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sembly, that the number of prelates in Great Britain and Ireland is forty-eight. I will now read you the names of those who patronise the Parent Society or institutions of a similar nature. In Great Britain, we find the Right Rev. the Lord Bishops of Durham, Salisbury, Bristol, Norwich, Chichester, St. David's, and Landaff. In Ireland, the Most Rev. the Lord Primate, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Archbishop of Cashel, the Archbishop of Tuam, the Right Rev. the Lord Bishops of Kildare, Derry, Clogher, Cloyne, Limerick, Cork, Down, and Killala. The archbishops and bishops, whose names have just been recited, amount to nineteen. I am not wholly unacquainted with arithmetical calculation; and I know that nineteen is not a small proportion of forty-eight t. So much for the matter of fact.

"It is further stated by the " Churchman," that the Bible Society "distributes Bibles alone." We must really plead guilty to the charge. We give nothing, as a society, but the pure and unsophisticated word of the most hign God. The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge distributes "the Scriptures and other religious Books and Tracts." This also is correct. Many of their tracts are very excellent, and cannot fail to do good. But are we therefore enemies to the dispersion of good tracts, because, in the first place, and above all things, we wish to supply the poor with the New Testament? A worthy rector in this county, at present immediately below me, who has for nearly twenty years been a member of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, and who is now a very earnest advocate for an Auxiliary Bible Society, has supplied with tracts from the old society, all the poor families in his parish, that can use them. And great has been the benefit. But is our opinion of the New Testament such that we dare not trust it without a tract? Does the Church of England appeal for its authority to the inventions of men, or to the Bible? When it can be shewn that religious tracts contain something more essential to our salvation than the word of God contains, or that in them the terms of redemption are more clearly and conclusively expressed than in

We have since to add the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry. + There are, it is true, forty-eight bishops in England and Ireland, but only thirty-two of these belong to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, while the number who patronize the British and Foreign Bible Society is, as above stated, twenty. EDITOR.

the language dictated by the Holy Spirits then I will admit that the dissemination of such tracts will be more useful than that of the Bible itself: but till this proof shall be given, I will not be offended with the British and Foreign Bible Society for circulating the Bible alone, without note or comment, and unaccompanied by tracts of any kind..

"It is further contended, that we ought to give Prayer Books with our Bibles. To whom, I would ask, ought we to give them? To Dissenters? No: but to the members of our own church. Is it meant to be insinuated that we neglect to do so? 1 hold it to be the duty of every clergyman to supply his poor with Prayer Books to the utmost of his power: and I am well persuaded, that no men are more active in discharging this duty than the clerical members of the Bible Society. The worthy rector to whom I have just alluded, has in this respect also set an example in his own parish, which all his brethren would do well to follow. In looking to general benefit, I never would forget, that I am a member of the Church of England. Does my connection with society, from which I purchase the Scriptures alone, deprive me of the right or the inclination to do every thing for the poor of the Establishment, which a friend to the Establishment ought to do? The force of such logic I cannot perceive. By this connection I forfeit none of any means, I abandon none of my principles: but I procure incalculable good, which I could procure in no other way. By the united co-operation of Christians of all denominations, in a cause where all can safely unite, asperity is subdued, Christian charity is promoted, and, above all, resources are called into existence, which descend in blessings, not merely upon this land and people, but upon every nation to which the liberality of Britain can direct them.

"Gentlemen, if we would fully appreciate the glorious exercise of charity, to which the Bible Society invites us, we should consider ourselves not merely as Englishmen, but as members of the whole family of man. The miserable savage, who wanders in the desert or the forest, untutored and unsubdu ed, is still a brother of our own, created like ourselves in the image of God, and like os an heir of immortality. For near six thousand years, the groans of nature have been heard in every land: but sages and prophets have consoled us with the assurance, that these times shall have an end; that a new order of things shall arise; and that the blessings of the Gospeí sball, ere long, call forth from all nations the sacred and lofty mea

sures of adoration and praise. Even now, I seem to myself to behold the dawning of that brighter day: even now, by the favour of Providence upon the labours of Englishmen, and especially by means of the Bible Society, the glad tidings of the Gospel are heard in the most distant regions. Translations of the Scriptures are proceeding to an extent beyond all example; and if the society continue to act according to the promise of its present exertions, the Gospel will soon have been preached not in this land only, or where its institutions and language are known, but unto all that dwell on the earth, to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.' Wherever the footsteps of civilization can be traced, there will men read, in their own tongue, the wonderful works of God. In the contemplation of these things, I am struck with a degree of admiration and astonishment which I cannot express. I would venture to borrow the words of that sacred book, which it is the object of this meeting to dispense to all men, and inquire, Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Ask now of the days that are past, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Except the day of Pentecost, I know of nothing to compare with it. The temple of Truth has been founded and built up in Britain: but the light is streaming through every outlet to all the regions of the world. It has penetrated the hut of the shivering native of Labradore: it has cheered the dwelling of the poor Hin doo. The glory of the Lord is visiting his Church; from every quarter the gentiles are coming to her light, and kings to the brightness of her rising. The consoling declarations of the prophets appear, even in these days of conflict, to be fast approaching their completion; the brightest visions of our poets seem on the point of being realised, when,

The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks Shout to each other, and the mountain tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy, Till, nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.'

