THE FIRST FIVE REPORTS OF THE mxitis^ mh iforeign Bible gjottet?, VIZ. FOR 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809; WITH EXTRACTS OF CORRESPONDENCE, REPRINTED FROM THE ORIGINAL REPORTS, LONDON : PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY, By J, Tilling, Royal Hospital Row, Chelsea ; SOLD BY L. B. SEELEY, at the Society's Depository, I69, Fleet-street; A^D BY ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, 1810. FORM OF A BEQUEST TO THE SOCIETY. / give unto the Treasurer for the time heingf of a certain Voluntary Society, formed in London, in the year 1804, entitled " The British and Foreign Bible Society," the sum of Pounds of lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, current in Great Britain, to be paid within months iiext after my decease, out of such part only of my per- sonal estate as shall not consist of chattels real, upon trust, to he applied towards the carrying on the purposes of the said Society; and I do hereby direct and declare, that the receipt of the Treasurer of the said Society for the time being, for the said Legacy, shall he a sufficient discharge to my Executors for the same. LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY I. The Designation of this Society shall be THE BRITISH and FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, of which the sole object shall be, to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scrip- tures. The only Copies in the Languages of the United Kingdom to be circulated by the Society, shall be the autho- rized version, without Note or Comment, II. This Society shall add its endeavours to those em- ployed by other Societies, for circulating the Scriptures through the British Dominions ]■ and shall also, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mahometan, or Pagan. III. Each Subscriber of One Guinea annually, shall be a Member. IV. Each Subscriber of Ten Guineas at one time, shall be a Member for Life. V. Each Subscriber of Five Guineas annually, shall be a Governor. A3 4 LAWS AND REGULATIONS. VI. Each Subscriber of Fifty Pounds at one time, or who shall, by one additional payment, increase his original Sub- scription to Fifty Pounds, shall be a Governor for Life. VII. Governors shall be entitled to attend and vote at all Meetings of the Committee. VIII. An Executor paying a bequest of Fifty Pounds^ shall be a Member for Life ; or of One Hundred Pounds, a Governor for Life. IX. A Committee shall be appointed to conduct the business of the Society, consisting of Thirty-Six Laymen, Six of whom shall be Foreigners, resident in London or its vicinity, half the remainder shall be Members of the Church of England, and the other half Members of other denomi- nations of Christians. Twenty-seven of the above number, who shall have most frequently attended, shall be eligible for re-election for the ensuing year. The Committee shall appoint all Officers, except the Treasurer, and call special General Meetings, and shall be charged with procuring for the Society suitable patronage, both British and Foreign. X. Each Member of the Society shall be entitled, under the direction of the Committee, to purchase Bibles and Testaments at the Society's prices, which shall be as low as possible. XI. The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be held on the First Wednesday in May, when the Treasurer and Committee shall be chosen, the Accounts presented, and the Proceedings of the foregoing yeai- reported. LAWS AND REGULATIONS. 5 XII. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Treasurer, shall be considered, ex officio, Members of the Committee. XIII. Every Clergyman or Dissenting Minister who is a Member of the Society shall be entitled to attend and vote at all Meetings of the Committee. XIV. The Secretaries, for the time being, shall be con- sidered as Members of the Committee; but no person deriving any emolument from the Society shall have that privilege. XV. At the General Meetings and Meetings of the Com- mittee, the President, or in his absence the Vice-President first upon the list, then present; and in the absence of all the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and in his absence, such Members as shall be voted for that purpose, shall preside at the Meeting. XVI. The Committee shall meet on the First Monday in every Month, or oftener if necessary. XVII. The Committee shall have the power of nomi- nating such persons as have rendered essential services to the Society, either Members for Life, or Governors FOR Life. XVIII. The Committee shall also have the power of nominating Honorary Members from among Foreigners who have promoted the objects of the Society. XIX. The whole of the Minutes of every General Meeting shall be signed by the Chairman. 1805. PRESIDENT, RT, HON. JOHN LORD TEIGNMOUTH Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of LONDON. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of DURHAM. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of EXETER. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of ST. DAVID's. Sir WILLIAM PEPPERELL, Bart. Vice Admiral GAMBIER. CHARLES GRANT, Esq. M. P. WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, Esq. M. P. TREASURER, HENRY THORNTON, ESQ. M.P. COMMITTEE. William Alers, Esq. T. Babington, Esq. M. P. T. Boddington, Esq. Wilson Birkbeck, Esq. John Brasier, Esq. Joseph Bunnell, Esq. Joseph Butterworth, Esq. Robert Cowie, Esq. Charles Crawford, Esq. John Fenn, Esq. T. Ferley Forster, Esq. Wm. H. Hoarc, Esq. Thomas Hodson, Esq. John Dan. Hose, Esq. Robert Howard, Esq. Rich. Lea, Esq. Alderman. Zach. Macaulay, Esq. Alex. Maitlarid, Esq. Ambrose Martin, Esq. James Meyer, Esq. Samuel Mills, Esq. Thomas Pellatt, Esq. Joseph Reyner, Esq. Herman Scliroder, Esq. Granville Sharp, Esq. Richard Stainforth, Esq. Robert Steven, Esq. Christopher Sundius, Esq. Joseph Smith, Esq. Anthony Waguer, Esq. John Thornton, Esq. William Terrmgton, Esq. Thomas Wilson, Esq. Henricke Witte, Esq. George WoliF, Esq. Arthur Young, Esq. SECRETARIES (gratis), Rev. John Ov^en, M.A. Fulharn. Rev. Joseph Hughes, M.A. Battersea. Rev. Chas. Fr. Steinkopff, M.A. Savoy, for the Foreign Department. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES, Mr. Joseph Tarn, Spa Fields. Mr. Tho. Smith, No. 19, Little Moorfields. Extract from the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held at the Nexv London Tavern^ on Wednesday, May 1, 1805. The Rt. Hon, JOHN LORD TEIGNMOUTH, President^ in the Chair. The Report of the Committee halving been read by the President, RESOLVED, That the said Repoi^t he noxv received and adopted; and that it be printed, subject to the revisal of the Committee. On the Motion of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham, seconded by William Wilbeiforce, Esq, M. P. it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the warmest Thafiks of this Meet- ing be presented to the Rt. Ho7i. Lord Teignmouth, President of this Society, for his Lordship's faithful, zealous, and persevering Attention to the Interests of this Institution, dtiring the whole Period of his Con- nexion with it. [ 10 ] IT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the sincere Achiowledgements of this Meeting be communicated to the Right Reverend and other, the Vice-Presidents of the Society, for the Patronage which they have afforded to the Institution. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Committee, for their strenuous Endeavours to further the Objects of the Society ; and for their highly interesting, impressive, and encouragi7ig Re- port. That the Thanks of this Meeting be presented to the Treasurer and Secretaries of the Society, for their zealous and gratuitous services. IT WAS ALSO RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the Thanks of this Meeting be con'veyed to the Presbytery of Glasgow, for the Zeal which they have discovered in promoting the Interests of the Society. That the Thanks of this Meeting be also returned to the several Societies and Congrega- tions in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, who have made Collections for the Society, or otherwise contributed to promote its Interests ; atid they are hereby requested to accept such Thanks, FIRST REPORT. Your Committee, in compliance with their duty, now report their Proceedings since the last General Meet^ ing. Amongst the objects which have particularly engaged their attention, there was none which appeared to them of greater moment, than to make the Institution of the Society extensively known; in the confidence, that the simplicity, purity, and importance of its design, would entitle it to general approbation and support ; and that its means of becoming beneficial, would thus be propor- tionably increased. With this object in view, your Committee opened a correspondence with all parts of the United Kingdom ; * and the enlarged and increasing List of Subscribers and Benefactors to the Institution, affords the pleasing evi- dence that their expectations of the result were well founded. The accession of the names of the President and Vice-Presidents, since the last General Meeting, will at the same time evince, that your Committee have not * Appendix, No. I. 12 FIRST REPORT. [1805. been inattentive to the Charge assigned to them, of procuring for the Society suitable patronage. It is indeed a real satisfaction to your Committee to be enabled to report, the favourable reception which has so generally attended this notification of the plan of the Society. In Scotland and Ireland many respectable individuals have not only expressed their earnest wishes for its success, but have afforded their assistance in promoting it. The Presbytery of Glasgow some time ago directed contributions to be received, in all the churches and chapels within their bounds, for the benefit of this Insti- tution; and the Synod of Glasgow and Air has con- firmed this resolution, and extended its operation, by a similar order, which it has recently published. "^ The contributions from different classes of Dissenters in Scotland are considerable; and in Ireland, the Asso- ciation for discountenancing Vice and promoting the knowledge and practice of the Holy Scriptures, have acceded to a Proposal of your Committee for a friendly communication between the two Societies, so far a» their objects are respectively the same. The endeavours of your Committee to give publicity to the Institution, were not however confined to the United Kingdom. Assisted by the indefatigable exertions of the Secre- tary for the Foreign Department, the knowledge of its establishment has been diffused over the continent of Europe, and has been attended with the happiest effects. The Society will learn with particular gratification, that * Appendix, No. II. 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 13 it excited in the religious public of Germany and Swit- zerland, not only uncommon attention, but a spirit of active emulation, which has produced the establishment of a Bible Society, in the free Imperial City of Nuren- berg, supported by contributions from various parts of Germany.* The same zeal and disposition were manifested in Switzerland, but the absolute insufficiency of means, for the establishment of a separate Institution in that country, induced several pious clergymen and laymen there, to adopt the only practicable mode of giving effect to their wishes, by uniting their efforts wdth those of the Society at Nurenberg.f The proceedings of the Nurenberg Association have been distinguished by that activity, which might be expected from the spirit, which dictated its establish- ment. One of its first measures, was to print 5,000 copies of a German Protestant edition of the New Testament, in the intention of distributing a considera- ble number among the poor Protestants in the Austrian dominions, and in other parts of Germany, where the want of Bibles is deeply lamented; J and your Com- mittee are further authorized to hope, that the same Society will also soon have it in its power, to print a large edition of the established Lutheran Bible com- plete. § It is important to observe, that the Society at Nu- renberg has not only been formed upon the precedent of the British and Foreign Bible Society, but that its esta- * Appendix, No. III. and No. IV. t Ibid. No. V. and No. VI, t Ibid. No, VII. 4 Ibid. No. VIII. 14 FIRST ItEPORT. [1805. blishment was more immediately promoted, by a pro- mise made by your Committee, to assist its exertions in the Circulation of the Scriptures, by a pecuniary do- nation. Your Committee accordingly, on being ap- prized of. its establishment, presented it with one hundred pounds. Nor is it less pleasing to remark, that in the German dominions of the King of Prussia, the example of the British and Foreign Bible Society has also made a most desirable impression. Under the auspices of persons of high rank and respectability in that country, including general officers, noblemen, and gentlemen, the printing of a new edition of the Protestant Bohe- mian Bible, which was become extremely scarce, has been proposed.''' Your Committee, actuated by the same consideration, which induced them to assist the establishment of the Nurenberg Society, have also en- gaged to contribute the sum of one hundred pounds, for the purpose of aiding the circulation of the Bohemian Bible, if a Bible Society should be established in the Prussian dominions. The expectations entealained by your Committee, that such donations would tend to promote a wider cir- culation of the Scriptures, by uniting the efforts of indi- viduals in distinct Societies, formed tor this object, have been verified, and the effects produced by the Grants of your Committee, will be more than commensurate to their amount. But the influence of the example of the British and Foreign Bible Society, has not been felt by the Protes- * Appendix, No. IX. 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 15 tant part only of the coiir.nunity in Germany and Swit- zerland, but has extended to the Roman Catholics. In the former of these countries, a priest of their com- munion, in a letter which has been laid before your Committee, not only expresses a lively interest in the plan and proceedings of the Society, but avows his in- tention of promoting the establishment of a similar Bible Society among the Roman Catholics : he states, That all Blind Bigots of his church have always spread an opinion, that it was entirely forbidden to the common people to read the Bible, and that this opinion is still too prevalent. That notwithstanding this, many of their Clergy, both in Swabia and Bavaria, not only recommend the reading of the Scriptures, particularly of the New Testament, but strongly exert themselves to promote it. That he had himself distributed many New Testaments, and some Bibles, among the more enlightened Catholics; that the people seem more and more desirous of perusing the Bible, and that the num- ber of Clergymen disposed not only to tolerate but to commend it, is daily increasing.* In addition to this intelligence, your Committee are further credibly assured, that associations are actually forming among the Roman Catholics, in several pro- vinces of Germany, for the express purpose of printing and circulating the Holy Scriptures, more generally than has ever hitherto been done.f The circumstances stated by the Roman Catholic priest, appeared to deserve the particular attention of your Committee; and they determined in consequence * Appendix, No. X, f ^^i^- No, XL 16 FIRST REPORT. [1805. to authorize the Society at Nurenberg, to furnish one thousand copies of the Protestant edition of the New Testament, (then printing by them) for sale or donation, among the Roman Catholics in Swabia and Bavaria, at the expence of this Society. They requested at the same time information, as to the practicability of a more extensive distribution of the Scriptures, among the Ro- man Catholics in Germany. Whilst your Committee endeavoured to make the Institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society known, both throughout the United Kingdom and the Continent, their inquiries w ere at the same time di- rected, to ascertain to what extent, the want of Bibles existed in the Christian world at large. By the intelligence received from Ireland, it appears, that there is no part of the United Kingdom, where this want is more felt than in the Southern provinces of that Island; that not above a third part of the Protes- tant families there, possess Bibles; and that amongst the Papists, who are far more numerous, a Bible is pro- bably not to be found, in more than one, out of five hundred families; * that the Dublin Association, before referred to, has disposed of a considerable number of copies at a reduced price, but that its funds are insuffi- cient to satisfy the daily increasing demand upon it, for Bibles,'!" and that this demand applies to English Bibles exclusively, as there are very few amongst the lower ranks capable of reading the Bible in the Irish lan- guage.t With respect to the Continent, the information re- * Appendix, No. XU. + Ibid. No. XIII. I Ibid. No. XIV. 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 17 ceived by your Committee is various. A letter from a clergyman in Alsace, which has been communicated to them, having stated the great want of Bibles, both among Protestants and Roman Catholics in those parts, your Committee, highly approving his truly cha- ritable exertions for relieving this Avant, resolved to assist the further distribution of German and Protes- tant French Bibles, by a donation of twenty pounds.* Of the state of Bibles in Sweden, the following pleasing information has been obtained from the So« ciety, Pro Fide et Christ ianismo, at Stockhohii, through the Rev. G. Brunmark, Chaplain to the Swedish Embassy at the Court of St. James's, and a Member of this Society: That owing to the gracious and paternal care of the government of their country, and from the Gospel light and zeal which have generally spread among indi- viduals, no want of Bibles exists at present in Sweden, and that Bibles in the Finland and Lapland languages are now currently printed and distributed, either gratis, or at very reduced prices, by Societies formed for that benevolent purpose. -I' Neither is there any want of Bibles in Holland, as your Committee are informed by a respectable Minis- ter in Holland; he even states, that the poorest people there can procure a Bible, and that their Deacons make strict enquiry of their indigent parishioners, whether they possess a Bible and read it. J Similar enquiries have been made with respect to the want of Bibles in Denmark and the Russian em- * Appendix, No. XV. t Ibid. No. XVI. J Ibid. No. XVII. B IS fIRST KEPORT. [1805, pire ; no answers have been received, but they are expected. It only remains to add upon this subject, that a cor- respondence has been opened by your Committee, with some gentlemen at Fort William in Bengal, and that the plan and regulations of the Society have been com- municated to them."^' Your Committee will now proceed to report on other matters, which have engaged their attention. Having been informed that a manuscript version of the New Testament, in the Chinese language, was deposited in the British IVIuseum, your Committee were led to indulge an expectation, that it might afford to the Society the means of introducing the knowledge of divine truth into the Chinese empire. Their atten- tion was therefore directed, in the first instance, to pro- cure from gentlemen conversant with the Chinese lan- guage, the most accurate information respecting the contents of the manuscript. Your Committee at the same time, on a supposition that it might answer to the description received of it, made enquiries as to the expence, attending the printing of a certain number of copies of it, and that no procurable information might be wanted, applied also to Sir George Staunton for his opinion, on the practicability of circulating the Holy Scriptures in China, as well as respecting the proper channels, through which it should be attempted. The departure of Sir George Staunton from London, prepa^ ratory to his embarkation for Cliina, having taken place before the application on the part of the Society reached * Appendix, No. XVIU. 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 19 him; your Committee have been deprived of the benefit of that information which they solicited, but are not without hopes of being hereafter favoured with it. On the other points to which their enquiries were directed, the following is the result. Firsts That the Chinese Manuscript in the British Museum, contains a Harmony of the four Evangelists, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epistles of Saint Paul, excepting that to the Hebrews. Secondly, That although the translation may be considered accurate, and in point of style of superior elegance to any known Chinese translation from European languages ; it ap- pears from the style and wording, to have been made from the Vulgate, under the direction of the Jesuits. Thirdly, That the expence attending the printing of one thousand copies would be little less than two thousand five hundred pounds, and for five thousand copies would exceed six thousand pounds. Your Committee therefore, under all the circumstances before them, determined not to i)rint the manuscript. The next point to which your Committee will advert, relates to a translation of the Gospel of Saint John into the Mohawk language, by Capt. Norton, a chief of that nation, personally well known to many Members of the Society, and whose Indian name is Tyonenhokarawen. This work was undertaken by him, without any sug- gestion from the Society; but your Committee, upon receiving information that it had been completed, and being perfectly satisfied as to the abilities and principles of the translator, did not hesitate to determine, that two thousand copies of the translation should be printed b2 go FIRST REPORT. [1805. at the expence of the Society. The six confederated nations (of which the Mohawks are one), are situated on either side of the Ouse or grand River, to the west- ward of the Falls of Niagara, and they are already in possession of a translation of the Gospel of Saint Mark, the Liturgy of the Church of England, and certain de- tached passages of Scripture. Your Committee are further informed, that the Six Nations have a Church, occasionally only visited by a Clergyman, in which a congregation of near six hundred persons is sometimes assembled. Your Committee could not therefore but deem this singular opportunity of extending a farther knowledge of the doctrines of Christianity, too favorable to be neglected; and have had the satifaction to think, the Translation of the Gospel of Saint John will prove a most valuable accession of religious knowledge to the Six Nations. It may be reasonably hoped, that by their means other tribes connected with them may have access to the Holy Scriptures. Your Committee recently availed themselves of an opportunity to send five hundred copies of the trans- lation to America for distribution. Your Committee have next to report a most valua- ble present made to the Society by one of its Members, Granville Sharp, Esq. of a very large collection of foreign translations of the Scriptures.* For the expression of their acknowledgements to him, the Committee refer to the letter addressed to Mr. Sharp by the President, f They have also to no- tice, the present of a Danish Bible by Const Frederick * Appendix, No. XIX. f Ibid. No. XX. iS05.] TIRST REPORT. 21 Wolff, Esq., and of a Welsh Bible by Joseph Ben- well, Esq. Your Committee cannot but avail themselves of this opportunity, to repeat an intimation which has been notified in several of the public prints, that Donations to the Society of versions of the Scripture into foreign languages, will be particularly acceptable, as even- tually of considerable importance, in promoting the distribution of the Scriptures into such lan- guages. With a view to this object, your Com- mittee have endeavoured to procure wheresoever it was to be obtained, an account of foreign translations of the Bible. The Librarian of the Elector of Wer- tenberg has supplied them with a very ample cata- logue of versions in European and Asiatic languages, in the library under his charge.^ It now remains, to report the measures adopted by your Committee, for procuring Bibles to be dis- posed of by the Society. It was at first in contem- plation (the suggestion was noticed at the last Annual Meeting) to purchase a supply for immediate circu- lation ; but after the fullest consideration, it was judo-ed most advisable to print Bibles for the use of the So- ciety by the Stereotype. Your Committee were aware, that in the first instance, this new mode of printing would require more time than that by com- mon types, but the advantages attending it, in their opinion, more than counterbalanced the tempo- rary inconvenience. The expence is less, and, upon the whole, time is gained, where a permanent ob- * Appendix, No. XXI. 2li2 FIRST REPORT. [1805. ject is to be pursued, as the Stereotype, when once prepared, may be considered a standing press, from which any number of copies may be worked off at any future period, with more expedition than by the com- mon mode of printing. It may be further remarked, that the Stereotype, w^hen correctly prepared, tends, in a considerable degree, to perpetuate the integrity of the text. Your Committee, therefore, on being apprised that the University of Cambridge had entered into an agreement with Mr. Wilson, the Stereotype printer, resolved that several thousand English Bibles of vari- ous sizes, and twenty thousand Welsh Bibles of a smaller size than octavo, should be printed for the Society at the University press. The size of the Welsh Bibles was ultimately fixed, in consequence of a resolution of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, to print an octavo edition of it. And your Committee have also determined to follow their example, in printing from the edition of 1746. Your Committee regret, that it is not in their power to announce to the Society, that they are in possession of Bibles for its use, and their regret is more particu- larly felt with regard to the Welsh Bible, a new edi- tion of which is much wanted. This consideration derives additional weight, from the very liberal con- tributions made in Wales, amounting to nearly nine- teen hundred pounds ; and the more so, as it has been made with a zeal and cheerfulness, which manifest the sincerest veneration for the Holy Scriptures, and more than a common anxiety to possess them. The amount 1805.] FIRST REPORT. S3 of the contributions is the more remarkable, when we advert to the poverty of the majority of the sub- scribers, to whom the apostolic language may, indeed, be applied : '' For to their power, yea, and beyond '' their power, they were willing of themselves." * Your Committee are persuaded, that their zealous and liberal assistance, will not fail to insure the cordial acknowledgements of the Society. Your Committee trust, upon the whole, it will ap- pear, that the progress of the Society towards the at- tainment of its object, has been as expeditious as cir- cumstances would admit : it is to be remembered, that many preparatory arrangements were indispensibly necessary; and that in the fourteen months which have elapsed since its institution, a solid foundation has been laid for active and extensive exertion. That much real advantage has resulted from its establishment is unquestionable; and there is every reason to expect, that its beneficial effects will be progressive and permanent. The spirit of active emu- lation which it has excited in Germany, Switzerland, and the Prussian dominions, is a most pleasing testi- mony to the principle of the Institution, and a wel- come reward of those inquiries and exertions, which it has extended over the European continent. Nor is it unseasonable to remark, that the acknowledgements of foreigners for the assistance granted by the Bri- tish and Foreign Bible Society, are accompanied with sentiments of esteem and regard for the country which has produced the Institution. * Appendix, No. XXII. 24 I'-lRST REPORT. [1805- These benefits will keep pace with the increasing means of the Society, and the suggestion is a strong claim upon the exertion of its members, to promote the augmentation of its power to do good. If to pro- vide for the temporal exigencies of our fellow-crea- tures be considered an indispensible duty, to minister to their spiritual wants is a duty of still superior obli- gation ; and of all the modes suggested or employed for this purpose, the supplying them with the doctrines of truth and salvation, is the most benevolent, effica- cious, and unexceptionable. Your Committee, before they conclude their Re- port, recommend to the Society the revision of its re- gulations ; suggesting some proposed additions and alterations, which appeared to them necessary. These will be duly noticed when the regulations, in the form proposed, are submitted to the consideration of the Society. And your Committee will only now point out an addition to the first Article in perfect con- formity to the principle of the Society and merely explanatory of its object. With the proposed ad- dition, and a slight verbal alteration, the article stands thus : The Designation of this Society shall be, The British mid Foreign Bible Societi/. The sole object of which shall be, to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures. The only copies in the Languages of the United Kingdom to be circulated by the Society, shall be the authorised Ver- sion, without Note or Comment. APPENDIX TO THE FIRST REPORT. No. I. 7%e Views of the Society were made known to the Public hy the following Advertisement, BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. A Society having been formed witli the above designRtion, it has been judgtd expedient to submit to the Pubhc a brief state- ment of the reasons which exist for such a Society, of the specific object which it embraces, and of X\\g principles by which its opera- tions will be directed. The reasons, which call for such an institution, chiefly refer to the prevalence of Ignorance, Superstition, and Idolatry, over so large a portion of the world; the limited nature of the respectable Societies now in existence ; and their acknowledged insufficiency to supply the demand for Bibles in the United Kingdoms and Foreign Countries ; and the recent attempts which have been made on the part of Infidelity to discredit the evidence, vilify the character, and destroy the influence of Christinnity. The exclusive object of this Society is, to difl^use the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, by circulating them in the different lan- guages spoken througiiout Great Britain and Ireland; and also, according to the extent of its funds, hy promoting the printing of them in foreign languages, and the distribution of them in foreign countries. The principles, upon which this undertaking will be conducted, are as comprehensive as the nature of the object suggests that they should be. In the execution of the plan, it is proposed to embrace the common support of Christians at large; and to invite the con- currence of persons of every description, who profess to regard the Scriptures as the proper Standard of Faith. It may be necessary to add, in soliciting the countenance of the Pub- lic, that in consequence of the enlarged means of instruction which the lower classes in this country have enjoyed of late years, a desire of perusing the Scriptures has considerably increased among them ; and also that in Wales, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and 26 FIRST REPORT. [1805 = other parts of the world. Bibles are greatly wanted, and, in some, are sought for with an eagerness, which, but for authentic assu- rances to that effect, w^ould scarcely be credited. To many thousand Papers^ containing the above Advertisement, was prefixed the following Circular Letter. The Society, which now takes the liberty to address you, founds its claim to your notice, upon the nature of its object; To pro- mote THE CIRCULATION OF THE SCRIPTURES AT HOME AND ABROAD; an object, in which every one, who professes the religion of Christ, must feel a deep interest. The liberal basis of its establishment, also, which unites, to a degree perhaps hitherto unexampled, the zeal and exertions of Christians, of the several denominations, to which the Constitution of this happy Country affords equal protection, will doubtless give additional force to the claims arising from the simplicity, purity, and importance of its design. It cannot be doubted, that in every part of the United Kingdom, there are many wlio are actuated with the true spirit of Christian benevolence, and v/ho only want proper opportunities of manifesting it — The British and Foreign Bible Society now present such an opportunity to them, and solicits your assistance in making it known, as well as your influence and co-operation in promoting the object of its association. The Society is fully sensible of the happy results to be expected from ihe combined exertions of the Christian Community, and is required by a sense of duty to call them forth in the advance- ment of a work, which it can with confidence recommend to the blessing of God and the support of every good man. 1 have the honour to be. Your most obedient humble servant, London, TEIGNMOUTH, March, 1805. President. A Communication of the Society's Designs was also made to the Two great Religious Societies of England and Ireland, in the follow- ing terms : 1. To the Rev. Dr. Gaskin, Secretary to " Tlie Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.'' Sir, Clapham, Jug. 24, I8C4, By desire of the Committee of ** The British and Foreign Bible Society," I have the honour to transmit to you a Plan of this institution, for the information of the Society for Promoting Chris- tian Knowledge. I have further the pleasure to add, that the communication is dictated by that respect and esteem which the Committ^ cannot i805.j FIRST REPORT. 27 but feel for a Society, which has so long and successfully exerted itself in disseminating the knowledge of Divine Truth. I have the honour to be. Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, TEIGNMOUTH, Chairman. 2. To the Rev. Dr. Guinness^ of Trinity College, Dublin ; Secre- tary to " The Association for Discountenancing; VicCy and Pro- motins; the Knowledge and Practice of the Christian Religion." Sir, London, Aug 24, I8C4. Fy desire of the Committee of " The British and Foreign Bible Society," I have the honour to transmit to you a Plan of this institu- tion, for the information of the Association for Discountenancing Vice, and promoting the Knowledge and Practice of the Christian Religion. I have further the pleasure to add, that this Address is dictated by esteem for a Society, founded on the same principles with that of which I have the honour to be President; and to express a hope, that it may eventually prove introductory to future commu- nications, by which the mutual object of both Societies may be promoted. I have the honour to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, TEIGNMOUTH, Chairman. No. II. Extract of a Letter from David Dale, Esq. Glasgow, April 22, 1805. " I DESIRED the Editor of the Glasgow Herald and Advertiser to send you one of the papers, printed on Friday last, that you might see the Resolutions of the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr, respecting the British and Foreign Bible Society. " I sent ihe Letters, for the members of the Presbytery of Ayr, to the Rev. Dr. Dalrympie, one of the Ministers of Ayr, and wrote him a letter, requesting his countenance in forwarding the benevolent intentions of the Society. I received a letter from Dr. Dalrympie, dated the 9tli current, which came to hand only two days ago; I send you an Extract of his letter to me, that you may see how warmly he has interested himself in promoting the success of the Society. 28 FIRST RFPORT. [1805. ** I give you joy, and would take some small share of it my- self, that we have lived to the day of a British and Foreign Bible Society. In the 82d year of my age, and 59th of my ministry; next to both deaf and bhnd ; it is little that I can do in an active way to assist in so glorious a design: but that little shall not be wanting. This evem'ng I ntend to overture our Synod for a Collection, after the good example of the Presbytery of Glasgow, and 1 hope to succeed." Extract of the Resolutions of the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr. Dated April 11, 1805. • " It was stated to the Synod of Glasgov/ and Ayr in an overture, tnat, about a year ago, a number of learned and respectable men had formed tliemselves into a Society in Loudon, for the pious purpose of diffusing the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, by circulating them in the different languages spoken throughout Great Britain and Ireland, and also, according to the extent of their funds, by promoting the pnnting of them in foreign languages, and the distribution of them in foreign countries, it being well known that there is a total want of Bibles in some countries, and a great scarcity of them in others. That, in pursuance of the object of the Society, they had already ordered Thirty-six Thousand Welsh and English Bibles and New Testaments to be printed, and that the prospect of receiving Bibles in their own language had made an astonishing impression on the minds of the people of Wales. That, in Ireland, exertions have been commenced to esta- blish a Society for the same pious purpose. That, at Nurenberg, a Society had been formed, which is proceeding with vigour in the same design; and that tjiere is a prospect, that such Societies will be established in other parts of Germany, &c. '* It was, therefore, overtured to the Synod, that, in order to promote the laudable object, which all the Societies have in view, a Collection should be made throughout all the parishes within their bounds (where such a Collection has not been made) on such days as may be judged by the Ministers most proper for their respective parishes, between and the meeting of Synod, in October next; and that the sums collected be transmitted, by the Clerks of the difterent Presbyteries, to David Dale, Esq. Royal Bank, Glasgow. ** The Synod having considered said overture, highly approved of the same, and appointed accordingly. They ordered copies of this statement to be printed, and sent to the Ministers of the different churches and chapels, within their bounds, to be read from the pulpits, and the Collection to be recommended with suitable exhortations. And also, that a few copies be sent to each Minister to be distributed among his people/' 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 29 No III. Extract of a Letter from , a respectable Merchant in Nurenbeig. (Translation.) To the Honourable Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Much respected Gentlemen, ** When 1 happened to take my usual tour through Austria and Stiria, at Easter last, I had so many urgent calls for Bibles and New Testaments, that I really felt distiest, not knowing what to do, or how to supply these multiplied wants. The more agreeably was I surprised, when, immediately after my return, 1 received the ac- count of your new-established Bible Society from your foreign Se- cretary. Blessed be the name of the Lord, who is able to do ex- ceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think ; and may his choicest blessings descend upon you, most respected and beloved Brethren, for your happy resolution to spread far and near the in- estimable treasures of the Holy Scriptures. ** We cannot but return you our most humble thanks, for having encouraged us in the most liberal manner to co-operate with you in this excellent work of love. Whilst reading your kind invitation and offer, 1 was deeply impressed with that scripture, " They beckoned to their partners which were in the other ship, that they shouhl come and help them; and so they came and tilled both ships so that they began to sink." Your letter afforded me such joy that I could not contain myself, but immediately went to the Rev. , one of the most respectable ministers of our city, in order to communicate to him the joyful news from a far country. He was no less affected than myself; and we agreed to appoint a meeting of Christian friends on Ascension-Day, at which we unanimously resolved to unite for the formation ot a Bible Society, and by a printed letter, to invite our Christian friends throughout Germany and Switzerland, to assist us in so noble an undertaking. *' When sometimes I am privileged to give away a Bible or New Testament, father and mother, son and daughter, are running after me, thanking me a hundred, and a thousand times, kissing my hand, and my coat; shedding tears of joy, and loudly exclaiming; ** May God bless you: may the Lord Jesus bless yoy in ti^ne and- to all eternity." Really I felt sometimes a foretaste of heavenly joy, so that 1 could not sutficiently bless God, for having entrusted me with the honourable connuission of steward of the kind benefactions gf others. But the more I disperse, the more the petitions both ot' Ministers and Schoolmasters increase, not only from Austria, but likewise from Stiria, Carinthia, and Hungary, insomuch that 1 am afraid to preseot their petitions." 30 FIRST REPORTc [1805. No. IV. COPY OF A PRINTED LETTER ; From the Members of the Nurenherg Committee to all the Religious Individuals throughout German?/ and Switzerland. (Translation.) Respected and dearly beloved Friends, We cannot but immediately transmit to you the important in- telligence concerning the formation of a new Bible Society, commu- nicated to us by tlie Rev. Mr. Steiukopff, in a letter, dated London the 17th of April 1804. We beg leave to send you not only a copy of this letter, but also the translation of a printed English paper, which contains further particulars respecting the said new Bible institution. No sooner had we procured a translation of the above English Paper, than we, the members of the Nurenberg Committee, solemnly met together on the Ascension Day; and though deeply sensible of our own weakness, yet fully convinced of our Lord's approving the spreading of his word, anticipating also a speedy co-operation from several benevolent societies and individuals, we unanimously resolved upon the formation of a similar Bible Society, which shall co-operate with that in London. Should our hope be realized of obtaining further subscriptions and contributions in Germany, in addition to the sum of 100 pounds so kindly offered ns from the London Society, we have agreed with Mr. Raw our printer, immediately to print 3,000 copies of the New Testament, of which each subscriber may dispose of a certain number of copies, in proportion to the amount of his subscription, at the rate of about 6d, a copy, and may have them sent wherever he pleases, for gratui- tous distribution. All our friends in Nurenberg express the highest satisfaction at the formation of this German Bible Society, and should the Danish Society make common cause with us, we indulge the hopes that this institution, under the auspices of Divine Provi- dence, may be enabled to do great things. Be pleased, dearest friends, first to assist us with your prayers, and then with your annual contributions; and return soon an answer to the members of this Committee. Signed by order of the Committee, No. V. Extract 0/ a Letter from , a respectable Clergyman in the City of Bask. Nov. 29, 1804. (Translation.) " As you expressed a wish that a similar Bible Society might be established in Switzerland, we made several eftbrts towards the 1805.] FIRST REPORT, 31 accomplishment of so desirable an object. We could not, however, do all we wished, but found it rather adviseable to join our efforts with tiiose of the German Bible Society in Nurenberg. Had all the Protestant Cantons of Switzerland had but one and the same version, we might find it easier to do something ; but there are no less than three established translations used in the different Cantons : to print but one of these three versions would be insufficient, and prevent many of our countrymen from joining us : to print them all would be attended with heavier expences than we could bear. For indeed, there is an inhnite difference between your country and our's. Your's is rich, our's is impoverished ; your commerce is still flourishing, our's is sinking ; among you subscriptions and contributions are a very common thing, which is not equally the case with us. We shall, however, most gladly improve our small talents, and cheer- fully co-operate with our German brethren." No. VI. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. . Dated Bdsh, Nov. 29, 1 804. (Translation.) " Mr. having informed you of our resolutions respecting the formation of a Swiss Bible Society, I only beg leave to observe, that the most essential service which could be rendered to the cause of religion, both in France and in the French part of Switzerland, would be this : to print a cheap edition of the French Protestant Bible. There is not the least doubt that such a Bible is greatly wanted ; that it would be the most acceptable present to many French Protestants, yea, that others would gladly purchase it. The chief difficulty would be this, to meet with suitable persons who would undertake the sale and distribution of such a Bible. But even in this, the Lord v/ould provide. We know a pious member of the Moravian congregation, who traverses France at present, and who would be the very man that might render the most essential service in this respect. We are, besides, acquainted with several pious clergymen in Alsace, and at Lausanne, who would cheerfully lend us their assistance. Could we only obtain a sufficient sum of money, much good might be done/' 32 FIllbT REPORT. [1805. No. VII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. . Dated Nuren- btrg. May 22, 1 804. (Translation.) " Alas, how much are Bibles still wanting every where ! Even when a supply has been made here and there, a new deticieucy soon arises again. But three years ago, I was enabled, by a coutiibution of several Christian friends, to purchase 20 Bibles, and as many New Testaments, besides Hymn Books, and Catechisms for the use of above 60 children, belonging to the Workhouse, tlie inspector of which I happened to be ; but they are nearly worn out. In a neigh- bouring village, from six to eight Bibles had been purchased an- nually, but the legacy has ceased. In another village, there are many children who manifest a strong attachment to the word of God ; but the parents are too poor to purchase any Bibles, and the pious clergyman is at a loss how to provide for them. I could write whole pages, were I to mention every particular concerning the deplorable want of Bibles." No. VIII. Address from the Germaji Society in Nurenherg. which has been distributed throughout the German Empire. Dated Nurenberg, Nov,2S, 1804. (Translation.) A HIGHLY respectable Society having been recently formed in London, which, with the aid of considerable funds, is about to dis- tribute 30,000 Bibles and Testaments of different sizes ; it has been joined, in dependence upon God, by a similar Society of lovers of the Holy Scriptures, in the under-mentioned, and other towns of Germany. They intend to make an attempt in the German language, like that which has been made by the above-mentioned Society in the English; to remedy, as far as they are able, the almost incredible scarcity of Bibles, especially among the poor, by a large and cheap edition. If a considerable number of orders, subscriptions, and donations, for the furtherance of this design should be received, it is hoped that a Bible in the common version, of a large octavo size, like the Halle edition, mav be furnished at the price of about forty kreutzers* By the donutioiis of a number of liberal-minded lovers of the Holy Scriptures, a fund has been raised, out of which staudm^ types * Not quite eight«en-peiice, English, 1805.] FIRST REPORT. - ^S have been already procured for a New Testament, the printing of which is to be immediately commenced, and which will come 'to twelve kreutzers at the most, for each copy. This New Testament is printed with somewhat smaller types, and on a paper of a smaller size, than it is wished hereafter to print the Bible. It is ardently hoped, that there may be found in many places of Germany and Switzerland, a number of private individuals who will have opportunity, and deem it a pleasure, to distribute Bibles. If any such persons shall think proper to send, to any of the under- mentioned collectors, a contribution in money, there will be trans- mitted to them, indue time, as many copies of entire Bibles and of New Testaments, as their whole contribution amounts to, or as they may demand for a certain portion of it. Should there be among the class of opulent Christians, lovers of the Bible, who, though not having occasion to order for themselves, are nevertheless desirous of promoting this undertaking, their do- nations will be applied to the diminution of the price of this new edition of the Scriptures. If it should please God to excite many such cheerful givers to make liberal contributions to the Bible institution, whereby they may be enabled to procure standing types for the whole of the sacred Scriptures (which would require a very considerable sum), it will then be possible to afford new impressions of the Bible as often as required, at a very moderate price. As the intention of the Bible Society is chiefly to procure Bibles at a cheap rate for gratuitous distribution, it is hoped, that no detri- ment will arise from hence to similar institutions already esta- blished, but that their views will be hereby rather promoted. Thus, for example, the North of Germany has'for this purpose the Halle Bible; we therefore direct our attention chiefly to the Southern part of the empire and Switzerland: countries, in which the cost of carriage renders the Halle Bibles too expensive to be purchased and distributed in any considerable numbers. But if lovers of the Holy Scriptures in other countries also should feel themselves excited to support this our undertaking with their contributions, they would be accepted with the most heart-felt gratitude. We confidently hope for the success of our undertaking. If in England, according to the latest accounts, even hard working artisans have contributed their mite towards the support of the JBible So- ciety, can we suppose that less zeal for the good cause will be dis- played by our German and Swiss r^verers of the sacred writings? The inherent value of the book, the religious wants of the people, the critical circumstances of the times, the present tranquillity of the States; all these, besides many other urgent reasons, loudly call for attention to this important undertaking. O ye, who know and revere the Bible, which yet reniairis th6 Bible of all religious parties, lend your aid in promoting it: Ye, who, on the brink of the grave, can dispose of your property at pleasure, think on the words of the just Judge of the world, / was hungry, and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink. If the Messing be already so great for him who ministers to the bodily C $4> FIRST REPORT. [1S05. wants of his fellow-creatures, how much greater will it be for those, who, constrained by the love of Christ, provide for satisfying the hungry after the living word of God, and lead thirsty souls to the pure weils of salvation I Contributions, Subscriptions, and Donations, are received by the following Collectors. At Basle, by Mr. Emmanuel Schnell, Merchant, in trust for a Com- mittee of the Bible Society at that place. In Berlin, by the Rev. John Jeenicke. In Francfort, by &c. No IX. Extracts of Letters from the Rev. John Jeenicke, Minister of a Bohemian Church at Berlin. 1. Dated June 19, 1804. (Translation.) Not more than 70 years a Bohemian colony has resided in Berlin, and its vicinity. The members of my congregation are not quite destitute of Bibles; but yet, should a family be desirous to purchase a new Bohemian Bible, even at so high a rate as at 10 Rix Dollars, they could not obtain it. With respect, however, to our Protestant bre- thren who are dispersed both in Bohemia and Silesia, I am quite sure, there is a far greater want of Bibles still amongst Ihem, as they are not to be had in these parts. 