many of our fellow-Christians have had to struggle, in consequence of the pressure of the times, have driven many to seek for consolation, where alone it can be truly found, in the Book of Life. In many families the long neglected Bible has at length been brought forward again. Where in

reality it was most wanted, no Bible was to be found. In this situation the parties would have been left, had not Bible Societies in different places stepped forward, and supplied them with the word of God. It is with thankfulness we add, that we have been able to satisfy every demand made upon us for copies of the holy Scriptures."

The Ninth Report of the Bunzlau Bible Society records the following pleasing fact: "We have never been obliged, from want of the means, to send any one who applied to us for a Bible empty away. In this benevolent work, the clergy and schoolmasters here have not a little assisted us during the last year." "To every clergyman," states the Fifth Report of the Kreuznach Bible Society," who applied to us, Bibles have been given for the purpose of presenting every newly married couple with a copy on their wedding-day. All, without exception, have received this present, offered to them on one of the most important days of their lives, with demonstrations of gratitude and joy; and many have in return made handsome donations to the Bible Society." The Berg Bible Society, is about to print an edition of 10,000 New Testaments for the supply of schools. "We had no conception," the secretary writes, "that the want of Bibles would be found so great in this country. The same spirit which has been awakened in England, bas, God be praised, found its way to us." The Danish Bible Society, in connexion with its Auxiliaries has been successful in distributing about 60,000 Bibles and New Testa

ments.

From one of the branches of the Bible Society in Norway, at Bergen, the secretary writes," Even here, among Norwegian rocks, the long slumbering desire after the Divine Word has been at length awakened in the souls of our fellow-Christians; even here do Christian brethren unite in contributing towards the great and glorious work which so

many others are engaged in carrying on."

In an interesting address, delivered by Count Rosenblad, at the anniversary of the Swedish Bible Society, it is observed, that, from calculations which have been made of the copies of the Scriptures in existence in Sweden, and of the number of persons who ought to be presented with them, but who may be supposed not to have the means of supplying themselves, at least 30,000 annually will be wanted for many years to come. There have been printed at this Society's press 96,700 Bibles and 118,600 New Testaments. The Ladies' Association says, "If the members of the Ladies' Bible Society in Stockholm can claim any merit for the sin cerity of their intentions to co-operate in the accomplishment of so grand and desirable an object, and if they have already witnessed instances of a happy result of their exertions, it is a duty which they cheerfully discharge, to own that they are indebted to the British and Foreign Bible Society for the example, the counsel, and the means, which have guided and facilitated their labours."

With mingled feelings of regret and delight the Committee next turn to Russia; regret at the difficulties which had arisen in that quarter, and delight at the retrospect of the labours of the Russian Bible Society. Prince Galitzin having resigned the office of president, Archbishop Seraphim had been appointed his successor. At the first meeting of the Committee, at which his Eminence presided, he expressed a lively hope that the Lord would be pleased to shower down his blessings on the united and important labours of the Committee, and vouchsafe to them his Almighty aid. Prince Galitzin had written a letter expressive of the interest felt by him in all the operations of the Bible Society in every part of the world, notwithstanding he has resigned the situation which he before occupied.

By the Russian Society a periodical monthly paper has been issued during the past year. In the first number a general review is taken of the operations of the Society since its commencement; from which it appears that, in the space of eleven years, it has purchased or printed versions of the entire Scriptures or the New Testament, or parts there of, in forty-one different languages or dialects, and distributed 448,109 copies, and has collected and received 3,711,376 rubles; and that there are in different parts of the empire 289 Committees who mutually co-operate, and, in union with the St. Petersburg Committee, dispense throughout the whole extent of the Russian dominions the bread of life. Among its most important versions, that into the Modern Russ deserves to be mentioned; 50,000 of the Modern Russ and Slavonian New Testament have been published, and 20,000 of the Modern Russ alone. These journals contain many pleasing testimonies of the good produced by the labours of the Society. The Committee have availed themselves of the central situation of Malta, to send out supplies, in different languages, to be in readiness to meet the wants which may occur in those quarters of the world. The last Annual Report of this Society states, that 10,486 copies of the Scriptures, in fifteen different languages, had been distributed; making a total, with those distributed in former years, of nearly 40,000.

The secretary of the Ionian Bible Society reports, that in the first three years and a half of the Society's existence 841 Bibles and Testaments had been issued by it, and within the last two years 2201. Some hundreds of copies of the Greek Testament have been sent to different parts of Greece, where they have been received by the people with eagerness; and many of them, it is said, while encamped and expecting the enemy, employ themselves in reading the word of

God. The revision of the entire Albanian New Testament is completed; and the Gospel of St. Matthew has been printed and put in circulation.

In the Turkish empire, for the benefit of the Greeks who speak the Turkish language, the New Testament is preparing in Greek characters. The Jewish Spanish New Testament has been revised for a third time, and is about to be printed at Malta. The translation of the Modern Greek Bible has been finished, and the entire copy is in the hands of Mr. Leeves. The New Testament is about to be printed in London. "To a Sciot lady (Mr. Leeves writes), who had lost her husband and part of her family in the recent calamitics which befel that island, but who, through Christian exertions, has had the happiness to be redeemed from slavery, and to recover two sons and a daughter from the same unhappy condition, I gave Greek Testaments for herself and all the members of her family; and I have the satisfaction of knowing that these books are dilgently studied, and supply a constant source of instruction and comfort to these individuals, united once more as a family, after their many sufferings and perils." Mr. Leeves has had the happiness of introducing the Scriptures into several schools; the masters agreeing that a portion of the time which is now devoted to the study of Æsop's Fables, Lucian's Dialogues. Homer, and Sophocles, might be profitably employed in giving the youths an acquaintance with the charter of a Christian's duty, privileges, and hopes. The issues from the depository at Constantinople had amounted in the whole to 2959; more than half the number were Greek Testaments. From Smyrna there have been circulated 350 Bibles and Testaments, with 44 copies of the Proverbs of Solomon. From Aleppo, Mr. Barker writes that at Lattakia, a place which he visited, 112 copies of the Armenian

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