On motion of Rev. Abner Webb, missionary from Burmah, seconded by Rev. Howard Malcom, one of the Secretaries of the Baptist General Convention, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the Report, an abstract of which has now been read, be printed and circulated under the direction of the Board of Managers.

Mr. President, said Brother Webb, permit me, in presenting this resolution, to accompany it by a single remark ;-On the adaptedness of the design of this Society to promote the happiness of the world.

Its object is, ro GIVE THE WORLD THE BIBLE. The whole plan of God's government is benevolent. The very threatenings of Mount Sinai are proclaimed with no other design than to make men good, that they may be happy. In pursuing, therefore, the benevolent designs of this Society, you are "workers together with God." The human heart is everywhere the same. However a heathen and a christian community may differ in mass, as individuals they are strikingly the same. They are not less sensible than we, of the requirements of morality, or of their violations of its principles. They all feel that they are sinners, and, that they need some way of escape from the consequences of sin. Hence, in Hindoostan, the hook and swing, the iminolation on the funeral pile, the sacrifice of infants to Ganges, and all the cruelties of heathen rites. And hence, in Burmah, the numerous and expensive offerings to Gaudama and the priests. And the Bible, too, accompanied by the Spirit who indited it, produces the same effect on them as on us. In Burmah there are more than one thousand native christians, fruits equal to what ordinarily appear from the same amount of labour bestowed here. I will mention the effect of Bible truth on one individual. Ko San-lone, a native preacher in Rangoon, was often accused by his angry countrymen of being bribed to preach. No, he replied, I do not preach for money. I know my countrymen despise me for preaching this religion. I once thought and felt as you do, but now I believe there is an eternal God who made all things, and, who will, in the world's last day, bring us all to judgment; and why should I not tell you of it? Thus when he had by soft words turned away their wrath, he would press again the claims of the Bible, till, at length, the ruler seized him, put on him three pairs of fetters, and a large iron ring about his neck. He was threatened with crucifixion, and other violent deaths, but finally was offered his liberty if he would worship the Pagoda. "If you can show me that this is the true God, I will," he replied. "What a fool," said the ruler, "you could say you would, and after your release do as you like." I dare not tell a lie, was his meek reply. He was at length released, with a debt for money borrowed during his confinement, of more than $100 dollars. The native churches at Maulmein and Tavoy, generously raised that sum, and paid all his debts. Afterwards, when, often, he told me the story of his sufferings, I never heard him use a hard epithet, that this or that was a bad man; but, like the evangelists, he only told the simple story, and let others judge whether his oppressors did rightly. And this is a fair specimen of this man's character. He is not indeed a sample of the whole church, for he was one of the best specimens of the christian character I have ever witnessed there or here. But the evidence of the piety of the members of the churches in Burmah, is, I think, equal to what we obtain in the same number of cases in our churches at home. Allow me, sir, to add that, there is nothing but the Bible that has power to taine the savage, or to make truly good or happy the civilized man. Let any society call in ci vilization and science, and philosophy to their aid, and leave out the Bible, and their hands are palsied. Do we want proof? Look over Asia, where the Bible is unknown; see the oppression of its lawless rulers; enter its mud cabins and leaf-thatched huts, and mark those half starved inmates. Trace them in their domestic intercourse and domestic misery, and witness their grovelling minds, and all their lives of iniquity. Then, turn away your eye from this revolting scene, to the land of our fathers. Witness her science, her laws, her institutions of civilization, of benevolence, and of christianity; see her domestic virtues and domestic peace; let your mind soberly contrast the two, and tell me, what but the Bible has caused this difference? Turn your eye again to South America, why does she lie so far beneath her more northern sister? Peopled at about the same time, with a soil which produces our dainties, the noblest river on the face of the earth, and every variety of climate, from the perpetual snows

of the towering Andes, to the torrid heat of the Amazonian valleys; abounding with iron, silver, gold and precious stones, and admirably situated for commerce with all the world. With all these advantages, I ask, why does she not arise and take a prominent station among the nations of the earth? Because, sir, her priests have taken away the key of that knowledge which alone exalteth a nation. THEY HAVE SHUT THE BIBLE. Compare the different nations of the earth wherever you will, and the mind inevitably comes to this result, that in proportion as nations or individuals know and obey the Bible, they rise in the scale of being. And why should it not be so? It is the rule of the omniscient God, by which to regulate our lives.