2. Dated Nov, 2, 1804. I took the liberty to inform you in my last, that a new edition of the Bohemian Bible is greatly wanted, as the last edition, which was printed in the year 176S, has been long disposed of. Now, I beg leave to inform you, that several kind and respectable friends in Potsdam, such as the Prussian General Baron de Knoblacb, and another General, Baron de Geusen, have declared to me their in- tention, to contribute annually the sum of 30 Rix Dollars, in case a new edition of the Bohemian Bible should be printed. Permit me, at tlie same time, respectfully to enquire, whether the British and Foreign Bible Society would not feel disposed to grant us some pecuniary aid, towards carrying this beneficial design into execu- tion. 1805.] FIRST REPORT, 35 3. Dated March 19, 1805. C Enclosing an Extract of a Letter from Dr. Knapp, Rector of the Orphan House, at Halle, in Saxony.) Dr. Knapp writes thus to Mr. Joenicke. *' There are at present, in our Bible institution, about 4,000 copies of the Bohemian New Testament, which have been hitherto sold for about a shilling each. We should be able to sell them for ninepence, if the Honourable Society in London feci disposed ge- nerously to advance some money for this purpose." Mr. Joenickc adds: " It would be a great advantage to the many thousands of poor Bohemian Protestants, dispersed throughout Bri-.ndenbourgh, Silesia, and Bohemia, should the British and Foreign Bible Society come to a resolution immediately to purchase, at least, a few hundred copies of the Bohemian New Testament, to give away amongst them." I No. X. Letter from a respectable Roman Catholic Priest in Swahia, to the Rev, Mr. Steinkopff. Dated Oct. 1 8, 1 804. (Translation.) You will not, 1 trust, be displeased if an entire stranger to you presumes to address you in a letter. I had the pleasure to learn, from a copy of your letter, addressed to Mr Tobias Kiesling, of Nurenberg, the great number of zealous friends of the Bible in London, who are filled with a noble desire to send out the pure word of God, as the best preacher, into the v> orld. This account excited in my breast the most heartfelt joy and gratitude towards that God, " who is the only Giver of every good and perfect gift;" but I felt also lively emotions of mifeigned love and affection for you, and for all the Members of that venerable Bible Society; for whom 1 wish a thousand blessings. May the Lord Jesus, through whom all blessings are communicated to us, be the beginning and end of their praiseworthy undertaking ! and may his name be glori- fied for it to all eternity ! What particularly induced me to write, was your question. Whether the Bible was still prohibited to the Catholics ? Being convinced thereby, that you were mindful even of the poor Catho- lics, I was particularly moved and edified; for indeed nothing is more affecting than that love which embraces all, without the least distinction; ** for God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwell- eth m God, and God in him." I felt myself, therefore, constrained C2 36 FIRST REPORT. [1805. to thank you, in the name of all honest and well disposed Catholics, for thebe your fraternal sentiments. In answer to your question, I observe, properly speaking, the Bible has never been prohibited to the Catholics. The Council of Trent only states — fndiscriminata lectio Sacrce ScripturtE interdicta est. Well-informed Catholics took this always in that sense only : that not all books of the Bible, promiscuously, should be put into the h'\ndsofthe common people; referring chiefly to some books of the Old Testament. Besides, this prohibition of the Council of Trent lias r.t ■ er been adniitted as buiding by the whole body of the Roman Catholic < iergy m Germany; but so much is true, that all blind bigots of our church have always spread the opinion, that it was entirely forbidden for all laymen to read the Bible; and this prejudice is, alas! still deeply prevalent among the greater part of the people. There are, however, at present, many of our clergy- men, both in Swabia and Bavaria, who strongly recommend the reading of the Bible, chiefly of the New Testament; and do every thing in their power to promote it. 1 have, for my own part, dis- tributed many New Testaments, and some Bibles, among better enlightened Catholics; and several of my dear brethren in Christ do the same. We are, however, not able to satisfy all the demands for Bibles. 1st, Because there is not any cheap Catholic edition of the Bible to begot; whilst our situation renders it exceedingly diflicult to distribute Protestant editions. 2div, Because the property of individuals is not sufl[icient for such an undertaking, there being so many poor people who cannot purchase a Bible at all. Should an institution be established amongst us, upon your plan, I am sure we could dispose of a good number of Bibles and New Testaments. The people seem to get more and more desirous of the Bible; and the number of clergymen is increasing, who not only would tolerate but commend the reading of it. I feel a very great desire to witness the formation of a similar Bible Society amongst the Roman Catholics; and, indeed, I will make some attempts, though I foresee many difliiculties; and can hardly suppose that so many active and benevolent friends of the Bible are to be found amongst the Roman Catholics, as would be requisite for such an undertaking. Your question, however, re- specting the Catholics, inspires me with the hope, that your Society is desirous to extend its beneficial influence likewise to the Catholics, wishing only to know, whether a dispersion of Bibles amongst them would be practicable: — and, indeed, it would not only be practicable, but desirable in the highest degree. Let me, however, candidly observe, that a Protestant edition of the Bible would hardly be suffered to have its free course, after all I know of the minds of most of the Catholic people und clergy. It ought, there- fore, to be either a Catholic edition of the Bible, or, if a Protestant, it ought to have the same appearance as if printed in a Catholic 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 37 town; for instance, the books of the Bible ought to be placed in an order different from that, which is generally adopted in Protestant Bibles. Now, I beg you, my dear brother in Christ, to receive these few lines in love, l wrote this, trusting it might be acceptable to your venerable Society. I cannot express, in terms sufficiently strong, the fervency of my joy, and love toward all who, throughout En- gland, heartily believe hi Jesus Christ as their only Saviour, and zealously endeavour to extend the Redeemer's Kingdom. I embrace them all as the beloved and elect of God, as friends and brethren iu Christ, let them be of whatever name, or belong to whatever church or denomination. The more distant the countries, and the more different the outward forms and establishments are, the more 1 rejoice, if I am privileged to hear, that our ever-faithful Lord and Saviour is gathering from amongst them a flock of believing people. Truly, God has a numerous Army of Reserve in England, who do not bow before the Baal of the age, nor sacrifice to the God of the times. Let all who know his name, glorify him for his mercy! May the peace of God, and the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all I No. XL Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Schomer. Nurenberg^ Nov, 26, 1804. (Translation.) ** We beg leave to express our sincere esteem to the Committee of the Biitish and Foreign Bible Society, and doubt not that it will afford them pleasure to hear, that the establishment of our German Bible Society seems more and more to excite emulation m the Ca- tholic countries of Germany. In three different p aces, at the same time, some worthy members of the Catholic persuasion have asso- ciated themselves Yor the purpose of procuriiig Bibles, The Rev. Mr. — ■ -, who lately addressed the Biitish an. I Foreign Bible Society, has since been joined by five colleagues; and even the Pater Regens at Ratisbon is collecting contributions for a New Testament with standing types.'' No. XII. Extract of a Letter from a Clergyman in Ireland, Dated Cashel, Nov. 10, 1804. " I HAVE consulted )i any on the subject of Lish Bibles and New Testaments, and they are almost unanimously of opinion, that C3 38 FIRST REPORT. [1805. little, \^ any good, could in the present day be effected by their dis- tribution. The Irish language, it is true, is spoken amongst the lower ranks, but very iew indeed can read it. In this Popish couH' try of Tipperaiy. I am told by very good authority that probably not twelve persons can read Irish, and those of that description who would be most likely to discourage the dissemination of the Scrip- tures. No. XIII. From " T/te Diillin Association for discoiinienancing Vice, and promoting the Knowledge and Practice oj the Christian Reli- gion;" in Reply to the Communication of the British and Foreign Bible Society. (Vide under No. I.) (Copy.) Board Room, No. 7, Capel-strcet, Oct. 11, 1804. The communication of the Plan of the Institution of a new So- ciety in London, culled *' The British and Foreign Bihle Society," being laid before the Association, accompanied with a very gracious proposal from that Society, to co-operate with the Association in their plan for the distribution of the Scriptures, in such a way as may best promote this important object : Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be respecttidly pre- sented to the British and Foreign Bible Society for their acceptable communication. Resolved, That a full account of the number of Bibles which the Association have hitherto distributed, and of the means they have employed to eftect their distribution, be transmitted to the British Society. The Bibles are bonglit up with great avidity in this country, at the reduced rate of 4s. 6V/. at which the Association afford them to the Public: and the demand tor them daily increases so much, that the funds of the Association are unable to supply it. The Association, therefore, submit these facts to the consideration of the British Society ; and shall gratefidly receive any assistance to promote their efforts to procure a sutticient number of Bibles for distribution, whicli jnay be suitable to tlie plan of the British So- ciety. H.GUINNESS,7g . W. xMATURlN, I ^«cretaries. By the Statement accompanying this communication, it appeared, that' the demand for Bibles had progressively increased ; and that between the commencement of the Association in 179% and 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 3^ the 5th of October, 1 804, there had been distributed, at reduced prices, (besides Prayer Books, Tracts, &c.) Bibles •••• l6,725 7 at an expence to C , ,, Testaments 20,355 j the Society of | ^*'^^^'" ^^*' ^^"• No. XIV. Extract of a Letter from another Clergyman in Ireland. " In looking over the letter I received with the Report of the Bible Society, -Mui observing that it mentioned the intention of printing Bibles in the different languages spoken in Great Britain and Ireland, f think it proper to mention to you, that there is no occasion to print any in Irish, in case there should be such an idea, for the common people cannot read the Irish language; those that are taught to read, read nothing but Eiiglish ; but Irish, as it is written and printed, they could not understand, their dialect is so different from the grammatical Irish. Of this there was a proof, for there were some Testaments printed in Irish, which the best readers about me could not understand, not even the schoolmaster; and several peo- ple told me the same thing with respect to other parts of Ireland. I likewise think it right to mention, that the type of Bibles intended for this kingdom should be as large as octavo Bibles could bear; for the common people cannot read a small close printed type ; the duodecimo Bibles that were sent over for the Papists, and distri- buted by Mr. Hall of Dublin, were almost useless; the people could scarcely read them, and that so slowly and imperfectly, ihal thev never could connect the sentences well enough for edification. Se- veral common people, who got them from me, returned them again; saying, they would rather give me i-s. for the octavo Bibles, pub- lished for the Association in Dublin, than get the small ones as a present. Several clergymen told me they likewise found this the case. I am sorry to mention, that there is no part of the United King- dom in greater want of Bibles than the southern part of this king- dom, witli which alone I am acquainted. As far as 1 have been able to discover, not more than one-third of the Protestant families have Bibles ; and the Papist families, w hich are at least eight to one, have scarce a Bible among them, perhaps not one in five hundred families, and no exertions making to distribute them, except by a few clergymen who go not beyond their own parishes, and those very few indeed." €4 40 FIRST HEPORT. [1805. No. XV. A Letter from a respectable Clergyman in Alsace. Dated Nov. 3, 1804. (Translation.) Accept, my dearest friend, pur most unfeigned thanks for the sum of 30 /.which you have transmitted to us as a kind present from some English friends, for the purpose of purchasing and distributing French and German Bibles among the poor inhabitants of our and the neighbouring villages, where four different religious denomina- tions are to be met with, namely, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Reformed, and Baptists. May God, for Christ's sake, impart his blessing to this act of Christian benevolence, in order that his name may be glorified, and his kingdom come ! You will be glad to learn some particulars respecting the use which I intend to make of this money. I have ordered, and soon expect to get 50 copies of the French Protestant Bible, printed at Basil. Though the type is rather too small for country people, yet we have infinite reason to bless God for being enabled to procure even these. In the meanwhile, I have made a list of such persons as I consider most deserving of such a present. Among the large number of individuals and families to whom a Bible is a most welcome present, I first put down such characters as are most active in promoting the Re- deemer's kingdom, and in doing good to the bodies and souls of their fellow-men. 1. The j^r*^ Bible shall be given as a present to Sophia Bernard, who is one of the most excellent women I know, and, indeed, an ornament to my parish. While unmarried, she undertook, with the consent of her parents, the support and education of three helpless boys, whom their wicked father had often trampled under his feet, and treated in a manner too shocking to relate, when nearly starving with hunger they dared to cry out for food. Soon afterwards, she proved the happy means of saving the lives of four Roman Catholic children, who, without her assistance, would have fallen a prey to want and famine. Thus she had the management of seven children, to whom several more were added, belonging to members of three several denominations : she now hired a house and a servant girl, and supported the whole of the family entirely with her own work, and the little money she got from the industry of the children, whom she taught to spin cotton. At the same time, she proved the greatest blessing to the whole village w^here she lived. For it is impossible to be more industrious, frugal, clean, cheerful, edifying by her whole walk and conversation ; more ready for ever^ good word and work ; more mild and aft'ectionate, more iirm and resolute in dangers, than she was. Satan so enraged some of her ejiemies, that they threatened to destroy her old tottering 1805. J FIRST REPORT. 41 cottage, but God was graciously pleased to preserve her. A tiue youth, of a noble mhid, made her an offer of his hand. She first refused, but he declared he would wait for her even ten years. When she replied, that she could never consent to part with her poor orphans, he nobly answered, ** Whoever takes the mother, takes the children too." So he did — and all these children were brought up by them in the most careful and excellent manner. Lately, they have taken in some other orphans, whom they are training up in the fear and love of God. Though these excellent people pass rather for rich, yet their iucome is so limited, and their benevolence so extensive, that sometimes they hardly know how to furnish a new suit of necessary clothes. To them I intend to give a Bible, consi- dering that their own is very often lent out in different Roman Catholic villages. 2. A second Bible I intend to give to an excellent woman, Maria Schepler, who lives at the opposite end of my extensive parish, where the cold is more severe, and the ground unfruitful, so that nearly all the householders are poor people, who nmst lend their clothes to each other when they intend to go to the Lord's Supper. This poor woman is also a very distinguished character, in whose praise I could say much were I to enter into particulars. Though distressed and afflicted in her own person and circumstances, yet she is a mother, benefactress, and teacher to the whole village where she lives, and to some neighbouring districts too. She takes the most lively interest in all which relates to the Redeemer's king- dom upon earth, and often groans under a sense of all the inroads made by the powers of darkness. She also has brought up several orphans without receiving the smallest reward, keeps a free school for females, and makes it a practice to lend her Bible to such as are entirely deprived of it. 3. A third Bible-present 1 intend to make to an excellent widow woman, Catharine Scheiddegger, who is, like the former, a mother to orphans, and keeps a free-school ; as also does another young woman, who instructs little children in a neighbouring village, in sucti knowledge as may render them useful members of human and Christian society. I might easily enumerate many more characters of a similar de- scription, whose eyes will overflow with giateful tears if they are favoureii with the present of a Bible. Let n^e, however, only add this one remark, that it is necessary, in our parts, to have a number of Bibles in readiness to lend them out in the neighbouring districts, where all the people are Roman Catholics For if they possess a Bible of their own, they are in danger of having it take/i away by some blind Popish priests ; but if it is only lent to them, they generally are permitted to rt •urn it. Finally, farewell ! May Got; be with you, with your congregation, and with all those kind friends w ho have so nobly come forward to our assistance. FIRST REPOET. [1805. No. xvr. Extract of a Letter from the Society " Pro Fide et C/iristianismo," at Stockholm, addressed to the Rev. G. Brunmark, Chaplain to the Swedish Embassy at the Court of St. James's. Dated Stock- holm, May 31, 1S04. (Translation.) Rev. Sir, " In answer to your question, made in behalf of the British and Foreign Bible Society, *' Whether the inhabitants of Sweden in general, and the Laplanders in pariicular, are sufficiently well pro- vided with Bibles," we do with heartfelt satisfaction inform you, that, owing to the gracious and paternal care of the government of our country, as well as from the gospel-light and zeal which have generally spread among individuals, no want exists at present of this Holy Book, which contains in it the fountain of all knowledge, bringing salvation, and producing good-v.'ill among men : and moreover, that Bibles in the Finland and Lapland languages are now currently printed at this place, and distributed either gratis, or at very reduced prices, by Societies formed for that benevolent purpose. You will be pleased. Rev. Sir, to communicate this intelligence to that most noble British Institution ; and at the same time, express to them the intimate share which the Society, Pro Fide et Christi- anismo, take in sentiments and operations so honourable and useful. Wishing sincerely that the Lord God may bless and give furtherance to their benevolent views and labours, which tend so eminently to give the light of salvation to benighted or heathen nations. We remain, &c. (Signed) O. LINDERHOLM.'' No. XVII. Extract of a Letter from a respectable Minister in HoUund, Dated Oct. 26, 1804. " We rejoice at the laudable plan of the Society which has been lately established among you, for rendering tlie word of God accessible to the indigent ; and we pray that the Lord may give his i'ichest blessings to their benevolent endeavours. With us there is, thank God, no scarcity of Bibles, although there certainly is of per- sons who read their Bible, and especially of such as read it with understanding; and who, instead of introducing their ow^ parti- cular religious tenets i?ito the Bible as is too frequently done, seek to derive them from the Bible ; who will receive nothing besides 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 43 the Bible; and will admit of nothing ahove it, as necessary for the attainment of eternal happiness. Even the poorest person among us can easily procure a Bible, and our Deacons make strict enquiry of their indigent parishioners, whether they possess a Bible, and read it. You probably know, that it is customary here, that the Minister, accompanied by our Elders, go, from time to time, into the houses of our parishioners, chiefly previous to the administra- tion of the Holy Sacrament, in order to converse with them on this important subject. On those occasions, the Minister also makes a point of enquiring, Whether they are in the habit of reading their Bibles? Whether they send their children regularly to school] Whether the parents go to church accompanied by their children? The establishment of our Missionary Society has also gives occasion to the delivering of evangelical discourses to such of the poor as, for want of decent clothes, are obliged to absent themselves from the public worship of the church. 1, and six of my colleagues, deliver every Sunday, in rotation, a discourse of this kind to such members of the Reformed Church of this city as are supported by their parishes ; and in these discourses we always endeavour to express ourselves in the plainest manner possible. We are always very numerously attended, and all who come, and are able to read, are furnished with Bibles. In some of our towns, discourses are also delivered peculiarly for children, and catechisings are almost universally in use among us. I, for my part, catechise diflferent companies of young persons four times a week ; and 1 know a friend who does the same six times every week. Our nation, how^- ever corrupt in morals, is nevertheless, upon the whole, attached to religious worship; and the name of Christ is still held in venera- tion among us. You feelingly express your regret, that the union between the two nations in which we respectively live, has been unhappily dissolved by the war. Oh, my dear Sir ! could you be among us, you w^ould soon be convinced, three-fourths of our nation lament the unhappy quarrel which, for some years past, has divided two nations, which yet have one common interest in the service of the Gospel. But we are a defenceless people, who daily pray to God to have mercy upon us; and so far from being inimical to the English nation, we rather rejoice that not more than two Dutchmen were to be found, who would so far degrade themselves as to advise a plan for the invasion of a country, for the preservation of which we are as anxi- ously solicitous as for that of our own. We pra> and sigh in public and private— How long, O Lord, how long? Now, indeed, we suflfer the consequences of our own misconduct : of this our nation is not insensible ; and I can affirm to their praise, that the best of them do not oppose the Almighty, but acknowledge that we have brought our national misfortunes upon our heads by our luxury and base ingratitude. O might but Goil give us his Spirit to con- vert and turn the chastiseuient under wiiich we now sigh, to our l^enefit, and particularly to our humiUation, that we may cust 44 FIRST REPORT. [1805. away our pride, and no longer despise other nations which do not enjoy the same degree of liberty which we formerly possessed." No. XVIII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Carei/y chief Minister of the Baptist Mission, in the East Indies, communicated hy the Secretary of that Mission. Dated Calcutta, Feb. 27, 1 804. *' We have engaged in a translation of the sacred Scriptures into the Hindostaniiee, Persian, Maharatta, and Oottul languages ; and intend to engage in more. Perhaps so many advantages for translating the Bible into ail the languages of the East, will never meet in any one situation again, viz. A possibility of obtaining learned natives of all these countries ; a sufficiency of worldly good things, (with a moderate degree of annual assistance from England,) to can y us through it ; a printing office ; a good library of critical writings; a habit of translating; and a disposition to do it. We shall, however, need about a luOO/. per annum for some years, to enable us to print them; and with this it may be done in about fifteen years, if the Lord preserve our lives and health." No. XIX. A Catalogue of Printed Versions of the Bible and New Testament, Sfc. presented by Granville Sharp, Esq. to this Society, Jan. 3, 1805. Arabic. New Testament, published by Erpe- nius. Small 4to. Leiden }6\6 Psalter, 4to. Rome 1 5 1 p Bafavian,or ") Old and New Testament. Small 8vo. l6'08 Dutch. J New Testament. 24mo. 1659 New Testament, with French and English versions. ]2mo l6"84 Caledonian, or l New Testament, with rules for read- Scotch Cr attic . \ ing that Language at the end. 8vo. IjGj Cop&Jtann. } P«'-tateucl. (cu,^ D. Wilkins) 4to. .... , 73 1 Ethiopic and Latin. Psalter (cura Ludolphi) 4to. 1701 Erse, or Irish. English Liturgy in Saxon character : at the end are the Elements of the Irish Language. 8 vo <>.... 1712 1805.] Gothic, Greek, Modern or Vulgar. Hungarian, Hutters kalian. Malabar. Malayan, Manks. Mohawk, Spanish. FIRST REPORT. 45 New Testament, translated by Bishop Ulfila, A. D. 36"u. to which are added. Versions in Islandic, Suethic, and Latin. 4to. I671 The Epistles. Tlie tirst vol. containing the Gospels being lost. Collated with the Original Greek. 4to. • • . . i638 Bible and New Testament. 8vo. Utrecht 1747 N.B. Of this Edition 3000 copies were burnt by the Papists. Version of Matthew and Mark in twelve languages, besides the Origi- nal Greek. Bohemian"] Danish English French German Hebrew [^ 4to. Norimberg. • 1599 Italian Latin Polish Spanish Syriac J Bible with marginal references to parallel Texts, cited by the Rev. Mr. Crutwell, in his Concordance of Parallels. Folio. 1 362 Bible translated by Deodati. Folio. • • 1607 New Testament with Marginal refer- ences to parallel Texts. 12mo. Pinerd. 1576 New Testament in Malabar character. Small 4to. Madras 1 777 4 Gospels, English character. Small 4to. Oxford , 1677 Bible and Testament. Folio. White- haven 1775 St. Mark's Gospel, also Prayer Book. Mohawk and English 1 787 Primer. 12mo. London 1786 New Testament (Castilian) 12mo. Venice 1556 Old and New Testament, with margi- nal references, collated by Mr. Crut- well in his Concordance of Parallels. Folio. 1569 Apocrypha and New Testament, by Cyprian de Valera. Folio. Amster- dam .'.. l602 46 FIRST REPORT. [1805. New Testament by Do. Small 8vo. Do. 1()25 Pentateuch by Yosseph Franco Serrano. 4to. Do. 1695 Version of the English Liturgy, 8vo.« • 1715 Si/riac. New Testament. l£mo. flauiburgh • • 1663 Virginian Indian. Bible by ILlliot of America. 4tu. Cam- bridn;e l6S5 Welch, Bible and Prayer Book. 12mo. London l630 Do. and Do. 8vo. Caer Grant. 174G No. XX. To Granville Sharp, Esq. Dated Clapham, Jan. 7, 1805. Sir, •' It is with the sinrerest satisfaction I execute the instructions of ilie Committee of the Bible Society, in returning their most cordial thanks to you, for the very valuable collection of Bibles, Testaments, and Psalters, in different languages, which you have presented to them. I cannot, indeed, but feel a peculiar gratification in the oppor- tunity thus atibrded me, of expressing the sense entertained by the Committee, of the great value of the donation itself, as well as of the high estimation in which they hold the donor. That Providence may long continue to you. with every blessing, the enjoyment of a life which you have adorned no less by your talents than your virtues, is the unanimous wish of all, and of none more sincerely, tiian of iiim who has the honour to subscribe him- $elf, with the greatest regard and esteem, Sir, Your most obedieut humble Servant, TEIGNMOUTH. President. No. XXI. fVom Mi\ Druck, Professor of Histori/, and Librarian to the Elector of Wurtemberg, Dated Stutgard, July 16, 1804. (Translation.) I HAVE received your letter, in \\\\'\zh you have informed me of the formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and expressed a wish to receive some account of the different translations of the Bible in the Library of the Elector of Wurtemberg. When I read 1805.] FIRST REPORT. 47 your letter, I could not help thinking the English are the most dis- tinguished people in the world. Had we possessed in Germ iny the utmost tranquillity and prosperity, yet such a noble design of diffu- sing the Bible would scarcely have entered our minds, or in case it had, would not have met with such generous encouragement and support. One cannot but highly esteem such a nation, and the more so on account of its regard for that best of books, wiu'ch, though now shamefully neglected, has ever proved, and will continue to be, the great means of meliorating the condition of mankind. This sacred volume is of the utmost importance, as it is adapted to men of every station of life, from the highest to the lowest, and suited to every possible circumstance; which characterestic of the Bible aj)pears to me to be a great argument for its divine origin. But to come to the answer of your enquiry: the Collection of Bibles in the Library of the Elector, which had been made in Copenhagen by a clergyman of the name of Lork, and afterwards was brought hither, amounts to more than 4000 different editions of the w hole Bible, or of distinct parts of the same. I send you now a register of such translations only, as may be interesting to your purpose. The List is as follows, viz. 8 of Modern Greek. 28 - Arabic. 13 - Ethiopic. 7 - Persian. 6 - Turkish. 1 - Coptic. 5 - Armenian. 13 - Tamulic. 6 - Hindoostanee. 14 - Malay. 1 - Cingalese. 35 - Upper German (Julaea Germanica) 18 - Portuguese. 15 - Spanish. 43 - Italian. 290 - French. 1 - Pvhostian. 115 - Saxon. 21.5 - Eng ish. 274 - Dutch. 116 of Danish. 14 - Icelandic. 3 - Greenlandic. 2 - Creole. 1 - Fanteic (or Acraic.) 45 - Swedish. 6 - Finnish. 3 - Lapponic. 8 - Russian. 3 - Croatian. 21 - Bohemian. 10 - Wend ish. 20 - Polish. 6' - Lithuanian. 7 - Lettonian. 4 - Esthonian. 7 - Hungarian, 5 - Welsh. 1 - Irish. 1 - Cantabrian, (or Base.) 2 - North American Indian, Since the purchase of this library, the collection of Bibles has been considerably augmented, not, however, with any new translation in foreign tongues, but only with scarce editions in well known Western languages, or in the original text. 48 FIRST REPORT. [1805. Besides. I beg leave to observe, that those above stated, do not all contain an edition of the whole Bible ; for instance, that of the modern Greek, contains only the New Testament. Shonld you think it necessary, you could easily obtain a complete cataloj,'ue of the whole collection, by applying to a friend in Altona, where it was printed in the year 1787; ir. five small quarto volumes. Mr. Kcerner, the Russian counseller of state, is much obliged to you for your kind remembrance, but is not able to give you any accurate account of the present state of Bibles in the Russian empire, having been only in Petersburgli, and that among the higher ranks. As far as I know, the Russian translation of the Bible cannot be much in the hands of the common people there, it not being printed with the types in common use, but with those used for ecclesiastical purposes. Per- mit me but one observation more, the translation into the Croatian language was made and printed partly in the university ofTubinguen, partly in the town of Urach, both of which are in the Dutchy of Wurtembeg. Peculiar types are cast there for this purpose. The Imperial General Tilly seized on those types in the religious war between the Papists and Protestants, called the thirty years' war ; and made a present of them to Rome, where they came into possession of the Propaganda. From thence they were taken, during the French Revolution, and carried to Paris, where they are now deposited. No. XXIL Extract of a Letter from a Clergyman in North Wales. Dated Feb. ^2, 1805. " There are none of our poor people willing to live and die without contributing their niites towards forwarding so glorious a design. Their zeal and eagerness in the good cause, surpasses every thing I have ever before witnessed. " On several occasions we have been obliged to check their liberality, and take half what they offered, and what we thought they ought to give. Great joy prevails universally at the thought that poor Heathens are likely soon to be in possession of a Bible; and you will never hear a prayer put up, without a petition for the Bible Society and Heathen Nations." ^ o« o ^ o H O u^ H 0 N- t^ T-i GO O . O ; ^ *" -— -^ '^ .S § : £^ QJ t« -G C CO *- ~ <5 Ou C -c c 53 c- >. CD _« o c O^ on O cfi ^ ^ i e S- S 3j t- -J^ (U fl lO -w Mil 5 2J 5^5 THE SECOND REPORT OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. M.DCCC.VI. D 2 1806. PRESIDENT, RT, HON. LORD TEIGNMOUTH, riCE- PRESIDENTS^ Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of LONDON. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of DURHAM. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of EXETER. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of ST. DAVID'S. Right Hon. LORD BARHAM. Sir WILLIAM PEPPEREL, Bart. Vice Admiral GAMBIER. CHARLES GRANT, Esq. M. P. W^ILLIAM V^ILBERFORCE, Esq. M. R TREASURER, HENRY THORNTON, ESQ, M,P. D3 SECRETARIES (gratis), Rev. John Owen, M. A. Fulham, Rev. Joseph Hughes, M.A. Battersea. Rev. Chas. Fr. Steinkopff, M. A. Savoy, for the Foreign Department. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES, Mr. Joseph Tarn, Spa Fields. Mr. Tho. Smith, No. 19, Little Moorfields. Extract from the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held at the New London Tavern, on Wednesday, May 7, 1806. . The Right Hon. LORD TELGNMOUTH, President, in the Chair. The Report of the Committee having been read by the Freside7it, RESOLVED, That the said Report be now received and adopted; and that it be printed, subject to the revisal of the Committee, On the Motion of T Babington, Esq. M.P. seconded by Sir William Pepper el, Bart, it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the most cordial Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Rt. Hon. Lord Teignmouth, President of the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the Zeal with which his Lordship has espoused the Interests of this Institution, and the persevering Attention which he has personally paid to its Conce7^ns. D 4 ( SCj ) TT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED UNJMMOUSLY, That the sincere Achiowledgements of this Meeting he communicated to the Rt. Rev. and othei\ the Vice-Presidents of the Society, for the Patronage which they have afforded to the Institution. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Committee, for the Diligence and Fidelity uith xvhich they have discharged their Duties, and the very important and satisfactory Report which they have this Day delivered. That the Thanks of this Electing be presented to Henry Thoj^nton, Esq. M.P. theTi^easurer of this Society, for his Services during the past Year, and that he be requested to coiitinue them. That the Thanks of this Meeting be presented to the Secretaries of the Society, for their zealous and gratuitous Services. That the Thanks of this Meeting be give?! to Mr. Joseph Tarn and Mr. Thomas Smith, the Assistant-Secretaries, for their zealous and assidu- ous Services. That the sincere Acknowledgeinents of this Meeting he presented to the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr, for the Zeal and Liberality which they have employed in promoting the Interests of the Society. ( 57 ) That the sincere acknowledgements of this Meeting he conveyed to the Rev. the Presbytery of Edinburgh, for the Zeal and Liberality which they have employed iit promoting the Interests of this Society. That the grateful Thanks of this Meeting be returned to the several other Societies, Presbyteries, and Congregations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, who have made Collections for the Society, or otherwise contributed to promote its Interests ; and they are hereby requested to accept such Thanks. That the grateful Thanks of this Meeting be given to those Societies and individual Gentlemen who have presented the Society with Copies of the Scriptures since the last Annual Meeting. That the warmest Thanks of this Meeting are due to the several Associations which have been formed for the Purpose of contributing to the Funds of this Society ; and they are hereby re- quested to accept the same. That the following be a Committee for the ensuing Year : ( 58 ) COMMITTEE, William Alers, Esq. Wilson Birkheck, Esq. William Blair, Esq. TlioniHS Roddington, Esq. John Brasier, Esq. Joseph Bunnell, Esq. Joseph Butte. worth, Esq. Charles Crawford, Esq. Henry Dobbs, Esq. Christ. Edelman, Esq. T. Furley Forster, Esq . W. A. Garratt, Esq. Joseph Hardcastle, Esq. W. H. Hoare, Esq. Thomas Hodson, Esq. John Dan. Hose, Esq. Robert Howard, Esq. Francis Ernst Kahl, Esq. elected May 7, 1806. Richard Lea, Esq. AldermaH Zach. Macaulay, Esq. Alexander Maitland, Esq. Ambrose Martin, Esq. George Meyer, Esq. Samuel Mills, Esq. Thomas Pellatt, Esq. Joseph Reyner, Esq. Herman Schroder, Esq. Gr,;nville Sharp, Esq. Richard Stainforth, Esq. James Stephen, Esq. Robert Steven, Esq. Christopher Sundius, Esq. Joseph Smith, Esq. Anthony Wagner, Esq. Henry Waymouth, Esq. George Wolff, Esq. RESOLVED, That the Meeting receives great Satis- faction from the zealous E. vert ions of the different Bible Societies established upon the Continent, in Correspondence with the Principles of their own Institution ; and do assure them of the Co7itinuanct of their Friendship and Support. ADVERTISEMENT. 1 H E Committee, encouraged by the prosperous state of the Funds, offer the following advantages to the Subscribers : — Every annual Subscriber will be allowed to purchase, within the year. Bibles and Testaments to the amount of Five Guineas for every Guinea sub- scribed, at a deduction of 20 pei- cent, from the cost prices. A Benefactor of Twenty Pounds to be considered as an annual Subscriber of One Guinea. A Benefactor of Fifty Pounds to be considered as an annual Subscriber of Five Guineas. The Committee wish the Members to understand, that, as the Bibles and Testaments are purchased by them at the wholesale price, and the 20 per cent, taken from this charge, the advantage offered to the Members will not be less than an average of one-third, or 33 per cent, from the usual sale price of these books. Every Member of the Society will be also entitled to purchase a further quantity of Bibles and Testa- ments at the cost price to the Society, on appli- cation to the Committee. SECOND REPORT In relating their proceedings since the last General Meeting, your Committee propose to follow, as nearly as circumstances will admit, the arrangement adopted in their first Report, as best calculated, in their opi- nion, to furnish connected information respecting the progress and actual state of the Society. Your Committee, in the first place, have to acknow- ledge their obligations, not only to many individuals, but also to several respectable Societies, both in the United Kingdom and on the Continent, for their zealous endeavours to give publicity to the Institution and promote its success. The donations of individuals and congregations, which have added so considerably to the funds of the Society, together with the increased List of stated Contributors, amply prove the beneficial effects of these united efforts, and the propriety of continuing them with still greater zeal and activity. The spirit of emulation excited in Germany by the Institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society, of which notice was taken in the Report of last year, ap- pears to have acquired aew animation from the perusal 62 SECOND REPORT. [I8O6. of an account of the last General Meeting; which had been transmitted to the Nurenberg Society, and which, together with certain extracts from the Report, was printed by them, and circulated among the German public* The following summary of facts will point out, in what manner the exertions of the British and Foreign Bible Society have (in strict conformity with the prin- ciples of their Institution) been employed upon the Continent, and with what beneficial and extensive effects they have been attended. The German Protestant edition of the New Testament printed by the Nurenberg Society, has been delivered to their Subscribers at the low price of five pence each copy; and, in order to facilitate and extend the disper- sion of it, a notice has been circulated, that the Collec- tors of the Society undertake to furnish any number of copies, at the above-mentioned price, upon an order addressed to any of them. The employment of stand- ing types, which precludes the ex pence and delay of new-setting the press, has enabled the Society to supply New Testaments at a rate within the reach of almost the poorest individuals, and with great facility and expedition. As soon as this work was accomplished, the Nuren- berg Society proposed to print a complete copy of the Old and New Testament by standing types, and in an improved form. An advertisement,! notifying this intention, was accordingly circulated through Germany, and subscriptions solicited. But although the whole * Appendix, No. I. t Appendix, No. II. 1806.] SECOND REPORT, 6S expence of this work was estimated at only 1000/., and notwithstanding some individual instances of liberality in promoting it, there appeared little proba- bility, that the required sum, moderate as it may be considered, would speedily be collected ; the difficulty of procuring subscriptions having been much enhanced by the calamity of war, in which Germany was then involved. Your Committee conceived, that the aid of the Society could never be granted with more propriety and better effect, than under such circumstances; and they accordingly resolved to assist the laudable exer- tions of the Nurenberg Society, by an additional donation of 200 /.^ Their expectations of the effect of this donation have been amply realized : the notifi- cation of it was gratefully acknowledged, and followed by an immediate resolution to print the proposed edition of the Scriptures. f By information since received from Basle, there is reason to believe, that the proposed edition will not be executed by standing types, but by the more accurate, durable, and oecono- mical mode of stereotype.^ By the former of these methods it is estimated that about 300,000 copies might be printed; by the latter, still more. The British and Foreign Bible Society have thus the satisfaction to learn that their opportune assistance to an Institution established in professed imitation of their own, has materially contributed to lay a foun- dation for supplying the poor Protestants of Germany with a very cheap edition of the Holy Scriptures for * Vide First Report, p. 14. t Appendix, No. III. X Appendix, No. IV. 64 SECOND REPORT. [1806. many successive years; and your Committee feel particularly gratified in being able to communicate a fact which so strongly proves the utility and success of your Society. They will close this part of tlieir Report with adding, that the friends of the Nurenberg Association in Swit- zerland continue to manifest their former zeal for promoting the objects of it, and have liberally con- tributed towards the printing of the German Bible.* Your Committee have next to mention the actual accomplishment of the expectation intimated in their former Report, by the establishment of a Bible Society at Berlin, under the direction of persons of high rank, and with the express approbation of his Prussian j\Ja- jesty, who has condescended to assist the funds by a donation. The terms in which this Institution has been notified to the public by the Secretary of the So- ciety, cannot but be grateful to the Members of the British and Foreign Bible Society. After giving an extract from your former Report, the address proceeds as follows : " No fire burns upon the altar of the " Lord without spreading its flames around. This '* fire has extended its flames. The zeal of Christians '^ in England has also infused itself into the hearts of *' Christians in Germany. Already in the German *' empire a Society has been formed, actuated by the " same spirit, and for the same purpose, as that in ^' England. In the Prussian States, also, there is " still room for sowing the good seed of the word. [^ They still contain districts, where, in the houses of * Appendix, No V. 3806.] SECOND REPORT. 65 '' many poor Protestant families, the precious Bible " is souglit in vain. A number of sincere friends of *^ God and of mankind in Berlin and other parts of the *' kingdom, constrained by the love of Christ and of ^' their fellow Christians, have associated, after the " example of the above-mentioned English and Ger- *' man Bible Societies, to collect a fund for the pur- '' pose of purchasing Bibles and Testaments from the '^ Institution at Halle, to be gratuitously distributed, " or sold at a very low price, to the poor in the Prus- *' sian States. They also intend to publish a new ^' edition of the Bohemian Bible. A donation of 100/. " which has been voted them by the Bible Society in *^ London for this purpose, laid the foundation of this " fund, which has since been augmented by the bene- " volent contributions of several voluntary subscribers " of all ranks." Upon receiving this intelligence, your Committee accordingly fulfilled their engagement, by remitting the sum of 100/., which they had conditionally promised, to aid the printing and circulation of Protestant Bohe- mian Bibles ; and they have also engaged to assist the Berlin Society, with an additional donation of 100/., in the event of their undertaking to print an edition of the Polish Bible, which they have in contemplation. It only remains to mention further, respecting the Ber- lin Society, thatj with a view to the early accommoda- tion of the poor in Bohemia, they have already pur- chased and circulated, gratuitously, a number of Bo- hemian New Testaments.* It is scarcely necessary to * Appendix, No. VI. 66 SECOND REPORT. [I8O6, add, that these transactions took place previously to those events which have interrupted the connexion be- tween this country and Prussia. Your Committee have formerly reported the influ- ence produced by the British and Foreign Bible Society upon the Roman Catholics in Germany, and the au- thority conveyed by them to that at Nurenberg, to furnish 1,000 copies of the Protestant edition of the New Testament for sale or donation amongst the Bo- man Catholics in Swabia and Bavaria, at the expence of this Society. This donation has been most thank- fully accepted by the correspondent of your Committee, a clergyman of the Romish persuasion, an extract from whose communication was given in the former Report* The same influence, your Committee are informed, has led to the institution of a Bible Society at Ratis- bon, under the direction of Regens Wittman, and sup- ported by the contributions of Roman Catholics, for the express purpose of printing and circulating the New Testament among the poor of the Romish per- suasion,'!' thousands of whom had never before an opportunity of reading the Scriptures. Of the copy employed in this impression, your Committee have been assured, by a respectable Minister of the Luthe- ran Church, that — " It will be a simple Translation *' without any Commentary, namely, Mr. Schwarzel's *^ Translation, which has been favorably received even *^ by Protestants themselves." In consequence of a very interesting communication from the Rev. Dr. Knapp,J Director of the Orphan * Appendix, No. VII. t Appendix, No. VIIL ; App. No. IX, ISOG.] SECOND REPORT. 67 House at Halle in Saxony, respecting a Bible Institu- tion formed there at the commencement of the last cen- tury by a pious nobleman, Charles Hildebrand de Canstein, your Committee, with a view to the object of this association, have requested from him informa- tion on the two following points : 1st, In what places the Scriptures are wanted, in those languages in which the Haliish Institution has printed and continues to print them. 2d, By what mode this Society may assist in the distribution of them. Dr. Knapp has kindly exerted himself to procure the desired information, and has in the mean time sug- gested, that a number of German Bibles might be ad- vantageously distributed in North America by the Lutheran Ministers at Philadelphia, New York, &c. with whom he corresponds; and that of the Polish and Malabar Bibles printed at the Institution not a single copy now remains.* Representations having been made to your Commit- tee by a respectable correspondent, that the Protestants inGalliciat were in great want of Bibles, and that from their poverty and peculiar situation they were unable to procure them, your Committee resolved, to remit the sum of 20/. to Dr. Knapp, for the purpose of supplying the Protestants in Gallicia with Bibles from the Haliish Institution. In the course of foreign communications, a corre- spondence has also been opened with the Secretary of a religious Protestant Society established at Basle, * Appendix, No. X. t Appendix, No, XI. E SJ 6s SECOND REPORT. [I8O6. "U'liose inquiries have been particularly directed to ascertain, how far Bibles were wanted by the poorer classes in the French part of Switzerland, and even in France itself. The result of these inquiries has been communicated to your Committee ; and they have been induced by it, to remit to the Society at Basle two several sums of 50/.* for the purpose of purchasing French Protestant Bibles, to be sold or gratuitously distributed at the discretion of the Basle Society, which has commenced the circulation of them in a very judicious and satisfactory manner.^ A communication having been received from a re- spectable Minister in the Russian Province of Estho- nia, in reply to inquiries directed to that part of the Continent^ stating, that a great want of the Scriptures in the Esthonian, Finnish, and Swedish languages prevailed, together with a very eager desire of obtain- ing them ; and offering his services both for distributing Swedish Bibles now procureable from Stockholm, and also for establishing a Bible Society in Esthonia, your Committee, anxious to avail themselves of so impor- tant an opening, resolved, in conformity to their prac- tice on similar occasions, to grant a donation of 150/. for assisting the circulation of the Scriptures, upon being informed that a Bible Society has been esta- blished in Esthonia.;]: Your Committee will close the Report of their pro- ceedings respecting the Continent, by reverting to a donation mentioned in their former Report § to have * Appendix, No. Xll. f Appendix, No. XIII. ! Appendix, No. XIV. § Vide First Report, p. 17. 1806.] SECOXD REPORT. 69 been made to a very respectable Protestant Clergy- man in Alsace, for the purpose only of noticing the information received from him, that in the part where he resided, German and French Bibles are much wanted, eagerly sought for, and gratefully accepted by numbers, including some French gentlemen of great respectability.* The proceedings of your Committee for supplying the French and Spanish prisoners of war in this country with the Protestant versions of the Scriptures in their respective languages, will naturally follow the preced- ing statement. For this purpose they have directed 2000 copies of the New Testament to be printed in the Spanish language, and 1000 extra copies of the Gospel of St. INIatthew only, for the purpose of imme- diate distribution amongst the Spanish prisoners. Some of these extra copies of St. Matthew have been conveyed to the Spanish prisoners; and the Com- mittee have the satisfaction to be informed that they have been gratefully received. A contract has also been entered into for stereotyping an edition of the French Bible; but as the performance of this under- taking Avill necessarily be a work of time, the sum of 100/. has been expended upon the purchase of French Testaments, in order to supply without delay the prisoners of that nation. In this, as in the former case, the act of the Committee was gratefully acknow- ledged, and a second supply of Testaments was soli- cited on the part of the Agent, by desire of the prisoners. t * Appendix, No. XV. t Appendix, No. XVI, E o 70 SECOND KEPOKT [I8O6- Your Committee are fully persuaded that every Member of the Society will participate the satisfaction of having had it in his power to contribute towards the alleviation of the sufferings of his fellow creatures in bondage, in a mode calculated to administer the only solid consolation under calamity ; and will heartily concur in the application which has been made of the funds of the Society for this purpose. Your Committee, with a view to the accommodation of the natives of Germany residing in England, have directed 1000 copies of the German New Testament printed by the Society at Nurenberg to be procured for them ; and also 1000 copies of an octavo Bible and as many New Testaments from the Hallish Institu- tion. The edition of the Gospel of St. John, in the Mohawk language, which was printed at the expence of the Society, and forwarded to Canada, for the purpose of distribution amongst the native Americans, had reached Montreal at the close of last year; and there is reason to believe that h^ this time it has been conveyed to the Indian settlements. It will afford the Members of the Society satisfaction to know, that the interpreters in the Indian villages deem the translation to be very correct.* Your Committee having thus submitted to the General Meeting a summary Eeport of their proceed- int^s relating to tlie circulation of the Scriptures in foreign countries, will now advert to the means they have adopted with a view to the same object withia the United Kingdom. * Appendix, No. XVII, 1S06.] SECOND REPORT. 