papers, about one third of which are Directions for the Devout Use of the Common Prayer," have been printed by order of the Society, and are distributed gratuitously.

The following books have likewise been issued by the Society, during the above period, for the service of the Royal Navy, at an expense of 1,5867. 11s. 2d. Bibles.......

Testaments and Psalters

Common Prayers .............

Other bound Books

Small Tracts ..........

1,916

6,975

2,800

742

4,033

16,466

Toward which expense the Lords Commissioners

of the Admiralty ordered the payment of 15001.

Diocesan and District Committees.

The General Board finds continually increasing cause to be satisfied of the great importance of the labours and the prosperity of this department of the Institution.

The establishment of these Committees was first recommended in the year 1810; in the hope that they might be instrumental to the increase of the influence of this Society, the extension of its usefulness, and the promotion of the union and co-operation of the Clergy, and other friends of the Church, throughout the kingdom, with its several designs.

The number of subscribing Members, which in the Report of the year 1810 was stated as 3,560, is now 7,689, a very considerable part of which accession has, beyond doubt, been procured through the exertions of these Committees. In this enlargement of the number of Members of the Society, it is plain, the best groundwork is laid for the extension of the knowledge of it, and for the augmentation both of its means and usefulness. The interests of religion and charity are correspondently promoted, both by what they bring to the Society, and what they receive from it.

In regard to the Missionary Department of our pro

ceedings, it may reasonably be expected that many friends and benefactors will successively be raised up, in different corners of the land, according as the call for exertion, and the importance of the Society's concern herein, become more widely known.

But especially with a view to the other two grand subdivisions of the Society's labours, the establishment, and good government of Schools for the indigent and labour ing classes of the community, and the enlarged and general circulation of such Books and Tracts as the So ciety have provided for the support and promotion of true religion and good morals,-the benefits to be derived through the superintendance and co-operation of the Diocesan and District Committees cannot be too highly estimated. The General Board is only anxious that these great objects may continue to be prosecuted by them, through successive generations, with the same wise and charitable zeal with which they have begun.

To this end, the Diocesan and District Committees will suffer themselves to be reminded, that the best expedient to secure a supply, at once effectual and perma nent, of the Holy Scriptures, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Society's other books and tracts, must be an annual or periodical collection made, especially through the exertions of the Parochial Clergy, wherever the circumstances of the place hold out any prospect of

success.

The Diocese of Bangor has exhibited an excellent example of the manner in which a whole diocese may be completely organised, at one effort. A Meeting was holden at Bangor (Dec. 29, 1812), at which the Lord Bishop presided; and at that meeting resolutions were passed, by which the Diocesan Society was established there, and eight other District Committees, at Conway, Caernarvon, Pwllheli, Beaumaris, and other principal places in that diocese; from which arrangement the most beneficial effects have already been experienced.

Easy Admission of Clergymen into the Society. The Lord Bishop of Chester having stated to the Board his persuasion that many most respectable Curates, unbeneficed Clergymen, and Clergymen with small benefices, were prevented from becoming Members, in cou sequence of a benefaction of one guinea, being required

at admission, in addition to a portion in advance of the first annual subscription; and having also declared it to be his decided opinion, that the abolition of the benefaction at admission, in certain cases and under limitations, would tend greatly to increase the number of subscribing Members, as well as to secure the co-operation of many zealous friends of the Established Church, in all parts of the kingdom; the Society, willing to avail itself of the assistance and co-operation of the Parochial Clergy, generally, determined to admit all Parochial Clergymen with small incomes, without the payment of any benefaction at admission, on claiming the benefit of this rule.

The Clergy are now, therefore, admissible into this Society, either, like other Members, with a benefaction at admission and an annual subscription; with an annual subscription only; or, thirdly, under the denomination of Corresponding Members, without either benefaction or annual subscription. The Society thus throws open. its doors to them as widely as possible; and has done every thing within the reach of its ability, to effect that every Clergyman in the kingdom should, in one capacity or other, seek admission to a participation in its wellintended labours.

