ascribed to T. Twining, Esq., who had recently returned from Bengal. To a second edition of the Letter, Mr. Twining affixed his name, as "late Senior Merchant on the Bengal Establishment."

Mr. Twining's Letter was replied to as far as regarded the Bible Society, by a Letter from the Rev. J. Owen, the Clerical Secretary of the Society. Another publication was soon after issued by a Major Scott Waring, entitled, "Observations on the Present State of the East India Company, &c." with nearly seventy pages of preface, in remarks directed against the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the propagation of Christianity in India. The two writers were substantially agreed; but while the former recommended interference in general terms, the latter "humbly submitted a plan for correcting the evil," to the consideration of his Majesty's Ministers, the East India Company, and the Legislature." The substance of his plan is thus expressed: "The most, and indeed the only efficacious measures, are the immediate recal of every English missionary, and a prohibition to all persons dependent on the Company, from giving assistance to the translation or circulation of our Holy Scriptures."

Many friends of the Society were somewhat alarmed at this combination. But the subject of missions was ably vindicated by the Rev. A. Fuller, Secretary to the Baptist Missionary Society, justifying the principle of missions to the heathen, and the conduct of the Baptist Missionaries in India, against the charges of Major Scott Waring. The Bishop of London and Lord Teignmouth, also, published vin

dications of the Bible Society; and so convincing were these defences, that Mr. Twining, dreading the result of his motion, of which he had given notice, on the day of meeting, December the 23rd, declined bringing the subject before the Court of Proprietors at the India House.

Opponents and defenders of the Society arose at the same time in India. For, on the removal of the Marquis Wellesley from the government of Bengal, certain measures were adopted, which Dr. Buchanan, in a "Memorial" addressed to his successor, Lord Minto, dated November 7th, 1807, declared to be "dishonourable and injurious to Christianity." These were especially, "the withdrawing of the patronage of Government from the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Oriental tongues ;" and “attempting to suppress the translation of the Scriptures entirely." This memorial, for its "temperate firmness," was worthy of a minister of Christ, and it had some good effect, in preparing the way for the triumph of the Bible in the East.

Diligent zeal distinguished the Committee of the Bible Society at home; and grants of the Holy Scriptures were made to Gorce, Sierra Leone, Gibralter, New South Wales, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, in English, Spanish, and Gaelic. Similar grants were made to our schools and charitable institutions, and to the Schools in Ireland, both Protestant and Catholic; and no less than 7,000 copies of the New Testament were supplied to the French prisoners in England.

Every opportunity was eagerly seized to aid "the

sister Kingdom," and this solicitude was met in the autumn of 1807, by the institution of a Bible Committee by the Synod of Ulster; and in December a Bible Society was established for the city and county of Cork, under the patronage of the Bishop of the diocese, while the Archbishop of Cashel was numbered among the Vice-Presidents of the Parent Society.

Desolating war now raged over the fairest parts of Europe, and correspondence with England was interdicted to the nations in alliance with France: still the cause of the Bible Society progressed. The German Society at Bâsle contrived to transmit an encouraging report of the printing of the Scriptures; and even the Berlin Bible Society, while the nation was groaning under the pressure of poverty, through the war, was proceeding with the Bohemian Bible.

Information was received from South America, stating that the Spanish Testaments despatched to Monte Video in the past year, had been received with gratitude and gladness by many of the Roman Catholic priests, as well as by the people; but they were soon called in by the Bishop of Buenos Ayres, under the severest Ecclesiastical censures. From North America it was reported that the Mohawks in Upper Canada regarded the Gospel of St. John as a great "treasure," and petitioned for a further supply "for the use of the Roman Catholic and other Indians inhabiting lower down the St. Lawrence."

The fourth Anniversary of the Society was held, therefore, at its usual time in May, its numerous members and friends rather forgetting their trials,

while celebrating the triumphs of the Society with "feelings of wonder, and gratitude, and joy."

THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE SOCIETY, 1808, 1809. DARKNESS and distress, through the terrible power of the French Emperor, overspread the nations of Europe as the Bible Society entered its fifth year. But its Directors, confident in the goodness of their cause, and seeking only the happiness of all nations, prosecuted their labours with assurance of ultimate triumph. There were many things to inspire them with courage besides in the promises of God written in their Bible.

In those countries which were kept under French domination, the Bible cause proceeded steadily. An edition of the entire Scriptures had been completed at Berlin for the Protestants in Bohemia and Silesia; and now, "while the wounds of Prussia were still bleeding," an impression in the Polish dialect was undertaken, aid being expected from London. The Committee made several grants, amounting to £800, inducing its projectors to enlarge the edition from 5,000 to 8,000 Bibles, and 2,000 Testaments. The Bâsle Society were enabled to complete their German Testament in the spring, and the entire Bible in the autumn of 1808. This Society also, aided by grants from the Parent Society, made successful efforts to supply their Protestant neighbours in the South of France with French Bibles.

In Sweden, a noble beginning was made to supply the humbler classes of the people with Bibles, for

which purpose Mr. Paterson promoted the formation of a Society at Stockholm, aided by a grant of £300 from the British Society. Reports of the most pleasing kind were received from the German colonies on the Wolga, to whom 400 Bibles and 200 Testaments had been sent by the Society in England. These were prized as invaluable treasures.

While the Society was required to proceed with caution among the nations subject to the policy of the French despot, large editions of the English and Welsh Scriptures were printed off for our own people, and editions were issued in the Portugese, the Italian, the ancient and modern Greek, the Dutch, and the Danish. The latter was especially designed for 2,782 Danish prisoners of war in England; and both were intended to supply the wants of many in the Dutch and Danish colonies, both in the East and West Indies, which had now all fallen under the dominion of Britain. The Spanish prisoners of war also, when released to join the patriot standard against the French, were supplied, on embarking for their native land, each with a copy of the New Testament, to the number of 775. With like liberality, in January, 1802, when part of Junot's army was driven by foul weather into Penzance, French Testaments were distributed among the soldiers by one of the Committee, W. H. Hoare, Esq.

Joyful information was now received by the Committee that American Christians had entered into this godlike labour by the establishment of a Bible Society in Philadelphia, December 12th, 1808. The origin of this institution its first address ascribes "to