71 At the recommendation of a very respectable clergy- man of the established church in Ireland, 1000 copies of the New Testament printed for the Society have been transmitted to him, for the purpose of supplying the Roman Catholics of that country with this portion of the Scriptures, at a moderate specific price, but subject to reduction at his discretion. Your Com- mittee have very satisfactory reason to conclude, both from information and actual experiment, that the Scriptures may be circulated amongst the Roman Catholics in Ireland with little difficulty: a Society has been formed in that country, for the express purpose of purchasing Bibles and New Testaments, in order to dispose of them at reduced prices ; and the admis- sion of them into schools has been authorized and even recommended by a Roman Catholic bishop in a circu- lar letter to his clergy. Information having also been received that Sunday Schools had been opened in various parts of Ireland, and very nurperously attended by the children of Roman Catholic, as well as by those of Protestant parents • and that the circumstances of the people were such as to render the purchase of books utterly impossible; it was thought expedient to grant 1000 copies of the ISmo. stereotyped Testa- ment in sheets at half the original cost price ; and in this measure, it is not doubted, that the Society will cheerfully concur. Your Committee, in consequence of an application from the Association at Dublin " for discountenancing ** vice, and promoting the knowledge and practice of '* the Christian religion," stating the great want of £ 4 7^ SECOND REPORT. [1806. Bibles among the poor in Ireland, have resolved to assist that Association by a present supply of Testa- ments (and of Bibles as soon as they can be printed), allowing in the purchase all the advantages which this Society possess from their connection with the Univer- sity press. The offer thus made, has been thankfully accepted.* The iiealous exertions of the friends of the Bible Society in Scotland in favour of the Institution, were noticed by your Committee in their former Report ; and they have now the sincere satisfaction to state, that these exertions have been continued with unre- mitted activity,t and with a degree of success which has largely contributed to increase the Society's funds. In this good work, the Presbyteries of Glasgow and Edinburgh^ have signalized their zeal and liberality ; and entitled themselves to the grateful esteem of every friend to the Society. While your Committee are making this acknowledgment to their friends in Scotland, they cannot avoid expressing their regret at the lamented death of David Dale, Esquire, of Glasgow, which has lately deprived the Society of what they had further to expect from his most zealous, active, and liberal support. This is also the place for reporting, that the Direc- tors of the respectable Society " for propagating Christian knowledge in Edinburgh," constituted by Royal Charter, have publicly expressed their appro- bation of the object of the Institution, as '' proposing * Appendix, No. XVIII. f Appendix, No, XIX. ' X Appendix, No. XX. 180^.] SECOND REPORT, 73 " one of the best conceivable methods for the speedy ** and universal diffusion of the Gospel," and their resolution " most cordially to unite their efforts with " those of the British and Foreign Bible Society in ^' promoting so desirable an end.''* The attention of your Committee has been forcibly attracted to the state of the Hio;hlands in Scotland Avith respect to the deficiency of Bibles in the Gaelic language. The information laid before them on this subject stated, that very few families were in possession of a complete Bible ; that amongst those who actually possessed one volume of the four in which the Scrip- tures had been published, the proportion did not exceed one in forty ; that the price of a complete copy of the Scriptures exceeded the ability of the poor to purchase it; and that in fact it was not easily pro- curable at any price. In the Island of Sky, contain- ing about 15,000 persons, it was represented that few or no Gaelic Bibles were to be found in the bands of the common people.f Such a representation, independent of that claim which the liberal contributions from Scotland had established, would have merited and received the most serious attention of your Committee ; and the more particularly as it was substantially confirmed by an Address from the Secretary of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge, delivered at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in London on the 18th of May 1803. It is material to the present purpose to observe^ * Appendix, No. XXI. f Appendix, No. XXII, 74 SECOND REPORT, [1806, that in the Address alluded to, it is distinctly stated, that out of 335,000 persons in the Highlands, it was computed that 300,000 understand no other language than the Gaelic, so far at least, as not to comprehend a book written, or a continued discourse spoken in any other. Under this representation of the case, two points only seemed to demand consideration : First, How far the edition of the Scriptures, in the course of publi- cation by the above named respectable Society in Scotland, might supersede the necessity of a further edition by this Society ; and, 2dly, How far the funds of this Society, considering other demands upon them, would be competent to an edition of the Scriptures in the Gaelic language, if such a measure should be deemed expedient. After the maturest deliberations on these points, your Committee were of opinion that another edition of the Scriptures in Gaelic, in addition to that publish- incr by the Society of Scotland, was highly desirable for the accommodation of the Highlands; and that the funds of the Society would admit the appropriation of the sum required for the execution of it. They accordingly adopted a resolution. That 20,000 copies of the Old and New Testament in the Gaelic language should be printed from the copy published under the direction of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge ;* and they are now engaged in carrying this resolution into effect. Information having been received from a respectable * Appendix, No. XXIII. 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 75 Correspondent in the Island of Jersey,* that Bibles and Testaments in the French language (which is the prevailing language of the Island) were become so scarce as to be hardly procurable upon any terms, your Committee directed 300 copies of the French Testa- ment now in hand, to be sent to this Correspondent, to be by him disposed of, upon such terms adapted to the different circumstances of the people, as might enable him to repay the Society the original cost of the whole. Your Committee will next advert to a subject mentioned in their former Report, a new edition of the Welsh Bible ; and they have to express their sincere regret, that the publication of this work should have been delayed, from causes which it was not in their power to controul. Their regret is the greater, as they have been disappointed in their endeavours to procure Welsh Bibles for immediate distribution amongst the Welsh, who have every claim upon the assistance of the Society to supply their wants. The delay which they so feelingly lament, has partly arisen from the necessity of re-considering their former resolution to reprint the edition of 1746, in deference to an authority they were bound to respect; and the substitution, in it's place, of the edition of 175^, at the recommendation of the same authority.! But the delay has been principally occasioned by impediments connected with the mechanical process of the undertaking. It is now confidently trusted, that all obstacles to the completion of this work are * Appendix, No. XXIV. f Appendix, No. XXV. 76 SECOND REPORT. [180^. removed ; and that the progress pf it will advance without farther interruption. Your Committee feel particularly anxious to afford an explanation on this subject, after the expectations given in their first Report to the Welsh, whose former liberality has been so particularly noticed, whilst the continuance of it is entitled to further acknowledgment. They have only to add, that the expectations of the ^yelsh cannot exceed the anxiety of the Committee to gratify them. It will be proper to mention, before dismissing this article, that it has been resolved to publish an impression of 20,000 copies of the com- plete Welsh Bible, and 10,000 of the New Testament, both in duodecimo ; they have the satisfaction to add that some copies of the latter have been completed, and are now offered for the inspection of the Society. Your Committee have further to report a valuable addition to the Society's Biblical library, including some valuable copies of the Hebrw and Greek Scrip- tures, and different versions in the Icelandick, Polish, Hungarian, and other languages. For this addition,, the Society are indebted to the Rev. R. Caddick, Ernest Frederick Wolff, Esq. John Bode, Esq. a gentleman in Edinburgh, Granville, Sharp, Esq. Z. Macaulay, Esq. the Bible Institution at Halle, and the Society at Edinburgh for propagating Christian Knowledge.* It is scarcely necessary to observe that such benefactions materially promote the object of this Institution. Your Committee have also received six copies of the German Testament from Nurenberg : ^ Appendix, No. XXVI. 180G.] ^£COND REPORT. 77 agreeably to a regulation which requires so many copies of every Edition of the Scriptures printed by their encouragement. The INIembers of the Society will recollect the mention made in the first Report, of a supposed version of the New Testament in the Chinese language depo- sited in the British Museum; the discovery that it was a Harmony of the Gospels only; and the reason assigned for not undertaking to print it. It may now be satisfactory to them to be informed, that a com- mencement has been made in Bengal in translating the Scriptures into the Chinese language with advan- tatyes unattainable in this country. This information is given upon the authority of the Reverend Dr. Claudius Buchanan, one of the chaplains of the Pre- sidency of Fort William in Calcutta; and from the date annexed to the Dedication of his Memoir, it appears that in March last year, the Book of Genesis and the Gospel of St. Matthew were in the course of translation, and some chapters of each had already been printed. Nor wdll it be uninteresting to learn from the same Memoir, that " under the auspices of tlie College at Fort William, the Scriptures are in a course of translation into the languages of almost the whole continent of Oriental India."* Your Committee will next report, that two editions of the English New Testament have been printed for the Society; and that the Members of it may now be * Vide Dr. Buchanan's Memoir, p. 81 . The funds for this work are (we understand) to be chiefly, if not intirely, derived from the contributions of Christians in Europe. 7S SECOND REPQ-RT. [1806. supplied with copies, at the regulated prices, by appli- cation to the Depositary. The object of the Institu- tion cannot be more beneficially promoted than by the charitable distribution of them either by individuals or by local Societies expressly formed for that benevolent purpose. A large edition of the complete Bible is now in the press ; and it is hoped will be completed in the present month. The English Testaments and Bibles, as well as the Welsh edition of the Scriptures, are all printed by stereotype, under the direction of the University of Cambridge. It is with particular satisfaction your Committee acknowledge a Donation lately received from an Asso- ciation in London " for the purpose of contributing to the fund of the British and Foreign Bible Society" by small monthly subscriptions ; as it affords them an opportunity at once of doing justice to the liberality of the individuals which compose it, and of recom- mending Associations upon the same considerate and economical principle throughout the country. They have further the gratification to add, from very recent intelligence, that the different denominations of Christians at Birmingham have united for the express purpose of procuring subscriptions in aid of this Insti- tution. The zeal and activity with which they have commenced their undertaking has been evinced by a very handsome donation to the funds of this Society, and the very excellent rules which they have adopted for the government of their conduct point them out as 3i\ example worthy of universal imitation.^ * Appendix, No. XXVII, 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 79 And here your Committee think it necessary to guard against an inference which might be suggested by their report of the addition made to the funds of the Society, that the amount of them may be consi- dered adequate to any future operations of the Insti- tution. That much has been effected at a small com- parative ex pence will be admitted ; but it is also to be recollected that the completion of works now in the course of execution, particularly the Gaelic and Welsh editions of the Scriptures, not to mention others of inferior magnitude, will require a large disbursement. It is further to be remembered, that the wide circula- tion of the Scriptures in whatever language, will ma- terially depend upon the moderation of the price at which the copies of them may be sold, and this must be regulated in a considerable degree, by a due atten- tion to the state of the Society's funds. It is indeed most earnestly to be desired that the Bible Society may be enabled, by the persevering liberality of it's friends and supporters, to dispose of the copies of the Scriptures printed by them, at a price suited to the circumstances of the lowest classes of society, so that all who have the inclination to read the Scriptures may have the means of doing it. To these suggestions your Committee will only further add, that they see no other limit to the beneficial operations of the Institution than that which it's funds may prescribe ; and that conse- quently every addition made to it's pecuniary resources may be regarded as so much added to the means of it's usefulness both at home and abroad. These observations will, it is hoped, have the effect 80 .SECOND REPORT. [1805. of kindling fresh zeal in the hearts of those who may have considered the Society as now in a state to dispense with their exertions. The fact is, that the Society has made considerable strides towards the accomplishment of it's object : but that object must be deemed imperfectly accomplished whilst any nations, to whom the blessings of the Holy Scriptures can be conveyed by means of the Bible Society, remain in want of them ; and hence it will appear that Subscrip- tions, Donations, and Collections, are more than ever necessary to enable the Society to maintain it's engage- ments, and carry into full effect the wishes of it's supporters. Your Committee having thus reported a summary of their proceedings during the last year, anticipate with confidence the satisfaction which the Members of the Bible Society cannot fail to participate with them, at the progress of the Institution towards the attain- ment of it s object, the circulation of the Holy Scrip- tures. And what object can be more important? w^hat more worthy the united efforts of all Christians ? If, as has been asserted in a late publication,* it be *' the *^ solemn duty of this imperial nation to diffuse '^ Christian knowledge throughout the world at all " times ;" if the Scriptures, as we all believe, contain the doctrines of salvation ; if there be thousands, and tens of thousands, even amongst those professing the religion of Christ, and capable of reading the sacred records in which it is contained, who are yet prevented * Memoir, as above, p. 124, 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 81 by poverty, or other circumstances, from possessing them — an Institution, the sole object of which is to supply these wants, can stand in need of no recommen- dation. Such an object will sufficiently account for the deep interest which the Bible Society has excited in the United Kingdom, and authorizes the fairest hopes that it will continue to receive the support of the friends of revealed religion. But when we reflect upon the alarming and afflictive dispensations of Provideace which have visited foreign nations, wdiilst we have been blessed with an exemption from them, gratitude to the great disposer of events, in every possible way, is more than a common duty ; and in endeavouring to promote his honour by the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures, we discharge but a small part of those solemn obligations which his singular favour so peculiarly imposes upon us. What effects may flow from the most successful labors of the Society, is not within the limits of human foresight : Paul may plant, ApoUos may water, but it is God alone who giveth the increase. But we may be allowed to entertain a reasonable expectation, that the seed of the word will not be sown in vain ; and that amongst the numbers to whom it will be conveyed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, many will receive it with joy, and cultivate it with profit ; and that the beneficial effects of the Institution will extend to generations yet unborn. In this hope, and trusting to the blessing of God to give success to the labors of the Society, the Committee will now conclude their Pveport. F APPENDIX TO THE SECOND REPORT. No. I. Extract of a Letter from the Rev, Mr. Sckoener, dated Nurenber^, June 17, 1805. (Translation.) We received your interesting account of the last General Meeting of the Honorable British and Foreign Bible Society only two days before the General Meeting of our Committee, which was held on the 8th of June. All present openly manifested their joy, and not only wished to haA^e been eye-witnesses, but also to unite themselves in the same extensive way without regard to their different religious opinions. This late occurrence in London proved a peculiar encouragement to us, as may be seen by the following resolutions : " That this account should inmiediately be printed, and dis- persed through GermiHiy" — which has been already executed. *' Though our Bible Society does not proceed in so rapid a manner, nor meet with such ample encouragement, yet neither the contributions nor the printing have ceased. The contributions of which I speak, are destined for the printing of the whole of the Bible ; because those for the New Testament have been long since completed. The amount of the sum collected for printing the whole of the Bible, is already several thousand German florins ; besides the contributions from Switzerland; from whence we have also received very encouraging accounts, which tend greatly to increase our confidence. The following anecdote proved a similar encou- ragement to us : " A Dutch lady, who, from the present situation of affairs, had no ready money, and yet wished to shew her interest in the Bible Society, sent me her share in a Dutch American settlement; ex- pressing, at the same time, her regret, that the share would now fetch so very little : when, behold, after I had kept it, with some degree of indifference, for several months, I was informed the draw- ing of those shares had begun again ; that mine was the very first ; and that if I sent it immediately to Amsterdam, I could dispose of it to advantage ; which I did ; and received, by the next post, a bill of 425 florins." F2 84 SECOND REPORT. , [1800. No. II. Extract of the second printed Address from the Commit tee of the German Bible Socitty in Nurenberg to the Friends of the Bible throughout Germany, (Translation.) " The German Bible Society which was formed towards the end of the last vear, and the direction of which is in Nureub^Tg, cannot but with much gratitude to God, behold one part ol iheir wishes and purposes accomplished. The printin-i of the New Tes- tament witli standing types is now finished, and the friends of the word of God who have pfonioled this undertaking by their volun- tary contributions receive now their allotted number of copies at 5d. each. " The printing of this New Testament was delayed by several circumstances, one of which will afford pleasure to every friend of the Bible : the very same person who had to cast the types for our New Testament, received, nearly at the same time, an order to cast the types for another New Testament, which is to be printed for the use of Roman Catholic Christians, under the direction of some very worthy and truly enlightened clergymen of that persuasion. ** Having thus completed the printing of the New Testament, the Committee have no greater wish than soon to announce the completion of the printing of the whole Bible. They think it how- ever their duty to state the reasons which have hitherto prevented them from accomplishing this object, so earnestly desired both by themselves and others. *' They cannot bdt gratefully acknowledge the receipt of many benevolent contributions for this purpose; but for the printing of a whole Bible, with larger letters than those of the New Testament, and with standing types, the money hitherto collected is not suffi- cient. To complete such an edition a sum of not less than 10 — 11,000 florins (about 1,000/.) M'ould be necessary ; and they have only collected as yet about 3,000 florins (oCO/.) *' We readily allow that, for this sum, a common edition of the Bible might be procured. But, in this case, the whole undertaking would, with its beginning, have its end also: no permanent Bible Institution would be formed, by which Bibles were to be sold at very low prices ; we should always be under the necessity of making new editions with additional expence. *• On the other hand, if, by continued exertions, the whole of the above mentioned sum could be raised, and the Bible be printed on standing types, about 300,000 copies might be successively printed with no other expence than that of paper and printing ; and thus a foundation might be laid of an Institution, which for 20, 30, or more years to come, might fiirnish poor people with an exceeding cheap edition of the Bible. 1805.} SECOND REPORT. B5 '* We lay this before our frienHs in liie most open and respectful manner; wishing to recommend the printing of a Bible with stand- ing types, yet far from compelling any to enter exactly into our views. VV'e leave the matter with that God who is able to dispose the hearts of many to come forward, at a lime when the power of darknos employs all possible means, by force or artifice, to with- hold the spreading of this diviue light. *' The pleasi g accounts which we have received from different quarters, respecting the active zeal which manifests itself for th^ spreading of the word of God, encourage us to persevere in our endeavours to establish a permanent Bible Institution. If God has raised suck a zeal in other parts, may we not hope that he will excite the same here also V After having noticed the noble zeal of the Welsh, the address presents the reader with the following extract from the letter of a German clergyman: * A little while ago a venerable old man sent for me, and pre- * sented me with two sums of 1,100 florins each, one in aid of the « Missionary cause, the other for circulating the word of God t among our German countrymen. Tears of gratitude bedewed his « cheeks at the recollection of the many blessings of God toward < him ; and that, from a very small beginning, he now possessed a € comfortable sutficiency, so that he was enabled to employ a portion , of it to the promotion of his glory and the good of his fellowmen. f But a few days after this, a pious member of my congregation t called on me, who had served for forty years in a very respectable « family, in which he is highly esteemed, and where he has saved a < considerable sum of money, which he devotes almost entirely to t benevolent purposes. He brought with him 300 florins, as a gift « of love, to be employed solely for the printing and distribution of , Bibles.' ** In several parts of Switzerland a similar zeal has been mani- fested ; chiefly in the canton of Bern. The inhabitants, both of the town and country, strive with each other in offering their mites to the Bible Institution/' No. III. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Schoener, addressed ft the Rev. C. F. Steinkopff. Dated Nurenberg, Feb. 24, 1806. (Translation,) •* O HOW did your satisfactory letter of the 7th of February relieve my mind, which for some months past had labouied under |0 many diflaculties respecting the affairs of the German Bibl« F3 86 SECOND REPORT. [I806^o Society; as it brought me, Justin a happy moment, the welcome news of the generous resolution of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to render us a further assistance of 200/. for accomplishing our Bible on standing types. My joy was still further heightened by the manner in which this agreeable intelligence was communicated to me, by Mr. . Whilst all the members of the Bible Society were assembled, he entered the room where we were, holding in his hand a silver plate with your letter upon it ; came up to me, and thus addressed me in the presence of all: * lam commissioned to present you, my dear Sir, for the strengthening of your faith, with two golden apples on a silver plate.' He then bid him read the letter aloud. I read it ; and the enigma was solved. They were all attention, and filled with joy and gratitude. May the great Giver of the precious Bible-Treasure abundantly reward you all for this new gift of love, ye generous English Bible friends ! Many will thank and bless you for generations to come, un- known in this world, but manifest in the next. Your liberality shall stimulate us to fresh zeal in this work. All the members of our Committee salute you, with the most unfeigned respect. We shall now immediately proceed to the printing of the whole Bible on standing types; and in order to it's better execution, we shall most likely have it printed in B^sle." No. IV. J^xtract of a Letter from the Rev. , Secretary to tht Religious Society at Basle. Dated March 4, 1806. " For more than a year past we have connected ourselves with ©ur worthy friends in Nurenberg, and began to collect contributions for printing the Bible in Switzerland. Now, although the almost total stagnation of business, and the frequent occasion for expeuce, left us no room to expect any thing very considerable ; yet we thought it incumbent upon us to perform our part ; and, in fact, our expectations, in the present state of affairs, have been in some respects surpassed ; of which I shall give you more particulars here- after. " The ^^ew Testament, on the printing of which the indefati- gable Schoener bestowed so much pains, has not answered the expectations that were formed of it, owing to the negligence of the type-founder. The promoters of the Bible concern here, were urged to use their endeavours to have the printing of the whole Bible executed in this place. The Brethren's society here, who had till then contributed nothing towards it, informed us, through the Rev. Mr. Raillard, that they were willing to contribute a sum of 1000 francs f/ the Bible should be printed here. From St. Galley also a contribution of 200 francs has been promised upon the sam* 1806.] SECOND REPORT. %7 conditions. Should we be able to accomplish this object, it will be attended with the following advantageous circumstances. 1. The Bible-fund will gain a sum of 1200 f. by the printing being trans- ferred to this place; and 2dly, what is of still greater importance, and will undoubtedly afford you great pleasure, Mr. Haas, type- founder, with -whom some of us had spoken on the subject of printing the Bible, suggested the idea of applymg the English and French stereotypes (which he has himself seen, and willi the fabrica- tion of which lie is acquainted) to the German characters He how- ever found the English and French process to be still too complica- ted ; and therefore made some experiments, with a view to discover a more simple method of preparing stereotype plates •* He has actually succeeded in inventing a method, which he had already in part employed before, in his casts of medals ; and which promises a great deal. The impression of the stereotype upon paper is not only, to judge from the proofs which he has hitherto shewn us, extremely beautiful, clean, and perfect, so as to be in no respects inferior to the common letter-press; but the harder metallic coniposition which is used for it, renders it also possible to take a greater number of impiessions from it, than from the common leaden types. To this may also be added, that these stereotypes for the whole Bible will be cheaper, by at least an half, than the purchase of standing types : (Mr. Haas indeed says by two thirds, but to keep withm the mark, let us say one half. This superior cheapness is only what might naturally be expected, since a common octavo page of moveable types weighs lOlbs. while the stereotype plate weighs only from U to 2 lbs.) that also, as the moulds are to be preserved, any worn out plate may be cast afresh at a very trifling expence ; and the whole is so compendious as to require but very little room to keep it in. So much for our present prospects: it must be left to experience to determine their reality. ** According to our view of the matter, though we do not pretend to any great knowledge of the subject, this plan seems extremely advantageous ; but in order not to undertake any thing upon our responsibility, we shall send you by the first opportunity such a stereotype 8vo. plate, requesting you to submit it in our name to the examination of the honored Bible Society, and respectfully to intreat them to favor us with their advice upon the subject. As they have already much experience in stereotype printing, they will be better qualified to decide upon its advantages and defects than we can be expected to do. " Should further experience confirm the practicability and ad- vantages of this stereotype printing, we shall be very glad to under- take it, sanctioned by the advice of our friends in England. Many of us are also desirous that stereotypes might be cast at the same time both for B-^sle and Nurfnberg, in order to operate from both places at once for the good of the kingdom of God ; and to giv« full occupation to our dear friends in Nurenberg. When once the moulds required for a stereotype impression have been formed, a second casting is attended with no other expence than that of ihQ metal and mauual labour. F4 8B SECOND IIKPORT. [I8O6. " With respect to our Bible fund for Switzerland, it consists, with the monies already received and promised, of about 320/. donations, after deduction of 120/. subscription money, or about 1200f. At the same time, in order the more certainly to accom- plish our object, we have fixed the price of each Bible at if. By your last letter, which has been communicated to us from Nuren-» berg, we find that the worthy and active members of the Enghsh Bible Society have voted another donation of 200/. to the German Bible fund. Oh how does this unwearied Christian charity of our Enghsh friends rejoice and refresh us! How are we encouraged by it to co-operate also on our part, and accoidhig to our limited means, with the blessing of God, to so desirable an object, as that the word of the Lord may dwell richly among us. If David in his time could say, * Thy testimonies are my eternal inheritance, for they are the delight of my heart,^ how^ much greater reason have we Christians, under the new and more glorious everlasting Cove- nant of Grace, to boast of those inestimable testimonies of Jesus'* life, doctrines, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension; and of all the treasures of grace thereby procured for, and made know^n to us, as our eternal inheritance, and to enable others also to enjoy the same invaluable blessings. The Lord strengthen us to do it'! " Assure the honored Bible Society, in the name of us all, of our heartfelt gratitude, and of the sincerity with which we pray God to reward them with his richest blessing." No. V. 1. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. , Secretary t9 the Religions Society at Bdsle. Dated February 28, 1805. (Translation.) *' With respect to the Bible-cause, we proceed in Switzerland somewhat slowly; yet not without many marks of the divine blessing. We have given publicity to the matter, both by a sepa- rate Prospectus, and by insertion'^in our Monthly Magazine; and it has already found friends, and active supporters. In Bern par- ticularly, the matter has €xcited great attention : the inhabitants of that city prepared a particular Advertisement for their own canton ; wherein the magistracy, the clergy, and all other ranks and condi- tions of people, especially the rich, are called upon to take their share in this most important work. We now all pursue the same plan, and are perfectly agreed with our Brethren in Nurenberg." 2. Extract of a Letter from the same. Dated June 16, 1805. (Translation.) " Blessed be God, for what he has already caused to flow from Switzerland into the German Bible-Fund. As i^x as I know, there 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 89 are 4—5,000 French livres collected from Switzerland ; a sum which (considering the shortness of the time) far exceeds the hopes we had entertained in the beginning. In process of time we may flatter ourselves with the pleasing prospect, that, under the blessing of God, the printing of the whole Bible in German, with standing types, will really be accomplished : but, until that be done, we can hardly think on contributions for a French Bible/' No. VI. 1. Extract of two Letters from the Rev. Mr. John Jaenicke. Dated Berlin the 28th of November 1805, and the 4th of Fe- bruary 1806. (Translation.) " Permit me now to relate you a few particulars respecting the present state of our Bible Society. *' 1. Our progress has been but slow. We have applied to seve- ral highly respectable and truly pious noblemen to accept the Presi- dency ; but favourably as they have shewn themselves to the designs of our Society, and willingly as they have come forward to assist its funds, yet none has been hitherto prevailed upon to accept the place of President. " 2. We continue however to receive subscriptions and donations, and have but lately printed an address, in which we have announced the formation of our Bible Society, copied part of the proceedings of your's, and called upon all the friends of the Bible in the Prussian dominions to imitate the laudable example set them by British Christians, and liberally to assist us with their contributions. " 3. We have already purchased a number of the Bohemian New Testament, printed by the Canstein Bible Institution in Halle ; 50 copies of which I sent to Bohemia, 46 to Silesia, 12 to the Bohe- mian minister Kropatscheck in Nowawes near Potsdam, all for gratuitous distribution ; about 30 I dispersed myself in Boehmisch Riecksdorf. " 4. Count Reuss and Privy Counseller Hillmer have requested nie to enquire of you, whether it might not be profitable first to print the Polish Bible; as in this case we might hope to obtain the patronage of our King, who has many thousand Polish subjects. What respects the Bohemian Bible, I have been advised by Baron de Meyerfeld to write to the first Protestant clergyman in Prague, requesting him to undertake, with the aid of the Protestant clergy in Bohemia, the printing of a new edition of the Bohemian Bible; for which purpose we would devote the sum of 100/. promised us by the London Society, which we should send them with an addi- tional sum of our's, as soon as they should transmit to us the first 90 SECOND REPORT. []S06, proof sheet of their Bible. I suppose it will be entirely the same to the British Committee whether a Bohemian Bible will be printed in Berlin or Prague." 2. Address to the Christians in the Prussian States, (Translation.) " Brethren and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, *' It is a consolation to the afflicted to have companions in thefr distress; but how infinitely greater the pleasure which the Christian derives from seeing companions of his fiuth, fellow-partakers of his joy in the Lord. Gladly would he, after having through grace been converted to the Shepherd and Bishop of his soul, (1 Pet. ii. 25.) according to his Lord's command, strengthen all his brethren; gladly would he, if he were able, save all mankind, (2 Tim.) With longing he looks forward to the promised glad time when every land shall be tilled with the knowledge of the Lord, and all confess the Lord Jesus, both small and great. The knowledge of the Lord comes through the word; and the Holy Scripture is the word which has been spoken to us by the mouth of the Lord ; the source and the fullness of all true life-giving, sanctifying, and saving knowledge. With fervent desire, therefore, every sincere Christian wishes that this invaluable gift may become known, prized, improved, and en- joyed throughout the whole world; and that, especially in Christian countries, the word of the Lord may evermore increase and dwell richly among us, (Col. iii. l6.) With grief he observes, that while in the splendid mansions of several of the rich and noble, the pre- cious Bible remains unread, unapplied, like an unknown treasure in the ground, many humble dwellings of the indigent are debarred by poverty from the possession of this jewel. " In that highly favoured country where, for a considerable time past, the spirit of active Christian charity has been awakened, and a lire kindled by the Lord, which already shines into the remotest parts of the earth — in the powerful kingdom of Great Britain, a society has been formed, consisting of Christians of all ranks and religious denominations, for the laudable purpose of propagating the word of God to the utmost of their power by cheap distribution among the poor. [Here follows an extract from the first Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society.] " No fire burns upon the altar of the Lord, without spreading it's flames around. This fire has also extended it's fl^unes. The zeal of Christians in England has also infused itself into the hearts of Christians in Germany. *' Already in the German Empire a society has been formed actuated by the same spirit and f )r the same purpose as that in England. In the Prussian states also there is still room for sowing the good seed of the word. They still contain districts, where, in the houses of many poor Fiotestant families, the precious Bible is 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 91 sought in vain, A number of sincere friends of God and of man- kind, in and out of Berlin, constrained by the love of Christ and of their fellow Christians, have associated, after the example of the abovenientioned English and German Bible Societies, to collect a fund for the purpose of purchasing Bibles and New Testaments from the Bible Institution at Halle, to be gratuitously distributed or sold at a very low price to the really poor in the Prussian states. They also intend to publish a new edition of the Bohemian Bible. A donation of 100/. which has been voted them by the Bible Society in London for this purpose, laid the foundation of this fund, which has since been augmented by the benevolent contributions of several voluntary subscribers of all ranks. *' Christians in our Prussian country ! who have been favoured by God with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and at I he same time in greater or less degrees with temporal goods, aid us by your active concurrence in performing this work of love. Enable us by your charitable contributions, both small and great (for the smallest gift derives worth from the intention of the giver, and becomes, by God's blessing, great) to sow tlie good seed of God's word in abundance. Let us do good to ail men, but chiefly to those of the household of faith, (Gal. vi. 9.) " Contributions transmitted to the underwritten, or to Mr. Hermann, Banker to the King, No. 39, Schuetzenstrasse, will be most thankfully acknowledged, accounted for to the Bible Society, and conscientiously applied. " Jaenicke, Secretary to the Society/' 3. Letter from the Rev. John Jaenicke^ dated Berlin, Uh of March, (Translation.) " Permit me to inform you, that though, as yet, we have chosen no President, the following Noblemen and Gentlemen have under- taken the direction of our Bible Society: 1. Count Reuss. 2. Privy Counsellor Hillmer. 3. Baron de Stammer. 4. General de Knobloch. 5. Mr. Reyman, Inspector of the Royal Fortiflcations. 6. Mr. Zepchlin, Counsellor in the War Department. 7- Mr. Herrmann, Cashier of the Bank. They have now resolved immediately to undertake the printing of the Bohemian Bible, as soon as the British and Foreign Bible Society have sent thein the 100/. which they so kindly promised. As soon as we have concluded the agreement with our printer, he will im- mediately order types to be cast for the characters peculiar to the Bohemian language, which he can get done in six weeks ; after which he engages to complete it in nine months. " And now I will mention, how great things our Lord has done ^r ws in the last month , on account of which we greatly rejoice. 92 SECOND REPORT. [1806' " General de Knoblocli encouraged me some time ago to inform the King that a Bibie Society was forming in his dominions. I felt 1)0 liberty till the Lord in the beginning of the last month graciously opened the way. This is now the fifth w inter that it fell to my lot to give away in the Anspach Palace some meat to the poor. I have now illO persons daily to serve. Whilst i was thus employed. Baron Kreckuitz, the King's Adjutant General, happened to come into the palace ; he tasted the meat. As he conversed very freely with me, and is so far interested in this society for the poor, as to give 1 5 dollars a month to it, I felt confident. On the first of February I called on bin), acquainted him with the object of onr Bible Society, presented him with our printed Address, and asked him, whether he would advise me to inform his Majesty of it. He replied : " Do it by all means.'' On the 7th, i addressed the following humble letter to the King : * Most mighty and most gracious Lord and Sovereign, * With all due humility I lay the inclosed address at the foot of your royal throne. Moved by the present falling away from our Lord Jesus Christ, and the encreasing contempt of the Holy Scrip- tures, several of your Majesty's faithful subjects have united together for the purpose of putting the Holy Bible into the hands of the poor, particularly of the soldier's children. From my ofiice of dis- tributing meat to the poor during the last five years, I have had a frequent opportunity of observing the deplorable ignorance of the poor in the great truths of salvation. And as in the dominions of your Majesty, particularly in Silesia, there are several Bohemian Colonies, part of which stand in need of the Bohemian Bible, which can neither be procured from the Bible Institution of the Hallish Orphan-House nor in Bohemia itself, our Bible Society has deter- mined not only to purchase German Bibles for distribution among the poor, but also to print a new edition of the Bohemian Bible here in Berlin ; the more so as several Protestant Clergymen in Bohemia have already subscribed for 1000 copies. * Our Society will also consult some zealous ministers in Prussia, whether the Polish Bibie could not be printed either in Konigsberg or Danzig, in order to distribute it among the Protestants of South Prussia. * As your Majesty will perceive by this statement, that our Bible Society has the eternal welfare of it's fellow^men for it's object, we feel the greater confidence in addressing your Majesty, hoping that it will please your Majesty to take it under your most gracious pro- tection, which we most humbly solicit. I am your Majesty's most humble and most dutiful servant and subject, * John Jaenicke.' " On the 11th of February I received the following royal answer : ' It is with real satisfaction that I discover, from your letter of 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 95 the 7th of February and the inclosed address, the laudable endea- vours of the Prussian Bible Society for the giutuitou-! and cheap dis- tribution of the Bible to tlie poor ot my d »uhiuoiis ; and whilst I render justice to your particular merit in promoting such an useful institution, I transmit to you at the same time 20 Frederick's d'or, as an addition to it's funds. I am your grncious King, * Frederick William.' " We hope that the example of our King will have a beneficial eftect on our funds, which at present are but small." No. VII. 1. Extract of a Letter from a Roman Catholic Clergyman in Swahia, addressed to the Rev. C. F. Steinkopff, Foreign Secrc' tart/ to the British and Foreign Bible Society. Dated July 29, 1805. (Translation.) " Accept my most cordial thanks for your affectionate letter of the 6th of June. Blessed be the God and Father, who sent his only begotten Son into the world, and has led by him so many thousands of mankind to the saving light of the truth, and still continues, even to this day, to enlighten, to save by a sincere con- fession of him who is the way, the truth, and the life ; and blessed be his name for the love which you shew to me. Wherej>oever I dis- cover this love, which so cordially blesses in the nante of tiie Lord, and implores blessings upon others ; I say wheresoever I discover this love, together with an open confession of the faith in Jesus Christ as the all-sufficient Saviour, I regard it as a letter written and sealed by the hand of God ; which affords me the most happy hours, and causes my heart to overflow with gratitude, praise, and thanksgiving. Oh that the faithful and belovf^d ledeenier may excite both you and me mutually to implore for each other the blessing of him, who is rich unto all that call upon him! Oh that he might bring me who am the least, more and more into a close communion with all that worship him in spirit and in truth. My poor sinful heart is more and more desiious to entei into an intimate union with all those who are led by the spirit of Christ, and 1 am greatly encouraged when I have the happiness to meet with such. " I feel the highest regard for the wise and prudent zeal of the English Bible Committee, because it is my own desire to see the pure and genuine word of God spread, and am so entirely against all corruption of this invaluable treasure, that I myself would prevent it by all means in my power. As the degeneracy of all outward churches is so great and general, and threatens to become still greater and more general, I comfort myself with this, that the Lord 94* SECOND REPORT. [1806. is retiring into the inner temple, and more gloriously building up the invisible church. At least he does not sit idle at the right hand of his Father, nor can he lose his suit ; whatever may now be the appearance, he must finally be the gainer. Our duty however is this, to pray more earnestly than ever : Let thy kingdom come ! and. Lord abide with us, for it is towards evening. Dr. Sailer, (who by his truly evangelical instructions and writings has proved a great blessing to the Roman Catholics in Germany) thus expresses himself in his last book: " Christianity is so firmly founded on it's own basis, that after it has outlived the times of persecution, after it has remained unshaken in the age of superstition, it will also outlive this age of infidelity and contempt.'' Therefore we cannot sufficiently rejoice, that we are privileged to serve such a Master, who is infi- nitely superior to all his enemies, who has the victory in his hands, ever since the world has stood, who finally shall put all enemies under his feet, at whose name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. Nor shall we be able sufficiently to know and to appreciate all the excellencies of the kingdom of Christ, and the exalted dignity of his Person ; never shall we be able fully to comprehend the favour and happiness vouchsafed to them who shall be partakers of the kingdom of Gad through faith in Christ. Would not even our blessed Lord and Saviour himself re- joice to see the fraternal union which subsists between us, the interest which we mutually take in each other, and the sincerity of our wish to see all our brethren become partakers of the same blessings ? Yes, Lord ! let thy kingdom come, and be extended further and further. May our blessed Lord and Saviour daily more become that which he is made of God unto us, Wisdom, Righteous- ness, Sanctification, and Redemption ; yea may he become our all in all, and we fruitful branches in him the living vine. May light and life and love be multiplied in us, and may the peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in the love of God and his dear Son Jesus Christ." 