Church of England, in 1785, prosecuted his ministry among the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, and founded Sunday schools through North Wales. His labours were astonishingly successful; though they were much impeded by the want of the Scriptures. This was very deplorable; and a little girl, with tears, acknowledged that the weather prevented her reading the Bible on the preceding Sunday, as she was obliged for this purpose to travel a distance of seven miles. Such the difficulty of many in searching the Welsh Scriptures.

Mr. Charles determined on seeking a supply of the Word of God. In his annual journey to London, therefore, in December, 1802, he formed the plan of a Bible Society on the basis of the Religious Tract Society. Being a member of that institution, he laid his plan before his friends, the committee, on Tuesday, December 7, 1802. The Rev. Matthew Wilks presided on the occasion, and there were present also, the Revds. Messrs. Hughes, Steinkoff and Townsend, besides Messrs. Alers, Fowler, Freshfield, Gouldsmith, Hamilton, Pellatt, Preston, Reyner, Shotter, Shrubsole, and Tarn.*

While Mr. Charles pleaded for Wales, the Rev. Mr. Hughes, the secretary, suggested, "Surely a society might be formed for the purpose; and if for Wales, why not for the empire and the world ?” All were struck with the importance of the subject; and by their direction, the secretary recorded in the minute-book of the Tract Society:

"Mr. Charles, of Bala, having introduced the

* Jubilee Memorial of the Religious Tract Society, p. 47.

subject, which had been previously mentioned by Mr. Tarn, of dispersing Bibles in Wales, the Committee resolved that it would be highly desirable to stir up the public mind to the dispersion of Bibles generally, and that a paper in a magazine to this effect may be singularly useful. The object was deemed sufficiently connected with the object of this society, thus generally to appear on these minutes; and the secretary, who suggested it, was accordingly desired to ent. it."

Mr. Hughes was requested also to prepare a circular-letter inviting Christians of every name to unite in circulating the Word of God, without note or comment, in all nations. This letter was submitted to the Committee, at their meeting, December 21; when the chairman, Mr. Pellatt, entered in the minutes :

"Mr. Secretary read a paper on the importance of forming a Society for the distributing of Bibles in various languages.

"Resolved-That a special meeting be holden next Tuesday, at eight o'clock, as preparatory to a general meeting to promote that end."

On Tuesday, the 28th, the special meeting of the Committee was held: the result of which was the following minute, after Mr. Hughes's address had been adopted :

"The object of the intended society was maturely considered, and determined unanimously to be, To promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in foreign countries, and in those parts of the British

* Jubilee Memorial of the Religious Tract Society, p. 48.

dominions for which adequate provision is not yet made; it being understood that no English translation of the Scriptures will be gratuitously circulated by the Society in Great Britain.' ”*

Mr. Mills was requested to prepare a plan of regulations; and in January, 1803, Mr. Reyner was directed to "correspond with some liberal individuals in different parts of the country, on the subject of opening a subscription, as the basis of the intended society." On the 1st of February, 1803, the rules of the Society were agreed on; and on the 8th it was resolved, "That the translation of the Scriptures established by public authority, be the only one in the English language, to be adopted by the Society." It was also proposed to solicit his Majesty King George III. to be the patron of this Bible Society.

Mr. Charles continued his appeals to the Tract Society, as he had purchased all the stock of the Welsh Testaments from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in vain urging the Committee to publish a new edition of the Bible. Mr. Wilberforce encouraged the project of the Bible Society; and information was obtained from various sources, of the lamentable destitution of the Scriptures existing in our own country, and in Germany and Switzerland.

At the fourth annual meeting of the Tract Society, therefore, held at St. Paul's Coffee-house, May 12th, 1803, the projected Bible Society was one of the absorbing subjects of the morning, as it was in

* Jubilee Memorial of the Religious Tract Society, p. 49.

troduced by the Secretary. It was, therefore, recorded in the minute book:-

"The Rev. John Townsend, in a very impressive address, urged the necessity of a diligent attention to the want of Bibles both in this Island and on the Continent.

"The Rev. Mr. Knight related an instance of a man who had travelled sixty miles over the snow in Nova Scotia to obtain a Bible, which he received with the deepest expression of gratitude.

"The Rev. Mr. Bogue suggested the propriety of printing a Bible in the modern Greek language, should a society be formed for the noble purpose of extending the distribution of the Scriptures.

"Several gentlemen stated the great want of Bibles in various parts of the country.

"The Rev. Mr. Tracey mentioned that in the countries which had been under the power of infidelity, during the French Revolution, the Holy Scriptures had been generally destroyed in the conflagrations, with other religious books, which had occasioned such a scarcity as cannot possibly be supplied by the Missionary Society."

Various impediments arose during the year 1803; but by prudence they were removed; and in January, a special meeting was held, "for the purpose of promoting the Bible Society," when it was resolved "that the title of the society should be The British and Foreign Bible Society,' agreeably to the suggestion of the Secretary, and that he be requested to prepare a circular letter on the subject."

Mr. Hughes soon presented this letter to the

Committee, who ordered it to be extensively circulated. This was done with encouraging results; and Mr. Reyner reported, "that from Robert Howard, Esq., he had reason to conclude that several members of the society called Quakers would attend the public meetings, and exert themselves on behalf of the excellent object."*

From the circular letter inviting the friends of the Bible, the following extracts are given to indicate the objects of the proposed meeting :

"It has been proposed by the individuals referred to above, to institute a Society entitled

THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. "Its object to promote the circulation of the Scriptures in some of the principal living languages.

"The sphere of its activity-First, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the European Continent: afterwards, remoter regions, as the state of the finances may admit, and the urgency of particular cases may require.

"The object and the sphere of such a Society, considered in their union, distinguish it from existing Societies.

"The Bible Society distributes the Scriptures only, but confines its distributions to the British Army and Navy.

"The distribution of Bibles in other Societies forms only a part of their plan; and, with a very few exceptions, the exertions of those Societies are limited to Britain.

"The projected Society, not refusing to co-operate * Jubilee Memorial of the Religious Tract Society, p. 51.