France, not satisfied with what she might see, tried the experiment of rejecting the authority of the Bible. She abolished the Sabbath, and the law of marriage, and within eighteen months she had thirty thousand divorces; thus throwing protectless and homeless on the world thirty thousand more than widowed mothers, with their helpless orphans! France then fell low; and has she recovered? Alas! to this hour, she is a standing proof of the dangerous effects of rejecting the authority of the Bible. HAPPY! and only happy IS THAT PEOPLE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD!

Brother Malcom, in the few remarks his health would permit him to make, stated one or two interesting facts, exhibiting the blessed effects of gospel truth in different parts of the heathen world he had recently visited. He spoke particularly of the excellence of Yates' Bengali New Testament; and while in Calcutta he had learned that the Pædobaptists themselves considered it far superior to any other translation in the language.

On motion of James D. Knowles, of Massachusetts, seconded by Alfred Bennet, of New-York, it was unanimously

Resolved, That in the amount of funds placed at the disposal of the Society, during the past year, the Society recognise the continued and special favour of the Head of the Church.

Brother Knowles remarked;-It would be improper, sir, at this late hour, to detain the audience by an extended address. I shall merely suggest one or two thoughts, without attempting to illustrate and expand them.

We must all have been surprised, that notwithstanding the pecuniary embarrassments which have convulsed the country during the last year, so large a sum has been almost spontaneously contributed to the funds of the Society For this unexpected liberality, we are, as the resolution intimates, indebted to the goodness of God. But as He works by instruments, we may, without impropriety, inquire for the more immediate causes. Many influences may have contributed to the result; but I believe, sir, that the chief cause of the success of this Society is to be found in the great principle on which it rests. In order to the accomplishment of any great moral enterprise, the co-operation of the mass of common men must be secured-their understandings must be convinced, and their hearts moved. For this end, the enterprise must rest on some simple principle, which may strike the minds of the most uncultivated men like a flash of light, carrying with it its own evidence, needing no argument, and stirring the heart by its direct appeal.

Such a principle is found in the gospel itself. The simple truth, that God sent his Son to die for sinners, contains the essence of the gospel.-It imbodies, with the brevity of a motto-with the spirit stirring energy of a watch word-the substance of the law and the prophets. It is simple, direct, powerful. The child can understand it. The poor Karen, in his jungle, can comprehend it; and hence, wherever the gospel has been proclaimed, its chief triumphs have been among those, who, with no knowledge of criticism, or rhetoric, or logic, have been melted into penitence and love, by the simple story of the cross.

Such a principle, too, was the moving spring of the American revolution. The plain truth, that taxation and representation must go together-that the people's money must not be taken without their own consent-was the basis of the great struggle. The public mind fully and readily comprehended it. The mechanic in his shop-the farmer at his plough understood and felt it, as strongly as the statesman in his cabinet. It stirred the hearts of the whole nation, and roused them to a bold, resolute, persevering, and triumphant resistance to the mighty power of the British crown.

In like manner, sir, this Society rests on the simple principle-THAT ALL MEN OUGHT TO HAVE THE WORD OF GOD UNMUTILATED AND UNDISGUISED. It is because the Society is founded on this principle, and had its origin in circumstances which seemed to put this principle in jeopardy, that the American Baptist churches, with a promptitude, zeal, and unanimity, almost unexampled, have rallied round this Society. They will continue to sustain it, for it imbodies an indestructible principle, which readily allies itself with other principles, dear to every Baptist-the independence of the churches -unfettered liberty of conscience-the right and the duty of every man to take the pure word of God as the only standard of his faith-the guide of his conduct----the lamp to his feet, along the path to heaven.

On motion of William B. Johnson, of South Carolina, seconded by Archibald Maclay, of New-York, it was unanimously

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Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish a copy of his address, to be printed with the Annual Report.

Adjourned, to meet with the First Baptist Church, Philadelphia, April 23d, 1839; at ten o'clock, A. M. Prayer by Brother Johnson.

MEETING OF THE BOARD.

New-York, May 2d, 1838.

The Board of Managers met in Oliver-street, at 4 o'clock, P. M. The President in the chair.

Prayer by John Peck, of Cazenovia.

On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the sum of five thousand dollars be appropriated and paid to the Baptist General Convention of the United States, to aid in publishing the Sacred Scriptures in Asia; viz. for the Siamese Scriptures, $1000. Burmese, $1000. Asamese, $1000. Karen, $1000. Teloogoo, $1000.