2. Extract of a Letter from the same, dated December 12, 1805. (Translation.) " Your pleasing letter of the 20th September, 1805, I have but just received. The ardent love to the sacred word of God, which animates all the Members of the English Bible Society, and the zeal which presides over their meetings, and spares no expence for the spreading of the Gospel, have filled my heart with gratitude, love, and joy. Give my warmest thanks to the Committee for their great kindness ; and inform them, that I cheerfully acquiesce in their Re- solution of giving me 1,000 copies of the Protestant New Testa- ment. ** This is not only giving a new impression of the New Testa- ment, but also evincing the spirit of the primitive Christians, as St. Paul expresses it in the second Epistle to the Corinthians, ix. 11, 12 — " For the administration of this service not only suppHeth the 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 95 want of the saints ; but is abundant also by many thanksgivings to God: whilst by the experiment of this ministration, they glorify God for vour professed subjection unto the gospei of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men." ** With respect to Mr. Wittman's edition of the New Testament, you may rest assured it will, in all the essentials, harmonize with the original. Thus far I am certain in my own mind, that, by the Catholic Bible, even if the Translation of the Vulgate should be adopted, no fundamental error would be propagated, nor any impor- tant truth obscured, as would be the case with some Translations attempted by modern Free-thinkers. Did the Catholics onl;y believe and perform all that is contained in their Bible, they would not fall far short of the Protestants. It is also written in the Catholic Bible — ** All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" — ** Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" — ** Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" — ** There is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus" — " God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" — " By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should boast." Christ says also in the Catholic Bible, " I am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." — " He that believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." — ** I am the Good Shepherd; the Door; the Vine." ** In short, we should not have less than you, if we only would believe. The blame is not m the Catholic Bible, it is in themselves, who do not read, study, believe, apply, apprehend, and appropriate it. They neither hear, nor keep his w^ord. Some believe more than is contained in the Bible; they adhere to the traditions of men, explain the Bible falsely, or entirely neglect it. " The Eternal Word, wliich was with the Father, was manifested in the flesh, suffered himself to be wrapped in swaddling clothes, and will now deign even to dwell in our hearts, has still many friends and faithful followers. This clear, shining light, by which all men (if they only will) can come to the knowledge of the truth, is the greatest treasure and most costly pearl on earth.'' " Your diffidence of yourself, and your bold confidence in God, edify and encourge me to expect every thing from him, though I can do nothing of myself. True, we are surrounded with enemies, we have many a struggle from within and many ass .ults from the world, which lieth in the wicked one ; but greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. The stronger vvill soon bind and cast out the strong man. But we have need daily to be confirmed in faith, love, patience, and hope ; so as to be found fit for any work which he may assign to us. hidetd there is no time to lie down and sleep ; to watch, and keep our lamps burning, is more necessary than ever. d6 SECOND REPORt. [1805. '* That admirable Redeemer; who, in the days of his flesh, prayed so very earnestly for us : ** Holy Father, keep through thine own name, those whom thou hast given me ;" — *' I will that they be with me where I am;" who is still our Advocate with the Father, and the propitiation for our sins ; — who has so solemnly assured us, that it is the express will of the Father, that, of all which he hath given him, he should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day ;— who has also given us the earnest of our inheritance, and the seal of our adoption (the Spirit) in our liearts;— the very same neither can nor will cast us out, who believe in liis name, whom having not seen we love. Already his glory is reflected on us; and though it is often obscured, yet it again breaks forth more splendidly through his tender mercy; by which he always purifies and sanctifies us again, when we come before him with humility and childlike confidence : No man is able to pluck us out of his hand. " O my highly-respected and beloved friends, let us rejoice in the prospect of that glorious day in which the great Shepherd and Biohop of Souls will gather together all his sheep; when the first- born Brother will collect all the dispersed children of God ; and from all nations and religions, languages and kingdoms, of this world, will bring some as trophies of his triumph on the cross. " Peace and joy and grace and love be with all who love his appearance- My love be with you and all the friends of the word of God. May he preserve you from the dreadful tumult of war, such as we have just experienced in our country, though by Divine preservation we have, in the midst of war, enjoyed inward peace. May God in Christ be with us. Most gratefully and affec- tionately « Your's, &c." No. VIII. Extract from an Advertisement of the Roman Catholic Bible Society at Ratisbon, to the Christians of that Persuasion throughout Germany. (Translation.) " To those who value the Doctrine of Jesus, " Dear Brethren and Sisters in Christ ! " It is desirable, that the Holy Scriptures of the New Testa- ment could be put into the hands of many pious Christians at a low price. Thereby they would be comforted in their afflictions, strengthened in their trials, and more preserved from the tempta- tions of the world. Many excellent souls do not find in the public religious instruction that for which they hunger, are also often in the 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 97 confessional only judged for their outward deeds, without being led loan acknowledgment of their inward corruption, and to faith in the blood of Jesus their Redeemer: if these could read the Holy Scrip- tures of the New Testament in the quiet time of holidays, their faith in the simple doctrines from the mouth of Jesus Christ would, by the mercy of their Saviour, he thereby enlivened ; and the Lord's gifts in the Holy Spirit be quickened in them. They would hear the voice of the Father in their inward part, which leads them to their Saviour, of which Christ saith : " They shall be all taught of God ; and whosoever hath leairied of the Father, and receiveth it, cometh unto me/' John vi. 45. (German Translation). " Also Chrigtian brothers and sisters could meet together in small parties of two or three on Sunday and holiday aflernoons, and read a chapter in tlie New Testament, and confer together on it, whereby a subject of short united prayer would impress itself on their minds, and what tlie Lord saith would be fulfilled : " If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father in heaven." Matt, xviii. ig. Christians ! you are so unlike the world, you are regarded as nothing by it; it hath no satisfaction in you, and you also can gain none by it; and when yon are for having here and there a little fellowship with it, then it causes disquiet to your spirits, and you soon fiud yourselves in the like state with Peter, when he was among the people in the hall. Be ye separated then,, and let it be as the Lord saith: '* There shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three," Luke xii. 52 ; but be ye so much tiie more united together in the Lord, in joint prayer, and in comfort of the words of Christ. " From these considerations has arisen, in the minds of some clergymen, a wish to set on foot a cheap German edition of the New Testament, for the use of many pious Christians, the Repository thereof to be at Ratisbon, in the Ecclesiastical Seminary, as a central place in Germany, and to wait for what the Lord may be pleased farther to work therein. *" For this purpose 620 florins soon came in; and it was thought the work might be begun: when an iiitetii;i,^ent clergyman, who had been a notable instrument in the hand of Providence in many things, made a proposal to have this edition executed with stereotype, whereby they would be enabled to reprint it from time to time as need moy require, without new expence of setting the press, or great stock of paper, or danger of damage by lying by ; and to set the price lower than could be done in the usual way tor an impres- sion of 2 or 3000 copies. I'he same gentleman also gave ininiedi- ately 1000 florins toward it; so that a capital of l600 florins could already be reckoned up. ** I cannot know how far God may grant success to this under- taking, yet I would not on my part neglect any thing in it, or have any mistrust in the goodness of Providence; as I see that GotJ animates such chosen servants of Christ with much x«al for it G 98 SECOND REPORT. [1806. However, a large sum will yet be wanting : competent judges think, that without 10,000 florins, it is hardly to be begun. But when the Lord designs to buihl a house, the means fail him not; and he raises up as many skilful and active builders as are needful. •* I hereby give this intelligence to some known confessors of Christ, with a request that they will consider the matter before the Lord, recommend it to him in prayer; and if he is pleased to afford them any opportunity to contribute in any way toward it, that they will not neglect it. Christian poverty and love have accomplished greater things in the world than the power and riches of the world could do. *' O Lord ! Redeemer of our souls ! Shepherd of the small des- pised flock ! do with this work as may please ihee. Thy kingdom proceeds an incessant pace in a still small way, and those who oppose it can do nothing against it, but become thy footstool, and contribute to the rest of thy feet in the peace of thy people. If it please thee, let thy holy history, the history of thy childhood, of thy ministry, of thy suftering, and of the victory in the Holy Spirit in the apostles and firstlings of the Christian church, come into the hands of thy little ones for their comfort and coniirmation." No. IX. A short Account of Baron Cansteins Bible Institution at Halle in Saxony. Communicated hy the Rev. Dr. Knapp, Director of the Orphan-House in that City. *' This Institution was established, at the commencement of the last century, by a truly pious nobleman, Charles Hildebrand de Canstein, an intimate friend of the celebrated Spener and Frank, for the distinct purpose of bringing the Holy Scriptures into a more extensive circulation, and to print them, chefly in the German language, according to the established Lutheran version, at a very cheap rate, for the benefit of the middling and poor classes of society. This excellent man printed a public advertisement of his plan in the year 1710, and had the satisfaction to receive many contributions for it's execution, among which the handsome present of 1,271 ducats, made him by the Danish Prince Charles, deserves particular notice. " The rest of what was wanting for the support of this Institution was supplied by Baron Canstein himself, who acted the most generous and noble part, until he died in the year 1719, and left it to the care and inspection of the late A.H. Franke, the celebrated founder and director of the Hallish Orphan-House; after whose departure, it devolved upon his respective successors in the direction of the same. In the year 1712, the first edition of the New Testa- ment appeared; 5,000 copies of which were printed at the low price 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 99 of about 2 — 3 pence each. In the year 1713, four editions, each of the same number of copies, were published; the latter upon stand- ing types, and with the addition of the Psahns. *' In the same year, an edition of the wliole Bible, in large octavo, was completed, to the amount of 5,000 copies, one of which cost about 10 pence on common paper, and a shilling on better; when afterwards, in the year 1717, the sixth edition appeared, which was the first on standing types, a copy at that time sold for 9 — 1 1 pence. " But now, on account of the great rise of paper, and all other printing materials, a copy of this edition costs on common paper 12;, and, on difterent sorts of better paper, from 14 pence to a rix dollar and more. The first edition in smaller print, in large duodecimo, appeared in tlie year l7J-5>; and the second and third in 17 16'. After having gone through twelve editions, the thirteenth was executed with standing types, in the year 1732 : a copy of which, at that time, came to only 6 or 8 pence: but now a copy, on common paper, sells for 9 pence; and on better, for 11, 12, and 18 pence, and some even as high as a rix dollar and more. •* Another edition of the Bible, in octavo, with a larger type than in the above mentioned duodecimo form, appeared, for the first time, in the year 1785; which, since 1794-, has also been printed on standing types, and the price of which is from 10 pence and upwards to a rix dollar. *' Beside all these editions, the Bible has also been printed by this Institution, both in folio and quarto. The folio edition came out in the year 1736, and sells according to the paper, either for 1 rix dollar und 8 pence, or 1 rix dollar and 12 pence. The quarto edition appeared, for the first time, in the year 1741, and has been five times reprinted; a copy of which fetches from 20 pence to 1 rix dollar and 1 8 pence. *' All the above-mentioned editions in octavo, duodecimo, quarto, and folio, accord with each other from page to page, in order to assist the memory of such persons as have been in the constant habit of using Hallish Bibles. ** There is also to be had the New Testament, together with the Psalms, in small duodecimo, for about 3 or 4 pence; and the Psalms by themselves for 1 penny, as also the Book of Syrach for the same price. These duodecimo editions are chiefly used in Schools. " A Bohemian and Polish Bible have likewise been printed in the Canstein Institution, though not on standing types. The New Bohemian Testament, together with the Psalms and Syrach, is still to be had for about 6 pence a copy. ** This Establishment has now subsisted 95 years; during which time above 3 millions of copies, either of the whole Bible or of the New Testament, have been printed in different languages, and dis^ persed, not only throughout most of the European countries, but even throughout America and the Russian colonies in Asia. Many thousand copies have been given away gratis to the poor ; and the most signal blessing has attended the whole undertaking. G 2 ]00 SECOND REPORT. [180^. " The Bibles published by this excellent Institution, were printed in the city of Halle till 1735, when it obtained the privilege from Frederic-William the First, to establish a printing-office of it's own ; in consequence of which a very large building was annexed to the Hallish Orphan-House, in which, unto this very day. Bibles are printing in such large numbers, that there is always a considerable store of them for sale. . , „, , o • . r i *' Should the Honorable British and Foreigh Biole Society tee^ disposed to make use of our Bible Institution, for the attainment of their noble and benevolent designs; tliey need only commaud, and I shall feel exceedingly happy to execute their orders/' No. X. Extract of a Letter from the Rev, Dr. Knapp, Director of the Orphan-House at Halle in Saxony. Dated Jan. 25, 1806. ' *• The resolution of the much respected Bible Society in London, with regard to the use which they intend to make of the editions pvintediu tlie Cansteiii Bible Institution, and the agreeable accounts which yon have had the goodness to communicate to me upon this subject, call for my most grateful acknowledgments both to the hishly esteemed members collectively and to yourself in particular ; and Tardentlv wi»h that the Lord may direct these resolutions to the vxaltation of his name, and crown them with rich blessings. As the vSocietv wishes particularly to receive more accurate accounts re-^pecting the u^e and the want of Bibles in the kingdom of Prussia, in the ci'deuant Polan«l, and in the Ilussian Empire ; not being able myself to furnish theni with such circumstiDitial accounts, I tiiought it most advisable to apply for this purpose to the Fvev. Bishop jReichel at Betlielsdorf, not doubting the most authentic intelligence was to be obtaii^.ed from the United Brethren. For they have, besides their regular congregations, also a very extensive religious connexion {Deaspora) both in and out of Germany ; and in Russia they have, by their settlements at Sarepta and Petersburg, and by their numerous friends in the German colonies on the banks of the Wolga, as also in Livonia, Courland, &c. ample opportunity for gratifying our wishes. In the expectation of some, at least preli- minary notices, I defered for some time answering your very agreeable letter. I have not indeed as yet received any answer to my inquiries; but this mucli I have already learnt from other quarters, that tlie Unity's Elders Conference will certainly be very ready to co-operate towards the furtherance of the laudable object of the Society, and that they will do their utmost to furyish me with the desired information. *' With regard to Prussia in particular, I have written to Dr. W^ald of Konigsberg, whom 1 know to be active in concerns of this ISOS.] SECOND REPORT. 101 nature. Hitherto, however, he has sent me no answer to my inquiries. As soon as it is in my power, I shall send you more cir- cumstantial intelhgence of every kind; and it will then be easy to settle what remains further ta be done. In the mean time I shall ask the favour of you, respectfully to present the copies of our edition of the Bible wliich accompany this letter to the honored Society, and to re(|uest their acceptance of them, as a small token of my sincere esteem and grateful veneration. *' P.S. In North America a number of German Bibles might easily be distributed to great advantage, by the Lutheran Ministers of Philadelphia, New York, Ebenezer, kc. (viz. Messrs. Hellmuth, Mucklenberg, Schmidt, Bergmann,) with whom I carry on an episto- lary correspondence. I propose also to write to them upon the subject. ** The Polish Bible has indeed been printed in this place, but not a single copy of it is left. Likewise all the Malabar Bibles printed at the Orphan-House are at present in the East Indies, so that I could not procure a copy to send. The expences of printing the Malabar Bible were furnished by the Mission here."' No. XI. JExtract of a Letter from in the University of Halle in Saxony. Dated Feb. 1, I8O6. (Translation.) *' On a late journey, I happened to visit the Rev. Mr. a Protestant clergyman at Octingen in Swabia, who formerly had been pastor of a very extensive parish in GaUicia, wliich he was obliged to leave on account of the bad state of his health. A short time ago he received a petition from several pious churchwardens of his former congregation, in which they requested him to supply them with a number of Bibles, New Testaments, and Hynm Books, as there was a great want of them among the poor people of their flock. But Mr. ^s circumstances are such that he can do but very little. Should he even succeed in collecting a number of Bibles, &c. the expences attending the conveyance would be too heavy for him. When he related the matter to me, the British and Foreign Bible Society came to my mind ; and I determined to acquaint them with this case, which I now do. These poor people, who live m the midst of Roman Catholics, might be easily supplied with Bibles and New Testaments from Baron Canstein's Bible-Insti- tution in Halle ; and should the Society devote a small sum to this purpose, I should be very happy to transmit their supply to tke place of their destination. The order might be given to G3 103 SECOND REPORT. 1806- the excellent Dr. Knapp in Halle, who is the present Director of the Hallish Orphan-House and the above-mentioned Bible-Insti- tution. No. XIl. Extract of Letter from the Rev. Mr. Blumhardt, Secretary to the Religions Society. Dated Basle, Oct. 3, 1805. (Translation.) *' The generous present of the Honorable Bible Society has afforded us peculiar pleasure. Though we have not yet received the money, yet we have taken of Mr. Thurmaron, the bookseller, 500 copies of the French Protestant Bible, at the very low price of a florin (2 shillings) a piece." No. XIII. 1. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Blumhardt ^ Secretary to the Religious Society in Basle. Dated November 19, 1805. (Translation.) *' In our last we have mentioned to you, that we have been enabled by the present of 50/., sent us by the British and Foreign Bible Society, to purchase 500 copies of the French Protestant Bible, and that we have opened a correspondence with different places in Swilzeiland and France. In Besaufon we met with a very worthy Protestant clergyman, who not only himself took the most lively interest in the matter, but also encouraged a committee, established in that city for the purpose of education, to apply to us for a number of Bibles, which we have sent them at the reduced price of 18 pence a copy. Still more pleasing are the prospects which we have in the French part of Switzerland. Mr. in Lausanne, a zealous friend of Christ and an indefatigable promoter of his cause, has assured us of his active co-operation; and by his means an opportunity w ill be afforded us of entering into a very extensive acquaintance with many hidden friends of Christ both hi Switzerland and France itself. In a letter of the 20th of October he thus expresses himself: " Nothing in the world gives me such *' pleasure as to contribute to the promotion of the cause of Christ. " Gold I have none ; but whatever I can do by the exertion of the ** powers of my body, soul, and spirit, I will do with the utmost " delight. Be of good cheer, and enter upon the execution of your " excellent plan with much prayer and full confidence in a divine 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 103 ** blessing. I am able to procure you correspondents in Switzerland " and France." — He then points out places, in which he already has acquaintances, among which there are Neufchatel, Lode, Geneva, Vivis, Lyons, the Sevenna Mountains, Paris ; and lastly, makes some proposals, in what way the Bibles might be best distriluled. As under the present political circumstances we are not at liberty to make use of your name, we have written him word, that we (the Committee of the B^sle Society) should feel happy to enter into a correspondence with pious people in Switzerland and France, for the express purpose To distribute by their means and assistance the sacred volume of the pure word of God. At the same time we sent him 75 copies of the French Protestant Bible, with the following conditions: 1. Mr. is to pay us 1 8 pence for a copy. 2. He is at liberty to sell some of the copies at a higher price to wealthier persons, in order that he may be enabled to sell them to poorer classes for less than 1 8 pence, and to give some away to the most indigent and worthy. 3. Mr. is to bear all the expences of the conveyance, and has promised to render all services gratuitously. 4. He is to make us from time to time communications respect- ing the dispersion of the Bible, and the state of the king- dom of Christ in those places. " Besides this, we have received from Mr. , a Moravian minister in Montmirail, some useful recommendations to pious people in France. " In the P.S. of a letter, dated Basle 10th of March, Mr. B. says, we have now disposed of 310 out of the 500 copies which we pur- chased, as under : 250 to Lausanne 25 to Besanpon 25 to Montmirail 10 to Strasburgh.'' 310 2. Extract of a Letter from the same. Dated March 4, 180(5. (Translation.) *' As to the French Bible concern, it gives me pleasure to find from your last letter, that the respected London Bible Society approve of the purchase which we have made, and of the rest of our proceedings. You will no doubt have since received the materials which we have collected on this subject, and which, in part, are very interesting. " Our stock of Bibles is nearly exhausted ; the greater part of G 4 104 SECOND REPOKl. [1806*. them we distributed in ten days time; and ihey were very gladly taken at the price fixed. With the small stock which we have in hand, we proceed very economically, as we do not know w hen we shall receive a fresh supply When it shall be exhausted, however, we desitjn to purchase a tVesli quantity with the returns. The book- seller with whom I lately spoke, has still between 1000 and r200 copies. If we purchase the whole stock together, we are to have it at the rate of 2 French livrcs for each, or 3 copies for 1 dollar, ■viz. 12 for one pound sterling. *' I have farther to inform you, that in the neighbourhood of Nismes and Bourdeaux there are five or six excellent ministers, who •would to doubt be willing to take an active part in shis concern." No. XIV. Extract of a Letter from a respectable Lutheran Minister on the Island of Nucko, ad Superintendant of the Diocese of IVirckschw in the Government of Esthonia. Dated March 13, 1S06. (Translation.) *' As you made some inquiries respecting the state of the Bible in the Russian Empire, permit me now to return you the following answer : '*•!. The Russian province of Esthonia, the government city of which is Revel, contains, besides five parishes in that city, 50 country- parishes of (iiflerent sizes and population. Five of the latter contain chiefly German parishioners, five Swedish intermingled with Estho- nian, but th-e remaining 40 are entirely inhabited by Esthonian peasants. The Bible in the Esthonian language has been repeatedly printed in Re\el, but cannot be obtained- at a cheap rate. The New Testament was for the first time printed in the Esthonian lan- guage in the year 1715, and for the second time in the year 1729 ; and the whole Bible for the first time in the year 173Q, and for tlie second time in the year 1773. German and Swedish Bibles or New^ Testaments have never been printed in our country, but must be procured from foreign parts, which makes them very expensive. " 2. Among the poorer classes of our countrymen the Hftly Scriptures are so scarce, that perhaps out of 100 families hardly five will be found in possession of a Bible or New Testament. ' ** 3. The scarcer Bibles are, the more diligently they are read by the people when they can obtain them. ** 4. Throughout the whole Province of Esthonia there is a great want of Bibles, chiefly among the Swedish and Esthonian peasants. ''■ b. There is in general neither a pubhc nor private institution for the express purpose of relieving this want by a gratuitous or cheap distribution of Bibles, except a few small legacies, which have been lelt to some churches for supplying the schools w ilh Bibles. 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 105 *' 6. Many, who are destitute of the Bible, express a great desire after this treasure, which desire is increased, when they find it in the possession of others. *' 7. In answer to your question: " What is the state of the Bible in Finland, Livonia, and other parts of riie Russian Empire V I can but shortly state, that I am acquainted with three editions ot the Finnish Bible of the years l643, l685, and 1/58; and of the Lettonian, with the two editions of the years l689 and 1739- I" a peculiar dialect of the Esthonian language the whole Bible has never been printed, but only a New Testamept published in the year l686. " 8. Finally, 1 have not a moment's doubt, that here also a So- ciety of respectable Clergymen and other pious Christians might be formed for the express purpose of spreading the Bible more gene- rally in those languages which are spoken in our parts, or at least of circulating some Scripture Extracts both from the Old and New Testament, which would be still rheapir, and in my humble opi- nion more adapted to the use of the common people. I feel the less hesitation in saying that such a Society might be established, because among the 50 or 60 clergymen in this country, as also among the private gentlemen in Lapponia, several are known to me as men who feel the most lively interest in enlightening the mind and ameliorating the state and condition of their fellow-creatures by faith in Christ. *' Permit me now, reverend and dear Sir, to accompany this in- formation with a humble petition to the British and Foreign Bible Society kindly to remember the 50 country parishes in Esthonia, which' contain at least 1 5,000 families, and to assist them with a pecuniary aid, in order that the whole Bible, or at least a part of it, may be gratuitously or cheaply distributed to the many indigent persons who are at present destitute of this treasure. " The more favorable the reception has been with which, I un- derstand, the British and Foreign Bible Society has already met, and the more I consider the blessings which it might thus communi- cate to thousands of my counlrynien, by atFording them the means of access to the best of all knowledge, and by inspiring their minds with the purest motives of all genuine virtue and solid consolation, tlie more I flatter m\velf with a pSeusmg hope that my application will not meet with a negative answer. " But more especiall) 1 recommend to the kind attention of the benevolent Bible Society the two country parishes on ihr Islands of Nucko and Wormso, which consist chitfiy of Svvedi h u-hnbilants, as also in general all the Swedish parishes in Esthonia ; and in their behalf i would earnestly entreat your Commiilt-e to order from Stockholm a number of about 5— 6(iO Bibles of the latest Swedish traosia'.ion, and to transmit them under my direction to this place by wa> of Revel, of the arrival and iti.in>b..S of whuh I should con^ sider it a particular Ouw to give you a s..tl>fdctt.ry ac« ount. In the mean while 1 shall tmk'avour to toriu a Bible Society in our parts; and should it please the British and Foreign Bible Society to lend us their generous aid m procuring a fund for such an mstitution, 1 106 SECOND REPORT. []806, have not a moment's doubt, that many gentlemen in our parts would thereby be excited to take an active part in such a benevo- lent design. No. XV. Extract of a Letter from a Clergyman in Alsace. Dated June 17, 1805. " What shall I say, dearest friend, how shall I thank the ho= norable Bible Society for the gift of 20/. for the spreading of the kingdom of Jesus Christ? I will entreat him for a rich blessing thereon, and for wisdom to enable me to dispose of it in the most effectual manner*. " You ask, if there is a desire after Bibles in the interior of France 1 I believe there is, for various reasons ; but can only say it for certain of our own neighbourhood. I must however go a little way back. The little Steinthal was formerly the only Protestant spot throughout all the kingdom of France whicli enjoyed perfect freedom of religious worship. This the Roman Catholic clergy could hardly bear ; nor comprehend, how God could permit it ; and some showed even on their countenance a bitter rage, when they happened to converse with any of our Protestant clergy. About 50 years ago, God sent hilher my excellent predecessor the Rev. Mr. Hueber, a truly apostolic man, who obtained throughout all the Catholic neighbourhood an excellent reputation. Many Roman Catholics declared openly of him : (" Cest un liomme de Dieu") — (" This is a man of God"); and the Lord so blessed his labours, that the Steinthal villages began to be distinguished from all the Romish villages around. He sent for 50 French Protestant Bibles from Basle ; lent them in the schools, even with permission to the scho- lars to take them home! It must be observed, that he had them divided into three parts, bound in strong parchment, which made 150 volumes; beside other good French books: thus it happened that the neighbours were made attentive to the Bible. A Roman Catholic entered a house in this place, talked upon indifferent sub- jects; and looking carefully about him, spied in the window a thick book, with a lock; (he had heard that Bibles had this appearance) ; took it down; looked at the title, and asked, " Whether one could have such a Bible for a crown 7" When the owner answered, " Yes." The Catholic threw^ down a crown upon the table, ran out hastily with the Bible, and away to his village, to the astonishment of every one. From that time the demand encreased continually; several hundred small Bibles from Basle and Biel were partly sold, partly given, partly lent; and all the Biel Bibles in folio, as well as many in quarto, were procured from Switzerland, and dispersed among the Roman Catholics. Yet many copies were taken by the 1806.] SECOND REPORT. lO? Romish priests from their people, and burnt ; sometimes a violent contention took place about it. «' Once a priest surprised one of his people over the Bible, snatched it from him with bitter reproaches, and was going off with it; when the man, who had seen the world, and often heard from liis neigh- bours of th** priests taking away their Bibles, jumj)ed up, snarched his hanger, placed himself before tiie door, and cried out, '* Monsieur le Curt, remettez la Bible swr la table, je respecte voire Caractere, mats un voleur nest pas un Cure; je vousjwe queje vous taillerai plut6t en pieces avant de vous laisser enlever une Bible quon a eu la bonte de me preter" — (" Reverend Sir, replace tlie Bible on the table; I respect your character; but a thief is no pustor: I swear I will rather cut you in pieces than suffer you to steal a Bible, which has been kindly lent me.") The priest restored the Bible, but or- dered the man to return it to the owner ; and thus many were returned to us. " Before the revolution, I never gave any Bibles to the Roman Catholics with my own hands, but always through those of my parishioners ; since the revolution, I have more freedom, so that I may even let the Roman Catholics take the Sacrament in our church, M hich has often happened. Now the priests excite a sus- picion of the Swiss Bibles, so that many of their people do not know what to do about them. I am, however, in hope soon to procure some of the Protestant Bibles, which are now printing at Paris. About a fortnight ago, I had the unexpected pleasure of an emigrant ex-priest accepting, w ith thanks, a Parisian New Testament ; I wrote hira, I should readily offer him a whole Bible, had I any other tiian a Swiss edition, which might appear to him suspicious, though it was so to none who examined it by the original. He replied, he would thankfully accept it. At last he came to tfie in person, and also took a German Bible and some other German books, having learnt German during his emigration. " I beg leave to add, that many French gentlemen of respecta- bility having accepted Bibles from me with appa' eiit sincere joy ; but lately a lady came several leagues on horseback to me in order to request one of me." No. XVI. Extract of a Letter from , Esq. Agent for Prisoners. Dated Prisoner of War Office, Portsmouth, March 1 8, 1 806\ " I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 1st of February, and 11th of March : the first, accompanied by a packet containing 20 Testaments in the French language, which have been distributed among the French prisoners at this depot ; and I have the satisfaction of making known, that they have been thankfully 108 SECOND REPORT. [I8O6. received, that to all appearance a very proper use is made of so va= luable a gift, and that a further supply, if convenient, will be received by them with gratitude. " By your letter of the 1 1 th ult. I have received the packet con- taining 100 copies of the Gospel of St. Matthew in the Spanish lan- guage, which have also been distribured among the Spaniards. They also seem to be grateful for so much attention paid to them. The mode in which they are distributed is as follows : We generally class the prisoners six in a mess ; the most intelligent person of that iiuiuber has it in charge to make the contents of the book known to hh companions, which, I trust, will have the desired effect. * I have the honor to be, &c." No. XVII. Extract of a Letter from a respectahh Merchant at Montreal, Dated Dec. 29, 1805. ** The case of Books from the Bible Society came too late to be forwarded to the Indian Settlement this Fall, but I will send it up by the earliest conveyance in the Spring, and doubt not but the books will tend to disseminate Christian knowledge amongst the Indian tribes, and effectually promote the laudable designs of that excellent Institution. I understand that the interpreters in the In- dian villages near this place deem the translation to be very correct." No. XVIII. 1, Extract of a Letter from the Secretaries of the Dublin *' Asso- ciation for discountenancing Vice, Sfc." Dated, Dublin, Octo- ber 10, 1803. *' We have the pleasure to state to you, that the Association, in the course of the last year, distributed or sold 3,000 Bibles, 6,607 Testaments, 2,228 Prayer Books, and 17,934 Moral Tracts; independent of the numbers mentioned in our former communica* tion, at an expence of 952/. 9s.: and that th^i demand for them is progressively and rapidly encreasing," 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 109 2. Extract of a Letter from the same. Dated Dublin, Feb. 14, 1806. " We have it iii direction from the Association for discounte- nancing Vice, Sec. to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st of January last, and to request you to express to the British and Foreign Bible Society the grateful sense the Association enter- tain of the liberality of tlieir resolution, transmitted by you. (Signed) H. GUINNESS, 7 Secretaries to the W. MATURIN, 3 Association. No. XIX. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Balfour, addressed ta R, Caivie, Esq. Dated Glasgow, April 27, 180j. " As I have none of the printed papers or letters by me to direct my address to the Secretary of the London British and Foreign Bible Society ; and presuming you are a Member of the said So- ciety, I request you to take the first opportunity of laying before them the following information. Their noble design of printing and circulating the Scriptures in all languages and countries, as far as their funds will enable them, hath met with the general and warmest approbation of all religious denominations in this place and neighbourhood. Of this, I suppose, the Loudon Society hath had, or will have many substantial proofs. I trust the established church of Scotland will not be found deficient in these testimonies of Christian zeal and charity. L^pon the nature, design, and opera- tions of the London Society being represented to the Presbytery of Glasgow, they unanimously appointed a collection to be made in all the parish churches and chapels within tlieir bounds. This was accordingly done in this city on the last Sabbath of INIarch ; and produced in the eight parish churches 6iOl. or thereabouts. It is by the authority of my colleagues that I send this information ; and add, that the money is lodged in the Royal Bank to bear interest, till all the parishes and chapels within our bounds have made and deposited their several collections, which they are required to report to the meeting of the Presbytery in the beginning of August next : then the whole will be transmitted, in what form or manner the Society is pleased to direct. I have the farther pleasure of inform- ing you, that our Synod have adopted a similar resolution and order to all the Presbyteries within their bounds ; so that a considerably larger smn may be expected in the course of the year, to encourage the zeal, and assist the generous labours of your respectable Society. " I hope the example will be followed by other Presbyteries and Synods. Surely every friend to revelation, every believer of the Gospel, must be animated with this kind of Christian benevoleuce.' 110 SECOND REPORT. [1806. No. XX. Act and Recommendation of the Presbytery of Edinhiirgh, 2gih January ]806,for a ColUection for the British and Foreign Bible Society, to be read, with suitable Exhortations, on Sabbath, February 23. *' The Presbytery of Edinburgh having, upon a motion, consi- dered the objects of the Society, under the name of the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the purpose of circulating Bibles at home and abroad, give their cordial approbation to this Institution ; and they did, and hereby do appoint a collection for this Society, to be made in all the churches and chapels within their bounds on Thurs- day, February 27th, being the day appointed by the King, to be observed as a National Fast through Scotland, on account of the present state of the kingdom. " The Society, for whose benefit this collection is appointed, was established a few years ago at London, and consists of a large number of respectable men, belonging to the church of England and the Dissenters, who are warmly attached to the interests of the Christian religion, and the prosperity of their country. *' They were led to form this association, from perceiving that, notwithstanding the useful exertions of several Societies for propaga- ting the Gospel, there was, in many parts of the British empite, a great scarcity of Bibles; and that the funds of these Societies were inadequate to supply the demand. In Wales, comparatively, few Welsh Bibles were to be found, though all ranks of persons were eager to obtain them. The Society has reason to believe, that, in the southern provinces of Ireland, not above a third part of the Pro- testant families were possessed of Bibles, and that, among the Ro- man Catholics, who are far more numerous than the Protestants, a Bible was hardly to be found in more than one out of five hundred families, though they can read only English Bibles. *' They were likewise convinced, that, in our extensive settlements in the East and West Indies, there was a very deficient supply of Bibles; and that multitudes of our fellow-subjects were '* perishing for lack of knowledge." On enquiring into the state of other na- tions in Europe, they were satisfied, froju undoubted information, that the same want of the best means of religious instruction was felt there: In particular, they found, that in Switzerland, and in Ger- many, the inhabitants were very imperfectly provided with copies of the Scriptures of truth, in the French and German languages, though many of the Roman Catholics, as well as Protestants, discovered mucii ardour to obtain this invaluable treasure. Animated by a full persuasion of the divine authority of the Bible ; and that the doc- trines which it contains *' are the power of God unto salvation,'' to men of every country; this Society has united, m vigorous exertions, for the publication, and extensive circulation of the Scriptures, at a 1806.] SECOND REPORT. Ill cheap rate, in the languages of different nations, and especially of those who forma part ot the British empire. As the execution of these designs must evidently be attended with vast expence, they have earnestly solicited subscriptions and collections at churches, from the friends of religion through the kingdom. In their appli- cations they have, in many instances, been successful, and obtained large donations for carrying on the purposes of their Institution. " By means of them, the Society has been enabled to afford a supply of Bibles, at low prices, to many thousands of their fellow- subjects, who could not otherwise obtain them. They have also exerted a similar zeal in some parts of the continent of Europe ; and have aided, by contributions, some societies which have been lately formed there for diffusing the Scriptures. Their exertions are also employed in preparing and publishing versions of the Bible for the benefit of different heathen nations. " Such are the labours of love in which the Society is engaged: labours most conducive, both to the present and eternal interests of their fellow-creatures; and which are admirably fitted, by the bless- ing of God, for the accomplishment of his promises, *' that the know- ledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters do the sea;" ** that the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God, and of his Christ." ** Though they have been employing the funds under their management with fidelity, and considerable success, there is need of much larger donations for carrying on the extensive and useful purposes of their Institution. " The Presbytery hope, that enough has been said to shew the vast importance of this undertaking, and earnestly recommend to all under their charge, to contribute, as liberally as their circumstances will admit, for encreasing the funds and usefulness of this Society. " The collections are to be paid by the Sessions to Dr. Hunter, Professor of Divinity; and will be afterw^ards remitted to the Trea- surer of the British and Foreign Bible Society. (Signed) THOMAS MACKNIGHT, Presb. Clk. " N.B. Dr. Hunter will be at home, to receive the collections, for eight days subsequent to Thursday the 27th, from three to four o'clock in the afternoon, and on Wednesday, March 5th, from one to four." No. XXI. Copy of an Advertisement inserted in the Edifibiirgh Advertiser for 1805. " British and Foreign Bible Society. " A Society having been lately formed in London with the above designation, under the patronage and direction of some of the 1121 SECOND REPORT. [1806. highest Dignitaries of the Church of England, and of many other pious and respectable characters, botli of the established Church and Dissenters, in that country, the exclusive object of which is to dift\ise the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, by circulating them in the different languages spoken throughout Great Britain and Ireland; and also, according to the extent of its funds, in the languages of foreign countries. The Committee of Directors of " the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge" highly approving of the object of this admirable Institution, which proposes one of the best conceivable means for the speedy and universal diffusion of the Gospel, and perfectly satisfied with the se- curity which it affords for a wise and iaithful apj)licalion of its funds; have resolved, most cordially, to unite their etibrts with those of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in promoting so desirable an end ; and for this purpose, they have appointed the following gentlemen of their number, viz. the R.ev. Dr. Hunter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Jones, Ministers of the Gospel at Edinburgh, Robert Scot Moncriefr, Esq. of New-halls, with the Secretary and Treasurer of the Society, a sub-committee to correspond with the Bible Society in London, and to adopt and pursue such measures as may be thought proper, in order to obtain contributions and collections in Scotland, for promoting the great object of that Institution. The Directors of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge, accordingly beg leave to intimate, that those persons in this part of the United Kingdom who are inclined to favor the desiga of the British and Foreign Bible Society, may send their benefactions to Alexander Duncan, Esq. York Place, Treasurer to the Society in Scotland, who will faithfully transmit them to the Treasurer of the Bible Society." No XXII. Extract of a Letter from a respectable Correspondent. Dated December 4, 1S05. ** The state of the Highlands of Scotland for want of Bibles in the Gaelic language is very deplorable. Very few families have got a whole Bible; and the number of those who have got one volume does not exceed one in forty, and in many places not near so many. Indeed the whole Bible sells at such a price, that very few poor fami- lies can have it ; nor is it now easily to be procured at any price. " A friend who has every means of acquirmg accurate informa- tion on this head, thus writes: * With respe* t to your inquiry * about the number of Gaelic Bibles, I am sorry to teli you, that, * from any thing I could learn, there are not forty Gaelic Bibles in * all the districts through which I h jve travelled, which, I think, ' consists of about 700 miles. In Sky aione, where there are about 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 113 • 15,000 souls, there is scarcely one Gaelic Bible ; and, till of late, ' there were not above two schools in all the island. Oh! what mul- * titudes are perishing in our native country for lack of knowledge.' " All the Western Islands are nearly in the same deplorable condition." No. XXIII. Copy of a Letter from the Secretary to the Society in Scotland "for propagating Christian Knowledge. Dated Edinburgh, April 12, 180(5. " Agreeably to what I mentioned in my last letter, I am now to lay before you the following statements, for the information of the Directors of the British and Foreign Bible Society. " No translation of the Holy Scriptures, or of any part of them, existed in the Gaelic language, previous to the version of the New Testament, by the Rev. James Stewart, Minister of Killin, which was printed at the expence of the Society in 1767. This work was highly creditable to the pious and venerable man by whom it was executed; and gave great satisfaction to all who were acquainted with the Gaelic language, and qualified to judge of the merits of the translation. A new edition, consisting of 20,000 copies, was after- wards printed, and has been in circulation for several years. " It was much the wish of the Society to furnish their country- men in the Highlands with a similar translation of the Scriptures of the Old Testament. For many years various circumstances pre- vented them from being able to accomplish this desirable object. At length, when these obstacles were surmounted, several worthy and learned ministers were engaged in the business of translation; and this important work was finally completed in 1802. The state of their funds obliged them to limit the impression to 5,000 copies. " Soon after the publication of this work, the Directors, anxious to promote the circulation of the Gaelic Scriptures, to an extent to which the funds of the Society were unequal, gave notice of their wishes to print a new edition of the Bible; and stated to the public the exigencies and demands of their countrymen in this respect, which so strongly urged the undertaking. As it would be necessary to retain a great proportion of copies not only for the supply of the chools on their establishment, but also for dispersing gratis, or telling at a low price for the accommodation of the poor; they could not expect by any sale of copies to reimburse the funds of the Society. Confiding in the favour of that Providence, which has so remarkably smiled on this institution from its commencement till the present time, and anticipating the continued support of the friends of religion, which they have so often experienced, the H 114 SECOND REPORT. [1806. Directors resolved to print an impression of 20,000 copies. From many generous individuals and societies contributions were received, which, though not adequate to the expence incurred, encouraged them to proceed with the work. " It was resolved by the gentlemen who engaged in the translation of the Old Testament, that the Gaelic Version should be made, not f^rom the English Bible, but directly from the original Hebrevr Scriptures. When it is considered that all these gentlemen resided in remote parts of the country, at a great distance from public libraries, and some of them far separated from their associates, in districts peculiarly unfavourable to travelling and communication by post ; and that the work has been executed (as the Directors are informed by the best judges) with a minuteness of accuracy and fidelity, which has done great justice to the sacred writings, and reflected much honour on the Translators; the knowledge of these facts, it might be expected, would serve to diminish the surprise that has been exciled, and the censures that have in some instances been passed, in regard to the slowness with which this great work has been conducted. "In order to facilitate the work of translation, the whole Old Testament was divided into four parts. Two of these were executed by the Rev. Dr. John Stewart, Minister of Luss, (son of the worthy Translator of the New Testament;) who, besides his various learning, and other qiiaiifications for a work of this nature, is generally allowed to be acquainted, in a superior degree, with the niceties of Gaelic grammar. Two parts of the four into which the Old Testa- ment was divided, were translated by this gentleman himself; and another part, though in the first instance translated by other hands, was finally revised by Dr. Stewart, before it was printed. The remaining fourth part, comprising the prophetical books from Isaiah to Malachi inclusively, was done by a different gentleman; and though allowed to possess great merit, yet its merit is of a different kind from that of the former parts. These are distinguished by their simplicity, and by a literal adherence to the original as near as the idioms of the languages respectively admit. In the fourth part, the learned translator has receded further from a literal version, and elevated the style above that simplicity which is best adapted to ge- neral use. The difference between these two kinds of version may be understood by stating, that the translation of the three former parts of the Old Testament, in its general complexion and character, resembles the English Bible, though not a servile imitation of it. On the contrary, the translation of the fourth part is free, and cor- responds more with Bishop Lowth's translation of Isaiah, which^ notwithstanding its acknowledged excellencies, does not appear so well suited to popular use. The inconveniencies resulting from such a discrepancy are manifestly great. To those who understand both languages, as well as to others, who, acquainted only with the Gaelic, were accustomed to hear the the sacred text orally recited by ministers and catechists in conformity to the English Bible, the apparent variation seems to convey th« impression that a totally 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 115 difFerent book was put into their hands. In consequence therefore of many complaints on this subject, the Directors resolved that, in the new edition, this fourth part should be wholly revised, and in its general character a?id texture be rendered more conformable to the three former parts of the Gaelic Old Testament, and to the English version. It was with regret they found that Dr. Stewart, in whom they place the fullest contidence, and to whom they wished to com- mit the work, was by some circumstances prevented from under- taking it. Another gentleman, who is allowed to be an excellent Gaelic scholar, has agreed to do it ; and will perform this service, the Directors hope, to the satisfaction of competent judges. As he resides at a distance of nearly 200 miles, it is impossible for him to superintend the press. Portions of revised Translation are forwarded from time to time; but in this way the work proceeds more slowly than could be wished. Part of the Book of Ezekiel is already printed, and revised copy received which includes part of the Book of Hosea. The Directors indulge the hojie that the whole will be completed in the course of the ensuing summer. " These facts will serve, in some measure, to explain the nature of this undertaking, and to point out the causes which prevent its advancing with that rapidity which might be desired. At the same time the delay is obviously produced by circumstances over which the Directors have no controul; and they are satisfied that no exertion has been wanting, on their part, which might serve to accelerate the progress of the work. Deeply impressed as they are with a sense of the importance of conveying the Bible to their countrymen in the Highlands and Islands, they at the same time feel that a trust of the most sacred nature devolves upon them, whilst engaged in superintending a translation of the Holy Scrip- tures ; and that it is their duty to employ every mean in their power for giving, if possible, to this work, all the perfection of which it is susceptible. " New difficulties arose from finding few persons qualified to cor- rect the proofs, as they came from the press. The uncouthness of Gaelic orthography is obvious even to those who are unacquainted with the language. The proper accentuation of the vowels is essen- tial to the correctness of the orthography. It is well known that but few even of those who are esteemed good Gaelic scholars, are familiarly acquainted with niceties of accentuation. Whilst the former edition was going forward. Dr. Stewart was requested to reside in town for the purpose of superintending the press. This advantange however could be enjoyed but occasionally. The next expedient resorted to was to transmit the proofs to the Doctor in the country, that he ruight revise them at his own convenience. This measure, though favourable to the accuracy of the work, was cer- tainly not favourable to the celerity of its progress. These difficul- ties are no doubt diminished, when the printing is done from a printed instead of a MS. copy. But as it is affirmed that the signifi- cation of words, in many instances, is determined by the accentuatioo of vowels, it must appear au object of great importance to attepd H 2 116 SECOND REPORT. [1806. to this matter in printing the sacred Scriptures, where exact typo- graphy is undoubtedly of much more consequence than in merely human writings. " Injustice to those benefactors who had intrusted them with the means of carrying on the work, as well as from a regard to its more extensive circulation, the Directors considered themselves bound to study, that it should be executed at the least possible expence. A* the printers to the several universities in Great Britain are allowed, by the statute, a drawback of the duty on all paper used in printing hooks in any other language than the English, the Directors chose to contract with Mr. Charles Stewart, printer to the university of Edin- burgh, by which an expence is saved, amounting fully to the half of the expence of printing. The same advantage, it is presumed, may be obtained by employing the printer of any other university in the kingdom ; and is certainly an object that merits attention in a work executed on so extensive a scale as the printing of the Gaelic Bible. ** These are the principal facts which the Directors here wished to communicate to the gentlemen who direct the affairs of the Bible Society in London. What importance may be attached to the preceding statements, it is not for them to anticipate. " I am further charged to offer to the Directors of the Bible Society 10,000 copies of the Gaelic Bible, being onehalf of the im- pression now going forward, on condition that they pay half of the expence thereby incurred. In the event of this offer being accepted, it would be understood that the printing of another edition of 20,000 should commence as speedily as possible, for the accommodation of both Societies. It remains with the Directors of the Bible Society to judge whelher or not the offer now made accords with their views relative to the circulation of the Gaelic Bible. By accepting of this offer, they would have it in their power to begin the distribution of copies much earlier than if they should wait till an impression under- taken by themselves were completed. But whatever their determi- nation may be, they cannot fail to recognize, in this proposition, the strongest desire of the Directors here, to fulfil the pledge of cordial co-operation which they have already given, and to afford every facility they can to the operations of a Society in which they take the liveliest interest, and whose success they wish to the utmost of their power to promote. J. CAMPBELL, Secretary.'' No. XXIV. Extract of a Letter. Dated April IS y 1^06. ** A Member of your honourable and benevolent Society has Encouraged me to lay before you the state of the Island of Jersey ad 1805.] SECOND REPORT. 