As sure as the voice of prophecy has foretold them, these glorious times will arrive; and we in our generation are called to the distinguished honour of acting as instruments in the Divine Hand to hasten their approach. We are invited to the privilege of humbly

combining our efforts as workers together with God.' The ardour and unanimity, which we have this day witnessed, afford a convincing proof, that we shall enter with zeal upon this work of faith and labour of love. Let us then work, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work : the opportunity is now in our hands. we soon shall go hence and be no more seen.”

In the course of his speech, Mr. Dealtry took occasion to read part of an interesting and appropriate letter from the Principal of the East-India College, which was received with much attention and applause.

Sir John Sebright observed, that he perfectly concurred in the sentiments expressed by the last speaker, and was a warm friend and well-wisher to the Church of England. It was in this view that he felt himself particularly called upon to support the society.

A motion for thanks to the secretaries of the parent society, for their valuable assistance on this occasion, having been made by the Rev. J. H. Mitchell, seconded by Mr, Fordham, and adopted by the meeting, Mr. Owen entered into a lively description of the extensive field of labour which lies before those persons who wish to supplant the Bible Society and its numerous dependencies. After leading them through all parts of Great Britain and Ireland, he then proposed, that they should visit the continent of Europe, and pass over into America and Asia. When they should have accom. plished their purpose to the extent already pointed out, he thought that he could tell them of additional employment. His conclusion was marked by some striking observations on the retrospect of the proceedings of this day. It would prove a source of consolatory and animating reflection to many distinguished gentlemen around him, particularly to those who were terminating a long career of public usefulness by their generous co-operation in support of the cause of religion throughout the world.

Mr. Plumer, seconded by Sir John Sebright, then moved the cordial thanks of the meeting to William Baker, Esq. for his able siness of this day. conduct and important exertions in the bu

Mr. Baker, in an address of great feeling, expressed the delight which be experienced in seeing, on the close of a long political life, one meeting of unanimity. It had been his lot to witness many of dissension; he had been opposed to gentlemen near him on questions of great interest to public men, when both sides considered themselves as

engaged in the right cause. It rejoiced his heart to find, at last, that there was one subject on which they could all agree, and especially that this subject was the dispersion of the Scriptures. "They are," he,observed, "the only solace of affliction in this life, and afford the only ground of hope for the life to come."

An eye-witness of what passed at this meeting assures us, that "the harmony, so uniformly manifested on the formation of auxiliary societies in every part of the kingdom, was eminently displayed on this occasion." "A more gratifying scene," he adds, "has seldom been witnessed. The effect produced upon the minds of those who were present, will not be the transient impression of a day. They will, many days hence, acknowledge the excellence of a cause that can unite in perfect cordiality gentlemen of distinction who have long been opposed upon political questions, and elicit the best feelings from men of every class. Their principles of Christian charity will be enlarged and confirmed. From the good which has already been done by means of the Bible Society, they will see what the united exertions of Christians can effect in the most benevolent of all projects, and will perceive, that we are not merely called by a sense of duty, but invited by our best interests to co-operate in its service, and to share its blessings."

SUTTON COLDFIELD AUXILIARY BIBLE

SOCIETY.

On the 23d of Dec. 1811, a society was formed at Sutton Coldfield, for that town and neighbourhood, in aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Henry Grimes, Esq. the warden, was appointed treasurer, and the Rev. Joseph Mendham secretary. The committee consists of the rector, the Rev. J. Riland; Sir E. C. Harlopp, Bart.; Franeis Hackett, Esq.; Thos. Terry, Esq.; and W. Webb, Esq.

In the address of the society, it is well observed, "Religion is communicative. One of its two great branches is love to man; and he who understands the value of divine blessings by his own enjoyment of them, will be desirous of imparting the benefit to others. This is the best benevolence: it is benevolence eminently Christian: we add, it is a benevolence, which will return sevenfold into our own bosom. For, certainly, it will prove no unprofitable bargain, if, in return for our liberality, we become instrumental in conferring upon a fellow-creature the best of blessings, obtain a share in the fervent CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 122.

prayers and benedictions of the righteous and find our own piety rekindled and increased by contemplating the zeal of others."

