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persons in the several churches of Christ. Still there appeared opponents; and Professor Marsh put forth "A History of Translations which have been made of the Scriptures, from the Earliest Time, &c. composed with the view of ascertaining in how many Languages the British and Foreign Bible Society has been the means of Preaching the Gospel." This learned and elaborate work was found to be useful, though designed to criminate the Society. Its inaccuracies and censures were sufficiently refuted by the astonishing facts in the Society's Annual Reports. Dr. Marsh also published a "Sequel," in a "Letter to the Right Hon. N. Vansittart," which that gentleman replied to in a manner that did him the highest honour. Dr. (afterwards Bishop) Maltby wrote against the Society, declaring the unfitness of most of the books in the Bible for the unlearned; but an able reply to his public attack was sent forth by the Rev. J. Cunningham, Vicar of Harrow. Dr. Marsh found another able defender of the Society in the Rev. W. Otter, late a Fellow and Tutor of Cambridge. These controversies, instead of injuring the Bible Society, diffused a mass of valuable information, exciting many to inquiry, and gaining it a large increase of liberal friends.

Foreign countries continued to engage the serious attention of the Directors of the Society. And in this design they commissioned the Rev. Mr. Steinkopff to make a tour on the Continent, to promote the circulation of the Scriptures in Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. Considering the distracted state of the nations, on account of the wars of Bona

parte, the journey was perilous, but it was successful in advancing the cause of the Bible, at an expense in grants of £2,712. 10s.

The Societies at Berlin and Stockholm continued their valuable labours; and the Rev. Mr. (now Dr.) Henderson was permitted to reside at Copenhagen, to complete the Icelandic Bible. Though his Danish Majesty was at war with England, 5,000 copies of the whole Bible were printed, and 5,000 extra Testaments, and friends secured to form a Bible Society. for the kingdom of Denmark.

Pleasing intelligence was brought of the progress of the Bâsle Society in printing the German and Romanese Scriptures; and this year a Bible Committee was formed even at Paris. A Society being formed at Zurich, in September, 1812, £250 were granted in London, in aid of that Institution. Progress was made also for the establishment of Bible Societies in Wurtemburg, Saxony, Holstein, and Swedish Pomerania. The Ratisbon Society persevered with zeal; so that out of 27,000 copies of the New Testament disposed of, only 100 were bestowed gratuitously; and the total dispersed in Catholic Germany, through the impulse given by the Bible Society, was computed, in 1812, to be not less than 60,000 copies! a phenomenon among Catholics. Among these, the Rev. Leander Van Ess, professor in the University of Marpurg, arose, a zealous advocate of the Scriptures. He made an excellent translation of the New Testament into German, and to aid in printing 3,000 copies of it, the Committee granted him £200.

Perhaps the most important transaction of this year, was the formation of "the Russian Bible Society." This resulted from the printing of the Finnish Bible, and the wisdom of the Rev. Mr. Paterson, aided by the Rev. R. Pinkerton. The sum of £500 was offered by the British Society. Prince Galitzin highly approved Mr. Paterson's plan, and presented it to his Imperial Majesty, December 25, 1812. It was authorized by an Imperial Ukase, January 14, 1813. Such was the effect of this decree, that it was declared, "Jews and Christians, Russians and Armenians, Catholics and Protestants, with one voice, acknowledged, that the British and Foreign Bible Society was the wonder of the nineteenth century, and the only adequate means ever devised for civilizing and evangelizing the world.”

About forty persons assembled, January 23, 1813, in the palace of Prince Galitzin. He placed the Archbishop, Metropolitan of the Greek Church, in the highest place, next to him the Metropolitan of the Catholic Churches; opposite to these the other prelates, the ministers, nobles, and gentlemen, according to their precedency. The Imperial Ukase being read, the Society was formed, with the Prince as its President. "It was truly delightful," as Messrs. Paterson and Pinkerton report, "to see the unanimity which actuated this assembly, composed of Christians of the Russian Greek Church, of Armenians, of Catholics, of Lutherans, and of Calvinists; all met for the purpose of making the Gospel of the Grace of God sound out from the shores of the Baltic to the Eastern Ocean; and from

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the Frozen Ocean to the Black Sea, and the borders of China; by putting into the hands of Christians and Mohammedans, of Lamaites and the votaries of Shaman, with many other Heathen tribes, the Oracles of the living God!"

His Imperial Majesty entered as a member of this Bible Society, with a donation of 25,000 rubles, and an annual subscription of 10,000! This noble act was performed, when it was known that Bonaparte was preparing his vast armies to invade Russia!

India became still more important as a field of labour; and the Calcutta Bible Society included Lord Minto, the Governor General, as one of its contributors. The Committee reported progress of the version of the New Testament in Hindostanee and Persian, by the Rev. H. Martyn and Mirza Fitres; in the Arabic, by the Rev. T. Thomason, and Sabat; and in the languages of the Eastern Archipelago, by Dr. Leyden. The Baptist Missionaries at Serampore acknowledged that they had received, at different times, in aid from London, £4,500. Their operations were, however, seriously impeded by the destruction of their printing office, by fire, March 11, 1812, at a loss of paper and other materials, valued at nearly £10,000. British generosity, however, supplied about £11,000; so that very little time was lost to the printing of the Scriptures. India sustained a still greater loss by the decease of Dr. Leyden, that of Rev. Dr. Brown, in June, and that of Rev. H. Martyn, in October, 1812. An Auxiliary Bible Society was formed at Colombo, for the Island of Ceylon, August 1, 1812,

chiefly by the influence of Sir A. Johnston, Governor. This was aided by liberal grants from London and Calcutta, in printing 5,000 of the Cingalese Testament. A Bible Society was formed at Port Lewis, November 11, 1812, for "the Islands of the Mauritius, Bourbon, and Dependencies."

Zeal and liberality distinguished the American Bible Societies; and various new Auxiliaries were formed in Albany, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Jamaica also became blessed by the Christian zeal of S. Cooke, Esq.; through whom liberal contributions were raised in the Island; and in September, 1812, "the Jamaica Auxiliary Bible Society, of the people of Colour," was formed; by which considerable numbers of copies of the Scriptures were

circulated.

Domestic zeal continued; and the contributions in Wales amounted this year to the sum of £2,500. Many new societies were formed; eleven for entire counties, viz., Chester, Fife, Kinross, Gloucester, Kent, Northumberland, Perth, Rutland, Somerset, Surrey, and Wilts; several for cities; and eight for the central position of London and Southwark. These societies brought into notice many noblemen and other influential friends of the Bible, among whom were the Dukes of Beaufort, Grafton, and Norfolk; the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, Prime Minister of His Majesty George III., and the Rev. Mr. Gis

bourne.

A third class of societies originated this year, for limited districts, in counties and populous localities;

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