117 it respects the want of Bibles. I need not tell you that by far the greater part of the inhabitants speak French, and nothing but French, so that if they wish to read their Bible it must be in that language : but war has interrupted all communications with Holland and other parts from whence we had our Bibles, so that they are exceeding scarce, I believe there is not one to be bought in the whole Island. I know many religious families who are without it; they have not even the New Testament ; and though they would give any money for it, yet it is all in vain. I have known old second-hand family- bibles to sell from 2/. to 4/. sterling, so that none but the rich can afford to buy them, while the poor people are greatly in want of them.'' No. XXV. Extract from the Minutes of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bihle Society, Dec. 9, 1805. ** Resolved unanimously, " To adopt the edition of 1752, with the orthography of Dr. Davies in proper names, as the copy for the edition of the Bible to be printed for this Society in the Welsh language, correcting typo- graphical errors and collating the text with former authorized versions." N.B. In conformity with the above Resolution, the Welsh Testa- ment now completed by stereotype has been executed. No. XXVI. List of Versions and Cepies of the Scriptures presented to tM Society since the last General Meeting, viz. By Ernst Wolff, Esq. 1. The very first Icelandick Bible, printed A. D. - - 1584 2. Biblia Polonica - - - - - 1^32 5. Biblia Hungaria, Basil - - - - - 1751 4. New Testament, in the Greenland Language, printed at Copenhagen - - 1799 By Granville Sharp, Esq. 1. The Plantin Edition of the Hebrew Bible, with all the Apocryphal Greek Books, and likewise the Greek Testament with interlineary Latin Versions to each. H 3 Antwerp. 15U 118 $EeOKD REPORT. [180& 2. A Greek Testament in folio, being a Copy of Robert Stephen's Paris Edition, with his Prefaces, Tables, Mar- ginal References, &c. Frankfort. - - - 16OI 3. Foster's Hebrew Bible without Points, in four vols. 4to. Oxford. 1750 4. Large Folio English Bible, with Apocrypha. London. l6l3 5. English Bible, quarto. - . - - Oxford. 1703 6. Ditto, small ditto, with Apocrypha and Liturgy. London. l6l5 7. Small Spanish Testament - - - - -1596 By John Bode, Esq. I. German Bible, in 8 vols, small quarto, with a Commentary by Martin Luther ; on fine wove paper, interleaved, and Nurenberg. 1717 Halle. 1741 Do. 1782 Do. 1750 Wittenberg. 1686 - Leipsig. 1733 Luneberg. 1707 - Herschberg. 1765 Basle. 1768 Basle. 1768 - Halle. 1765 By a Gentleman of Edinburgh. 1 . Greek Version of Nonnus in Verse, with a Latin Transla- tion .--.-. 1620 2. Dutch Bible, 12mo. - 1686 3. Massachuset Psalter, with the Gospel according to St. John, in columns of Indian and English. Boston N. E. 1709 4. Latin Translation of James Tremellus and Beza. Geneva. 1590 5. French Bible - „ - _ Geneva. l605 By Zachary Macaulay, Esq. A Modern Greek New Testament. By William Blair, Esq. A New Testament, in French, English, and Dutch, 12mo. By the Rev. Richard Caddick, M.A. 1. Four Gospels in Hebrew, 12mo. ... 1800 2. Epistle to the Romans, Hebrew and English. 3. First Epistle to the Corinthians, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. By the Rev. Dr. Knapp, of Halle in Saxony. 4 Copies of the entire Scriptures, of 1 p^j,^^^^ ^^ ^^^ jj^jj^^,^ 3 Co^ft^New Testament, ditto.} Bible-Institution. elegantly bound. 2. A German Bible, 4to. 3. Ditto ditto 4. Ditto - large 8vo. 5. Ditto - 2 vol. 4to. 6. Ditto - 2 vol. large 8vo. 7. Ditto - 1 vol. ditto 8. Ditto - 8vo. 3 vols. 9. Ditto - Svo. 1 vol. 10. Ditto - small Svo. 11. Ditto - 1 2mo. 1806.] SECOND REPORT. 119 By the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge. 1. GaeHc Old Testament, in 2 vols. 8vo. 5. The Gaelic New Testament, 12mo. No. XXVII. Extract from printed Resolutions of the Birmingham Association. " At a very respectable Meeting, held this day, to consider the feest mode of promoting the great objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society, George Simcox, Esq. in the Chair, &c. &c. The following Resolutions were unanimously passed : ** Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Meeting, that an united effort be made, by the different denominations of Christians in this town, in aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society. ** It appearing to this Meeting, that the most eligible plan, for carrying this design into effect, will be by a personal application throughout the town — " Resolved, That the town be divided into the following twelve districts, and that the Gentlemen, whose names are affixed thereto, be requested to solicit Subscriptions and Donations, and to report to the Committee the result at the Blue School, by twelve o'clock on Monday the 5th of May ; in order to its being transmitted in time for the next annual Report of the Society/' Then follow a list of the different Districts, &c. " Resolved, That it be recommended to the Ministers of the different denominations to adopt such measures, with their resi)ective Congregations, as may best conduce to a general co-operation, for the attainment of this important object. *' Resolved, Tliat the gentlemen present, together with the clergy and acting magistrates of the town, be appointed a Committee to receive the Report, and to transmit the amount of the several Subscriptions and Donations to Henry Thornton, Esq. M.P. Trea- surer ; and that five be competent to act. " Resolved, That the Subscriptions and Donations so transmitted be presented to the British and Foreign Bible Society as the united Contribution of the different Denominations of Christians in the Town of Birmingham ; accompanied by a List of the Names of such Subscribers who may be entitled to be supplied with books at the Society's prices." H4 o o en < CO »— 4 w a O rs »0 3 t^?0 '-0 © c o c o o 8S «rt o CO 53 o Oi tj< g O? tH CO tH — c Q -g-^ "" j_, JJ c« .S C ^ ^ 3 . S .=— " : ^"o ,-, a> b ^:^ «? =2^ o ^ ;j:1^ a; CT- O ^.£ Ofl^'^ ^"^ 5 Ji O £— g-r£ 5o o -a CLr; OJ OQ' P-c ., 5 S ^cu > aj W 0.3' 0_g ^ 3 =;, Oj-g ^J 5.0 = 'oP.ABMM oo ooo " t«53 -3 T-J O O G-? OJ rf t>» O Oi CO r-l Tj' tj< o c^ ■* eo th ;pi»^Q o t4 fc4 o 50 « 00 r-l ^•coOOt-C00SC0G< r-l t> Ci a> CO G? ccococoo-^coo^co^o o a ■^ a o c O .a >oAi^!^u^<^d -2 P t|_ ti- «-!_ . Li- t-u- th« .. /5 o o rt CO o S c c o 5 •-t«oOa; V— ' .-as (u en - ra_2 bD -3 -w ?». s.^ ^ O a. O) P^ 13 a a a < a; 'o o CO I o W T5 o 53 a I:; THE THIRD REPORT O^ THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. M.DCCC.VII. 1807. PRESIDENT, RT, HON. LORD TEIGNMCfUTH. VICE^PRESIIDEMTS^ Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of LONDON. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of DURHAM. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of SALISBURY. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of ST. DAVID^S. Right Hon. LORD BARHAM. Right Hon. LORD HEADLEY. Right Hon. Sir EVAN NEPEAN, Bart. M.P. Sir WILLIAM PEPPEREL, Bart. Vice Admiral GAMBIER. CHARLES GRANT, Esq. M. P. WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, Esq. M. P. TREASURER, HENRY THORNTON, ESQ. M.P. SECRETARIES (gratis), Rev. John Owen, M.A. Fulham. Rev. Joseph Hughes, M.A. Battersea. Rev. Chas. Fi^. Steinkopff, M. A. Savoy, for the Foreign Department. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES, Mr. Joseph Tarn, Spa Fields. Mr. Tho. Smith, No. IQ, Little Mooriields. Extract from the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held at the New London Tavern^ on Wednesday^ May 6, 1807. The Right Hon. LORD TEIGNMOUTH, President, in the Chair. The Report of the Committee having been read by the President, RESOLVED, That the Report be recei'ved and adopted; and that it be printed, under the direction of the Committee. On the Motion of the Rt, Rev. the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, Vice-President, seconded by Sir William Pepperel, Bart, it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That this Meeting is deeply sensible of the many and important advantages xvhich the British and Foreign Bible Society has derived from the zealous, able, and unremitted services of the Right Eon. Lord Teignmouth, President of this Institution; and that his Lordship be requested to accept their most cordial thanks for tht same. ( 126 ) IT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the sincere Acknowledgements of this Meeting are due to the Right Rev. Right Hon. and other, the Vice-Presidents of the Society, for the continuance of their patronage to the Institution. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Committee, for the very satisfactory manner in which they have conducted the business of the Society. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to Heiiry Thornton, Esq. the Treasurer of this Society, for his services during the past year, and that he be requested to continue them. That the Thanks of this 3Ieeting be given to the Secretaries of the Society, for the zeal a?id assiduity with which they have gi^atuitously discharged the duties of their office. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Reve7X7id the Presbytery of Stirling for their exertions on behalf of this Society. That the grateful thanks of this Meeting be given to the several Associations and Congregations in the Uiiited Kingdo7?i, for their contributiojis a^id exertions in aid of the Society s interests, and they arc hereby requested to accept such tha?iks. ( 127 ) That the grateful Thanks of this Meeting be given to that Society^ and to those iiidim- dual Gentlemen who have presented the Institution with Copies of the Scriptures since the last Annual Meeting, That the Committee shall have the power of 7iominating such persons Members for Life who render essential services to this Institution, That the Committee shall also have the power of nominating Honorary M.^M.B^vis from among Foreigners who promote the objects of this Society, That the following Gentlemen be a Committee for the ensuing Year ; viz. Tho. Babiugton, Esq. M.P. Wilson Birkbeck, Esq. William Blair, Esq. Thomas Boddiugton, Esq. John Brasier, Esq. Joseph Bunnell, Esq. Joseph Butterworth, Esq. David Cook, Esq. Charles Crawford, Esq. Henry Dobbs, Esq. Thomas Furley Forster, Esq. W. A. Garratt, Esq. Thomas Hodson, Esq. John Daniel Hose, Esq. Robert Howard, Esq. Richard Lea, Esq. Zachary Macaulay, Esq. Hugh Campbell Mair, Esq, John Maitland, Esq. M.P. Alexander Maitland, Esq. Ambrose Martin, Esq. George Meyer, Esq. Samuel Mills, Esq. Thomas Pellatt, Esq. James Pritt, Esq. Joseph Reyner, Esq. Hermann Schroder, Esq. Granville Sharp, Esq. William Shrubsole, Esq, Joseph Smith, Esq. Richard Stainforth, Esq. Robert Steven, Esq. Christopher Sundius, Esq. James Van der Smissen, Esq, Anthony Wagner, Esq. George Ernst Wolff, Esq, ( 128 ) That this Meeting receives great satis- faction from the zealous exertions which Societies and Individuals are employing in different parts of the worlds and in many places under discouraging circum- sta7ices, to promote the printing and circulating of the Scriptures ; and does assure them of support and assis- tance from this Society. The Right Hon. the President having left the Chair, it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the warmest Thanks of this Meeting be presented to the Right Hon. Lord Teign- mouth, President of this Society, for his zealous atten- tion to the business of the present Meeting. THIRD REPORT. Your Committee, in presenting to the British and Foreign Bible Society the Report of their proceedings since the last General Meeting, will endeavour to furnish a comprehensive rather than a detailed view of the several objects which have engaged their attention during this third year of the Society's existence. Notwithstanding the counteraction occasioned by the war, the impulse given by the example and encou- ragement of this Society to Religious Associations and individuals on the continent, still continues to produce a most pleasing effect : — The circulation of the German New Testament, printed by the Bible Society at Nurenberg, is very extensive ; a considerable number of copies of it has been sent to Protestant congrega- tions, which were in great want of them, through various parts of the Austrian dominions ; and it is matter of satisfaction to know that such seasonable supplies have been thankfully received. From the peculiar facilities afforded by the city of Basle for promoting the object of the Association, and from other considerations arising out of the effects of the war, the German Bible Society has deemed it advisable to transfer the centre of its operations from ^ i 130 THIRD REPORT. [1807. Nurenberg to that city : though the Committee in Nurenberg have not ceased to exert themselves for the promotion of the common cause. A very respectable Committee of Clergymen and Gentlemen have been constituted at Basle, and their attention has been particularly directed to provide a cheap edition of the Bible complete.* Your Com- mittee having received full information of their plans, proceedings, and funds ; and being convinced that the further assistance of the British and Foreign Bible Society would not only materially tend to facilitate the accomplishment of this undertaking, but greatly enlarge its extent, resolved to present tlie German Bible Society with the sum of 300/. in addition to a former donation of 200/. They have the satisfaction to learn, that by this opportune aid the number of 250,000 German Bibles, in clear and excellent types, may be successively furnished at a very cheap rate, for the benefit of present and future generations. Your Committee have further to notice the opera- tions of " the Religious Society" established at Basle, and mentioned in their last Report,}' so far as those operations relate to the circulation of the Scriptures. It appears that they purchased 1500 copies of the French Protestant Bible, partly by their own funds, and partly by the 100/. remitted from this Society; and that of these copies several hundred have been distributed in Lausanne^ Montmirail, Besani^on, Stras- burgh, and some even in the interior provinces of France.^ * Appendix, No. I. f Page 6S. X Appendix, No. II I8O70 THIRD REPORT. 131 The members of the British and Foreign Bible Society will readily anticipate the impediments to the progress of the I'.ible Society at Berlin, in consequence of the calamities which have overwhelmed the Prussian dominions. But though its operations have been un-, avoidably relaxed, they have not been entirely sus- pended : on the contrary, in a country which had unhappily become the theatre of war and devastation, the Prussian Bible Society, encouraged and assisted by your Committee, has actually proceeded in printing a Bohemian Bible;* and had, at the date of the last account from Berlin, advanced in this undertaking as far as the Psalms. Your Committee doubt not that the same zeal which has stimulated exertion, under circumstances so dis- couraging, will continue to animate the Prussian Bible Society, till the important work, which it has under- taken, shall be completed. Your Committee have also particular satisfaction in noticing the active benevolence of an officer who holds the rank of Major in the service of his Prussian Ma- jesty. Having been apprised that 3,000 copies of the Bohemian New Testament remained for sale in the Hallish Bible Institution, he purchased them at his own expence, and transmitted them to Bohemia for gratui- tous distribution. I In consequence of information from the Reverend Mr. Glogau of Koeningsberg, that the inhabitants of Lithuania were in great want of Bibles, your Com- mittee expressed their willingness to afford the aid of * Appendix, No. 111. t Appendix, No. IV, I 2 132 TUIRD REPORT. [1807. this Society, in printing a new impression of a Lithua- nian Bible, if undertaken by a respectable printer in Koeningsberg.* They have to lament the interruption, for the present, of all further communication on this interesting subject, from the unfortunate proximity of Koeningsberg to the theatre of war. The Society will recollect the resolution of their Committee, stated in a former Report, to grant 150/. for promoting the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, if a Bible Society for that purpose should be formed in the Russian province of Esthonia. The notification of this resolution was accompanied by an intimation on the part of your Committee, that the proposed Society should be established on a scale to embrace Livonia, Finland, and other Protestant pro- vinces of the Russian empire. It appeared, however, from their correspondence with the Revered ]\lr. Carl- blom, that the situation of Esthonia, from physical and political impediments, was ill calculated for the central point of a Society on so extensive a scale. The eventual donation of your Committee remains therefore as originally proposed. A correspondence however has been entered into with some Protestant Clergymen in Petersburgh, at the recommendation of the Reverend Mr. Carlblom, for the purpose of ascer- tainincr the religious state of the Russian Protestant provinces, and accompanied with a promise, that if by the united counsels and exertions of these respectable gentlemen, it should be found practicable to establish * Appendix, No. V. 1807.3 THIRD REPORT. 1S3 a Bible Society for the provinces in question, your Committee would afford them assistance in promoting the beneficial objects of such an Institution. The attention of your Committee has not been con- fined to the provinces of the Russian empire which have been mentioned; it has also been particularly attracted by information of the great want of Bibles among the Russians in general;* and they have adopted such measures upon it, as will, they trust, in due tune, enable them to decide, how far it may be in their power to supply the deficiency. In consequence of an application for German Bibles and Testaments to be distributed among the German colonies near the Wolga ; instructions have been given by your Committee to Doctor Knapp at Halle, to send 400 Bibles and 200 Testaments from the Bible Institu- tion of that place, for the accommodation of the colo- nies above named. In the course of their correspondence, your Com- mittee received information of the extreme scarcity of Bibles in Iceland, and at the same time, that some respectable persons in Denmark, with a view to supply this deficiency, had resolved to print an edition of 2000 copies of the New Testament in the Icelandic dialect, under the direction of a native Icelander of great respectability, who had generously offered his services for correcting the press. The inhabitants of this remote island are supposed to amount to nearly 50,000, and their habits and dispo- sitions are of a description to justify the most reason- * Appendix, No. VI. I 3 134 THIRD REPORT. [1807. able expectations, that the liberality of the Society could never be bestowed on objects more worthy of it, or with a fairer prospect of beneficial effect : — Your Committee were therefore happy to embrace such an opportunity of supplying the spiritual wants of their brethren in Iceland, by furnishing tlie necessary funds for increasing the proposed edition of the Icelandic New Testament to 5,000 copies : they have likewise expressed their readiness to assist the printing of the whole Icelandic Bible.* Ey accounts very recently received, it appears that the last sheet was in the press : and it was confidently stated that 2,000 copies, bound at the expence of the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety, would be ready for dispatch to Iceland by the ships which were speedily to sail. Five hundred copies were, agreeably to the order of your Committee, to be at the disposal of the Bishop of the Island. Your Committee, reverting to the notice in their last Report, that under the auspices of the College at Fort William in Bengal, the Scriptures were in a course of translation into the languages of almost the whole continent of Oriental India, and having received infor- mation that the assistance of this Society would greatly contribute to forward this most laudable and important undertaking; resolved for such purpose, to place the sum of 1000/. at the disposal of the Calcutta Corres- ponding Committee, which has been duly informed of the resolution. By a communication very recently received from the Reverend David Brown, Provost of the College of Fort * Appendix, No. VII. 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 135 William, your Committee are in possession of spe- cimens, partly printed and partly manuscript, of trans- lations into ten of the Oriental languages, among which are the Shanscrit and the Chinese. These translations are in different degrees of forwardness, and to their completion nothing is now wanting, under the Divine blessing, but funds sufficiently ample.* Your Committee, in consideration of this important intelligence, have been induced to increase the original donation by the addition of another 1000/. A proposal having been made to your Committee from the Edinburgh Missionary Society, to assist them in procuring Arabic types and a supply of paper for the purpose of printing an edition of the New Testa- ment in the Turkish language, under the direction of their missionary, Mr. Brunton, at Karass on the borders of the Caspian Sea ; and this proposal having been accompanied with a representation from their correspondents, that the Turkish language is spoken from the banks of the Wolga to the borders of the Euxine; your Committee, after mature deliberation upon all the circumstances of the case, resolved to supply a fount of Arabic types to be cast by Messrs. Fry and Co. of London, and also paper sufficient for 5,000 copies of the proposed Testament. To the adoption of this resolution they were partly influenced by the consideration of that liberality with which their brethren in Scotland have contributed to the funds of your Society ; but chiefly, by the prospect of furnishing the Christian Scriptures, in a language they understand, * Appendix, No. VIII. X4 136 THIRD REPORT. [1807- to a people occupying so large a portion of country, and living under the degrading dominion of Mahomedan superstition.* Your Committee will only briefly advert to their othci proceedings in the coui^se of the year, respecting fo eign nations, and settlements ; and it is with real satisfaction they are enabled to state, that the British soldiers at the Cape of Good Hope, the inhabitants of Newfoundland, Halifax, and Nova Scotia, the Settlers at Van Dieman's Land, the French at St. Domingo, the Spaniards at Buenos Ay res, the colonists of New South Wales, and some of the distressed Protestants in Mecklenberg, have been, or are in a course of being supplied by the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in a greater or less degree, wdth the means of spiritual knowledge in their respective languages. Your Committee had provided themselves with the means of doing this kindness to the Spaniards in South America, by the 2000| copies of the Spanish New Testament which they had printed chiefly with the view of supplying the prisoners of that nation in this country; and it may be proper to add, that a further impression of 3000 copies is now nearly finished. Under the general head of their foreign transactions, your Committee have also to mention that the printing of an edition of the Scriptures in the Calmuc and Arabic dialects is under their consideration. It now remains for your Committee to report summarily their transactions for promoting the object of the Society within the United Kingdom : and here * Appendix, No. IX. t Second Report, p. 6S. 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 13/ they have the sincere gratification to state^ that its importance, so far from being diminished in the public estimation, appears to increase in magnitude, and to attract proportionate encouragement^, botli from the most respectable societies and individuals. The completion of the Welsh New Testament was noticed in the former Report; and your Committee have received information on which they can rely, that the mode in which it has been executed has obtained very general approbation. The Welsh and Gaelic Bibles are also in a very advanced state of progress^ and will be completed with all the expedition consistent with a due attention to correctness. Various editions of the New Testament in English, and two of the entire Bible, have also been printed at the expence of the Society, in a manner which your Committee trust will be deemed satisfactory. That a still greater number of copies has not yet been completed, and that members have not been sup- plied in proportion to their demands, is not owing to any want of attention in your Committee, but to cir- cumstances which it was utterly out of their power to controul. They have the most satisfactory assurance that every exertion has been made by the University of Cambridge, for expediting the performance of its engagements with the Society; and as an additional number of printing presses is now employed for this purpose, your Comr mittee confidently hope, that all impediments to the efforts of the Society in providing a sufficient supply of Bibles and Testaments for circulation within the United Kingdom, will now be removed. 138 THIRD REPORT. [1807. It has been the constant care of your Committee to attend to the more pressing exigencies, in supplying Societies or individuals with the Holy Scriptures, for circulation or use, and upon terms adapted to the circumstances of those, for whose benefit they, were intended. This observation will be accurately verified by the following brief recital of their proceedings in this respect within the United Kingdom. The association at Dublin *' for discountenancing '' Vice, and promoting the Knowledge and Practice " of the Christian Religion," and '' the Bible Society" at the same place, have been accommodated with grants of Bibles and Testaments to the extent of their respec- tive applications, on the terms mentioned in the last Report. Two thousand Testaments have also been consigned to the care of a Clergyman in the South of Ireland, to be disposed of at a price subject to his discretion. A gentleman in the north of the same kingdom has been furnished with 1000 copies at one half the original cost, for distribution among the poor ; and a member of your Committee has also received an equal number on the same terms, for the use of Sunday Schools in different parts of that country. Of the successful manner in which these copies have been distributed your Committee have received very gratifying accounts. By the benevolent assistance of individuals who have undertaken the charge of distributing the Scriptures, in the instances now t€ be enumerated, your Committee 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 139 have had the gratification to furnish copies of the New Testament, and occasionally of the whole Bible, repeating the supplies as they were called for, to the convicts at Woolwich, the prisoners in Newgate, and other jails; the German soldiers and seamen at Margate, Gosport, Guildford, Dublin, and other places ; the Sea Fencibles on the Essex coast, and the French and Spanish prisoners of war. From the information received by your Committee respecting the last mentioned persons, it appeared that 2410 French prisoners out of the number of 5178, and 800 Spanish prisoners out of 1700, all at Plymouth, were capable of reading the New Testament in their respective languages, and were also anxious to obtain the means of doing it. With these means they have been supplied by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and it will be most satisfactory to the members of it to be informed, that the anxiety of the Spanish prisoners to obtain the New Testaments offered to them, exceeded all conception ; that many sought them with tears and earnest intreaties; and although the number allotted was nearly enough for all, they could scarcely be pacified until their wants were individually gratified. Your Committee will close the description in the words of their correspondent : — " I have since witnessed the most pleasing sight my eyes have ever beheld; nearly a thousand poor Spanish prisoners sitting round their prison walls — doing what ? reading the word of God, with an apparent eagerness, that would put many pro- fessing Christians to the blush 1"* * Appendix, No. X. 140 THIRD KEPOKT [1807. Nor will it be less gratifying to the Society to learn, that the New Testaments voted to the convicts at Woolwich were also most cordially received by them.* To each mess a Testament has been allotted. For the immediate benefit of the poor Welsh residing in England, it has also been resolved to allow Welsh ministers who are not subscribers to the Institution, to purchase Welsh editions of the Scriptures at reduced prices, for the benefit of their respective congregations. The Association in London for aidino; the Funds of the Institution by means of small monthly subscrip- tions, particularly noticed in the last Report, | is per- mitted to purchase the Bibles and Testaments of the Society at the reduced prices, to an extent apparently eqjial to its exigencies, and to the piesent means of the Society for supplying them. It has also been deter- mined by a recent resolution, to furnish such supplies of Bibles and Testaments as can be spared, at the cost prices, to that highly valuable Institution, " the Naval and Military Bible Society." In these various proceedings, your Committee trust J;hat they have fulfilled the wishes of the Society, by promoting the object of its institution in a mode calcu- lated to produce a beneficial effect. They have here further to mention, that in con- sequence of more particular intelligence, they have taken the subject of printing the Scriptures in the Irish langjuage into re-consideration ; and that they are now employed in procuring, more extensively than hereto- fore, the means of deciding upon a question of so much ' Appendix, No. XL | Second Report, p. 7S. 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 141 moment to the diffusion of Religious Knowledge in Ireland. It now remains for your Committee to notice the increasing Funds of the Society by the liberal contribu- tion of societies and individuals with which they have been assisted. — A donation of 1000/. from the Right Honourable the Countess of Bath, has been most grate- fully acknowledged by your Committee, through their President ; and such an act of pious munificence will, they are persuaded, command the cordial acknowledg- ments of every member of the Society. The friends of the Society in Scotland still continue their liberal support both by congregational and indi- vidual contributions; and the lamented loss of David Dale, Esq. of Glasgow, has been supplied by the agency of William Muir, Esq. at the same place, who imitates, in prosecuting the Society's interests, the zeal and activity of his predecessor. The funds of the Society have also been further augmented by congrega- tional collections in Wales. Birmingham has again distinguished itself by a liberal contribution to the So- ciety. The Association in London, already mentioned, has done the same ; and a similar Association has, in the course of the last year, been instituted at Bath. The valuable collection of books and manuscripts belonging to the Society, has also been further augment- ed by presents from W. M. Johnson, A. M. Granville Sharp, Esq. the Reverend S. H. Tracy, the Missionary Society, the Reverend B. Cracknell, and the Reverend John Owen.* • * Appendix, No. XII. 14^ THIRD REPORT. [1807. In making this acknowledgment to the several individuals enumerated, the Committee cannot refrain from remarking, that presents of this description will always be considered as valuable benefactions to the Institution. Your Committee, in the conclusion of their last Report, adverted to the afflictive dispensations of Providence, which had visited other nations, and to the exemption which, by the Divine blessing, our country had enjoyed — as a motive for more than common gratitude to the Great Disposer of events; and as an argument of increased obligation, for endeavouring to promote His honour by the diffusion of the Holy Scrip- tures. The events of the last year cannot but recall the same allusion, and more forcibly impress the obliga- tion suggested by it. Amidst the thousands on the Continent, who have suffered by the calamities of war, without any active participation in it, the supposition, that the Bible supplied directly by the means, or indirectly by the encouragement and influence of this Society, may have afforded to many the only consola- tion against despair — cannot be deemed extravagant But even a few such instances, whether we look to prisons, or hospitals, to the calamities of war, or the various other evils which require such consolation, w^ould furnish an ample remuneration to the Society, for the labours and expence they have incurred. But remuneration is not their object; — to preach the Gospel to the poor, and to heal the broken hearted, was the constant occupation, on earth, of the Lord, whom we all profess to follow ; and such profession is 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 143 of itself an obligation, felt and acknowledged by the Members of this Society, to disseminate those' Records in which His doctrines are contained. It is to the honour of this Country, that so many Societies exist in it, for the purpose of supplying the poorer classes with the Holy Scriptures : but it is the peculiar honour of the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety, that its exertions have an unlimited range; and that they are directed to circulate the doctrines of Inspiration amongst foreign nations, whether near or remote; whether Christian, Mahomedan, or Pagan. The spirit of emulation which it has excited on the Continent, and the activity which it has called forth at home and abroad, prove the value of its example, and the power of its influence, in producing effects of the utmost importance to the interests of Christianity. To enlarge upon the benefits which may result from an Institution of this nature, must be superfluous to those who feel, how much the happiness of individuals, and the prosperity of nations, depend upon their obser- vance of the doctrines contained in the Holy Scrip- tures ; and their still greater importance with respect to the eternal happiness or misery of mankind. But it must be a gratification to the Members of the So-- ciety to mark, in the recital which has been submitted to them, the successful progress of the Institution towards the attainment of its object, and the prospect of future utility gradually opening in magnitude and extent. Whether the sphere of its operations be measured from North to South, from Iceland to the Cape of 144 THIRD REPORT. [1807. Good Hope, and Van Dieman's Land ; or from East to West, from Hindostan and the shores of the Caspian, to Buenos Ayres and the Lakes of North America, the range is immense ; and your Committee are fully justified in repeating an assertion in their last Report, ^* that they see no other limits to the "■ beneficial operation of the Institution than that " which its funds may prescribe ;" — because they are so well able to shew the progress of its verifica- tion. There remains one quarter of the globe, to the native inhabitants of which the assistance of the Society has not yet been extended ; although the means and practicability of effecting it have not escaped the con- sideration of your Committee, and will progressively engage a larger portion of their attention. Your Committee allude to Africa, the natives of which having now been relieved, by the Legislature of this Country, from the bitterest afflictions that ever desolated the human race, may be better disposed to respect those doctrines, which inculcate the love of God and Man, since the proof lately furnished of the influence which they exercise over the principles and conduct of those who profess them. The facts and observations now submitted to the General Meeting, supply the best recommendation for the continuance and increase of that support, which has enabled the British and Foreign Bible Society to be so extensively useful. In the con- fidence authorised by this remark, your Committee 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 145 will conclude their Report with indulging the animating hope, that by the progressive efforts of the Society in circulating the Holy Scriptures, " the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of " the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the '' sea." Habakkuk ii. 14. K APPENDIX TO THE THIRD REPORT, No. I. Extract of a Letter from the Bdsle Society, Dated Bdsle, January 7, 180/. (Translation.) *' The grateful obligations which the German Bible Society owes to your participating benevolence and your Christian liberality, render it our agreeable duty to lay before you a circumstantial account of the progress which this very useful Institution has hitherto made. Since the worthy reverers of the Bible in Nurenberg con- fidently entrusted to us the further prosecution of this undertaking which first originated with them, nothing has been omitted by our Bible Committee here, which they could consider as conducive to the promotion of its progress, with the gracious aid of God, in the conscientious collection and application of the contributions, sparingly bestowed, with the view gradually to bring to maturity the main object of the Institution, namely, that of furnishing a cheap impres- sion of the whole Bible. Firmfy persuaded of the great importance and extensive utility of such an undertaking, and sutficiently acquainted with the great dearth of Bibles which prevails in many places, we thought we could not more effectually co-operate towards the welfare of our immortal fellow creatures, than by such measures as should enable us to offer to them the precious Word of God, after which they hunger, at so moderate a price, that even the poorest of them might be able to furnish himself with it. For this purpose, the local circumstances of B^sle presented us with several desirable advantages ; for this place is not only the central point of the German Religious Society, which has a very extensive range of Christian connections, both in Switzerland and in Germany, that may become highly conducive to the dissemination of the Bible, and its further distribution, but it also still preserves that well-m*^rited reputation, for the excellence of its paper and typography, which it has so long enjoyed. These favourable circumstances encouraged us to make the Christian public acquainted with our design, earnestly to solicit assistance towards the foundation of this Insti- tution." K2 148 THIRD REPORT- []807* After enumerating some discouraging circumstances, they con- tinue : — *' Our prospects with regard to the ultimate success of this Insti- tution, so pregnant with blessings, become still more gloomy when we direct our sorrowing view to the almost universal desolation pro- duced by the present war, to the almost total stagnation of com- merce and manufactories, to the daily increasing impoverishment of many thousands, to the parsimony which the more opulent are obliged to observe in their expenditure, and to the progressive indi- gence and consequent want of spirit among our poor countrymen. And yet, on the other hand, all these melancholy circumstances are but the stronger appeals to our hearts to hasten to the relief of our desponding countrymen with the reviving consolations of God's Word, to carry into the huts of the indigent the glad tidings of the Gospel of Salvation, and with this balm from Heaven to dispel the tears of sorrow from the eyes of the afflicted. What! shall they, whose earthly possessions have been swept away by the ravages of the times, remain destitute aiso of the heavenly manna? Shall they, whose earthly joys are gone to the grave, be debarred the superior joys of Religion, because they have not money sufficient to purchase a Bible for themselves and their families? At the same time we consider, with not less apprehension, that worldly spirit which becomes more and more prevalent, and the quite unexpected direc- tion which Popery seems, under a variety of favouring circumstances, to take. Into your sympathising bo>>oms, worthy promoters of Christianity, we pour the concerns of ours ; and leave to your Christian generosity, to your active philanthropy, the important decision of the question, whether our Institution shall attain its great object or not? We remember, with deep emotions of gratitude, the liberal donations which the German Bible Society has already received from your bountiful hands, a part of which has been applied to the printing and distribution of the New Testament. We know the many directions in which your Christian benevolence extends its exertions and energetically operates in the most distant countries. May God's rich blessing attend your labours for the establishment of his kingdom, and crown the seed which 5 on have sown with a joyful harvest! Highly commendable is it to lay the first founda- tions of Christian Institutions ; but it is still more commendable and productive of blessing to raise an Institution, already established, to its full scope of utility, and to give to its fair energies an extensive sphere of beneficial operation. " In reliance upon the Almighty aid of the Lord, we are resolved immediately to make a beginning with the New Testament, and live in confident hope that God will not put our trust to shame, but that He will enable us, immediately after completing the New Testament, to proceed to the purchase of types for printing the Old Testament, so as not to be obliged to restrict ourselves to the New, but at least in some degree to satisfy the prevailing great want of good legibly printed Bibles.'' 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 149 No. II. Extract of a Letter from Bdsle, Dated April 30, 1806. With the first 50/. which you have sent us, we purchased 500 copies of the French Bible. Copies, Of these we sent to Lausanne 250 Besanfon •• 25 Montmerail 25 . Strasburgh 10 310 No. III. Extract of a Letter from Berlin. ** In order to expedite the printing of the Bohemian Bible, we have addressed several Protestant ministers in Bohemia, acquainting them with what the British Society has done for us, communicating to them our resolution of printing a new edition of the Bohemian Bible, and soliciting their co-operation with our views, and that they might collect as many subscribers to our work as they possibly could. ** We have already received orders to the amount of 1100 copies. " It gave us peculiar satisfaction, at our first meeting, to be presented with the copy of a newspaper, published in Dantzig, in which our address to the religious public, and the king's answer to my letter, had been literally inserted by the Rev. Mr. Ewald, rector of the parish church of the Holy Trinity, in that city ; who, at the same time, freely, and without our previous request, oftered himself to receive any contributions towards carrying on the benevolent design of our Institution, which he then would transmit to the Bibl« Committee in Berlin." No. IV. Extract of a Letter from Berlin. " An encouraging circumstance has since happened. A Prussian Major having heard that a number of Bohemian New Testaments, K3 150 THIRD REPORT. [1807. together with the Psalms, was to be met with in the Hallish Orphan- House, enquired what 3000 copies would come to. When 1 told him they would cost 600 rix dollars, he took a rouleau of 100 Frederics d'or out of his pocket, and gave it to me, with the request to order the 3000 copies to be sent to Prague. Soon afterwards he brought me the rest of the 600 rix dollars, and added 100 more for defraying all the expences of conveyance. In compliance with this request, I sent immediately the money, together with the necessary instructions, to Halle, from whence the 3000 copies will be forwarded to Bohemia without delay. I also informed several Pro- testant Bohemian ministers of this very pleasing circumstance. As a year will nearly elapse before the printing of the Bohemian Bible can be completed, it is a most desirable circumstance that those 3000 copies of the New Testament are previously sent to Bohemia," No. V. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Glogan, Koeningsher^ . " The plan of the Society of Religious Philanthropists m London, to have Bibles printed in all the European languages, and partly to distribute them gratis, partly to have them sold at very low prices to indigent Christians of all nations, which you have had the goodness to communicate to me, is of so generous and laudable a nature, that they will undoubtedly receive the warmest thanks for it, both from their contemporaries and from posterity. This excellent Society would acquire a very peculiar claim to applause, by realizing this benevolent idea, with regard to the province of Lithuania, where it is greatly to be apprehended that the Bible, particularly tlie Old Testament, may, in the course of time, fall altogether into oblivion among the still very uncultivated inhabi- tants. " In the province of Lithuania there are 7^ churches and 4^0 schools." Postscript from the Rev. Dr. Knapp. ** The Rev. Dr. Wald, Counsellor of Consistory at Koeningsberg, has, at my request, collected information respecting the want of Bibles in Lithuania, and communicated to me the above letter from the Rev. Mr. Glogan, relative to this subject. Dr. Wald adds, in his letter to me: ** Our native Lithuanians are very religious. ♦' There even exist among them private associations for the ** furtherance of practical Christianity, on the plan of Speiice, &c." But the Lithuanians are very loth to lay out their money on books ; and a Bible given gratuitously would certainly be esteemed an extremely valuable acquisition." Halle, April 19, 1805. 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 151 No. VI. Extract of a Letter from Sarepta, " The mass of the Russian nation stands so low in point of mental cultivation, that the inferior classes of the people (peasants, mechanics, and soldiers) can neither read nor write. It would be saying too much that one in a thousand was able to read. The Empress Catharine the Second established free-schools in the princi- pal towns, for gratuitous instruction in reading and writing ; but a very small number improves this opportunity. ** Moscow contains about 400,000 people, and yet hardly 1000 attend the schools. The larger institutions which are forming un- der the present reign, are not calculated for the common people ; and, according to all human probability, generations may pass, be- fore the Russian peasant will be placed in a situation which renders it necessary for his children to learn to read. " Small as the number of those is that are able to read, the Greek church has yet taken some care that her followers might not be wholly unacquainted with the Bible. In the daily Divine services, (which last for hours,) besides the Liturgy, Lessons are read from the Old and New Testament, chiefly selected from the Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles, which, in the course of a year, are read over more than once, and therefore sufficiently, and, in some in- stances, admirably well known to such as are constant attendants upon the Church, the number of whom is however comparatively but small. " Russian Bibles have been printed, one in the l6th century in Poland, in 4to, which however was never publicly acknowledged in Russia, and of which so few copies remain that they are consi- dered as the greatest rarity. In the middle of the 18th century a beautiful edition, in folio, was published at 5l. a copy. In the lat- ter part of the same century two other editions were printed in Kiou, one in three octavo, the other in three folio volumes. These three editions may have produced about 6000 copies of the Bible ; —what a disproportion to the population of Russia, which is near 40 millions ! " The natural result is, that Bibles are extremely scarce in Russia ; so much so, that people generally know it an hundred wersts off when the treasure of a Bible is to be met with. " Let me now add a few words respecting the German colonies, which have been established here since iTdd- There are thirteen Protestant parishes, two of which are at present without a pastor, but faithfully supplied with the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the Sacrament, by the neighbouring clergymen, till the new ministers arrive which have been written for from Swit= zeriaud and Wirtembergh. K 4 1,5^ THIRD REPORT. [1807. " It is entirely out of the power of most of our clergy, out of their own income, to purchase a stock of Bibles, and to sell them at reduced prices, much less to give them away to the most indigent." Ko. VII. 1. Extract of a Letter from a Correspondent at Copenhagen. ** As I consider it my duty to collect all the information possible concerning the state of the neighbouriHg countries, my attention has lately been particularly turned to Iceland. The information fvhich I send you, concerning the state of this island, I have ob- tained from '******** **^ who is well known in England and Scotland. As this gentleman is a native of Iceland, and has spent a great part of his time in the country; and as from his learning, and the station he holds under the crown, he has had an opportunity of making himself perfectly acquainted with the state of the country in every respect, his in- formation may be depended on. The number of inhabitants is about 50,000. Although they have no public school-master, there is not one among a hundred, above twelve or fourteen years of age, who cannot read with ease ; and few who cannot write. Many of them write a most beautiful hand ; some specimens which I have seen would do honour to any writing-master in England. But, although they enjoy these advantages, they are almost entirely without books. There was formerly a printing press in the island, but no books have been printed in the country for a number of years past. The last books printed in the Icelandic language were executed at Copenhagen ; but these have been very few, not amount- ing in all, for twelve or fourteen years past, to more than 5000. As no people in the world are fonder of reading, they endeavour to supply the want of books, by the laborious substitute of tran- scribing them. Who could have thought that this would have been necessary in any part of Europe, during any part of the nineteenth century? I have seen a catalogue of all the books which have been published in the Icelandic language. The principal ones on reli- gious subjects, are Catechisms and Psalm Books, with others con- nected with their Liturgy. But even those are not now to be had. Four editions of the Bible have been published in Iceland ; the three first in folio, and the last in quarto ; and three editions of the New Testament in octavo. The first edition of the Bible was published in the 13th century. But Bibles and Testaments are no longer to be had for any money, and it is a lamentable fact that there are not above 40 or 30 entire copies of the Bible in the whole island. The people of Iceland are much more religious than the people of this country ; they have a Bishop of their own, and be- 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 155 tween 150 and 200 Clergymen. From these facts you will be able to form an idea of the state of these people as to religious know- ledge. It is certainly our duty to consider what can be done for their assistance. Their situation calls for the sympathy of every friend of religion."" 