BRISTOL AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of this institution was held at the Guildhall on the 13th inst. the Rev. Dr. Randolph, prebendary of Bristol, in the chair. The report of the committee having been read, and received with great approbation, several gentlemen addressed the meeting; among whom were, Mr. S. Cave, Mr. J. Smith, the Rev. Mr. Thorpe, Mr. E. Protheroe, Mr. Lowell, the Rev. Mr. Rowe, and the Rev. Mr. O'Donoghue. Mr. Smith observed, "that England had been called the land of Bibles; yet the scarcity of them, before the establishment of this institution, was truly surprising. Even in our city and neighbourhood it had been a subject of equal regret and astonishment.” To prove the truth of this statement, Mr. Smith read a letter from Keynsham, where, although a small place, and lying between two such cities as Bath and Bristol, yet, on inquiry, 150 grown persons were found without Bibles in their possession. "Even in the Bristol Infirmary, out of 205, only fourteen possessed this sacred treasure."— Mr. Thorpe, among other things, observed, "In the year 1804, if any man had ventured to predict that an institution would soon be formed, under the patronage of the mitre and the coronet, with the sanction of genius and literature, comprehending the religious of all denominations, whose jarring principles had so long repelled them from each other, but who should all at once feel themselves drawn, as by some powerful but invisible magnet, into a friendly association, where, actuated by one spirit, they would combine to promote one and the same object: if he had gone farther, and ventured to predict that, within a few years after the establishment of this society, the Scriptures would be printing in about fifty different languages, into many of which they had now, for the first time, been translated, and that near 200,000 copies of the Old, and near 300,000 copies of the New Testament, would be dispersed in the course of six years, would he not have been deemed a visionary?"

The amount raised by this society, duting the preceding year, was about 1750. Upwards of 17001 of that amount was remitted to the British and Foreign Bible Society.

THE BIBLE SOCIETY AND DR. MARSH.

We should have been glad, had our limits R

122 Cape of G. Hope... United States.-View of Public Affairs... Spain. [FEB.

admitted of it, to have noticed the formation
of many other Auxiliary Bible Societies;
but this we must reserve for another oppor.
tunity. We were also anxious to have given
some account of a pamphlet which has re-
cently appeared, against the Bible So-
ciety, from the pen of Dr. Marsh; because
we think the air of confidence with which
it is written may produce some effect on
persons ignorant of the real merits of the
subject. We have only delayed, however;
we have not abandoned our purpose; and
we here pledge ourselves to prove, that the
learned author's single ground of objection to
this society-the forlorn hope of his party
is as destitute of weight, and as little entitled
to consideration, as any one of the "eigh
teen" refuted objections of Dr. Wordsworth,
Mr. Spry, and Mr. Sykes; most, if not all,
of which, indeed, Dr. Marsh himself seems
to consider as too weak to be defended.
His own single objection, though produced:
with much " pomp and circumstance," ар-
pears to us to have already received its
answer in Mr. Dealtry's speech, inserted
two pages back.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The missionary Read, writing from Cape Town, in the month of June last, states, that he and Dr. Vander Kemp had been sent for from Bethelsdorp by the Government, in order to assist in investigating the complaints which had been made of cruelties exercised towards the Hottentots by the Dutch boors. From his account, a considérable degree of concern about religion had been excited at Cape Town; which was greatly increased by a severe earthquake, which occurred on the th of June. "I found," he says, on my arrival at the Cape, my hands full. I have preaclied four times

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a week to the soldiers and others. Amongst
the soldiers, the work of the Lord seems
greatly flourishing. Among the Dutch is a
greater revival than we ever saw.
speaks to the Christians on the Saturday
evening, and another instructs the slaves on the
Sunday evening. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Hyser
are indefatigable in their labours, instructing
the slavos, &c. We have morning and even-
ing lectures in our own hired house, which,
in the evenings especially, is not only crowd-
ed, but numbers, who cannot come in, hear
from the open windows. I have commenced
a Sunday school for the poor slaves, which
is likely to be of important service. There
are numbers of young friends who will carry
it on, and much good, we hope, will be
done." A revival of religion, similar to that
at the Cape, is said to have taken place in
other parts of the settlement.

UNITED STATES.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States, have proposed the establishment of a Theological School for the education of ministers. In the prospectusit is affirmed, that the progress of population is four times greater than the increase of ministers; that ministers and missionaries are loudly called før, and that there are 400 vacant congregations within the bounds of their jurisdiction.

The Philadelphia Bible Society have distributed during the last year 8185 Biblesand Testaments. It is a rule of the society. not to give a copy where one was previously possessed.