BY-LAWS AND ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.

1. All meetings shall be opened with prayer.

2. All Committees shall be nominated by the presiding officer, and approved by the Board, unless otherwise specially ordered.

3. No moneys shall be paid out of the Treasury but by order of the Board. 4. All resolutions, if required, shall be presented in writing.

APPENDIX.

I.

RESIGNATION OF BAPTIST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE duty of Christians to contend earnestly for "the faith once delivered to the saints," and fearlessly to promulgate the sacred pages unmutilated to all mankind, is a doctrine of the Bible, and dear to the heart of every sincere Christian. In the enjoyment of this privilege, Baptists never can submit to human dictation, whether the inclination to oppress them be found on the side of a domineering majority, or the power he vested in legalized authority. That holy and glorious cause to which they stand pledged, forbids the contamination of all human interference as a profanation, nor can conscientious believers permit even brethren to divert them from the simplicity of the gospel.

To distribute the word of God faithfully translated, Baptists claim as an inalienable privilege, while they regard it as an imperative duty. It was this sacred right of which the American Bible Society attempted to deprive us by their resolution passed on the ever memorable 17th of February, 1836, embracing professedly a general principle, but which, in fact, could apply only to a particular case. By this act they violently sundered those bonds by which we had so long been united with them in harmonious co-operation, and rendered our continuance in the American Bible Society as impracticable as it would be humiliating, and in our opinion disastrous to the cause of truth. As a body, therefore, the Baptists found themselves under the necessity of declining all further concert with the Parent Society; and the undersigned deemed it necessary, personally, to resign their offices. Their reasons for that act, are imbodied in the subjoined document, the publication of which they consider due to themselves, to the Christian community, and to the world.

Concise in diction, and decided in sentiment, it embraces the dispassionate views, not only of the few whose names are affixed, but of the Baptist denomination throughout the land, if we may judge from printed as well as written testimony forwarded to the Corresponding Secretary of the American and Foreign Bible Society.

TO THE MANAGERS OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Having had the pleasure of acting with you as Managers of the concerns of the American Bible Society, and feeling it to be our duty, in consequence of certain measures, which originated in the Board, and have been sanctioned by the society, to resign our places as members of your body, the respect which is due to you, and justice to our

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selves, require of us a brief exposition of the motives by which we are actuated. We are bound, moreover, to make this statement of our motives, in justice to that body of Christians, whose interests we, with others of our brethren, have represented here, and whose approbation of our conduct in relation to these measures, has been expressed with scarcely a dissenting voice.

While, therefore, we feel ourselves impelled to speak the truth with plainness, it is our earnest prayer to the God of all grace, that the animadversions, which we may make on the proceedings of the board and of the society, may bear the impress of that charity "which believeth all things, and hopeth all things."

It appears from the constitution of this society, that " its sole object shall be to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment." The application of this primary principle is regulated by only two specifications.

1st. "The only copies in the English language to be circulated by this society, shall be of the version now in common use.”

2dly. "The society shall, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mahometan, or Pagan."

These are the fundamental principles of the constitution. The managers' address, contemporaneous with the constitution, contemplates the circulation of the scriptures in foreign lands, "in the received versions where they exist, and in the most faithful where they may be required." They will embrace with thankfulness and pleasure," is the language of the address," every opportunity of raying out by means of the Bible, according to their ability, the light of life and immortality, to such parts of the world as are destitute of the blessing, and are within their reach." This address has been properly appealed to by all, as a fair exposition of the constitution, and the above extracts doubtless give a just representation of the liberal principles on which the society commenced its operations.

On these principles, the Baptists entered most heartily into the labours of the society. They have ever regarded this as one of the most interesting of the benevolent enterprises of the age, and have stood among the foremost in its support.

After years of harmonious and successful co-operation on the above mentioned principles, we find ourselves excluded from all further participation in this noble work, by a requisition unknown to the constitution under which we are associated, at variance with its spirit, and with the only principles on which the different Christian sects can unite in the labours of this society.

Different denominations of Christians have invested money to a large amount in the funds of the society. Their sympathies have been deeply enlisted in its behalf, and to the blessing of Heaven on their united labours and prayers, it owes its present prosperity. Whatever ability it now possesses, whether in funds, in influence, or in the confidence of the public, is therefore the common property of these several denominations, acquired by their united exertions, and guaranteed to each of them by the constitution of the society. That instrument may, indeed, according to one of its own provisions, be altered by a vote of