2. Extract of a Letter from a respectable Person in Iceland. " The common people in Iceland are not behind those of the same description in Denmark, in regard to religious information. This is owing, in the first place, to their great desire for reading and knowledge in general ; secondly, to their excellent religious exer- cises, which are held in every house from Michaelmas to Easter. Among other devotional books, the Bible, and particularly the New Testament, is read before the family in every place where this pre- cious book can be had. It is very lamentable, however, that this is not now to be obtained, even for money. When it happens to appear at an auction, it sells at an enormous price. Never will Iceland forget her dear Stistrup, who, at his own expense, bought and sent to this place a great number of Bibles and New Testa- ments, to be given away gratis. This has now ceased, however, for the space of 60 years and upwards, and the most of these Bi- bles are now worn out. I remember frequently to have heard the best farmers in the parish warmly contending which of them should have the loan of the Bible which was sent to their parish for them- selves and their children. The older edition of the Scriptures are not to be had at all. The printing press in the island is no longer in order ; we therefore cannot do any thing to supply this want ; and the common people in Iceland will, within ten years, be en- tirely deprived of this blessed book, which is so dear and precious to them. *' You will see from this, my dear Sir, how infinitely obliged and thankful I and my countrymen will be to the dear brethren who, of their benevolence, offer to favour us with the New Testament in Icelandic. The number of copies that would be necessary I will not take upon me to determine. Your letter, however, gives me occasion to mention that in Iceland there are 303 parish churches and about 47,000 inhabitants." No. VIII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. David Brown, Provost of the College of Fort William. Dated Calcutta, Sept. 13, 18u6. " My dear Sir, ** I BELIEVE no plan for the diffusion of true religion was ever formed, from the beginning of the world, that embraced so wide a 154 THIRD REPORT. [1807. scope, or met with such general approbation, as that of the British and Foreign Bible Society. ** On coming down this morning from Serampore, I requested the missionaries to send me a few specimens of their labours, whe- ther in the press or in manuscript, to be forwarded to you by the packet which close this day. " They have sent me the following : 1. Shanscrit. Two first Gospels will be ready by the end of this year. 2. Bengalee. This is a new and most admirable translation of the whole Scriptures. 3. Mahratta. The four Gospels are printed off. 4. Orissa. A sheet from the press not corrected* This work is in great forwardness, " In manuscript: 5. Telinga. 6. Shanscrit Hindoostanee. 7' Delhi Hindoostanee. 8. Guzerattee. 9. Persian. (Book of Psalms is finished.) 10. Chinese. " Mr. Professor Lassar has sent me three Chinese specimens, with a letter in the same language, the work of his own head and hand. " As the above little specimens are the hasty productions of this morning, I do not recommend them to severe criticism, but Mr. Lassar is a thorough Chinese, and will do the great work of trans- lating the Scriptures into that language, if it pleases God to spare his life five or six years. He reads every thing in the language as readily as you do English, and writes it as rapidly. *' The other manuscript specimens are in a rough state, and not fit to be submitted to critical inspection. " The Shanscrit and Chinese (apparently the most difficult of ac- cess) are discovered to be the most practicable of all the languages yet undertaken. ** The first answers to Greek, as face answers to face in a glass. The translation will be perfect, while it will be almost verbal. A Shanscrit edition of the Gospels will be published with the Greek on the opposite page, as soon as we can procure Greek types. You wil find the verb in the corresponding mood and tense, the noun and adjective in the corresponding case and gender. The idiom and government are the same: where the Greek is absolute, so is the Shanscrit ; and in many instances the primitives or roots are the same. This will exhibit a curious phoeuomenon to the learned in Europe. " While I am writing, Mr. Carey has sent to the College, for the Honourable Court of Directors, 40 copies of his Shanscrit grammar, just published, containing 1014 pages in quarto. 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 155 " I have given you the above information, my dear Sir, merely to convince you, that we are not indifferent to the cause in which you are engaged. But for a more accurate and satisfactory account you must wait till the end of the year, when the First Report will be published. " I am, with sincere regard, " my dear Sir, " most truly your's." No. IX. Extract of a Letter from the Secretary to the Edinburgh Missionary Society, "In Mr. Brunton's qualifications as a translator we have the greatest confidence. It is well known that he possesses, in an un- common degree, a talent for acquiring languages ; and, with a view to the work in question, he applied himself with the utmost diligence to the study of the Tartar and Turkish, immediately on his going to Karass. With the same view he cultivated the friend- ship of some of the most learned Effendis in that quarter ; and from the letters of his brethren, it appears that he is universally allowed to be a complete master both of the Tartar and the Turk- ish, which are only diff'erent dialects of the same language. Three tracts which he has written in Turkish have been widely circulated, from the banks of the Wolga to the shores of the Euxine ; and from the accounts of the missionaries, we are led to conclude that these tracts have been read and understood by all the Mahometans who can read, into whose hands they have fallen throughout this extensive country. " In consequence of the circulation of these tracts, and the con- versation of the missionaries and their converts with the people around them, many, not only of the people, but of the Molas and Effendis, have expressed a strong desire to have the Bible in a lan- guage they understand ; and in most of the letters we have received from Karass during the last year, Mr. Brunton's brethren express an earnest wish that this good work may be begun as soon as possi- ble ; because, if Mr. Brunton, whose constitution is a good deal broken, should be removed, they think it may be long before ano- ther will be found so well qualified in all respects as he is. Few lan- guages, I believe, are spoken over a greater extent of country than the Turkish. Wherever there are Mahometans, there are priests. Scarcely a village is ta be found without one ; and one part of his employment is teaching such of the youth to read as are intended for situations in which reading is necessary. Though most of these priests understand a little Arabic, and make a shift to read the Koran in that language, yet few of them, except where the Arabic is 156 THIRD REPORT. [1807. spoken, understand it sufficiently to enable them to read any other book in that language. " On this account, a translation of the Scriptures into Turkish is most desirable, and more calculated perhaps than any other mea- sure to hasten the downfall of that degrading and bloody supersti- tion, which now for a long series of ages has overspread so large and populous a portion of the globe. As yet, however, so far as we know, there has been no translation of the Old Testament into Turkish. In \666, a translation of the New Testament in that lan- guage was printed at Oxford. Few copies of that edition now remain. One of them was sent out to Karass last summer, and carefully examined by Mr. Brunton, who says that it is very ill exe- cuted, and would be of little use to those who understand no lan- guage but the Turkish." No. X. Extract of a Letter from Capt. . Stonehouse, Nov. 18, 1 806\ " It is impossible to give you an adequate description of the anxiety that was manifested by the poor Spaniards to get possession of a Testament ; many sought them with tears and earnest entrea- ties ; and, although I had nearly enough for them all, yet it was with difficulty they were pacified, until they received from my hand the word of eternal life. Since which I have witnessed the most pleasing sight that ever my eyes beheld — nearly a thousand poor Spanish prisoners, sitting round the prison walls— doing what ? — reading the word of God, with an apparent eagerness that would have put many professing Christians to the blush V No. XL Woolwich Brig, off the Tower y June 4, 1806. *' A FEW days ago I had an opportunity of visiting the convict ships lying in Woolwich Reach, where I saw a vast number of cri- minals. The first vessel I boarded was the Prudentia, commanded by Captain Darling, with 320 of those unhappy characters on board. The other vessel was the Retribution, Captain Read, with no less than 509 of similar stamp. AUo, a smaller ship, named the Savage, Captain Woodfield, which ship is designed for an hospital for the sick of those unhappy men, where there is, upon an average, always from 20 to 30 on board, under the care of a surgeon. I 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 157 had no sooner made known to the commanding officers of the before mentioned ships the purport of my visit (which was, that I might have the pleasure of distributing amongst those truly deplorable people the scriptures, and other relig.ous books) but they readily expressed their gratitude, by saying, *' they were much obliged to *' any individual , or body of men , that felt themselves interested in " behalf of those wretched men; and that any books which might " be sent for the use of the convicts^ they would use their influence *' to enforce a proper attention to." The second officer of the ship Retribution assured me, tliat the Caprain of that vessel had made twoa'.tempts to get a supply of the Scriptures for the use of the convicts under his command in vain ; consequently my offer was heartily accepted." No. XII. List of Versions and Copies of the Scriptures presented to the Society since the last General Meeting, viz. By AN UNKNOWN FrIEND. A Polish New Testament. By W. M. Johnson, A.M. A Spanish New Testament. By the Rev. S.W. Tracy. Italian New Testament from the celebrated version of Diodati Paris 18G3. French New Testament Paris 1803, By the London Missionary Society. A French Bible. By the Rev. B. Cracknell. German Bible. • • • • Lmieberg 169O, By the Rev. John Owen. Portuguese Bible, complete, from the Vulgate, with An- notations, &c. by Antonio Pereira. 23 Vols. l2mo. calf bound, and lettered. Lisbon 1802. ( 158 ) DONATIONS, IN MONEY OR BOOKS, VOTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. 1804. /. s. d, April 10. To Mr. Tobias Keisling, in aid of the for- mation of a Bible Society at Nurenberg 100 Dec. 17. To the Mohawk nation 2000 copies of the Gospel of St. John (bound in calf) 204 9 6 To a Catholic clergyman in Germany 1000 Testaments of the Protestant edition 1805. printed at Nurenberg • 41 13 4 April 1. To the Rev. J. F. Oberlin, of Waldbach, Alsace, for Testaments for the Poor • • 20 July 15. To Basle, for French Testaments 50 Dec. 2. To Ireland, per Rev. R. Shaw, 1000 Tes- taments, at a loss of, at least 30 Dec. 23. To Foreign prisoners of war, for French Testaments 100 To ditto, for 2000 Spanish ditto 225 To ditto, for 1000 extra copies of St. Mat- 1 806. thew's Gospel 5 Feb. 3. To Basle, for a further supply of French Testaments • 50 To German Bible Society at Nurenberg • • 200 Mar. 31. To Mr. J. Butterworth, for Sunday Schools in Ireland, 1000 Testaments, in sheets, at half the cost prices, loss Ip To Bible Society at Berlin 100 To Rev. Dr. Knapp, for Bibles for Gallicia 20 June 2. To Bible Society at Berlin, second donation 150 June l6. To the Convicts at Woolwich 100 Testa- ments, per Lieut. Cox, R.N. 6 13 4 To Ireland, per J. Buchanan, Esq. 1000 Testaments, bound, at a loss of 33 6 8 July 7. To India, to be applied to the translation of the Scriptures into Oriental languages 1000 Aug. 4. To Prisoners in Newgate, &c. per T. F. Forstcr, Esq. 200 Testaments 13 6 i 7 [4 10 5 1807.] THIRD REPORT. 159 1806. I* s. d, Sept. 1. To tlie Convicts at Woolwich 36 Bibles •• 6 12 Oct. 6. To Meckleiiberg, per Rev. F. Scliniidt, 50 Bibles and 100 Testaments from Halle . 14 3 4 To Bible Society at Berlin, third donation 100 To Foreign prisoners of war 1000 French Testaments 100 Nov. 3. Testaments to British Soldiers at the Cape of Good Hope ;•••.•• ^^ ^^ ^ Dec. 1. To Prisons, Testaments, under the direction 1807. of T. F. forster, Esq. • .. 22 10 Jan. 5. To Mr. H Covell, for Hanoverian soldiers, 100 German New Testaments 7 10 To Cupt. Baily, for sea fencibles on Essex coast, 50 Bibles and 50 Testaments • • • • 11 5 Q Feb. 2. To Rev. W. Balfour and Mr. Anderson, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, 200 Testaments, bound in calf 22 3 9 To John Thornton, Esq. 100 German Tes- taments for soldiers 7 10 March 2. To Rev. C. SteinkopfF, for German soldiers and seamen, 50 German Testaments. •• • 3 15 To Mr. Butterworth ICO French ditto for St. Domingo 10 To the German Bible Society, in addition to the donation of 200/. Feb. 3, 1806 . . 300 C April 6. To Governor Collins, for Van Dieman's Land, 50 Bibles and 100 Testaments . . 15 l6 8 To the Rev. H. Graham, of Steniack, Nova Scotia, 50 Bibles and 200 Testaments .. 22 10 C To Ireland, per Rev. R.Shaw, 1000 Tes- taments, at a loss of about 30 C April 13. To Karass, per Rev. Mr. Brunton, a set of types for Turkish translations, and paper for 5000 copies of the New Testament, about 650 C To Iceland, 3000 New Testaments in the language of that country, about 250 C To India, second donation to promote Oriental translations 1000 C May 12. To Iceland, in aid of printing an edition of 5000 copies of the whole Scriptures, at Copenhagen, in the Icelandic language 300 ( Total.... 5283 4 1^ o oo u < w H C H (—1 O O (^ K H O H C> O CO th rj* c o O O 00 O CO 'O •r-l-^COVjOOCO^O NO^COt^OrHCO-^ i> r-i 1.0 CO oco l-H O 1/3 « %^ .S PQ ' P-iP-i o : *» < : S B ■bJ en a>f-t s5:Si2 . fcT . O 5« *. • ^ • c s S o • : o :c^^^ S : I -S^ ^13 2 B ^ -u 5 o -e t-V9 V ji<1 Oh!- a^ 3 S QPQ-5 e. CO O CO s. I^l|ip^:i|i.l -dL cr c Ji o ^S.SO a; 5-30 o o - <^r . ^ p. ■ ^ CO T-l CO G^ O CO O O CO O CO O t>.CO O 00 •ri m (O C> rjf CJ* G^ tH 00 •^ O CO o O) 0-.5 3 — o rt 00 c tc ii'~ c rt ^ ^2 ^ ■^ fQ x5-d t. CJ QJ «s -1 T* j~r fl ; H ti] P-) s- JS ll c^_ 3 (J iL/ 4J ^ -; -73 -Tz; , !- *- a s _3 . « o 3 o S i ec bO a M a* a 55th sheet of our Bohemian Bible. Present it to the Committee with our most cordial salutations, and recommend us to their conti- nued sympathy and intercession. If we meet with no impediment, I hope the whole work will be completed towards the end of next October. To-day I have corrected the proof sheet LU. Halle- lujah ! Blessed be the name of the Lord! His kingdom will encreasingly prosper in the midst of the convulsions of worldly kingdoms/* M 4 184! FOURTH REPORT. [1808. No. III. Extract of a Letter from Gottenhurgh. Dated Nov. 20, 1807. " It must give you some pleasure to be informed that the Ice- landic New Testament has escaped the flames which laid a great part of Copenhagen in ashes. This is more than I at one time expected. Two bombs entered the house, where those which are unbound are lying; and the warehouse in which those were standing, which were to be sent off to the Bishop, was nearly burnt to the ground, that part only escaping where they were stand- ing. In the confusion, some of the cases were carried off, and Mr. Boesen had not been able to find one or two of them, in which there might be about 50 copies, at the time I came away ; but there is no doubt of their being restored before this time." No. IV. jin Address from the Religious Society (in Denmark) to the Members of the British and Foreign Bible Society. (Translated from the Latin.) Venerable and beloved Brethren, Labouring for one and the same end with you, in dispersing books adapted to excite and cherish the pursuit of piety, but espe- cially the sacred Scripture itself, we cannot refuse ourselves this pleasure, of communicating with you upon a subject of so great moment, through the medium o\' this letter, indulging as we do the very grateful hope, that this our mutual zeal will draw down upon us the certain and distinguished auspices of the Di- vine Favour. You have, dearest Brethren, been long ago informed, that upon our receiving indubitable accounts of the scarcity of the Holy Scriptures in Iceland, we resolved to have a new Edition of the New Testament in the Icelandic language printed without delay. This Resolution has, through the Divine Favour, been carried into effect. But in executing this, as well as every other undertaking for promoting the propagation of evangelical truth, we are far inferior to you in that industry of which you have given so many and such striking proofs. But be assured, dear Brethren, that every account of your faithful and unwearied diligence in publishing the saving Gospel through any part of the world excites us to cordial prayers for the Divine blessing upon all your laudable exertions. VVe also 1808.] POURTH REPORT. 18i return you our thanks for the encouragement you have given us, as well by word as by deed, to tread the same path as yourselves, and with the same alacrity. The New Testaments, designed for Ice- land, which is the limit of our progress liitherto, have, as you are doubtless long ere this informed, been completed to tlie number of 5,000, and also sent to Iceland. We have taken care that the distribution should be made in the best manner, and in various parts of the island. The consequence will be, that every poor fa- mily, and unquestionably every lover of the Divine Word, will be able to procure a copy. May our blessed Lord grant, that this distribution of the Divine Word be salutary to many, and that mul- titudes may be guided by this divine light to life eternal ! We rejoice so much the more in this copious dispersion of the Divine Word considering the size of the island, because we have it upon indisputable reports, that not only the sacred Scriptures in the Icelandic language had become scarce, and could hardly be pur- chased at any price ; but also, what is of still greater moment — that this most valuable of all books is highly esteemed by the com-i mon people in Iceland, is also read and used, in preference to all other religious books, in their domestic worship, by heads of faau- liesj wherever a copy of it remains. With us in Denmark and Norway there is not so great a scarcity of the sacred Scriptures ; for not to mention that besides the intire Bible, the New Testament, in the Danish language, is to be pro- cured at a moderate price, and that the poverty of the common people is not an obstacle to their purchasing if they please, indi- vidually, a copy of the sacred Scriptures — every year, agreeably to the direction of a Fund some yeas ago bequeathed, a considerable number of books is given away, and gratuitously distributed, among the provinces of both kingdoms. Our Society has besides, within the space of a few years, annually supplied about 400 copies of the New Testament, which are also distributed gratis. It now only re- mains to be wished, that a desire to read and study the truths of the sacred Scriptures, and make a right improvement of them, may more and more encreasc ; but, alas ! the daily encreasing attach- ment to worldly things, and its usual attendants, luxury and vanity of mind, throw great impediments in the way. Our Society for promoting the Gospel goes on distributing, as it has done from the beginning, various books designed to excite and confirm faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; still, however, it could not help confining its labours hitherto within very iwirrow limits, and that for various causes. Partly because such companions were wanting who had leisure and ability to devote themselves entirely to the business of the Society. But our gracious Lord has blessed what we have undertaken with prosperous success: and fur our comfort and encouragement, we have not unfrequenlly found that our labour, directed to the glory of his name and kingdom, has not been in vain. 185 FOURTH REPORT. [1803 We wish to commend ourselves with cordial veneration to vour brotherly recollection and prayers in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the name of the Danish Society associated for promoting the Gospel and true Chris- tianity, Haarslem, R. BALSLEW. Jutie 17, 1807. No. V. Transmitted hy the Rev. G. Brunmark, Chaplain to the Swedish Legation at the Court of St. James's. Dated Feb. 12, 1S08. " The Society p7'0 Fide S^ Christianismo embrace this oppor- tunity of thanking the Rev. Mr. Brunmark for the transmitted copies of the Second and Third Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society; and it is with great satisfaction they perceive such strenu- ous exertions by the friends of Christianity in different parts of the world in behalf of the good cause. In this respect our Society have Ions and attentively contemplated the praiseworthy endea- vours of the British and Foreign Bible Society to further the know- ledge of the Gospel of salvation ; and you will be pleased. Sir, to express to them the cordial and sincere regard we entertain for their Society, in which we ourselves recognize several worthy Members." F. C. WITTINGH, Chairman. JoH. Jac, Hedren, Secretary. (Signed) (Signed) No. VI. Answers to Queries proposed hy the Rev. Mr, Steinkopff, on be- half of the Honourable Bible Committee in London, Dated Sarepta (near AstrachanJ, June 25, 1807. (Translation.) 1. What parts of the Bible have been translated into the Cat' muck language ? At present only a small portion of the history of the life and sufferings of our Saviour ; namely, verbatim and in connexion ac- cordhig to the four Evangelists, the History from the commence- ment of the Passion week to the Ascension. Also some detached 1S08.] FOURTH REPORT. 187 portions, as the Account of the Birth of Christ, the Sermon on the Mount, as it is termed, &c. A considerable collection might also be made of detached texts of Scripture, both from the Old and the New Testament. A translation of the History of the Crea- tion, the Fall of Man, &c. is at present preparing. 2. Who is the translator or translators ? Several persons have employed themselves in this work, and those chiefly such as have not had the benefit of a literary education, but who had a good understanding of the sense of the Scriptures, who felt an impulse of heart to the task, and who had already acquired a pretty complete knowledge of the Calmuck language. The most eminent among these is Conrad Neitz, who more than 40 years ago being conmiissioned by this congregation to qualify himself for per- forming this service in the gospel for the Calmucks, lived among them at different times, travelled also with them, and, considering his education, acquired a very accurate knowledge of the idiom of their language, facility in speaking it, and acquaintance with the mode of thinking and manners of this people. He has also even studied their writings. Most of these translations were executed by him. 3. Can the accuracy and correctness of the translation be re- lied upon? Confidently ; for these translations have been made with much di- ligence and fidelity, and have been repeatedly corrected and revised by brethren acquainted both with the subject and the language. Nevertheless, this work is still imperfect, particularly as the Cal- muck language has as yet received no literary cultivation, and the common aids for acquiring a language, such as dictionaries and grammars, are entirely wanting. In Greenland, where the case might have been similar, the late Rev. Hans Egede had, however, paved the way for the subsequent labours of our Missionaries. It may indeed be objected, that the Calmucks at least have writings which the Greenlanders had not: but the written language of the Montgolians or Calmucks differs very widely from that used in com- mon conversation ; and as their writings contain nothing but fabu- lous histories of their gods, &c. there would be reason to appre- hend, that if the phraseology used in them were employed in a translation of the Bible, their mythological notions might also in- termingle themselves, which our brethren wished particularly to avoid, as the Calmucks are naturally so much inclined to combine their ow n fables with the doctrines of Jesus and his apostles. 4. Where might this translation of the Bible be printed, and to what sum might the expence of the printing it amount? Undoubtedly where the correction of the press could be per- formed by persons well versed in the language, and that would be here, or in Petersburg, where there may probably also be some per- sons conversant with the Calmuck language. But here we have no 188 :^OURTH REPORT. [1808. printing press, nor is there one in the whole country ; neither is there any one of our brethren who has ever been employed in a printing office. That, however, might perhaps be learnt. But the expences of the printing would run very high, as all the apparatus for performing it would have first to be procured. We cannot as yet determine to what expence such an establishment might amount. As the Missionaries in the Caucasus have an apparatus for printing the Tartar language, perhaps that for the Calmuck might best be combined with the former. 5. If the hrethren at Sarepta were willing to uyidertake such a work, and capable of executing it, what swn would they require from the Bible Society for carrying this laudable purpose into exe- cution ? This question we have partly answered under the preceding head, by saying that we cannot as yet determine the sum that would be re- quired. However, we think, that if the necessary types were once sent us hither from England, we should be better enabled to make an estimate of the further expence that would be required. We might indeed have the types cast here, if we could only procure from England (where work of this kind is done better and cheaper, the matrices of which, however, according to the inclosed speci- men, which contains all the Calmuck characters that are requisite, the number amounts to not less than 152. 6. Can the Calmucks read? and is there good ground to expect, that thty could and would make a good use of the Bible ? All their cler^v can read, as likewise the hisjher order of their community ; nrget to record the name of that wise and benevolent Christian, who pro- jected the plan of the Bible Society, and contributed his labour of love towards promoting its excellent design 1 While the voice of Prophecy is silent, and the power of Miracles has ceased among men, let the amiable exertions of Charity attract the attention, and excite the admiration of the world: And let this prove an aera ia which truth shall prevail over error, and in which the holy Oracles of God shall carry light and saving health into these remote and far- extended regions, which have been long under the power of darkness and the delusion of error. I exult in the glorious prospect ; and participate in the joys of those godlike minds, who have chosen the high employment of diffusing divine truth, and propagating the Gospel." No. XI. List of Versions and Copies of the Scriptures presented to the Society since the last General Meeting, viz. By the Rev. Basil Wood, M.A. Barker's English Bible. 1607. By Mr. Robert Steven. An Irish Bible, 12mo. by Bishop Bedell. London 1690. Ditto, 4to. Old Irish character, by Ditto. Ditto l6'85. By the Rev. B. Cracknell. Arabic, -^thiopic, and Latin Version of the Epistles of St. James, John, and Jude. - - - - l654. By William Blair, Esq. Spanish Pentateuch. - - - - Amsterdam 1478. Spanish Testament. - - - - ^^i"^ 1708. By Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonald. Latin Bible, folio- - - - - Venice 1506. N 194 FOURTH REPORT. [1808. By the Rev. C. C. Chambers. Luther's German Bible, by Buckhardt. - - Basil 1736. Biblia Vulgata. Coloniae Agrippinae. - - - l658. Ditto Ditto. - - Lugduni l685. Portugueze New Testament. - - - - 1712. Hindostanee Psalms of David. - . _ . 174-7. Biblia-Tremellio & Junio. _ . - Geneva l630. Biblia, Castalionis. - _ - - Basil 1651. Portugueze Translation of the Eng. Common Prayer. George Michael Laurentius on the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, &c. - - German 1712. Ditto on Romans . . - . _ 1709. Psalterium Brunonis - . - Leipsick 1533. Shrik van Juda. Dutch. _ _ . Gravenhage 1747. Ostervvald's Argument on the Old Testament. - - 17 16. Hymnodia, by St. John Chrysostom, curious M.S. interlined in Greek. Austin's Meditations. By the Rev. Adam Clarke, D.D. Le Long's Bibliotheca Sacra, in Binos Syllabos Distincta. Folio. - - _ . - Paris 1723. By the Rev. Thomas Weaver. A German Bible. By Doctor Walcott. A German Bible. By William Alers, Esq. A Greek Testament) in 2 vols. - - - - l638» By the Rev. C. J. Latrobe. New Testament in Erse. -___._ l602. Malabar New Testament. - 1714. Estonian Bible, 3 vols. - - . _ . . j 73^^ By the Rev. Mr. Clemens. German New Testament, printed on Vellum. - - 1535. By Mr. Greave. A Dutch Bible. By the Rev. G. Brunmark, A Swedish Bible. A Swedish New Testament and Psalter. ( 195 ) DONATIONS^ IN MONEY OR BOOKS, VOTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. /. s. d. Am^mt published in the Third Annual Report • • • • 5283 4 To Poor German Colonists near the Wolga in Russia, German Bibles and Testaments 85 To German Soldiers in various parts of the United Kingdom, German Bibles and Testaments 28 14 For Distribution in Spain, 700 Spanish Testaments •• 6l 15 For Distribution in Ireland, under the Direction of the Rev. Thomas Charles, 1000 Testaments .... 7P To Ireland, for Sunday Schools, 250 Bibles and 1000 Testaments, at half the cost prices, loss about • • 60 To Ireland, for a Roman Catholic School, 100 Testaments 7 10 To the Hibernian Bible Society at Dublin, for pro- moting the circulation of the Holy Scriptures • • • • 100 To the Cork Bible Society, for the like purpose • • • • 100 To India, 500 English Bibles and 1000 Testaments, for the benefit of the Army and Navy, and other poor Europeans l68 15 To Ditto, 250 German Bibles and 500 German Testa- ments, for the like purpose 75 10 Carried forward 6040 8 9 N 2 ( 196 ) /. s. d. Brought forward 6040 8 ^ To the Garrison at Gibraltar, 100 English Bibles and 600 Testaments 52 12 To French Prisoners of War, 7000 French Testa- ments 583 To Sierra Leone and GoREE, 300 Testaments . •.. 21 To Sarepta, for the Purchase of Calmuck Types for Printing the Holy Scriptures • 60 To Poor Germans in London, 50 German Bibles at the disposal of the Rev. C. F. Steinkopff 10 10 To Nova Scotia and Canada, 500 Gaelic Bibles and 800 Testaments' for the benefit of the Poor Highlanders in that country, at a loss of about • • 80 To New Brunswick, under the direction of Samuel Denny Street, Esq. 100 English Bibles and 200 Testaments, at a loss of about 20 To New South Wales, at the disposal of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, 500 Bibles and 1000 Testaments l66 13 To Convicts sailing for New South Wales, 100 Bibles 21 To Prisoners in Newgate and Chelmsford Gaols, Bibles and Testaments 11 8 3 To the «* Refuge for the Destitute," 50 Bibles and 100 Testaments l6 I O To Poor Sufferers by the late Fire at Chudleigh in Devonshire, 100 Bibles and 200 Testaments .... 33 For the benefit of the Poor Natives of Wales, Loss on 20,000 Copies of the Welsh Bible, by sale at reduced prices •• 1187 10 Ditto on 30,000 Welsh Testaments 708 lo o Total £9011 13 30e>0 OrHrH r-i CO I •<*< O Oi 00 ' ■* O CO o< CO Tt 0:1 Of O '-I O CO 000 -* ^ o o Q ^ C C i, S i; X! H^ r> — • .0 ci a3 ■^3 "3 C i^ ^ Tl fr. (2h H U c/2 Ph Oh H &- oH.SffiO 0000 -aocoo CO O tlH&H&i^;^ ti^ ptH pL, Jii fit fepH H ^^i l'^'^ p8 |r,= r" '"-I-" C/5 :i« £.22 s 5 uli2 • ^ ^ ^"^ 5^ 5 C ^ 2 b£ 1- . OhO) 53 (U i^ •^•;: o ir ^ 3 i E?f &i| 0; o c iS '2'^ cuti 5 1; <"■ - c £1—1 i^.&-iHQ c'° '^ 1^ S^r^t^H — 3 CO r-i 888 O CO Tl o J/ Vi 2 K PP -i bJ3 ; o o -t^ CN n 'O Ci c O* tH CC CO cr> ^. a ic CO •<* CO •* o o o » O O O r-l O Oi O CO O CO b» ^ s CO • »- .V . a* c« e 2;,s («-c £.*^ o o c« 0.2 I— ' Q : a o ^^ 'S^^Ji^ C/3C0 3 T-< c <5 u ^3 . 0) >iii j:w 5i, c (u -- ^ Ao 0-5 ^ ^ o -3 ^"^ ^8:-5-^ ■ - ->■ .^ 9 =5 «y t^ ., (l; G •" o cr V? ;s a* - -1-1 f /~y -^ "T' ^ '-i; ?< 3 o -^ "' oj-^ OJ— i.O OJ THE FIFTH REPORT O^ THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, M.DCCC.IX. 1809. PRESIDENT, RT. HON. LORD TEIGNMOUTH, The Most Rev. the ARCHBISHOP of CASHEL.n Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of LONDON. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of DURHAM. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of SALISBURY. Right Rev. LORD BISHOP of ST. DAVfD'S. Right Hon. LORD BARHAM. Right Hon. LORD HEADLEY. Right Hon. Admiral LORD GAMBIER. Right Hon. Sir EVAN NEPEAN, Bart. M.P. Sir WILLIAM PEPPEREL, Bart. CHARLES GRANT, Esq. M. P. WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, Esq. M.P. TREASURER, HENRY THORNTON, ESQ. M.P. SECRETARIES (gratis), Rev. John Owen, M.A. Rector of Paglesham, Essex, and Curate and Lecturer of Fulham. Rev. Joseph Hughes, M.A. Battersea. Rev, Chas.Fe. Steinkopff, MA. Savoy, for the Foreign Department. ASSISTANT SECRETARY, Mr. Joseph Tarn, Spa Fields. COLLECTOR and ACCOUNTANT, Mr. Thomas Smith, No. 19, Little Moorfields. Extract from the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held at the New London Taverti, on Wednesday y May 3, 1809. The Right Ho7i, LORD TEIGNMOUTH, President, in the Chair, The Minutes of the last Annual Meeting were read. The Report of the Committee was read by the President, and several Extracts of Correspondence were also read, together with an Account of the Receipts and Disbursements of the preceding year. RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the Report of the Committee he received and adopted, and that it he printed under the direction of the Committee. RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, upon the recommen- dation of the Committee, That in future each Subscriber of Ten Guineas at one time shall be a Member for Life. On the Motion of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham, V.P. seconded by William Sharp, Esq, it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to the Right Hon, Lord Teignmouth, President of this Society, for his Lordship's continuance of those able, judicious, and important services, which have contributed so essentially to advance the interests, establish the character, and promote the usefulness of the Institution, both at home and abroad. ( £04 ) /r WAS FURTHER RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the sincerest acknozvledgmetUs of this Meeting, are due to the Right Reverend, Right Honourable, and others^ the Vice Presidents of this Society, for the continuance of their patronage and support to the Institution. That the thanks of this Meeting he given to the Committteefor their zealous and indefatigable exertions in coil- ducting the business of this Society. That the thanks of this Meeting be given to Henry Thornton^ Escj. the Treasurer to this Society, for his services during the past year, and that he be requested to con* tinue the same. That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Secretaries of this Society, for the zeal and assiduity with which they have gratuitously discharged the duties of their Office. On the Motion of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Durham, V.P. seconded by William Wilberforce, Esq. M^P. F,P. IT WAS RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the grateful thanks of this Meeting be given to the several Synods, Presbyteries, Ministers, and Congrega- tions in the United Kingdom, for their liberal contributions, and exertions in aid of the Society s interests; and they are hereby requested to accept such thanks. IT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to the Associations a fid Societies in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Greenock, Reading, Nottingham, and other parts of the United Kingdom, for their zealous exertions to promote the object and increase the Funds of this Society. ( 205 ) That this Meethig receives great satisfaction from the zealous and increasino exertions which Societies and Indivi- duals are employing in different parts of the World, and in many places under very discouraging circumstances^ to promote the printing and circulation of the Holy Scriptures-^ and assures them of the support and assistance of this Society. That the cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to the Rev. John Faterson and the Rev. Ebenezer Henderson^ for their unremitted and successful labours in promoting the object of this Institution in Iceland, Denmark^ Sweden, and Lapland. That the thanks of this Meeting be given to those Gentlemen zcho have presented this Institution with Copies of the Hall/ Scriptures, or of parts thereof, in British or Foreign Languages, since the last Annual Meeting. RESOLVED UNJMMOUSLY, That the follozmig Gentlemen be a Committee for the ensuing year, viz. Thomas Allan, Esq. Thomas Bahington, Esq M.P. Thomas Bainbridge, Esq. Matthias Bilger, Esq. Wilson Birkbeck, Esq. William Blair, Esq. Joseph Bunnell, Esq. William Burls, Esq, Joseph Butterworth, Esq. David Cook, Esq. Christopher Edelmann, Esq. Charles Elliott, Esq. Thomas Furley Forster, Esq. Lauucelot Haslope, Esq. Thomas Hodson, Esq. John Daniel Hose, Esq. Robert Howard, Esq. WiUiam Konig, Esq. Hugh Campbell Mair, Esq. Alexander Maitland, Esq. Ambrose Martin, Esq. Samuel Mills, Esq. Thomas Pellatt, Esq. John Poynder, Esq. James Pritt, Esq. Joseph Reyner, Esq. Josiah Roberts, Esq. Granville Sharp, Esq. Joseph Smith, Esq. Richard Stainforth, Esq. Robert Steven, Esq. Joseph Stonard, Esq. Christopher Sundius, Esq. Edward Thornton, Esq. Anthony Wagner, Esq. George Wolff, Esq. ( 206 ) The President having left the Chair, It zvas moved hy the Lord Bishop of Durham, F..P. seconded hy William Wilherforce, Esq, M.P, F.P. and RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That the most cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to the Right Hon, the President, for his Lordship's assiduous, able, and condescending attention to the business of this Meeting, FIFTH REPORT, Yo u R Committee have now to Report to the British and Foreign Bible Society their Proceedings during the fifth year of its institution. In conformity to the arrangement usually adopted, your Committee will first advert to their Foreign Con- nexions : and, although their correspondence has been circumscribed, in some degree, by the unpropitious state of affairs on the Continent, they have still suffi- cient documents to prove the continuance of the deep interest excited, in various parts of Europe, by the establishment of the British and Foreign Bible Society ; and of a zealous and successful co-operation with its endeavours to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures. From the German Bible Society a single letter* only has been received, dated October 1808 ; the con- tents of it, however, are interesting and important, — ^This letter expresses the most cordial and grateful thanks to your Society, for the assistance afforded by it in promoting an edition of the German Bible by standing types ; — it contains information, that the New Testament, which, some months before, had issued * Appendix, No. I. 208 FIFTH REPORT. [1809, from the press, had received the fullest approbation of those to whom it had been sent ; together with an as- surance, that the Old Testament would be completed by the end of the year ; and further, that the demands for this Bible were so numerous, that it was expected they would exhaust the first impression. The Ger- man Society, accordingly, look with confidence to the hope of being soon enabled to proceed to a second and third edition. The following intelligence, which is also stated in the above letter, will be heard with interest: — First, That a company of active Christians in Basle had de- termined to print an edition of the New Testament, for the benefit of the Grison Mountaineers, who have a peculiar dialect; with an intention that it should be gratuitously distributed, or sold at a very cheap rate. This work will be peculiarly acceptable to the Grisons ; as the former editions of the New Testament have become so scarce among them, that a copy of it is rarely to be procured, and only at a very exorbitant price : Secondly, That they had supplied the Pro- testants in different parts of the interior of France with a considerable number of French Bibles at re- duced prices , and that the returns of such sale had enabled the Society to undertake a new edition of the New Testament in French. It was their wish to have printed the whole Bible, but their exertions to procure funds for this purpose had hitherto proved unsuccess- ful. Your Committee, however, hope, that the sup- ply of a set of stereotype plates, now preparing by their directions, and intended for the use of that 2809.] FIFTH REPORT. 209 Society, will materially assist the accomplishment of so desirable an object. The progress which had been made in printing the Bohemian Bible at Berlin, was noticed in the last Re- port of your Committee. They are now authorized to announce the completion of it, in a mode which has obtained the decided approbation of very competent judges. It will be no less satisfactory to the Society to be informed, that the rapid circulation of this work has greatly exceeded the expectation of the Bible So- ciety at Berlin. It was finished only at Michaelmas, 1807: and although the Protestant Congregations using that language, in Bohemia and Silesia, do not exceed fifty, the whole edition of 3000 copies (92 only excepted) had been sold or gratuitously distributed, within a period of fifteen months ; and the Berlin So- ciety express great regret that the edition was not more extensive.* The notification of the completion of the Bohemian Bible by the Committee of the Society at Berlin, was accompanied with an expression of then' earnest wishes to be enabled to print the Scriptures in the Polish dia- lect. They lamented, at the same time, the absolute insufficiency of their funds for this undertaking ; and the very scanty supplies received during the preceding twelve months, precluded all hope of any considera- ble addition to them, in a country labouring under ge- neral and severe distress. Your Committee, equally convinced of the utility of an edition of the Polish Bible, and of the impossi- * Appendix, No. II, CIO FIFTH REPORT. [ 1 SOp. bility of its being undertaken without the assistance of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have cheerfully supplied a fund for this purpose, by three successive Donations, amounting in the whole to 800/. Of this sum 600/. have already been received by the Society at Berlin ; who, encouraged by this liberal grant, de- termined to encrease their impression from 5,000 to 8,000 copies of the Polish Bible entire, and 2,000 extra New Testaments ; and had entered into engage- ments with a printer to complete it by Midsummer 1810. The estimated expense of this work amounts to nearly 1,400/. sterling.*' Your Committee have next the satisfaction to report the establishment of a new Association at Stockholm, under the sanction of the King and Privy Council, with the designation of ^' the Evangelical Society.' The object of this Institution is two-fold — the circu- lation of the Scriptures, and the distribution of Reli- gious Tracts ; but, by a fundamental rule of the In- stitution, each object will have its separate fund, and a distinct account of its income and expenditure, which will be submitted annually to the public. The Correspondence of your Committee will consequently be confined to that part of its object which assimilates itself to their own. From recent inquiries it appeared, that the poorer classes in various parts of Sweden, were in great want of Bibles : and the Society at Stockholm had in conse- quence proposed to print an edition of the Scriptures in the Swedish language ; but the limitation of their means * Appendix, No. III. 1809,] FIFTH REPORT. 211 obliged them to confine their intended operations, in the first instance, to the New Testament. Some dona- tions had indeed been received by them ; and more were expected : but, as from the pressure of the times, and the impoverished state of the country, they could not entertain the smallest expectation of procuring, for some years, the types requisite for this limited under- taking ; your Committee have been induced to autho- rize the Committee of the Evangelical Society at Stockholm to draw for the sum of 300/. in aid of their fund for the express purpose of printing the Swedish Bible on standing types.* Intelligence has been very recently received from Sarep^a, by which it appears, that the Ministers of the Unitec Brethren, encouraged by the grant of 600 ru- bles, aid a promise of further assistance from this Society , had actually proceeded, in compliance with the recommendation of your Committee, to commence the Translation of St. Matthew's Gospel into the Kal- muc language : and your Committee entertain a confi- dent expectation, that these pious labourers will not desist from their work, till they have completed the Translation of the New Testament. Nothing more strongly marks the general approba- tion of the principle of our Society, and the beneficial influence of its example, than the establishment of similar Societies in distant parts of the globe. It is with much satisfaction, therefore, your Committee re- port, that, in addition to the Associations already pro- duced, both in Europe and Asia, a Bible Society "* Appendix, No, IV, O 2 S2i2 FIFTH rj:port. [1809- has been formed in Philadelphia, for the immediate purpose of distributing the Scriptures in Pensylvania, and in ^' those portions of the States of Jersey and Delaware which are contiguous to Pensylvania ;" but with an ulterior view of producing similar establish- ments throughout the several States in the American Union. To promote this undertaking, the assistance of the British and Foreign Bible Society (to whose example and efforts the Managers expressly attribute its origin) was urgently solicited ; and your Committee did not hesitate to grant it, by a donation of 200/. ; ac- companied with an intimation, that their aid would be further enlarged, in proportion as the Philadelphia Society extended the sphere of its operations.* By late intelligence from Philadelphia, it appears, that the Society considered itself sufficiently advanced to be enabled to order a supply of Bibles and Testa- ments for distribution. For this purpose, copies were required in Welsh, Gaelic, f French, and German ; and, as these could not be procured within the United States, your Committee have directed tliem to be fur- nished at the cost prices. Your Committee are now enabled to state the result of their communications with Bengal. The intelli- gence of the supplies granted by the British and Fo- reign Bible Societ]^, for the purpose of aiding transla- tions and publications of the Scriptures in the va- rious dialects of the East, arrived most opportunely, and animated the hopes and endeavours of all con- cerned in this desirable undertaking. It was intended t Appendix, No. V. t Appendix, No. VI. 2809.] FIFTH rp:port. 213 to appropriate the amount of these supplies to the ex- pense of preparing and printing editions of the Gos- pels in Malayalim, Chinese, Persian, llindostanee, Bengalee, Mahratta, and Sanscrit. Of these versions, some had previously issued from the ^lissionary press at Serampore, independently of the aid of this So- ciety; others are printing; and all are in a state of preparation. Of the Gospel in the Chinese character, a specimen has been received by your Committee ; and the execution of it appears to be much superior to any, that, under present circumstances, could be made in this country. It was not to be expected that works of such mag- nitude (not to mention the expectation of a further ex- tension of them) could be undertaken w ithout a very considerable and encreasing expense. Your Com- mittee, on receiving the above intelligence,, immedi- ately resolved to appropriate, for three successive years, an annual sum of 1,000/.; and they have taken steps to obtain from their Correspondents in India, such further information on this very interesting sub- ject, as will, they trust, enable them, in their next Report, to afford full satisfaction, to every friend of the Institution. Under this head it remains only further to notice, that the supply of 500 English Bibles and 1,000 English Testaments, consigned by your Committee to India, had proved most seasonable and acceptable ; as several of the Chaplains on the establishment in Ben- gal had expended large sums in providing Bibles and Testaments for the u^e of the British soldiery and o 3 214 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. Other Europeans there.* Your Committee, impressed with this consideration, resolved to grant a further supply of English Bibles and Testaments to the same amount as before. It has been the invariable object of your Committee not only to supply the want of the Scriptures whenever it has been stated actually to exist, but to provide new^ editions for circulation whenever they could foresee the probability of doing it to advantage, as far as a pruaent management of the funds of the Society would admit. Under the influence of these considerations, editions of the New Testament in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, have been published. Other editions in Dutch, Da- nish, and Modern Greek, are now in the press. The Members of the Society will recollect the re- markable instances noticed in the Third and Fourth Reports, of the ready disposition evinced by the Spa- niards to receive copies of the New Testament. The accidental arrival of a Spanish frigate, during the course of last year, afforded a proof, no less gratifying, of the same disposition. The earnestness with which the men of the ship solicited copies, the joy expressed by their countenances and actions in receiving them, and their immediate application to the perusal of them, afforded unequivocal demonstration of the high value which they set upon the gift. Several of the officers of the ship, and about 300 of the men, were present at the distribution; and the Priest of the frigate himself sanctioned it, by accepting two copies of the New Tes- tament for his own use, and by recommending the perusal of it to the men.f * Appendix, No. VII. f Appendix, No. VIII. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. !^1D On this subject your Committee have further to add, that 775 Spanish Testaments were distributed to the prisoners of that nation, at Portsmouth, previous to their return to Spain, and most gratefully received. With respect to the Italian New Testament, your Committee have most satisfactory assurances of the practicability of beneficially distributing it, in Malta, Sicily, and Italy, in all which places an anxious desire to possess it had manifested itself : and 500 copies have been already consigned to the care of a respectable Correspondent at Malta, on whose zealous services every reliance may be placed. The object of your Committee, in printing Dutch* and Danishf editions of the New Testament, was, to supply the prisoners of war of those countries, and the Danish and Dutch Colonies in the East and West Indies, now under the British Government. For the immediate supply of the Dutch prisoners, your Com- mittee deemed it expedient to direct the purchase of a considerable number of Bibles and Testaments already printed. The number of Portuguese at Portsmouth and other parts of this country, together with the tacilities now afforded for communication with Portugal and the Portuguese Islands and Colonies, suggested the deter- mination to print an edition of the New Testament in their language for their use. With respect to the edition of the New Testament in Modern Greek, the prospect of an extensive circulation of it is very encouraging, particularly among the Greeks ^ Appendix, No. IX. f Id. No. X. O 4 '216 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. dispersed throughout the Turkish empire, and a large population of the same people at Smyrna, amounting to fifty or sixty thousand families, amongst whom scarcely a single copy of the New Testament was to be found. This work will have the advantage of a cor- respondent original Text in parallel colums.* Your Committee have also taken measures for printing, in the north of Sweden, 5,000 copies of the New Testament in the Lapland t language; and 250/. appropriated to this object^ will be remitted, if the prospect of its completion should be such as to warrant this application of the funds of the Society. The preceding details comprehend the result of the more important Foreign transactions of your Com- mittee; and what further remains connected with this subject may be more briefly mentioned. The Society will recollect the instructions given to Dr. Knapp, and stated in the last Report, to send a number of Bibles and Testaments for the use of the German Colonies on the Wolga. It now remains to report the arrival and distribution of them. A Corres- pondent of your Committee, who undertook a laborious journey for the purpose of conveying them to the place of their destination, and who himself distributed a con- siderable number of copies, speaks of the joy and grati- tude with which they were received. The most judi- cious precautions were adopted by him, that they should be given free of all expense, and to those only among the poor who could read. In each copy distributed by the Correspondent alluded to, the following inscription * Appendix, No. XL t W. No. XIL 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. ^2\7 was inserted by him:--" This Bible is the precious '* Gift of the English Bible Society; never to be sold, " but to be made a good use of."* After the preceding detail, the Members of the So- ciety will be much gratified in learning that a farther supply of Bibles and Testaments has been required lor the use of the German Colonies on the Wolga. Your Committee have accordingly directed '250 copies of each to be sent from Halle. The types and paper presented by the Society to the Missionaries at Karass, for an edition of the Scriptures in Turkish, have escaped the casualties to which they were so peculiarly exposed, and have also reached the place of their destination. Copies of the Scriptures, either in whole or in part, granted by your Committee for the accommodation of their countrymen in distant lands, oi of Foreigners have been very numerous. They have been sent, for sale, or gratuitous distribution, as might be expedient, to the East Indies; the Coast of the Mediterranean; to Quebec, Halifax, and Prince Edward's Island, in North America;! to the West Indies, and Spanish Main; J to Gibraltar ;§ to the Cape of Good Hope; to Madeira; and to Stockholm. Your Committee will not detain the Society by a specification of the number of copies sent to each particular place, as it will appear in the Appendix to their Report. Your Committee, having been informed that there were many refugees from Finland at Stockholm, who * Appendix, No. XIII. t Appendix, No XIV. I Id. No. XV. § Id. No. XVI. 218 FIFTH REPORT. []809. had no means of procuring the New Testament in then' own peculiar dialect, directed a number to be purcha- sed for their use; and have now the satisfaction to re- port, in the Avords of their Correspondent, that they were received by them with indescribable joy. It may also be proper to notice the safe arrival of the Bibles and Testaments sent by your Committee to Ste- niack in Nova Scotia for sale or distribution, as con- nected with the intelligence, that the recommendation of your Committee to form a Bible Society in that province has been adopted ; and that measures are now taking for carrying it into complete execution.