Dr. Buchanan's Christian Researches in India have been re-published in America, and are said to be producing much effect in that country. The Christian Observer is also regularly re-published at New York.

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

SPAIN.

CIUDAD Rodrigo was carried by assault on the 19th of January, being the tenth day after it had been invested by Lord Wellington. This is unquestionably one of the most brilliant exploits of the war. The Prince Regent has expressed his sense of it by conferring an Earldom on the gallant general, and Parliament by a vote of thanks and an additional pension of 20001, a year. Nothing would exceed the gallautry of our

troops during every part of the siege, and particularly during the storm. The governor, 78 officers, and 1700 men, were made pri soners. We got possession also of 158 pieces of ordnance. The French general Marmont appears to have been astonished at the rapidity with which this place has been reduced. He professes to have attempted the junction of troops from different quarters, in order to march to its relief; but the vigour of the besiegers disappointed all his calcula

tions. "There is in this event," he says, "something so incomprehensible that I will not permit myself to make any observation upon it." Our loss during the siege, we are sorry to say, amounted, including the Portugueze, to 150 killed, and 600 wounded. Two general officers, Major-generals Mackinnon and Crawford, were among the former. It was expected that the siege of Badajoz would be immediately undertaken. Ciudad Rodrigo has been given up to the Span

iards.

The same post which brought the official account of the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo brought that also of the fall of Valencia. This event took place on the 6th of January, and it appears at least as incomprehensible as the fall of Ciudad Rodrigo. Blake with 17,000 men, well supplied with ammunition, was within its walls. Where was the spirit of Palafox and the heroes of Saragoza, or that more recently displayed by Colouel Skerret and his thousand British troops at Tarifa, against ten times his force? The besieged were in this instance about half as numerous as the besiegers.

The guerillas continue to make vigorous head against their oppressors.

A complete change has taken place in the executive government of Spain. The members of the old regency have been displaced, and a new regency has been appointed, at the head of which is the Duke del Infantado, now ambassador from Spain to the British Court. Great hopes are entertained from the increased vigour which is to be expected from the new administration. We anxiously wish they may be realized. We should rejoice to see the new reign commence by the extinction of the abominable Inquisition, and we should augur from such a commencement the happiest issues.

pose that a disposition of this kind has been manifested by Sweden. If peace should actually take place between that country, and Great Britain, such an event could not fail greatly to embarrass Bonaparte.

SICILY.

A complete revolution appears to have taken place in this island. On the 16th January, the King issued a Royal Act, appointing the Hereditary Prince, Vicar-General of the kingdom, with the whole of the royal authority. And on the 19th, the Prince ap pointed Lord W. Bentinck Captain-General of the Sicilian forces. The British army had been ordered to Palermo, and was expected in a few days. The Sicilian nobles who were banished in July last were recalled, and an entire change has taken place in the ministry; the Prince Cassano having for the present the chief direction.

UNITED STATES.

In what will be found in a subsequent page, on the licensing system, we think that a decisive answer is given to the complaints of America on the subject of our Orders in Council. The Orders in Council are neither more nor less than a justifiable, and, as we conceive, necessary measure of defence against Bonaparte's open and avowed war on our commerce, which is the seminal principle of our power. Nor is it our own in. terests, or our own existence only, that we are defending, but those of America also. America, however, is not disposed to take this view of the subject; and she appears bent on going to war with us, because, in aiming some hard blows at our enemy, she, who has been told to keep out of their reach yet chooses to put herself in the way of them, receives a few scratches. That her trade must be lessened by our blockade (for, in fact, our Orders in Council are a blockade under another name) of the ports of Holland, France, and the north of Italy, is unques

A truce has been agreed to by the rival parties in the Rio Plata, under the mediation of the Portugueze Government, the basis of which is the mutual acknowledgment of Ferdinand VII. and a dispositionable; but still it is obvious, that it is tion to receive the proposals of the Commissioners who have been appointed by Great Britain and Spain to settle the affairs of the South-American provinces.

SWEDEN.

A strong hope is entertained of peace between Sweden and Great Britain. Such a measure would clearly imply that Bernadotte was' desirous of shaking from his shoulders the yoke of France; and the recent for eible seizure of Swedish Pomerania by a body of French troops gives ground to sup

only when she chooses to attempt to render nugatory this defensive measure of ours, by entering the prohibited ports of our enemy, that she can sustain any actual loss. If, then, our right of self-defence be unquestionable; if our right to retaliate on France her decrees against our commerce be equally unquestionable, surely the neutrals who oppose themselves to those rights ought not to complain of the belligerent if they should suffer from their intrusion. We still hope that circumstances may arise to abate the violent feelings towards this country which pervade the

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