Prussia and Russia; and their increasing operations advanced the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Societies or Agents promoted the Bible cause at Malta, Smyrna, Corsica, Constantinople, Adrianople, Beyrout and other places, in various languages of the East, calling forth the zeal and piety of professing Christians.

The Calcutta Bible Society carried forward its active labours in publishing several translations; after £2,000 were called for by the Bishop's College, in aid of the translation of the Old Testament into Persian. The Serampore Missionaries continued. stedfast in their various works, and to them two grants were made; one of £3,000 to their general translation fund, and the other of £2,500, on account of new versions which they had in hand.

Missionary labours at Tahiti, having been crowned with the Divine blessings, in the conversion of many idolaters to the knowledge of Christ, 3,500 of the Gospels were printed at Huahine, one of the Society Islands.

Sydney, in New South Wales, and Van Dieman's Land, afforded evidence of the desire of many to possess the Scriptures. Various efforts to serve the Bible cause were made on the South, West, and North of Africa, Egypt, and the Mauritius. Many copies of the Scriptures were distributed also in South America and the West Indies, and considerable funds and contributions were received for the Bible cause, by the Parent Society.

The United States of America persevered worthily

in this great work; and to the American Bible Society were now added 395 efficient Auxiliaries.

The domestic affairs of the Society were prosperous, in the confidence of multiplied friends, and in the increasing circulation of the Scriptures. And the twentieth annual meeting was held on the 5th of May, when it was reported that the receipts for the year amounted to £97,718 17s. 6d. ; the grants to £33,521 5s. 11d.; and the issue of the Scriptures from the Depository—

From such a year of prosperity, it might be expected that the anniversary meeting would be large; and it is believed to have been more numerously attended than on any other former occasion. Among the advocates of the Society's claims, were the President, Earl Harrowby, Earl Roden, Lord Barham, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, Count Ver Ruell, Peer of France, and Dr. Morrison from China, presenting publicly to the Society a copy of the entire Bible, the fruit of his labour during seventeen years, assisted by Dr. Milne. The sight of this present was hailed by the friends of the Society as the reward of missionary toil and as a pledge of the triumphs of the gospel of Christ among the Chinese.

Reviewing in this brief manner the SECOND DECADE of the Bible Society, the devout inquirer cannot but admire its steady progress in its operations and

P

resources. And these at once indicate the active devotedness of the agents of the Institution-faithful servants of the Lord-in employing the means so adapted to accomplish the end, and especially the gracious benediction of the blessed God.

CHAPTER IV.

THIRD DECADE OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF THE SOCIETY,
1824-1825.

ASTONISHMENT and delight fill the devout mind contemplating the progress of the Bible Society from its formation to the commencement of its third decade. Its affiliated Societies and Auxiliaries, and friendly agents, were found in almost every country, seeking to benefit and bless every human being with the knowledge of eternal life and salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

France became now the scene of important labours in the cause of the Scriptures. To supply the demand, 10,000 Testaments, and 10,000 copies of the Gospels and the Acts were ordered during the past year at Paris.

Spain, Portugal, and Italy were almost closed against the Scriptures.

Biblical zeal flourished in the Netherlands, in Switzerland, and in many parts of Germany. The Prussian Bible Society, with its numerous associations, continued persevering in the publication of the Scriptures; and the same may be reported of the

Danish and Russian Societies. In eleven years the Russian Bible Society had printed the entire Scriptures, or the New Testament, or parts of it, in fortyone different languages or dialects; and distributed 448,109 copies of the Scriptures.

Various valuable efforts to circulate the Scriptures in Italian, Modern Greek, and Arabic were made at Malta and in the Greek Islands, Smyrna, Aleppo, and in several other parts of the Turkish Empire.

Most gratifying reports of the printing and circulating of the Scriptures were received from Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, and Ceylon; and expressions of the warmest gratitude from the Serampore Missionaries, for the grants made to aid them in printing their translations.

Reports from the South Sea Islands as to the translation and printing of the Scriptures were answered by a grant of 500 reams of paper for that purpose.

Dr. Morrison being in England, arrangements were made with him for the circulation of his translation of the Scriptures, which were well received by many of the Chinese.

South Africa became increasingly interesting as a field of labour for the Scriptures, as the Missionaries were progressing in their translations into the native languages.

South America afforded some interesting reports of the people calling for the Word of God, especially at Lima, and in the Portuguese and Spanish languages.

Auxiliary Societies at Jamaica, Barbadoes, and Antigua were active in circulating the Scriptures.