* Your Committee will now advert to their proceedings within the United Kingdom. — Since the publication of their last Report, another very considerable edition of the Welsh Testament has been printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Several copies, both of the Bible and New Testament in English, have been sent to the Isle of Man, for sale at the reduced prices, in conformity to an application for them on these terms, for the accommodation of the poor in that Island. Donations of the Scriptures for the accommodation of persons of various descriptions within the United Kingdom, including Prisoners of War j and Convicts, as usual, have been very considerable this year. The Naval and Military Bible Society has been accommodated wdth copies of the Scriptures at the cost prices, to a very considerable amount, in the course of the year; and the Committee anticipate the satisfaction * Appendix, No. XVII. f Id. No. XVIII. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 219 which the Members of the Society will receive, at having had it ill their power to assist, in however humble a degree, so laudable an Institution. Large supplies have also been furnished, on similar terms, to the Hibernian Bible Society, the Cork Bible Society, and the V/igan Bible Society; the latter of which Institutions has been established for the purpose of distributing the Scriptures at reduced prices^ under the patronage of the Bishop of Chester. The Hibernian* and Cork| Bible Societies, mentioned above, have laid before your Committee copies of their several Reports, containing very pleasing intelligence of the progress already made by those Societies, and holding out a prospect of their increasing exertions and usefulness in that very interesting portion of the United Kingdom. The London Female Penitentiary and some Schools have received the assistance of the Society. Individuals have also been supplied with them at the cost or reduced prices for the purpose of charitable distri- bution. The accommodation of Prisons, Hospitals, and Work- houses, has engaged the particular attention of your Committee; and a Sub-Committee has been expressly appointed for collecting information respecting their wants, in order to enable your Committee to proportion the measure of supply. This arrangement has neces- sarily led to a Correspondence with the Sheriffs of the different Counties, and the Chaplains and Gaolers of various Prisons; and it will be satisfactory to the So- * Appendix, No. XIX» f Id. No. XX. 220 FIFTH REPORT. [1809.' ciety, to learn that the applications of the Sub-Com- mittee have received a gratifying attention from those to Avhom they were addressed. It is with sentiments of the sincerest satisfaction your Committee advert to an event, of which from the noto- riety given to it through the public Papers, the Mem- bers of the Society can scarcely be ignorant; your Committee allude to the formation of an Auxiliary Bible Society at Reading, in aid of the British and Fo- reic^n Bible Society. The zealous and effectual manner in which the Reading Bible Society has been consti- tuted, the distinguished patronage which it has obtained, (the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, one of your Vice Presidents, having accepted the Presidency of it ;) and finally, the liberality and union so unani- mously manifested in its support, entitle its Promoters and Contributors to the respect and gratitude of the Parent Institution. Intelligence has also been very recently received of another Auxiliary Institution having been formed at "Nottingham, under the designation of " the Bible So- ciety of Nottingham and its Vicinity." Your Committee are so deeply impressed with the advantage which must result to the interests and use- fulness of the British and Foreign Bible Society from such Establishments in aid of their Funds, that they earnestly recommend the Precedents furnished by *^ the Birmingham Association,'"*' " the Reading Auxiliary Bible Society,"! and '' the Bible Society of Nottingham and its Vicinity,";): (the several regulations of which will * Appendix, No. X^I. t Id. No. XXII. : Id. No XXIIL 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 221 be found in the Appendix to this Report,) to the con- sideration of such towns throughout the kingdom, as may be disposed to promote the object of their Institution. With respect to the Funds of the Society, your Com- mittee remark, with great pleasure, the accession which has been made to them in the course of the year by the great encrease of Annual Subscriptions, as well as by Legacies and Donations. — The several Congregations in the connexion of the late Rev. J. Wesley, are entitled to the acknowledgments of the Society, for various col- lections, amounting in the whole to 1,278/. iGi'. O^d. and presented, in their names, by the Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke. — The sum of 1,000/. three per cent. Consol. Ann. has been transferred into the names of the Trustees of the British and Foreign Bible Society, being a Do- nation from Mrs. Ann Scott, relict of the late Rev. Jonathan Scott, of Matlock. The transfer has been acknowledo;ed, and the thanks of the Societv have been communicated, by your Committee, to Mrs. Scott. Upwards of 700/. have been received from tlie Presbytery of Glasgow, through the hands of William Muir, Esq. being the first-fruits of a Collection made through that Presbytery. The Reading Auxiliary Bible Society (of which notice has been taken above) has this day presented to the British and Foreign Bible Society tlie fruits of its active zeal in a Donation of 582/. 9^. 11 d. A Society instituted at Greenock, under the denomi- nation of " the Greenock and Port Glasgow Society, " for the professed object of circulating the Holy Scrip- 222 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. *' tures in places where they are most wanted, and for ^' assisting other Societies who have the same views," has presented to the British and Foreign Bible Society a Donation of fifty guineas. A fourth Donation of 90 /. has been received from the Association established in London for aiding the funds of our Institution. The progressive encrease of the Annual Donations from this Association proves the steady and active zeal of its Members* A second Con- tribution amounting to upwards of 18/., has also been made by the Teachers and Children of the Holborn Sunday School, who have agreed to appropriate a small Weekly Donation in aid of the Funds of the Society. — And, lastly, your Committee have the pleasure to notice, that various Legacies have been bequeathed to the So- ciety in the course of the year; which, together with the other Donations from individuals, will, as usual, be enumerated in the Appendix. Your Committee have also the satisfaction to report the prospect of further additions to the funds of this Society, by the active zeal of its friends in Scotland. The Rev. the Presbytery of Glasgow, having had laid before them a statement of facts relative to the pro- ceedings of the British and Foreign Bible Society, after solemn deliberation, becoming the magnitude of the subject, unanimously appointed an annual Collection to be made at all the Churches and Chapels within their bounds, on or before the last Sabbath of July each year, till otherwise ordered. The Collection for this year has already commenced, and a considerable portion of it has been remitted, as noticed above. The Rev. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 223 Presbyteries of Paisley and of Ayr have also unani- mously appointed Collections to be made for the same object within the bounds of their respective jurisdictions. The Presbytery of Lanerk has also strongly recom- mended a Collection to be made by the Parishes within its bounds. Your Committee, while they mention, with the sin- cerest gratification, the liberality which has largely added to the funds of the Society, and the flattering prospect of future augmentation, are at the same time anxious to guard against an impression, that the resour- ces of the Society are more than adequate to its enlarged operations and encreasing exigences. They deem it their duty, therefore, cursorily to state, that a large pro- portion of the expense which must be incurred in pre- paring the various editions of the Scriptures, enumerated in the former part of this Report, cannot be re-imbursed ; that the completion of the engagements of your Com- mittee with India, from which no pecuniary return can be expected, will absorb a large sum for the three ensuing years ; that the annual loss on books supplied by the Society at reduced prices, which has been unavoidably encreased in consequence of the enhanced value of paper, cannot be estimated at less than 1 ,000 /. : and, lastly, that the demands upon the benevolence of the Society, for donations in money and books, both at home and abroad, are annually very considerable. Your Committee take the present opportunity of ob- serving, that, notwithstanding their invariable attention to give every degree of notoriety to the Institution of the £24 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. British and Foreign Bible Society, they have still reason to believe, that it is far from being so generally known^ as it ought to be ; and they therefore earnestly request the assistance of every Member of the Society, to se- cond their endeavours for making the establishment known in every part of the United Kingdom, as the most effectual means of procuring additional support to it. Your Committee have availed themselves of the privilege with which they are invested, of electing Ho- norary JNIembers and Governors for Life in the in- stances of Professor Bentley of Aberdeen, the Rev. T. Charles, B. A. of Bala, the Rev. Adam Clarke, LL.D., William Muir, Esq., Christopher Sundius, Esq., James Gisbert A'^andersmissen, Esq. of Altona, and the Rev. Dr. Hertzog, of Basle. The first of these has been appointed an Honorary Member; and the six last Honorary Governors for Life : and all have merited the distinction conferred upon them, by rendering, in their several departments, essential sevices to the So- ciety. Your Committee will now close the Report of their domestic occurrences, by mentioning that the liberality of individuals has made a very valuable addition to the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The donations of books have been thankfully acknow- ledged by your Committee, and will, as usual, be spe- cifically noticed in the Appendix to this Report. From the facts which have been stated, your Com- mittee feel themselves authorised to entertain a 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 225 pleasing confidence, that the liberal support which has enabled the British and Foreign Bible Society to make such extensive exertions, will still be continued. Every Annual Report of your Committee has hitherto amply verified the prospective intimations held out at the General ]\Ieetings, of the increasing utility of the Institution. Its example still continues to stimulate zeal, and to excite emulation ; and when the editions of the Scriptures, now in the press, shall be com- pleted, the British and Foreign Bible Society will be entitled to the credit of having, directly or mediately, produced, or assisted in producing, editions of the Bible, either in whole or in part, in not less than Seven- teen of the languages and dialects current in Europe. If to these be added the IMohawk version of the Gos- pel by St. John, the Kalmuc of the Gospel by St. IMatthew, and the Oriental Translations carrying on in Bengal, to promote which the Society has so largely contributed, the number will be Twenty-six. The field for exertion is still ample ; and your Com- mittee are persuaded, that the Society will not consider it exhausted, while the inhabitants of any part of the Globe, who are able to read " the things belonging to their peace," are in want of its assistance. The Gospel of Salvation was a free, unmerited boon to mankind ; let us therefore rejoice, that, under Pro- vidence, we are become the honoured instruments of its dispersion. It must be most gratifying to the JNIembers of the Society, to receive applications for its aid and support, dictated by a spirit of Christian con- fidence and unity, from their fellow-labourers in the 226 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. same cause, dispersed through various parts of the world : but it is still more gratifying to possess the dis- position to comply with them, and the means of indulg- ing that disposition to the most liberal extent. Let us therefore hope that neither will ever be wanting. Five years only have elapsed since the British and Foreign Bible Society was established ; and, during that period, the calamities of war, from which Providence has mercifully protected our Country, have been more or less felt in every kingdom of the Continent. But these calamities, even when they have operated vrith the greatest pressure, have not been able to extinguish that zeal, which your Society had either kindled, or promoted, for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures : insomuch that the institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society has become a central point of union for Individuals and Societies animated with the same spi- rit, however variously circumstanced, or widely dis- persed. Like a city set on a hill, it has become con- spicuous ; and the rays of light which have flowed from it, have been reflected with undiminished lustre. What success may attend the operations of the Bri- tish and Foreign Bibie Society, for improving the reli- gious and moral state of mankind, cannot be ascer- tained. But surely it may be permitted to hope, that the Blessing of God will not be wanting to an Institu- tion, which has for its single object to promote His glory by the circulation of the Floly Scriptures ; nor its endeavours in this line of duty be unattended with correspondent success. At present the Members of the Society may be allowed to enjoy tne gratification 1809.] FIITH REPORT. 227 of knowing, that it has been the instrument of ifommu- nicating the words of Eternal Life to cottages and pri- sons, to kindred and aliens, to the poor and the afflicted, in our own and Foreign Countries ; and that, through its means, the people which sat in darkness have seen a great light, and to them which sat in the shadow of death, light is sprung up. Many tracts are yet unexplored ; and it may be necessary to retrace some which have been already pursued: but, whatever the variety or extent of them may be, your Committee have the fullest reliance, that the zeal of the friends of Religion will supply means adequate to encreasing exigencies. Nor can any induce- ment be wanting to those who remember the words of the Prophet, peculiarly styled Evangelical: — " How " beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that " bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that " bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salva- '' tion, that saith unto Zion,— Thy God reigneth !" — Isaiah, lii. 7. p 2 APPENDIX TO THE FIFTH REPORT. No. I. A Letter from the Committee of the German Bible Society in Basle to the Foreign Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Dated Basle, October 17, 1808. (Translation.) Honored Brother, VVe hail the opportunity that now presents itself of addressing you in a letter, which we sincerely hope will not meet the fate of your's, which never came to hand. We beg leave to express once more our unfeigned thanks for the active assistance you have given to our plan of promoting a cheap and lasting circulation of the Holy Scriptures by standing types. May that God, whose glory is your aim, bless and reward you, and cause you to see an abundant harvest from this incorruptible seed of his word. We have unanimously resolved more fully to express our grateful emotions in an Address to your Society; but we must defer this to a more favorable opportunity, which we shall not fail to embrace, and to present you at the same time with the lirst fruits of our Institution. Will you have the goodness to communicate these sentiments to our generous benefactois, and to inform them, that the German Bible we have undertaken to print, will be com- pleted before the end of this year, and immediately circulated far and wide, accompanied with an account of our Institution, and a statement of our receipts and disbursements. It is now some moi\ths since the New Testament left the press, and met with the fullest approbation from those to whom we sent it. Of the Old Testament, only a few sheets remain. Had we been supplied with the types and paper at the time stipulated, the work would iiave been long since completed. We have taken particular pains to give to this sacred Volume all the neatness and correctness in our power; and this, we trust, will compensate to our friends for w aitmg so long. So many orders have already been received, that our first impression will almost immediately be disposed of; and we trust we shall soon be enabled, by the kind Providence of God, to proceed to a second and third edition. P3 230 FIFTH REPORT. [1809- It grieves us to observe, tijat no such general, disinterested, and active zeal displays itself in our parts as in jour's. Many, who set no bounds to their sensual gratifications, will plead poverty when solicited in behalf of so good a cause. The melancholy effects of this prevailing spirit of luxury aiiU ingratitude are every where visible. Still the Lord has, amongst ail ranks and conditions of people, his friends and servants. Some you meet, where you least expected them. Besides, he knows huw to accomplish his purposes by feeble instrumenis, which we have often had occasion to observe. We now subjoin two pleasing occurrences for the information of our friends. One is, that a company of active Christians in this city, have determined to print an edition of the New Testanient for the benefit of the mountaineers in \he Orisons, who have a language of their own. These poor people stood in great need of a Testament, as hardly any copy from the former edition could be procured, and that only at a very exorbitant rate. The new edition will be com- pleted at the beginning of next year, and either gratuitously distri- buted, or sold at a very cheap rate. The otlier is, that from the sale of a considerable number of French Bibits, which we disposed of very cheap to some truly excel- lent French Ministers in Languedoc, we have been enabled to pro- ceed to a new edition of the French Testament. At first we endeavoured to collect a safiicient sum of money for the printing of the whole French Bible ; but, as we could not succeed to the full extent of our wishes, we were obliged to confine ourselves to the New Testament. This we intend to dispose of at the lowest price, from whence we may hope for an extensive sale and circula- tion. We now conclude our letter, assuring you and your highly rsepected friends, that we shall most gladly join our hearts and hands with you and them in advancing the cause of our most blessed Lord and Saviour. And in these our efforts we simply look to his all-powerful assistance and blessing, without which, we are fully aware, our most strenuous efforts will prove insufficient. May his Holy Spirit lead and guide you in the paths of peace and righteousness, and may his grace be with you and us. We remain, with the most unfeigned respect for all the members of your So- ciety, your humble servants and grateful friends, HERTZOG, D.D. First Professor of Divinity in the University of Basle, MEVILLE, Head-master of the Grammar School, In the name of the German Bible Society in Busle. Postsci'ipt hy the Secretary. To render the work as correct as possible. Dr. Hertzog, a venerable old man of 82, has bestowed such unwearied attention. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 231 that he often discovered faults which had escaped the eyes of our younger lueuibers. No. II. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. J. J . Dated Berlin, June 29, 1S08. ** I FEEL a peculiar satisfaction in being able to inform you, that the prinling of the Boheniian Bible is completed. Last September 1,000 copies were delivered to me by our printer; the other 2,000 our Committee left with him until further orders. In October last, we sent 100 copies to different Bohejuian colonies in Silesia, and last Easter 300 more to Bohemia. One thousand copies have been written for by different Protestant Congregations in Bohemia, and we are only waiting for a direction, which way to send them." 2. Extract of a Letter from the same. Dated Berlin^ September 20, 1808. *' Last month I had the satisfaction of sending 1,51 6 copies of the Bohemian Bible to Bohemia. All these copies had been ordered by the Rev. Mr. Shikom, in the name and for the use of 33 Reformed Congregations in Bohemia. In addition to these, 400 copies have been ordered for the use of the Lutheran Congregations in the same kingdom. We have also sent 130 copies to some Bohemian seltlements in Silesia ; and thus we have already disposed of upwards of 2,000 copies. May the blessed Spirit of God glorify Christ in the hearts of hundreds and thousands by the reading of this sacred volume ! " It will give you additional satisfaction to hear, that very com- petent judges have expressed their decided approbation of the manner in which the Bohemian Bibie has been executed. ' 3. Extract of a Letter from the same. Dated Berlin, November 28, 1808. " Thanks and adoration be to the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, that he has so graciously directed the printing of the Bohemian Bible. It was only finished on Michaelmas 1807, and yet so anxiously has it been sought afler by the Bohemian and Silesian Pri)testa its, that above 2,600 c«»pies have already been either sold or gr2s. May all lands enjoy the blessings of the Gospel, and may the whole earth be filled with the knowledge and glory of God. With these fervent wishes we con- clude, and respectfully subscribe ourselves. The Committee of the Evangelical Society; and in their name G.-A. LEYONMARK, President, Knight of the Polar Star. Z. FUCKS, Secretary. No. V. iMter froyn Robert Ralston, Esq. to the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Dated Phiiadefphia, Dec. 13, 1808. Gentlemen, Imitating and desirous of following the example of the British and Foreign Bible Society established in Loudon, an institu- 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 237 tion has been formed in this city for similar pnrposes, denominated " The Bible Society/' Acting as a temporary Treasurer, (the permanent officers having not yet been chosen,) I am charged with making known the establishment here, and to transmit a copy of the Constitution adopted for the government of the Society. The countenance of your respectable body, and such pecuniary aid as may appear proper to furnish, will be most gratefully received, and, under the Divine Blessing, may be useful in encouraging this infant establishment, and in promoting the important object of circulating the Holy Scriptures. With the utmost deference and respect, I am, Gentlemen, Your very obedient Servant, ROBERT RALSTON, CONSTITUTION of the BIBLE SOCIETY Instituted in Philadelphia Dec. 12, 180S. The Subscribers having taken into consideration the inestimable value of the Revelation, Avhich it pleased God to make to our world, of His existence, character, will, works, and grace, in Jesus Christ, in the Bible, and of the great benefits to be expected from the distribution of it among persons who are unable, or not disposed, to purchase it, have agreed to form themselves into a Society for that purpose, to be called THE BIBLE SOCIETY, the constitution of which shall be as follows: — 1. The Bible selected for publication or distribution shall be without notes. Copies of it, in all the languages in which it is calculated to be useful, shall be distributed when deemed necessary. 2. Eacfi person who becomes a Member of the Society shall pay Five Dollars at the time of subscribing the Constitution, and Two Dollars every year afterwards. Persons who subscribe Fifty Dollars, or more, shall be Members during Life, without any further con- tribution. 3. The business of the Society shall be conducted by Twenty-four Managers, who shall, after the first election, be chosen annually, by ballot, by the Members present, on the first Monday in May ; and who shall, within three days afterwards, meet and choose a Pre- sident, Four Vice-Presidents, Two Secretaries, and a Treasurer, out of their own body. Seven of the Managers shall be a Board for ail transactions, except the appropriation of money above the sum of 500 dollars, when Thirteen shall be necessary to constitute a Board, They shall make Bye-Laws for the government of the Society, to correspond with other Bibles Societies, keep an Account of the Receipts and Disbursements of Money, and lay them annually before tht Public, with an account of the issue of their labors in the great object of the Society. 238 FIFTH REPORT. []809. 4. A Special Meeting shall be called, at any time, by the President, or by any three Managers, with the concurrence of the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents. 5. No alteration tc this Constitution shall be made without the concurrence of a majority of the Members met after due notifica- tion. Letter from the Rev. J. Owen to Robert Ralston^ Esq, Dated Fiilham, near London, Jan. 23, 1809- Dear Sir, I have great [)leasure in reporting to you the high satisfaction which the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society received from your communication, relative to the Bible Society recently formed at Pliiladelpliia, of which you are the Treasurer. The Committee considered tlie intelligence as announcing an event from wliich, through the Divine Blessing, the most auspicious con- sequences may be expected to result. Under this impression, they immediately voted the sum of 200/. in aid of your funds, and as a testimony of their readiness to afford you the desired encouragement witli the least possible delay. It was the unanimous disposition of the Committee to have manifested theit respect for your undertaking, by granting you a pecuniary supply upon a much larger scale; but they were restrained from indulging it, by the consideration of those limits which you appeared to have prescribed to the plan and designation of your Bible Society. Had it entered into your views to com- prehend as many provinces as could be brought to concur with you in one Institution, of which Philadelphia might be the centre, the Com'.iiittee would have regarded your plan as better adapted to the accomplishment of your object, and would gladly have extended to it a proportionate degree of pecuniary encouragement. As it is, they very cordially hail in its limited engagements the " day of small things," and confidently trust that you will be stimulated to give it as much enlargement as the local circumstances of your country will admit. Proceed, therefore, dear Sir, in giving to your infant Institution every possible degree of latitude and etficacy. Hold out the Scriptures, in their naked simplicity, as a rallying point to the several denominations of Christians in the American union; and reckon, in the prosecution of this glorious work, upon the blessing of God, the prayers of all good men, and the cordial co-operation of the British and Foreign Bible Society. I remain, dear Sir, Your's very faithfully, JOHN OWEN, Sec>. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 239: Extract from an Address of the Bible Society established at Phi'toe/p/tiat to (hi Amtricun Pub'ic. *' The Bible Society, established at Philadelphia, solicit the serious attention of the Christian public, to a short statement of the origin mnl design of their institution, &c. ** Its orjo-in is unquestionably to be attributed to the example offtrect, and the efforts made by *' The Britisi) and Foreign Bible Society," instituted in I.oik'oh about five years since. The plan of that Society, now that it is delinei'ted and carried into effect, is seen to be so important, so pr 'cticable, and productive of so much good, that we hardly know how to account for the fact, thut it was not sooner devised and executed. Centuries have elapsed since the revival of letters and the art of printing have rendered it an enter- prise less difficult than many wiiich have been achieved, to furnish Bibles in dll the languages, and to distribute fliem into all the parts of protestant Christendom. Yet, during that period, millions of those who hdve borne the christian name, have lived and died without a Bible, for the want of some such association as has lately been tormed in Britain. The example there set has already been followed in several countries of Europe, and we trust will soon be nniiated in various parts of these United States. From the time that it was known in this city, it attracted the marked attention of several persons accustomed to tiike an interest in whatever is calculated to extend the ii.fluence of revealed truth. It was immediately seen that the necessity for such an institution Vv-as the same here as in Europe, and that there was every reason to believe that if suitable exertions were njade, it could not fail of encouragement. The principal difficulty was to concert the most promising plvtn for rendering the conteniplated charity extensively useful. Two systems were deiiberiHely considered. One was to endeavour to form a large association, consisting of members selected from all the states in the American union, to raise a common fund, «nd to distribute Bibles in evei> part of our country. Tiie other was to establish a society, on a smaller scale, ni Philadelphia, the attention of which should be principally directed to the state to which the city belongs, and to those portions of the states of Jersey and Dela- ware which are contiguous to Pennsylvania. The latter system, on mature consideration, appeared, in every view, to claim the pre- ference ; audit has accordingly been adopted. A society for the whole of the United States seemed liable to almost insuperable objections. It was thought to be scarcely possible to form it in such a manner as not to occasion some dissatisfaction, even at the outset. It would be difficult and expensive for the members to attend the meetings. It would not be easy to agree on a place at which they should statedly convene, nor to distribute Bibles, with sufficient care, through so wide a region as the plan would require. It was believed, in a word, that such an institution would never be conducted with vigour, nor be likely to continue for a length of time. An institution with more confined views would be easy to ^40 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. manajje, and, within its proposed sphere, more efficient in its operations. It could more exactly ascertain where the supplies of the Word of Life were needed, and could furnibh them with greater speed and certainty. But the most powerful inducement of all to tlie preference given, was the confident hope, that similar institu- tions would be established in a number of other places in the United Slates, which, by acting with spirit and unanimity, each in a narrower compass, would ultimately produce a much greater amount of be- nefit, than if a general Society should be organized for the country at large. If as many Bible Societies should be instituted as there are states in the union, the number probably would not be too larije ; and we cannot but think that they would contribute essen-- tiaily, both to the glory and the safety of the American confederacy. It is our opinion, however, that the boundaries of states ought not to be scrupulously regarded in the formation of these establishments. There are many and obvious advantages resulting from their existing in large towns or cities; from which, as from a centre, the circum- jacent regions, intimately known, because constantly traversed on errands of business and commerce, can be easily and effectually fur- nished with the requisite supply of the Sacred Volume. We shall venture then to say, (confiding that the suggestion will be received whh the fraternal spirit with which we are conscious it is offered) that we hope the time is not distant, \\hen we shall see institutions similar to our own, in the town of Boston, and in the cities of New Haven, New York, Baltimore, Richmond, Charleston, and Savan- nah, and in the town of Lexington, in the state of Kentucky. To these places it is our intention that this address shall be immediately forwarded; and let it be distinctly understood, that it is with the jnost earnest desire that our christian brethren there may be sharers with us in the good work in which we have engaged ; that we cor- dially invite them to co-operate in it; and that we will esteem it a favour to maintain a friendly correspondence with them, and to unite our counsels and our endeavours with theirs. Nor let it be supposed that in specifying the cities and towns which have been named, we have any intention to intimate, that there may not be other places equally suitable for ilie establishments in question. Of this their own citizens will judge, and we will at all tunes be ready cordially to greet as a sister institution every Bible Society, in what- ever place, or part of our country, it shall aupear.* The desipi of our Society has been partially explained hi stating its origin. We farther remark more particularly, that it is a funda- mental article of our constitution, that all the copies of the Bible which we distribute shall be separated from all notes and commen- taries whatsoever, and, except the contents of the chapters, shall contain nothing but the sacred text. It is therefore manifestly a * Perhaps it will be found expedient in soine cases tliat a number of branch societies, in several parts of a state or region of countr^)-, sliould be formed and connected with a principal one, where the funds may be deposited and the Bibks purchased. 1809. J FIFTH REPORT. 241 design in which all denominations of christians, without exception, may unite. They all profess to derive their creeds and sentiments from the Sacred Writings. They all profess to believe that those writings contain the fountain of life, which, of course, they are equally bound to open, to those who may be perishing, under mala- dies wiiich nothing else can relieve. " It is the design of the Society, moreover, to endeavour, within its prescribed bounds, to distribute the Bible in the native speech of all who shall be disposed to read it, so that, if possible, it may not remain a sealed book to any who desire to understand its contents. The English and German languages are the most generally used in Pennsylvania and its neighbouring states, and arrangements have already been made to obtain a large number of Bibles in each of these tongues. It is known likewise, that Bibles in Welsh and in French will be in demand, and it will be our endeavour that they shall not long be demanded in vain. " It is also the intention of the Society to offer the Bibles which they disperse, as the sacred treasure which they contain is offered, ** without money and without price.'' No worldly gain, either direct or consequential, is to accrue to the individuals of the Society from any of its transactions. Every member at present, not only pays his contribution, but renders every service he performs without prospect or expectation of pecuniary emolument ; and whenever it shall become necessary to indemnify any individual for the time and labour he may devote to the service of the Institution, or to take any measures calculated ultimately to benefit the funds, the mana- gers pledge themselves that the most rigid principles of economy shall direct their proceedings. *' It was the discriminating character of the gospel at its first pub- lication, that it was preached to the poor ; and it is to the poor chiefly that we have it in expectation to send the inspired and au- thentic records of that gospel — To present to them in the sacred pages, the offer of ** the pearl of great price ;" of which, however they may have slightly heard, many of them will never be able to read, if a Bible be not given them — To enable them to see for them- selves the provision made by the Father of mercies, to sustain them under the privations and sufferings of time, by the hope of happi- ness in eternity. •' While the poor, generally, will thus claim the peculiar notice of the Society, a still more special regard may be shown to those who suffer from confinement or from crime, as well as from poverty. We cannot express it without emotion, that we hope the time is at hand when the beams of the Sun of righteousness, reflected from the Holy Scripture, will penetrate and cheer the gloom of every prison in the state of Pennsylvania. The system of penal law, at present existing in this state, contemplates the reformation of cri- minals, as a part of the design of their punishment. And how is reformation to be produced or expected, without the influence of inspired truth ! But beside criminals, there are in places of con- finement, in poor-houses, and in hospitals, a large number by whom Q ^4^ FIFTH REPORT. [ISOP- the gift of a Bible will be estimated highly ; — not a few, we trust, contemplated in the memorable and aifecting declaration of our common Lord : ** I was sick and in prison and ye came unto me/^ To accommodate the aged and infirm of this description, Bibles printed with a large type and on good paper will be procured for their special use. '• The Society do not propose, however, to restrict themselves so rigorously in the gift of the Holy Scriptures, as never to offer to an individual able to purchase for himself. There are many families in which a Bible is not to be found, the heads of which might probably, without any great inconvenience, give for the book the price at which it is sokl ; and yet, partly through poverty, and principally through indifference, this possession, so necessary to every family, and so inexpressibly important to youth, never makes a part of their property. Families thus circumstanced, the Society will consider and relieve. They will even enquire afier them, in hope that they may not only supply the wants that shall appear, but may also remind the careless of neglected duty, and thus prompt them to reformation. *' The soldiers and sailors of our country would, we are persuaded, often prize the gift of a Bible, and find in it the best support and solace of their hazardous and laborious occupations. To them therefore we propose, so far as our means may permit, to present this uivaluable article of equipment. " On the frontiers of our country, where books of every kind are scarce, and where religious knowledge and instruction, in any form of communication, are scantily imparted, there will be a wide field, in which to scatter this precious seed of eternal truth and life. Under the auspices of several religious denominations^ the civilizing and christianizing of the Indians is at present going forward, with the fairest prospects of success. It will be with us a favourite object to furnish, to the extent of our ability, those copies of the Sacred Scriptures, which will doubtless be in demand in the progress of this interesting work. Nor will the poor Africans, not only of Penn- sylvania but of some other states, fail to share in our special regard. " It is, indeed, not easy to foresee all the cases which may occur to demand the attention of the Society. As they arise, they will be distinctly considered, and the general rule of proceeding will be, -—wherever the Bible ought to be possessed, and cannot or will not otherwise be obtained, there to bestow it freely. MANAGERS of the PHILADELPHIA BIBLE SOCIETY Rev. Thomas Ware Right Rev. William White Rev. Dr. F. H. C. Helmuth Rev. Dr. Ashbel Green Rev. Dr. Joseph Pilmore Rev. Dr. William Staughton Ptev. Dr. James Gray Pvev. Archibald Alexander Rev. Philip R. Mayer Rev. Samuel Helfiensteiu Rev. Joseph Zesline Rev. Jacob J. Janeway Dr. Benjamin Rush Mr. Edward Pennington 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 243 Mr. Peter Vampelt Mr. Robert Ralston Mr. George Krebs Mr. Laurence Seckel Mr. William Shufflebottoni Mr. Thomas AUibone Mr. Francis Markoe Mr. Frederick Sherickle Mr. Thomas Montgomery Mr. Benjamin B. Hopkins No. VI. N, B. As the following Letter bears testimony to the accuracy of the Society's Edition of the Gaelic Bible, it has been Judged proper to insert it in this place. Letter from the Rev. Dr. John Stuart, one of the Translators of the Bible into the Gaelic. Dated Luss, April 1 4, 1 809. Rev. Sir, I BEG you will acquaint the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, how sensible I am of the honour they have done me by the notice they have been pleased to take of the labour I have had in translating a great part of the Bible into the Gaelic language, and I request that they will accept my best thanks for the seven copies of their neat edition of the Gaelic Bible, which they were so good as to send me. I am glad to see that, so far as I can judge from the parts of it which I have as yet perused, it is more accurately printed than I could have supposed, considering all the difficulties which the Gentleman who superintended the press had to struggle with. That the very zealous and laudable exertions of the British and Foreign Bible Society may meet with all the desired success in pro- moting, at home as well as abroad, the great object they have in view, is the sincere prayer and wish of. Rev. Sir, Your most obliged and most humble Servant, Rev. J. Hughes. JOHN STUART. No. VII. Extract of a Letter from Calcutta, Dated April 28, 1808. My dear Sir, On the 1st instant, in answer to your letter of the l^th June, 1807, 1 informed you of the state of the funds for Oriental Trans= lations, and of the proposed application of them to printing editions of the Gospels in Malayalim, Chinese, Persian, and Hindoostanee ; Q 2 244 FIFTH REPORT. [1809- and to three editions of the Scriptures by the Missionaries at Serampore, in Bengalee, Mabratta, and Shanscrit. When the proposals for translations into fifteen languages was first circulated, the labourers were few in number, and confined to one small Society. They are now spread over all India; and Translations are proceeding with good effect under the management of able scho- lars who are duly qualified for the work. At Danapore the learned and indefatigable Mr Henry Martyn, with his coadjutors Sabat from Arabia, and Mirza from Lucknow, are competent to furnish correct editions of the Scriptures in Hin- doostanee, Persian, and Arabic. The Malayalim, Cingalese, Malay, and Telinga, in Malabar, Ceylon, and the Coast, will be ably conducted ; and the Missionaries at Serampore are qualified to proceed with Bengalee, Mahratta, Shanscrit, Burnian, Chinese, and perhaps some other dialects of India. It is probable in a year or two there will be found competent Translators into every Oriental tongue. This happy beginning could not have advanced beyond the threshold, without the fostering care of the British and Foreign Bible Society, whose most seasonable supplies animated the hopes and endeavours of all concerned in this desirable undertaking. I enclose an Estimate for printing part of the Scriptures, from which you will be able to form a judgment of the expence of complete editions. Without further aid you will perceive the point where we must stop. We trust, however, the Society will be induced to make annual provision for carrying forward approved translations. Before an answer can be received to this letter, the present funds will be entirely expended. Our hope is that you will anticipate our wants, by ordering a further sum for the ensuing year. You will wish to know what advances have been made in the Chinese language. I enclose a copy of the last Examination, which attracted the attention of Lord Minto, who noticed it in his College Speech. You will find it in the book which accompanies this letter. I also send the first sheet that has passed through the Chinese Press. It is printed in the same manner as the works of Confucius. The chintz pattern makers cut the characters with expedition and accuracy, and at a small expence. From these stereo-blocks, thousands of impressions may be thrown off at a trifling cost. As the works advance, I shall forward to you copies. I am, my dear Sir, most truly your's. Rev, John Owen, SfC, D. BROWN. P.S. I must not omit to acknowledge the receipt of a box of the Society's Annual Reports. As they are calculated to impress the minds of all serious persons with a sense of the importance of the British and Foreign Bible Society, above every other attempt that 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 245 has yet been made for the peaceable diffusion of Christian light by means the most mild and unexceptionable, I have endeavoured to circulate them throughout India. I have sent some to all the stations under this Presidency, and to Madras, Ceylon, Travancore, and Bombay ; and 1 hope they will be extensively useful, in conciliating candid minds to the benevolent purpose of spreading Christianity in the earth. ^ D. BROWN. Extract of another Letter from the same. " It remains that I notice the supply of 300 English Bibles, and 1,000 English Testaments, ordered by the resolution of the 15th June, 1 807. This most needful supply will be disposed of by the Committee in a way that will meet the wishes of the Society. Several of the Chaplains have expended large sums from their private incomes to supply their people's need. The Bibles and Testaments will be distributed among them ; and as the people are willing to pay a moderate price, the sums received shall be accounted for to the Society. I conclude with expressing our most grateful thanks. May that God, whose word you honor, and who has put it into your hearts to send it forth into all lands, bless and prosper your Society, and make it the joy of the whole earth. I am, iiiy dear Sir, most truly your's, ^ D. BROWN. " No. VIII. Extract of a Letter from a Clergyman at Plymouth. Dated Septembers, 1808. I WAS much pleased this morning with the receipt of your favor, inasmuch as it brought with it the approbation of the Committee on my distribution of the Spanish Testaments among the crew of the frigate. I have never felt a glow of more pleasing satisfaction than in this service. There needed not my visiting the ship in order to disperse the Testaments properly, for my house hath been surrounded with applications from the men themselves, and I suppose not less than three hundred of them have been at my door upon the occasion. Very providentially for the purpose, an interpreter, who resides in Plymouth, I met with in the early stage of the arrival of the frigate. He undertook to see the Commander of the ship, and brought with him the Priest of the ship, who came to my house, accompanied with several of the officers. Trom the liberality of this man, the ship's company were not only permitted to accept of the Testaments, but he accepted two copies himself in their presence, and recommended the perusal to the men ; and the earnestness with which they seek them ; the pleasure, expressed in their counte- Q 3 246 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. nances when given to them; and the immediate use made of them, in literally reading them as they pass the streets; is astonishing! The greater part kiss the book on receiving it, and clasp it to their bosom ; and man>, before 1 was aware of it, caught my hand in the act of giving it out, and kissed it also ; even the Priest, who is a venerable looking man, did the same by me; and, last Lord's Day, he attended my Church in company with the interpreter ; and, as the interpreter informed me afterwards, could not sufficiently express his astonishment at the solemnity of our service. He was pleased to say, he had never seen such devotion before, and said that the first Sermon he should deliver to his people should be on the order and piety of the Euglish in their worship. The interpreter, whose name is Moron, hath several times wept in beholding the earnestness of the people for having the Word of God. Many begged copies for their friends at home. No. IX. From the Rev. Dr. Werninck, Minister of the Danish Church, Dated Kew, July 29, 1S08. Dear Sir, Having been informed that the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety supplies the French and Spanish Prisoners of War with Bibles and Testaments, I beg leave to solicit, that you will be so kind as to mention to the Committee, that there are at present about 300 Dutch Prisoners, who are likely to remain for some time in this country, as the Dutch Government refuses any exchange. Those that were confined in England before, I supplied as much as I could with Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, ^c. which I suppose they took with them, when sent to their country. At present, having^ neither Bibles, nor money to spare for the purchase of them, I should be very happy, if I could obtain some assistance from your laudable Society. A tolerable good edition of a Bible and Testament may cost between four and five shillhigs, and I suppose at present we could try to get some from Holland. However, if the funds of the Society would allow, and the Committee could resolve, to cause a Dutch Bible to be printed here, a considerable number of copies could be struck, and in that case even the Dutch Settlements and Colonies could be supplied, where I think they will be in great want of them, on account of the intercourse with the mother country being at present entirely cnt off. I have already been applied to by Government to get some Dutch Clergymen for the Cape and Surinam, whom I am now endeavouring to obtain from Holland. Knowing your zeal to promote the knowledge of the Bible, I am 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 047 certain you will excuse the trouble I give you ; and wishing succej;* and prosperity to the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1 am, with the greatest regard. Dear Sir, Your most obedient, humble Servant, J. WERNINCK, To the Rev. Mr, Steinkopff. No. X. From the Rev. U.F. Rosi?i^, Minister of the Danish Church. Dated Nov. 17, 180 S. Sir, From the interview with which you honored me lately, you will know before hand what is the intention of these lines. I mentioned to you then, that a great number of my countrymen are prisoners of war in this country, and that I was desirous to apply to the British and Foreign Bible Society for the purpose of obtaining some Bibles in the Danish language for their use. Indeed, if the gift of the Bible be a valuable thing to every person, it must be peculiarly so to the man who is confined within the narrow walls of a prison. Without employment, with his time hanging heavy, and misery pressing hard upon him, he will naturally be excited to receive the instruction, to seek the comfort, and to follow the advice of reli- gion, in proportion as he feels himself in want of her aid, and dis- covers in her his only resource and refuge. I therelore thankfully avail myself of your kind offer to bring this matter before the Com- mittee of the Society on an early opportunity; and from the great liberality and indefatigable zeal with which the Society, from the first moment of its existence, have promoted among the classes of the poor the circulation of the sacred Scripture in every country and in every language, I am convinced that the situation of my unfortu- nate countrymen will sliare an equal portion of their kind and gene- rous attention. The following circumstances in particular, I beg leave, relative to this subject, to submit to your consideration. The number of Danish prisoners at present in this country amount nearly to three thousand, according to the last reports received by the Transport Office. There are, namely. At Chatham 1389 Plymouth 94-4 Greenlaw, near Edinburgh • • 303 Portsmouth 1/6 Making a total of 2782 persons. Q 4 24S FIFTH KEPOKT. [1809. How far the whole of them are provided with, or destitute of Bibles, I cannot say with certainty. Only respecting those at Chatham I can speak positively, having for a short period past had permission of Government to see them sometimes, and perform divine service to them. With them I have seen no more than two Bibles, which to the best of my knowledge are the only ones to be met with among a number of more than thirteen hundred persons. Such in all proba- bihty the situation of the rest will also be found. If therefore, through the generous efforts of your Society, Bibles could be pro- cured for them, an actual want will unquestionably be supplied, and they will have to thank the Society for comfort and blessings which they would not have derived from any other source. A ques- tion fraught with difhculty is, in what manner can Danish Bibles be procured here. Unfortunately, the communicatiou with Denmark is so entirely suspended, that there is no possibility of getting any from thence. The only way therefore would be to have a number printed either here, or, as you hinted, in Sv.eden. Respecting the latter, permit me to observe, that, in this instance, the sooner the good can be done, the more good will be done, and that printing Danish in another country, unless it could be done under the inspection of a Dane, nmst naturally subject the performance to great incorrectness. I otfer this however with great deference, far from wishing to interfere with your riper judgment. I am sensibly aware, that notwithstanding the great hopes which the known liberality and zeal of the Society may justify, the printing of the whole Bible for this purpose in the Danish language, is far more than could reasonably be expected ; but any part of the Scripture, however small, to which the Society may iind it necessary to confine themselves, were it even a single chapter, cannot fail to meet with a grateful acceptance, and prove highly beneficial; and if possibly the whole of the New Testament could he embraced, that would cer- tainly be the utmost extent to which my hopes could go. One cir- cumstance more, permit me. Sir, to add in regard to the type. Danish books are generally printed in the Gothic or German character, and that is the only one to which the commen people in my country are accustomed. If therefore the Society should be induced generously to resolve on the printing of any part of the Bible for the use of the Danish prisoners, it would iufinitely add to the utility ofthis valuable gift, if it could be executed in that character. Some of the prisoners mdeed can read the Roman type with tolerable ease, and all of them could learn it without very much difficulty. But I need not observe to you, Sir, what is the general character of men in this respect ; you are no doubt equally conviiiced with myself, that a Bible in the Roman type would with a great pro- portion of the prisoners prove a dead treasure, only because it gave them some difficulty to read it. In case the Society should come to any favourable resolution on this subject, and any exertion of nmu*, by correcting the proofs or otherwise, could in any manner faciUtate the execution of this benevolent and pious plan, give me 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 249 leave to assure you, Sir. that I shall consider it an imperious duty imposed upon me joytully and thankfully to contribute my labour. I have the honour to remain, with great regard. Sir, your very humble and obedient Servant, U. F. ROSING, Pastor of the Danish Church in Wellclose Square. To the Rev. Mr. Steinkopff. No. XI. The following Papers will throw some light upon the measure of pfinting the Modern Greek Testament as adopted hy the Committee. 