resources. And these at once indicate the active devotedness of the agents of the Institution-faithful servants of the Lord-in employing the means so adapted to accomplish the end, and especially the gracious benediction of the blessed God. CHAPTER IV. THIRD DECADE OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY. THE TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF THE SOCIETY, ASTONISHMENT and delight fill the devout mind contemplating the progress of the Bible Society from its formation to the commencement of its third decade. Its affiliated Societies and Auxiliaries, and friendly agents, were found in almost every country, seeking to benefit and bless every human being with the knowledge of eternal life and salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. France became now the scene of important labours in the cause of the Scriptures. To supply the demand, 10,000 Testaments, and 10,000 copies of the Gospels and the Acts were ordered during the past year at Paris. Spain, Portugal, and Italy were almost closed against the Scriptures. Biblical zeal flourished in the Netherlands, in Switzerland, and in many parts of Germany. The Prussian Bible Society, with its numerous associations, continued persevering in the publication of the Scriptures; and the same may be reported of the Danish and Russian Societies. In eleven years the Russian Bible Society had printed the entire Scriptures, or the New Testament, or parts of it, in fortyone different languages or dialects; and distributed 448,109 copies of the Scriptures. Various valuable efforts to circulate the Scriptures in Italian, Modern Greek, and Arabic were made at Malta and in the Greek Islands, Smyrna, Aleppo, and in several other parts of the Turkish Empire. Most gratifying reports of the printing and circulating of the Scriptures were received from Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, and Ceylon; and expressions of the warmest gratitude from the Serampore Missionaries, for the grants made to aid them in printing their translations. Reports from the South Sea Islands as to the translation and printing of the Scriptures were answered by a grant of 500 reams of paper for that purpose. Dr. Morrison being in England, arrangements were made with him for the circulation of his translation of the Scriptures, which were well received by many of the Chinese. South Africa became increasingly interesting as a field of labour for the Scriptures, as the Missionaries were progressing in their translations into the native languages. South America afforded some interesting reports of the people calling for the Word of God, especially at Lima, and in the Portuguese and Spanish languages. Auxiliary Societies at Jamaica, Barbadoes, and Antigua were active in circulating the Scriptures. The American Bible Society, with 407 Auxiliaries for its support, continued its operations with great benefits to the people. British America contained many zealous friends of the Bible; and large numbers of copies of the Sacred Volume were circulated, in its several provinces, in the English, French, and Gaelic languages. Labrador and Greenland were regarded by the Society, especially in aid of the Missionaries to their people, in printing the Scriptures which they had translated. Scotland had generously aided the Parent Society; and 1,000 Gaelic Testaments, and 1,000 Bibles were granted by the Committee for the poor in the Highlands. Ireland was liberally aided this year by 300 Bibles and 30,000 Testaments, granted to the Hibernian Society. To the Sunday School Society for Ireland, 15,000 Testaments; and to the Baptist Irish Society, 550 Bibles, and 1,100 Testaments— in all, including some others, nearly 80,000 copies of the Scriptures for Ireland. In England, zeal and liberality were united; so that in the year, the number of copies of the Scriptures issued from the Depository in London, was 116,539 Bibles, and 164,116 Testaments, a total of 280,655 copies of the Scriptures. The grants of this year amounted to £36,962 9s. 8d., and the receipts to £94,044 3s. 5d. The twenty-first annual meeting was held on the 4th of May, 1825; and among those who addressed the rejoicing assembly were the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, Earl of Harrowby, Earl of Rocksavage, Lord Calthrope, Admiral Lord Gambier, the Rev. S. Dwight, from the American Bible Society, Rev. Mr. Monod, from Paris, Professor Tholuck, from Berlin, Sir T. S. Raffles, from Java, Rev. G. Hamilton, from Ireland, Rev. J. Dyer, Baptist, and Rev. R. Newton, Wesleyan. THE TWENTY-SECOND YEAR OF THE SOCIETY, CONTROVERSY agitated the Bible Society in the early partof this year, as the Committee were charged with making grants to Foreign Societies, circulating the Apocrypha with the Holy Scriptures. Such was the case in some instances; as, in many parts of the Continent, the people had been accustomed to receive the Bible with that addition. The friends of the Bible in Scotland were most determined on effecting an abandonment of that policy. A special Committee was, therefore, appointed to consider, "Whether or not it might be right in itself, and consistent with the established rules of the Institution, to countenance the circulation of versions of the Holy Scriptures containing the Apocryphal books, in countries where the Bible would not be received in its simple and canonical form?" This Committee made their Report November 21, 1825, when it was resolved by the General Committee specifically summoned :— "I. That the fundamental law of the Society, which |