The large assembly was addressed, in a spirit becoming the sacredness and benevolence of the Society, by the Bishops of Winchester, Chester, Lichfield, and Coventry, Lord Calthorpe, the Rt. Hon. C. Grant, the Hon. C. J. Shore, Sir T. Blomefield, the Rev. Dr. Milnor, from America, the Dean of Salisbury, Rev. Rowland Hill, and Mr. Wilberforce.

THE TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE SOCIETY, 1830-1831.

"THANKSGIVING TO GOD," for his distinguishing blessings on the Bible Society, was felt by the Committee to be most proper in recording their operations of this year. Still the Society had been agitated, especially on two points, one was, the request that the public meetings of the Society should all be commenced by oral prayer, and the other was, that every member should be required to profess his belief in the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead. These subjects engaged the grave consideration of the Committee in London, and of the wisest friends in many Auxiliaries, by whom it was almost unanimously resolved, that difficulties and evils would arise from adopting new principles and a different practice in the Society.

Prosperity appeared to attend the numerous Bible Societies. In Paris, an important Bible depôt was placed under the care of Professor Kieffer, for the supply of the Scriptures to France; and

Frankfort was chosen for a central depôt, under Dr. Pinkerton, for the supply of Germany and the surrounding countries. Under his care, several large editions of the Scriptures were printed, and he sold large numbers of Bibles and Testaments.

The Central Prussian Bible Society and its Auxiliaries proceeded with zeal in their work; and the British Society engaged to bear half the expense of 36,000 New Testaments for the Prussian army, besides granting 6,000 copies of the version by Dr. Van Ess.

Saxony also manifested increased zeal for the Word of God; and many were zealous for the Bible in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland; but the Bible cause seemed paralyzed in Russia. Very little could be done for Spain, Portugal, Italy, or Austria, beyond supplying natives of them visiting or resident in England.

Malta was still regarded as an important depôt for the Scriptures in the languages spoken by the nations around the Mediterranean. The Rev. H. D. Leeves, at Corfu, laboured in the translation of the Old Testament into the Modern Greek, some of the books of which were printed. And 7,736 copies of the Scriptures were issued at Constantinople. Active agencies, also, were established to circulate the Bible at Shushi, Bagdad, and Astrachan.

The Calcutta Bible Society proceeded in its highly important labours. The New Testament in Javanese, translated by the Rev. Mr. Bruckner, was printed at Serampore. Madras was distinguished by the translation, the printing, and the distribution of the

Scriptures, in the Tamul, Malayalim, Teloogoo, and Canarese; and active services were rendered in the cause of the Bible at Bombay.

The Colombo Bible Society also went forward steadily in the work of the Bible for Ceylon, especially the completion of the Cingalese Scriptures, and the Indo-Portuguese and Pali versions, by the Rev. Mr. Clough, of the Wesleyan Missionary Society.

Zealous services were rendered to the Bible cause at Malacca, by the Rev. Messrs. Kidd and Gutzlaff, Missionaries to the Chinese; by the Rev. Mr. Kam, at Amboyna, and the Rev. Mr. Deighton, at Penang. From China, Dr. Morrison gives an account of the Bible triumphs, in a letter from Leang Afa, a Chinese convert to the gospel of Christ, and an evangelist to his countrymen.

New South Wales possessed a few active friends to the Bible; and they circulated the Scriptures in that degraded land.

Northern Africa engaged the attention of the Committee, who purchased some translations of the Scriptures in the Berber language. Encouraging efforts, also, were made in Egypt and in Western Africa, at Sierra Leone; among the nations of Southern Africa; and the New Testament was printed at Madagascar, as translated by the Mis

sionaries.

From Jamaica, Barbadoes, Dominica, St. Domingo, Demarara, Berbice, and other parts of the West Indies, encouraging reports were received. Similar reports were received, also, from some provinces of South America and Mexico.

The American Bible Society still increased in its Auxiliaries and its issues of the Scriptures. They laboured to furnish every destitute family in the United States with the Word of God; and to supply the Scriptures to the Mexican States, South America, Greece, Burmah, Ceylon, and the Sandwich Islands.

British America, in its several provinces, contained some worthy labourers in the cause of the Bible; and a translation of the Scriptures was undertaken by two Indian Chiefs of the River Credit tribe, Peter and John Jones, for the Chippeway nation.

Domestic operations were most encouraging, as the Auxiliaries were increasing, through the labours of the Society's agents, Messrs. Dudley, Brackenbury, and Ackworth, and their contributions proved their zeal for the Bible. The labours of the Editor were of great value to the Society: their extent and variety were astonishing, fully answering the expectations of the Committee.

The twenty-seventh Annual Meeting was held May 4, 1831, in Exeter Hall, London; when the issues of the year were reported as 157,556 Bibles, and 191,729 Testaments, a total of 348,285 from the depository; and on the Continent, 15,991 Bibles, and 105,653 Testaments, a grand total of 470,929 copies of the Scriptures. The grants for the year amounted to £20,769 2s. Od.; and the receipts were £95,424 2s. 3d.

This largest assembly of the friends of the Bible Society ever before held was greatly excited: for, the adoption of the Report having been moved by the Rev. Dr. Dealtry, and seconded by the Rev.

Dr. Bennett, late Theological Tutor of Rotherham College, J. E. Gordon, Esq., moved, and the Rev. G. W. Philips seconded the following as an Amend

"That instead of the recommendation contained in the Report, that the constitution and practise of the Society continue as they are, the following Resolutions be adopted :

"That the British and Foreign Bible Society is pre-eminently a Religious and Christian Institution;

"That no person rejecting the doctrine of a Triune Jehovah, can be considered a member of a Christian Institution;

"That in conformity with this principle, the expression" Denomination of Christians," in the Ninth General Law of the Society, be distinctly understood to include such Denominations of Christians only, as profess their belief in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity."

This having been read to the Meeting, it was negatived.

The Rev. Mr. Foot then moved, and the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel seconded the following, as an Amendment:

"That the words of the Ninth Law, and of the others which prescribe the terms of admission to the Agency of the Society, be not taken to extend to those who deny the divinity and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ."

This proposition, having been read, was also negatived, and the original resolution passed; after which the Meeting was addressed by the Rev. D.