1, Memorandum from Dr. Adam Clarke. 1. Dr. C. thinks that it is not likely the projected edition would be generally if at all received by the modern Greeks. 2. If printed, he thinks a new version should be formed for the purpose, as that already edited is allowed to be too barbarous, many words being merely Turkish in Greek letters. Mr. Usko might not only be consulted, but employed on this work. 3. If any of the editions of the Keo-Gieek versions already published, should be chosen as the foundation of the projected edition, he recommends that printed at Halle in 1710 in preference to the Dutch edition of l638, and to the London edition of 1703, which he believes was published at the expense of the London Society, for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts. 4. He thinks that, if printed, it should be accompanied with the original Greek Text in a collateral coluii.n, and that this Text should be taken from Dr. MilFs original edition, or Kuster's editioai of the same work, as both of these contain a Standard Greek Text. 5. He thinks it would be useless to send such an edition to Greece or to any of the islands, unless some person can be found in those places who will distribute them in the most zealous and affectionate manner; and he thinks no person who is unacquainted with the language, and who has not from some official situation considerable influence among that people, would be proper for the purpose. 6- The four preceding points being properly considered, Adam Clarke is disposed to wave his objections, and agrees to make a trial, though he has no sangunie hopes of success ; but he prays God that the success of the trial may prove that he was mistaken. Dec. 12, 1808. - "' - A. CLARKE. 250 FIFTH REPORT. [ISO^. 2. Remarks upon Dr. Adam Clarke's Memorandum^ hy the Rev, J. F. Usko. John Frederic Usko takes the liberty to make some humble observations upon the question of printing a Neo-Greek Version of the New Testament. 1. The modern Greeks having once changed the ancient language of their ancestors into a new one, as the Italians the Latin, they make use of the modern or new language in all transactions of business, in conversation as well as in carrying on their correspondence ; and although they employ the ancient in their churches for the Divine Service, as the Roman church the Latin, yet do they preach in the vulgar tongue. Even their patriarch and the bishops, when they address the people in the church, do it always in the new language, as I had myself many opportunities of observing. Besides, they have several translations made of European books into their new tongue, as Metastasio, Rollin's Ancient History, Telema- chus, Cornelius Nepos, an Extract of Cook's Voyages, &c. and a great many publications in prose and poetry of their own compo- sition, which they sell in public shops, and they read them with a visible pleasure and fondness, (though not universally,) because they understand the language wherein those books are written. On the contrary, they do not like the ancient Greek authors, because they are unable to understand them: it requires study and application; and their method in school is perhaps the worst, and the most absurd, that ever was adopted ; viz. to teazc their pupils with learning Lascar's Greek Grammar of the ancient language, without reading and explaining the ancient authors ; so that after having spent the years of their school education in dry grammatical and unprofitable application, they are as ignorant as those who never learnt the grammar. Why should, tlierefore, the Greek nation be averse lo receive the New Testament translated into their own native language, which is the easiest and the most intelligible to them ? We need only read the preface to the translation of the same by Maximus the Gallio- politan in the year l638, who treats the subject at length in a very sensible manner. I apprehend becoming tedious, if I should say more on the subject. 2. I wish myself, that a new version might be formed, and, if possible, by a skilful and learned Greek priest at Constantinople, with the agreement and concurrence of the Greek patriarch, and under his direction. The proposal of such a translation has never been made to my knowledge ; and a trial of it is extremely desirable, if the unfortunate situation of the Continent with respect to this happy country (I mean England) allowed such trial by correspon- dence. Had the English their ambassador at Constantinople, nothing would be easier and more practicable. However, I find the Translation by Maximus, (the above- mentioned), and which is the only one I know, not only a very good one, but without the fault of Turkish words in Greek letters, except 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 251 some very few which are now introduced in the modern Greek, as many French words in English. But no})ody complains of the corruption of the English language on account of it. In re-printing this edition of the New Testament, those Turkish expressions may be easily replaced by true Greek words, though they are not used now any more than Old English words. 3. I never had any opportunity of seeing the edition of the New Testament in modern Greek, printed at Halle in 1710, and I cannot, therefore, form any idea of it. If Dr. Clarke, or any body else who is in possession of it, would do me the kindness to let me see that edition, I might then be enabled to make a fair comparison between it and that by Maximus in l638. The other edition, printed in London in 1703, is nothing else but a copy of that of l638. 4. John F. Usko is also of opinion, that the Translation should be accompanied with the Original Text in collateral columns, as Dr. Clarke proposes it. 5. For the distribution of such an edition in Greece and the islands, it would be necessary to have zealous and affectionate persons, who are very rare in those parts, on account of the un- fortunate dissention that prevails between the Greeks and the Roman Catholics. I know an anecdote, even of an Englishman, who was to distribute the New Testament in Arabic, and who, for want of zeal, neglected that sacred trust. If the English Consuls and Merchants who are established in the Levant, would perform it as good Christians, the business would be easy and successful. However, the trial ought to be made, though nobody can foresee how it will fall out. Homo proponit, Dens desponit. Dec. 17, 1808. JOHN FRED. USKO. 3. Extract of a Letter from a learned Native of Greece. Dated Paris, November 19, 1808. (Translation.) I FEEL very sensibly the interest which your Bible Society takes in my nation, and the honor which it has done me, in particular, in choosing me as the organ of that generous kindness which it desires to confer upon my country. In order to make a proper return for sentiments so liberal, I feel myself bound. Sir, to communicate to you frankly my private opinion upon the business on which you consult me, and the meafts which appear to me best calculated to render the execution of the Society's design equally honorable to itself, and advantageous to my nation. There exists a version of the New Testament in Modern Greek, first printed in Holland (in l638) and afterwards re-printed with correctness at London in 1703. All that is necessary, is to revise this version, correct it afresh, and give a third edition of it. There remains, therefore, for consideration, the Old Testament, 2o£ FIFTH REPORT. [1809* It is pretended that there exists a version of this also in Modern Greek; but as all those who have spoken of this version have only quoted it upon the credit of Richard Simon (in his Critical History of the Versions of the Old Testament), I think there is room for doubting the fact : and, that in this state of doubt, we ought the rather to undertake the translation of this book, inasmuch as, should the abovementioned version really exist, the revision and correction of it would cost more trouble than a new translation : since it is pretended to have been printed at Constantinople in the sixteenth century. Since that time our language has experienced many changes and improvements. The question now is, in what sense your Bible Society would be understood when it speaks of a Translation. Does it wish that such translation should be made from the Greek versions of the Septuagint? I should think not; at least, if such were its wish, I should beg leave to be of a different opinion. The actual state of knowledge (which is also beginning to penetrate into Greece) would not justify the measure or adopting the version of the Septuagint as a standard text, though in otlier respects it may, and ought to be made use of as a mean of facilitating a new version. Since thus, there remains only the Hebrew from which a version should be made in Modern Greek, it follows, that the future trans- lator ought to possess the Hebrew language, besides that of the Ancient and Modern Greek. But among us. Sir, who are only beginning our new career, there are very few Hebrew scholars. To begin with myself (for I have paid some attention to the Hebrew) tliey are too slightly acquainted with this language to undertake such a translation. I see but one way of getting the design of the Society executed, and that would be to send over to you two young Greeks selected from students of humble circumstances, who, in addition to their natural language, possess also that of their ancestors. These students are to employ themselves principally in the Hebrew, and other Oriental languages, which facilitate the understanding of the Hebrew, without, however, neglecting other sciences, particularly so much natural history as is necessary (or at least useful) for under- standing the biblical animals and plants. The subsistence of these young men, and every thhjg necessary for tlieir studies during their residence with you, will be at the expense of the Bible Society. They shall, moreover, engage to make the translation under your eye. I have recommended students of humble circumstances, because young men of fortune, or even those above want, would not be very easily induced to go and study Hebrew among you. There is only one objection to be made to a version from the Hebrew itself, and that is, the veneration which our nation enter- tains for that of the Septuagint; but besiJes that this prejudice is growing weaker and weaker in proportion as we are becoming enlightened, it would be easy to prevent these alarms in feeble minds, by inserting at the bottom of the page, in the form of varia- 1809.] FIFTH REPORT, Q53 tions, all the passages in which the version of the Septuagint departs from the original, and by consequence from the New Greek version. Thus, Sir, I have given you what I had to offer upon the pro- posed undertaking of your Bible Society. I request you to commu- nicate to the members of it the plan which I recommend : if they should consider it, as I think they will, worthy of them, you will have the politeness to inform me of their determination, in order that I may employ myself in looking out for proper persons to be entrusted with this honourable employment. * , * * * * * * P.S. Before I had folded up this letter, it entered into my mind to sound the inclination of one of my fellow countrymen, who is now pursuing his studies in this capital ; and I have found him very well disposed to go over to you. He possesses all the qualities requisite for such an undertaking. He is thirty-two years of age, a deacon of the Greek church, and understands perfectly both the ancient Greek and that which we now speak. I can assure you of all his good qualities, and what is more, I can answer for his moral character. It would be difficult to find a person better qualified for the translation which you desire. To the zeal which he has for his country, he unites an ardent desire for instruction : a proof of the latter is the victory which he has gained over poverty by his perseverance in struggling against it from his earliest infancy to the age at which he is now arrived, choosing rather to come among us at this age, than to be deprived of the information of the present times, (o^i[ji,otBvi<; fjLciX'hov eliicti vj a,[AOi,^viq).* Waiting your answer, I shall make it my business to look out for a second translator. It rests, however, with you, either to employ two, or to content yourselves with only one. My object in proposing two was to ensure the execution of your projected under- taking in the event of death, or any other casualty depriving you of the assistance of one. Whatever may be your determination upon the subject, I request you to acknowledge the receipt of my letter. No. XII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. G. Brunmark, Choplain to the Swedish Embassy at the Court of St, James's. Dated November 18, 1808. Dear Sir, The other day, when I had the honour to attend the Bible Gommittee, I mentioned to you, that it was my opinion that the Lapland language is, with little or no variation, retained the same * Willing *' to learn late rather than never." . 254 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. in Norway and Russia as in Sweden ; and I now beg leave to state some reasons for this opinion. These tribes of people border close upon one another ; and although they live under diiferent governments, they frequently come within the boundaries of their neighbours; and it is for this reason, probably, that the Neudama Laplanders pay tribute bolh to Norway and Russia, though they are subject to the former. From this circumstance, and from the mutual trade (in hides, &c.) which they carry on, I conclude that these two tribes understand one another ; and as a proof that the Swedish and Norwegian Laplanders do the same, it might be alledged, that travellers, going to the North Cape, use guides and interpreters of the former tribe, through all Norwegian Lapland. Furthermore, the Swedish and Norwegian Laplanders intermarry, which I should even suppose they both do with the Russians, at least among such of them as are Chris- tians. But besides all this, the Lapland language, as it now is, has undergone none of those changes, which emigration and refine- ment, &c. produce. And for these reasons I think, that the great essential good, that the Bible Society means to do to the Swedish Laplanders, will be beneficial to the other tribes also ; and I trust, with the blessing of God, it will be the means in time of bringing these latter universally to the knowledge of Him who died for us all. Thanks to the care of an enlightened government and zealous individuals, the Swedish Laplanders (by far the most numerous) ranks the highest even in this essential point. The Rev. C.F. Steinkopff. No. XIII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. F. S. Huher. Dated Catha- rinenstadt, Jan. 4, 1S08 ; addressed to Messrs. Van der Smissen, in A It ana. " The Bibles and Testaments, which were sent by the English Bible Society as a present to tlie German colonies near the Wolga, are safelv arrived, and have been distributed amongst a number of poor people, by whom they were received with great joy and grati- tude. To the' distribution of them in four parishes I can speak myself, as I was employed as the honored instrument of giving away U4 copies. These four Protestant parishes embrace no less than thirty-two villages, which are greatly dispersed, and at a very considerajile distance from each other. But 1 made it a point to go to them all. Immediately after my arrival at a v>llage, I assembled 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. Q55 the elders, and the schoolmaster of the congregation ; requested them to select the poorest young people who could read, and yet were entirely destitute of a Bible and the means of procuriiig one ; and gave them a short address, in which I endeavoured to impress their minds with the inestimable value of the Holy Scriptures; (if it happened to be a Sunday, I preached in their church ;) I then told them of the generous gift of the English Bible Society, and called upon the rich to assist me by their contributions, that these Bibles might be given to the young people free from any expense of con- veyance ; or, if I could not succeed in this way, I went round in the village from house to house, begging as much as I wanted. The many thousand (English) miles which the Bibles and Testaments had to travel, before they could reach us, made them come to about 20 copicks a Testament, and a ruble (about 2s. 3d.) a Bible ; and exactly thus much I collected amongst the congregations them- selves, that they might be gratuitously distributed among their most necessitous members. My journey was attended with trouble and expense; but I felt myself amply repaid by the joyful sight I witnessed, and by the many tears of gratitude which I saw flow. Indeed, when I heard many an honest, godly man pronounce his blessing upon the remote benefactors, I felt so delighted that I could have gladly made again this troublesome tour. Some very worthy people came on purpose to express to me their feelings on the occasion : *' Pray (said they) do not forget to return our most " respectful thanks to this excellent Society ; and tell them, that " we feel quite constrained to implore a particular blessing on such ** active friends of Christ." On the title-page of each Bible I made this inscription : — " This Bible is the precious Gift of the English Bible Society; "' never to be sold, but to be made a good use of. — The '^ Clergyman will not fail to make his enquiries hereafter." No. XIV. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. J. M'Gregor, Dated Pictou, Nova Scotia, December 4, 1 807- " Dear Sir, " By the Reports of the British and Foreign Bible Society, I see, among their good endeavours, their exertions in favour of my countrymen in the Highlands of Scotland. Of these, many thou- sands, both Protestants and Catholics, have emigrated, both for- merly and of late, into these parts of America. This district, situated about 100 miles north-east of Halifax, contains 600 or 700 families of them, of which the majority are Protestants. Among 2,56 . FIFTH REPORT. [1809- these I have ministered in the Gospel above twenty years, in their mother tongue ; and for twelve years another minister has served in my ueighboiirhood in the s<>me language. There are also many Highlanders in Prince Edward's Island (formerly St. John's), and Cape Breton; in the former they make by far the majority of the inhabitants. There is scarcely a corner of this province in which they are not to be found. The Catholics, in general, are quite indifferent about Ihe Bible; but almost all the Protestants wish to have it; and, as they cannot at present get it in Gaelic, most of them have it in English. Most of the old people cannot understand the English, nor read, but they send their children to school, and these can understand both languages, and, of course, translate, after a manner, a chapter for the benefit of their parents, which they generally do, morning and evening. Many of the young generation, and numbers of the old, can read the Gaelic, for though we have but three or four full copies of the Bible, and a few odd volumes, yet we have plenty of Psalters, Catecliisms, and some religious Tracts. It would certainly be a great mercy to these people to have Gaelic Bibles somewhat plenty among them. Many could pay for them, but many others could not, especially of the late emigrants, who are very numerous. If you could send me fifty copies, or any other number, gratis, for the use of the latter, I would distribute them as faithfully as I could. If you could send me fifty copies for sale, I would send you the pay as soon as I could, though I cannot now mention the exact time. More might be sent for afterwards, if these were found productive of the expected advantage. Our neighbour province of New Brunswick is in considerable want of Bibles. May the Great Author of the Scriptures bless the Society, and prosper their endeavours, that the word of the Lord may have" free course, and be glorified. ** I am, dear Sir, Your's, most sincerely, JAMES M'GREGOR." No. XV. Extract of a Letter from one of the People called Quakers. Dated St. John's, Antigua, Sth Mo. Ist, 1808. ** I TRUST thou wilt not take amiss my thus addressing thee, when I urge that it has pressed my mind for some considerable time so to do, and as the principal motive of my doing it is such as, 1 flilly believe, thy judgment will approve of. Since my leaving my native land, it has pleased God to succeed my endeavours, as it respects business, and give me tolerable prospects as to a degree of success in outward matters, far bevond what is com- 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. Q57 monly the case in so short a time ; but the greatest of all mercies is, that the long-suffering love of a merciful Saviour is, and has been eminently extended towards me; many have been the mournful instances of departure from that watchfulness which should mark the steps of one who had felt the powers of the world to come, yet has mercy triumphed over judgment, and I can acknow- ledge, with humble gratitude, that the Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him ; and that, amidst all the allurements of outward things, and the delusive and insinuating influence of worldly example, my soul has been constrained to seek a nearer acquaintance with that dear Saviour, whose mercy and love have been displayed in behalf of one of the most unworthy and inconstant of all the sinners who ever fled to him for refuge. Although my isolated situation might give an idea that it is a hard matter to seek the Lord, and follow him in the regeneration, so far from those helps and comforts which professing Christians, of various denominations, enjoy in general ; yet is his grace all-suflicient, and the lifting up of the light of his countenance is yet more precious to the awakened mind, which has not any of the lesser nether springs to refresh him- self at. Thou wilt not then be surprised, when I say, that I have fomid, in my pilgrimage here, (as also in my voyages to other islands) that the blessed Scriptures have been a valuable family (and travelling) medicine-chest for the soul " through faith which is in Jesus Christ ;" and therefore feeling at times the benefit of having those gracious communications of God to man within my reach, it is not to be wondered at, that when I saw, in some periodical maga- zines, accounts of the efforts of the Bible Society, I felt a wish to ofter to co-operate, in any degree in my power, with so salutary an Institution. I have sometimes an hope through grace to bear some humble part in the praises of Redeeming Love above ; I therefore am willing, if possible, to bear some humble part in the efforts to spread the knowledge of that love on earth. My frequent trips to, and concerns with other islands, may give me opportunities of distri- buting Bibles among many who are at present out of the reach of any means of religious information. I have thought that my situation in life furnishes me with more opportunities, and gives me more access to many persons than those of Missionaries ; and I shall, I hope, be rejoiced, if 1 can be instrumental, even in a distant degree, to the good of poor souls, who may be still in Nature's darkness. My present probable opportunities are as follows : to sailors of men of war which come in here, and also in the hospitals; to soldiers in barracks in the different islands ; and to many poor overseers and other persons who may have long since neglected such reading, but who might be stirred up by a gift of the kind to set a little more store by it. The troops now quartered here are com- posed of various nations, but principally Dutch, Hanoverians, and some French ; if any Bibles are published in these languages, much good might be done. I have lately been to the Danish island of St. Thomas, now in our possession, and I have some idea of making a voyage to the Spanish Main, now the ports are opened; and I R 258 FIFTH REPORT. [180^, would joyfully do my part in attemptiug a distribution of them to that numerous race of people. " I thus lay before thee my feelings on this subject, and repeat my willingness to serve the cause in any way within the compass of my abilities; shouldst thou think I might be useful in any way, I shall think it a high honor to be employed therein. For reasons which I believe thou caiist fully appreciate, I cannot see it my duty to subscribe my mite at present to the funds of the Society ; but any thing I can do by seUing these books at reduced rates, or dis- posing of them in any way agreeable to the plan of the Society, I shall be glad to do ; and they can be sent out with my goods free of freight, insurance, or expense. No. XVI. Extract of a Letter from Gibraltar. " Many of the Spanish Testaments which have been sold in the garrison, have been to persons immediately from Spain, and some of them belonged to Cadiz. We have also sold many to persons belonging to Minorca, and some few are actually gone to that island, and some dozens are now packed up to be shipped off by the first opportunity. There is also a person of great property and respectability in this place, a member of the Roman CathoHc Church, who has requested us to let him have five dozen, which he has promised to send to Malaga ; he has also taken a dozen from us, and distributed them among the leading men of that church, not excepting the priests thenjselves. *' As to the exact number that have found their way into Spain and Minorca, we do not know at present, but hope to be able to acquaint you in our next. ' No. XVII. Extract of a Letter from Steuiack, Nova Scotia. Dated ISovemher 14, 1808. ** It is with the liveliest and the most pleasing emotions of gratitude, that I acknowledge the receipt of the box of Bibles and Testaments. " lu furtherance of the Society's views and wishes, I communi- cated the import of your letter to the ministers in this eastern part of the province. I have solicited the concurrence of such as local 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. ^59 circumstances permit to co-operate as members of the same Society. There is room and need enough for another Society in the western division of the province. Some considerable time elapsed before I received answers from all with whom I corre- sponded on the subject. And, at length, I am authorised to say, that we are all of one mind as to the formation of a Bible Society in subordination to the Parent Society in London. We have not, as yet, had it in our power to meet on the business, but intend it as soon as possible. The principal ends of our Institution will be, 1. To collect and to communicate the necessary information to the British and Foreign Bible Society. 2. To receive supplies of Bibles and Testaments according to our exigencies. 3. To promote a more general and a continual circulation of the Sacred Scriptures, both by sale, at first cost, and reduced prices, and by gratuitous distribution to real objects of charity. 4. To afford aids to the funds of the Parent Society, by yearly collections in our several Congregations, at least to the amount of our charities ; and as much more as possible. What a universal blesshig to mankind is the British and Foreign Bible Society likely to prove ! And such a blessing may it prove to the utmost extent of the wishes of its members, and of the prayers of its friends. Translating the Scriptures of Truth into the languages of all nations, and circulating them in all parts of the world, it serves as a substitute for the miraculous gift of tongues which so greatly accelerated the progress of the Gospel in the days of the Apostles. What, in the line of means, so likely to hasten forward the glory of the latter days ? The universal diffusion of the pure Word of God is the heavenly leaven which will gradually re- generate the mass of human society. What so congenial to the nature of Messiah's kingdom, as founded on, and propagated bv the Truth. ^ I admire the simplicity, and inoffensive nature of the means employed by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Occupying a station so near the Person, and employing means so agreeable to t^he will of Him, whose name is called the Word of God, this, of all the Associations in the noble army of the faithful, is the most likely to render Him the most signal service, and to have its exertions crowned with the most splendid success. May the God of Truth and Grace accompany his own Word, wherever it goes, with the demonstration and po»ver of his Spirit, so that it may effectually counteract and supplant the modern prmciples of a vain philosophy, making His way known on the earth, and causing the nations to experience his saving health. R2 C60 FIFTH REPORT. [1809- No. XVIII. Extract of a Letter from an Officer in his Majesty^s Navy, com- majiding a Prison Ship at one of the Sea Ports. Dated May I8O9. *' I HAVE distributed the French Testaments committed to my care, to persons in whom I could contide for their preservation ; and it gives me pleasure to add, they have taken great care of this invaluable Book ; it is frequently read by them, and they speak of it with the greatest reverence and veneration. In some, I humbly hope, it has excited a desire after religious knowledge and instruc- tion ; which, by the blessing of God, may ultimately prove the means of their salvation. *' By tlie cartel, that lately sailed from this port, I embraced the opportunity of sending a few Testaments under the care of a French otiicer, on whose integrity I place great reliance, and who promised he would distribute thera when on his journey home from the sea coast to the interior. Amongst the prisoners returning to France, in this cartel, was a young midshipman, to whom I had shewn some atten- tion during his captivity. On taking leave of me, he assured me he would never forget to carry the New Testament with him wherever he went. ** I mean," said he, " to make it my companion in the ** hours of relaxation from duty." No. XIX. Extract from the Report of the Hibernian Bible Society of Dublin ; read to the General Meeting Nov. 14, ISOS. (His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin ^ the Patron, in the Chair.) *' During the time your Committee have been in office, they have had repeated proofs of the necessity and usefulness of the Society. A very general desire to purchase and read the Bible prevails in Ireland ; and yet in several parts of the country, the Bible cannot be obtained, at least, by the lower classes. A letter from a clergyman, in a very populous district of the North of Ireland, stated to your Committee, that in his neighbourhood the Bible could not be procured /or ««?/ money. From this circumstance the Society may judge wliat must be the casein those parts of the land where the people are less instructed, and where, of course, ft might be expected that books would be very scarce. Of the 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 9,61 usefulness of the Society, the best proof is the following statement of the books circulated during the last year; viz. Bibles 2,446 Testaments . • • . 2.462 Total 4,898 The Committee conclude their Report in the following words : — ** They shall conclude by urging on each member of the Society the necessity of encreased exertion in the best of causes -the improvement of our country in civilization, morality, and religion. Of all the nations of the earth, we are among the most favoured by Providence. While other lands are wasted by famine, or desolated by war, we are in the enjoyment of prosperity and domestic peace; and surely the least return we can make to the Bountiful Author of these our blessings is, to diffuse among our countrymen the know- ledge of His Gospel.'' No. XX. Extract from the First Report of the Cork Bible Society/. Dated April 10, I8O9. ** It was with astonishment and regret that your Committee noticed the marked opposition with which the Society was threatened at its formation ; an opposition the more surprising, when the professed object of the Association is considered — that of the more general ditiiision of Divine Truth, by the medium of God's sacred word amongst all classes of professing Christians — and that without any further design or prospect of proselytism, than as the sacred volume itself is cslculated to produce such an effect. " But as your Committee expected, so they had the happiness to find, that the gloom which overspread the dawn of the Institution was not of long continuance. The progress of Truth, though often slow, is uniform and steady. The outcry raised against the Bible Society, as subservient to the interests of a Party, and not to the general cause of Religious Knowledge, was seen to have originated in prejudice and misconception, those deadly foes to the emancipa- tion of the human mind, which too often drown all candid enquiry in clamour, and cause the truth itself to be viewed through a distorted medium. " A happy revolution of the Public Sentiments in its favour has been abundantly marked by the liberal and enlightened Patronage it has received, and the highly respectable auspices under which it was formed ; its supporters have evinced their zeal for the best R3 262 FIFTH REPORT. [1809. interests of their fellow-creatures — we are happy to observe, that their benevolent designs have been crowned with unlooked-for success. ** The amount of subscriptions and donations has been very considerable ; amongst which is most thankfully acknowledged, the liberal grant of 100/. voted in aid of our funds by the British and Foreign Bible Society. " Since the beginning of July last, your Committee have pro- cured from the Repository in London, 6l8 Bibles and 1108 New Testaments— the whole of which, with the exceptioi\of about 20 Bibles and a small portion of Testaments, have been disseminated — these few continue undisposed of, and an ample supply of large Bibles and Testaments, for which there seems to be a great demand, has been ordered from Loudon and Edinburgh. A number of Bibles and Testaments have been given, by a vote of the Committee, to the unhappy convicts who sailed in the last fleet for Botany Bay, " Your Committee cannot conclude their Report without con- gratulating the Subscribers on the increased spirit of inquiry and thirst for religious knowledge, which the most accurate observers notice amongst the lower orders. Education is becoming more general — the means of acquiring information more happily diffused. We hail these encouraging appearances as indicating the dawn of civilization — as the bright harbinger of happier times than we have yet witnessed — as giving the early promise of a rich harvest of " Glory to God in the highest ; on earth, Peace, Good-will toivards Men:' No. XXI. Extract from printed Resolutions of the Birmingham Association. ** At a very respectable Meeting, held this day, to consider the best mode of promoting the great objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society, George Simcox, Esq. in the Chair, &c. &c. The following Resolutions were unanimously passed : ** Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Meeting, that an united eflPort be made, by the different denominations of Christians in this town, in aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society. *' It appearing to this Meeting, that the most eligible plan, for carrying this design into effect, will be by a personal application throughout the town — ** Resolved, That the town be divided into the following twelve districts, and that the gentlemen, whose names are affixed thereto, be requested to solicit Subscriptions and Donations, and to report 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. %63 to the Committee the result at the Blue School, by twelve o'clock on Monday the 5th of May ; in order to its being transmitted in time for the next annual Report of the Society. Then follow a list of the different Districts, &c. ** Resolved, That it be recommended to the Ministers of the different denominations to adopt such measures, with their respective Congregations, as may best conduce to a general co-operation, for the attainment of this important object. " Resolved, That the gentlemen present, together with the clergy and acting magistrates of the town, be appointed a Committee to receive the Report, and to transmit the amount of the several Subscriptions and Donations to Henry Thornton, Esq. M.P. Trea- surer ; and that five be competent to act. " Resolved, That the Subscriptions and Donations so transmitted be presented to the British and Foreign Bible Society as the united Contribution of the different Denominations of Christians in the Town of Birmingham ; accompanied by a List of the Names of such Subscribers who may be entitled to be supplied with books at the Society's prices." No. XXIL At a respectable Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Reading, on Tuesday the 28th of March, to take into consideration the propriety of establishing a Society in aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society in London, it was unanimously resolved, L That the present Meeting do highly approve the plan and objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society in London. IL That an Auxiliary Society be formed in this town and neighbourhood, to contribute to that laudable undertaking. in. That this Society adopt, as far as possible, the rules and regulations of tlie Parent Society. IV. That a Committee be formed to carry these Resolutions into immediate execution, consisting of The Mayor of Reading Messrs. Harris Mr. Arohdeacon Nares Rev. Dr. Valpy Mr. Marsh Mr. Douglas Mr. Hollo way Messrs. Brown Fenton Liebenrood Maddox Monck Ring Tappenden Tanner Vines. V. That Dr. Valpy and Mr. Monck be appointed Secretaries, and Mr. Tanner, Treasurer, to the Society. VI. That these Pvesolutions be advertised in the Reading Mercury, K 4 264 FIFTH REPORT. [1809- the Oxford Herald, the Star, the Courier, the Times, the Morning Post, and the Morning Chronicle. VII. That the thanks of the Meeting be given to the Chairman, to Dr. Valpy, for convening the Meeting, and to the Rev. J. Owen, Rev. Jos. Hughes, and William Sharp, Esq. for the honour of their attendance. No. XXIII. Extract from an Address to the Inhabitants of Nottingham and its Vicinity. " In consequence of various applications from the British and Foreign Bible Society in London, to assist in the promotion of the interesting object of that Institution, a Meeting was held in the Guild-Hall of this town, on Thursday the 30th of March, to take the same into consideration : and it appearing highly desirable that an united effort should be made by the different denominations of Chtistians in this town and neighbourhood to promote so impor- tant an undertaking, the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted: — I. That a Society shall be formed, which shall be called " The Bible Society of Nottingham and its Vicinity." II. That this Society shall consist of such Congregations as shall make an Annual Collection for its support, and of such individual persons as shall subscribe one guinea per annum. III. Tiiat the Minister or Ministers, and the Church-wardens, Chapel-wardens, Stewards or Deacons of Congregations, collecting for the support of this Society, shall be Members of the Society as representatives of their respective Congregations. IV. That one half of the amount of the Funds of the Society shall be subscribed to the British and* Foreign Bible Society. V. That the remainder of the Funds shall be appropriated to discharge the expences of the Society, and to purcliase Bibles and Testaments of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to be distributed for the benefit of this town and neighbourhood. VI. That each Congregation, contributing to the Funds of the Society, and every Subscriber, may receive a number of the Bibles and Testaments so purchased, proportioned to the amount of their subscription. VII. That the affairs of the Society shall be conducted by a Com- mittee, consisting of the President, Treasurer, Secretaries, and eleven other persons (to be annually chosen by the Society); and that any tive of them be competent to act. VIII. That the Society shall have one Annual Meeting, on the Thursday before Easter, and that the Committee shall be em- powered to call the Society together at such other times as they may deem necessary. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. ^65 IX. That the following gentlemen be the Committee of the Society for the present year: Rev. Dr. Wood, President. Edmund Wright, Esq. Treasurer. Rev. S. Piggott, 1 Rev. R. AUiott, V Secretaries. Mr. Crowther, ) Rev. John Jarman, Robert Smith, J. Bryan, Mr. B. Maddock, J. Churchill Mr. Scales, W. Butcher, Bassett, Kelk, W, Wilson, Mr. R. L. Wortley. Resolved, That these Resolutions, together with a Statement of the Plan of the British and Foreign Bible Society, be inserted in the Nottingham Journal and Nottingham Review. (Signed) ROBERT WOOD, Chairman. Resolved, That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Rev. Dr. Wood, for his able and impartial conduct in the Chair. No. XXIV. List of Versions and Copies of the Scriptures, Sfc. presented to the Society since the Publication of the Fourth Annual Report, By Granville Sharp, Esq. A Modern Greek New Testament. - - - - London 1703. A Spanish Old Testament, the Books arranged after the order of Jews. An Italian New Testament _ _ . - 1576. An Italian and Latin Testament, in 2 vols. By the Rev. G. C. Renouard, A.M. A Protestant Version of the Portugueze Testament. By the Rev. Adam Clarke, LL.D. Originis Hexapla, by Montfaucon, 2 vols, folio. Paris 3 713. Quatuor Evangelia, Arabic and Latin Romae 1591. Fleury's Manners and Customs of theAntient Israehtes, 8vo London 1809. By the Rev. Benjamin Cracknell, A.M. A Portugueze Testament, Protestant Version. An Italian Testament, by Diodati - - Geneva l608. ^66 FIFTH KEPOHT. [1809. By Mr. L. B. Seeley. A Dutch Bible Dordrecht. l678. By Mr. William Nottcutt. An Arabic Psalter. By Mr. Lewis Geneste, jun. A Manks Old Testament, 2 vols. 8vo. • By the Baptist Missionary Society. A Bengalee Pentateuch, printed at the Missionary Press at Serampore. A Bengalee New Testament, Ditto. A Sanscrit Granmiar, Ditto. A Bengalee Grammar, Ditto. A Mahratta Grammar, Ditto. By the Rev. Joseph Hughes, A.M. pishop Wilson's Bible, 3 vols. 4to. By the Rev. G. Brcjnmark, A.M. A Gothic and Latin Version of the Gospels. By the Rev. Mr. Prattman. A Syriac Testament and Lexicon, 2 vols. 8vo. By the Rev. Josiah Pratt, B.D. Blaney's Bible, 4to Oxford 1 769. La Sanite Bible, 4to - - - - - Rouen lO'br. Noveau Testament, 4to. - - - - Geneva 1726. Novum Testamentum, Vulgatae editionis, in usuni Cleri Gallicani, 12mo. Novum Testamentum Polonicum, 12mo. Rokw. I7OS. Novum Testamentum Turcicum, cvira, Gul. Seaman, 4to. _.--_. Oxoniae ]666. Novum Testamentum Copticum cura, D. Wilkins 4to. - Oxonii 1716. By John Thornton, Esq. A Sclavonic and Russian Spelling Book. By Mr. Andrew Wilson, The first Copy of the first Stereotype Greek Testament, 8vo. >- London I8O9. By Wilson Birkbeck, Esq. Purver's Bible, 2. vols, folio. By Thomas Baring, Esq. A Latin Vulgate Bible - - . - Paris 1740. 1809»] FIFTH REPORT. 2G7 By Mr. Samuel Etheridge. A New Testament, English and Latin, by Erasmus, the English by Sir John Cheeke, 8vo. - London 1550. A Vulgate Bible in the Gothic character, 8vo. - Paris 1510. By William Blair, Esq. A New Testament in French, by Beausbore and L'enfant, and in German by Luther, printed in parallel Columns, 8vo. . _ - Basle IJ'iQ' By the Rev. U. F. Rosing, A.M. A Danish New Testament. By the Rev. Dr. Werninck. A Dutch New Testament. By the Rev. James Smirnove, D.D. A Modern Greek Testament, with the Antient Greek in parallel Columns - = - » - Halle 1710, By the Rev. HuGH Stowell, A.M. A Manks New Testament, 268 FIFTH report; [1809. DONATIONS OF BIBLES AND TESTAMENTS, AND MONEY APPROPRIATED BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, To promote the Circulation of the HoLY Scriptures, previous to the Annual Meeting, May 3, 1809. £. s. d. Amount published in the Fourth Annual Report 9011 13 For the benefit of the Poor Natives of the High- lands OF Scotland, loss on 20,000 Gaelic Bibles and 10,000 Gaelic Testaments, issued at reduced prices, about 1 6S0 For Distribution in the Islands and Coasts of the Mediterranean, 100 Foreign Testaments . . 8 10 To India, for Distribution among poor Europeans, 700 English Bibles and 1200 Testaments 318 1 To Ditto, in aid of Translating and Printing the Scriptures in the native languages of the East, third Donation, for expences incurred in the year 1808 1000 For Foreign Prisoners of War at Stockholm, 12 German Bibles, 24 ditto Testaments, and 24 French Testaments 8 To the Finnish Refugees at Stockholm, 120 New Testaments in that language ^ 8 For Printing 5,000 Copies of the New Testament in the Lapland language » 250 For the Danish Prisoners of War and Inhabitants of the Danish Islands and Colonies, 5,000 Copies of the Danish New Testament • • 5S6 10 For the Dutch Prisoners of War and Inhabitants of the Dutch Islands and Colonies, 5,000 Copies of the Dutch New Testament 567 12 O For Distributionamong Spaniards and Portugueze in various parts, 1 2,000 New Testaments in those languages 1 299 1 8 For an edition of 5,000 Copies of the New Testament in Modern Greek with the Antient Greek in parallel columns, about 1350 For 4,000 Copies of the New Testament in the Polish language 200 Carried forward 1 6,23 8 4 d. 1809.] FIFTH REPORT. 269 £. «. Brought forward • • 1 6,23 8 4 In aid of Printing 8,000 Polish Bibles 600 To the Poor German Colonists near the Wolga, a second Donation of C50 German Bibles, and 250 German Testaments, about 50 In aid of Printing the Swedish Bible on Standing Types 300 For Distribution among Italians in various parts, 5,000 Italian Testaments 541 13 To Madeira, 50 Bibles and 150 Testaments in various languages 22 18 To Gibraltar, for Distribution among the Military, &c. 100 English Bibles and 500 English Testaments 60 5 To the Cape of Good Hope, for the Garrison and British Residents, 300 Bibles and 500 Testaments 119 5 For Circulation in the West India Islands and Spa- nish Main, IGO Bibles and 900 Testaments in various languages • 117 18 4 To Prince Edward's Island, North America, 200 English Bibles, 100 Gaelic ditto, 450 English Testaments, and 100 Gaelic Testaments 122 8 To Halifax, Nova Scotia, 100 Bibles, 200 Testa- ments ' 35 19 To Quebec, 50 English Bibles and 100 English Testa- ments, 20 Gaelic Bibles, 50 Gaelic Testaments, and 200 French Testaments 52 To the Bible Society at Philadelphia, in aid of their Fund for the distribution of the Holy Scriptures • • 200 To the Military Schools at Haddington, 12 Bibles and 40 Testaments 5 14 To Naval and Military Hospitals, 100 Bibles and 200 Testaments 3/13 To the Hospital and Barracks for Foreign Troops at Ly- mington, 24 Bibles and 96 Testaments, in va- rious languages 11 10 To German Troops in Hampshire, &c. 50 German Bibles and 50 German Testaments • • • • J 3 1 8 To the London Female Penitentiary, 24 8vo. Bibles and 36 pica Svo. Testaments 14 18 To Prisons, under the direction of the Sheriffs, to Hospitals and Workhouses in various parts of England, 630 Bibles, and 662 Testaments • . ] 63 4 For Distribution among the Convicts, &c. at Ports- mouth, 100 Bibles and 200 Testaments 44 15 For Sale and Distribution to the Poor in the Isle of Man, 50 English Bibles, and 200 Testaments, at a loss of about 8 15 Total £. 18,761 10 STATE OF THE SOCIETY'S FUND, ON THE 31st March, 1809- I s. d. Balance, as per Account, ending the 31st March, 1808 • • • •• 272 17 tk RECER^ED. Annual Subscriptions since that time, to the 31st March 1809- • 2686 18 6 Donations, witliin the same time 930 9 4 Congregational Collections, within the same time ^ 1914 19 3 Sundry Legacies, within the same time 305 One Year's Interest on 7,000 ^ three per Cent. Consohdated Annuities (less Property Tax) 189 Return of the said Property Tax, by order of the Commis- sioners • 21 Interest on Exchequer Bills 283 2 By Sale of Exchequer Bills • 4920 9 By Sale of Bibles and Testaments 4959 6 2 By a Transfer of 1,000/. three per Cent. Consolidated Annuities, by Mrs. Scott, Relict of the Rev. Jonathan Scott, late of Matlock, Derbyshire, deceased • • • • We, the Auditors, have examined this Account, and do find a Balance of 578/. Is. 5d. due to the Society on the 31st of March, 1809, as stated above ; and likewise 8,000/. three per Cent. Consolidated Annuities, and =_—=-=- — =^ 4,000/. in Exchequer Bills, in the Hands of 16,483 1 4j- the Treasurer. - Witness our Hands this 29th day of April, 1809, THOMAS WILSON, E. N. THORNTON, JAMES DAVIES. STATE OF THE SOCIETY'S FUND, ON THE 31st March, 1809. PAID. /. s. d. For English and Welsh Bibles and Testaments, in Sheets • • • • 5302 6 10 For Binding Bibles and Testaments 2970 11 1 For 5,000 Annual Reports, 4,000 Brief Accounts of the Society, Circular Letters, &c. 242 5 3 For a Stereotype Edition of 5,000 Spanish Testaments 437 14 8 For an Edition of 5,000 Portugueze Testaments 395 4 6 For an Edition of 5,000 Italian Testaments 360 3 10 On Account of an Edition of 5,000 Dutch Testaments 229 14 6 On Account of an Edition of 5,000 Danish Testaments 343 4 For the Purchase of 120 Finnish Testaments for Distribution among the Refugees at Stockholm 8 To the Berlin Bible Society, in Aid of printing an Edition of 8,000 Polish Bibles 660 6 7 To the German Bible Society, in Aid of printing the German Bible on standing Types 300 For German Bibles and Testaments 79 7 11 For revising the Copy, and correcting from tlie Press, the French Brevier Testament and part of the Nonpareil French Bible 52 10 To the Corresponding Cormnittee in India, to be applied, at their Discretion, to the Translation of the Scriptures into the native Languages of Oriental India 2000 To the Cork Bible Society, for promoting the Object of that Institution 100 Sundry Expences in conveying 14 Packages of Type, Paper, &c. from Petersburgh to Ivarass, for the Purpose of printing a Turkish Testament Shipping Charges, Freight, and Sea Insurance For Stationery For Packing Cases - For the Use of Rooms for Conimittees and General Meeting, and Rent of the Society's Library 69 16 9 Depositary's Conimission on the Sale of Bibles and Testaments, including Warehouse Rent, Packing Paper, Cord, and Porterage 229 18 5 Incidental Expences, viz. Advertisements, Carriage, Cartage, Messenger, Stamps, Insurance, Postage, &c. • • • • Assistant Secretary, one Year's Salary Accountant, one Year's Salary, 30 1. Poundage on Annual Sub- scriptions, 134 1. 6s. For Purchase of Exchequer Bills 62 15 10 103 11 4 78 6 11 61 7 7 214 7 100 164 6 1339 4 15,904 19 ni Balance in hand on the 31st March, 1809 • • 578 1 5 Voted from this Balance, but not yet drawn for. 16,483 1 4^ To India, for Disbursements in 1808 1,000 L — - — ^- ^ -^ To the Bible Society mt Philadelphia ••.• 200/. To the Bible Society at Berlin 200L For an Edition of the Lapland New Testament • • 2501. To the Evangelical Society at Stockholm » 300/. 1,950/. (THOMAS SMITH, Accountant.) — — "RINTED BY J. TILLING,^ ROYAL HOSPITAL ROW, CHELSEA- /^ ^^-"^^ PSS