Education and Schools.

The public cannot but have contemplated with senti ments of cordial satisfaction, the rapid and solid progress which has been made recently, and is now making continually, in the erection and establishment of schools, in all parts of the kingdom, for the education of children of the lower orders of the community, under the most salutary regulations, both as respects the mechanical system of instruction, and the provision made for incul cating the soundest principles in faith and practice; especially through the agency of the National Society in London for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, and of the several Diocesan and other Institutions associated therewith.

By far the greatest portion of these new schools, like the several other establishments for similar purposes, heretofore existing, are supplied with books through the channel of this Society.

In the course of the year, the Generál Board has been

invited to the consideration of the fitness and necessity of making more widely known the extensive services which have been from its institution constantly afforded by the Society, in this essential department of Christian Edification.

The General Board is desirous to obtain Reports as extensively as possible, for the purpose of giving an abstract from them in the future annual accounts of this Society and therefore earnestly recommends to all Committees to transmit to the office in London, one nronth before Christmas, an abstract, yearly, of such returns as they may be able to procure. By these means it will be seen what is done in this department by the Members of the Society in all parts of the kingdom; and the Reports of successive years will supply a very satisfactory criterion of the relative progress or decline of this most interesting branch of National and Christian Economy.

Schools in the East Indies.

The attention of the Society has been called to the subject of Education in Foreign Parts, by the Memorial on Indian Civilization, by Dr. John; and, on the recommendation of the East India Mission Committee, a gratuity of 501. has been voted in aid of the schools of that lamented Missionary. Should any benevolent individuals be disposed further to assist this undertaking, their benefactions will be received, and carefully appropriated to the account of this special object.

The Board recommend this matter to the special attention of their Missionaries, Members, and Friends in that part of the world, as highly deserving of their regard; and hereby profess their readiness to co-operate in any undertaking which may be set on foot, under proper regulations, in furtherance of so desirable an end.

Religious Tracts.

While these measures, tending to the increased circu lation of the Society's existing stores, have occupied a portion of their attention, the General Board have not been indifferent to the duty of procuring fresh supplies, applicable to present emergencies; nor to the means of giving greater degrees of perfection to the collection of Treatises already provided in almost all the several departments belonging to Christian Faith and Morals.

M

With these intents, a Committee has been appointed, to which all Tracts upon the Society's List are to be referred, before they are reprinted; and who shall report to the General Board their judgment respecting the expediency of reprinting such Tracts, successively; and shall recommend such corrections, additions, or other alterations, as may appear to them to be requisite. From the labours and researches of this Committee, it is hoped, that the result will be, that deficiencies, where such exist, with regard to the materials proper to be holden forth by this Society, will be supplied; redundancies, in some cases, curtailed; and, upon the whole, one or more volumes of Tracts, old or new, be provided, of the best which the whole range of English Literature can furnish, on every topic, connected with the avowed object of this Society, the promotion of Christian Knowledge.

Family Bible.

A very considerable portion of attention has been directed, through a great part of the year, to the very important object of providing the Members of our Church with the means of perusing the Holy Scriptures with greater edification and comfort; and of preserving them stedfast in the profession of a pure and uncorrupted faith, by the publication, at an easy rate, of a Family Bible, accompanied by notes explanatory and practical, in all points of doctrine and discipline, to be selected from approved writers of the Church of England. It will best satisfy the aim of the General Board in instituting this undertaking, the more the comment shall approach to the spirit of the Divine Original; and the more it shall be found, like that, to be profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

The Report of the state of the Society's Missions in India will be given in a future Number.

Bentinck Chapel District Committee.

We have much satisfaction in reporting, that the Rev. Basil Woodd, since his return from pleading the cause of the Church Missionary Society in the North of England, has formed a District Committee