citude is, that, for the further and more happy propagation of that word, it may go abroad, on its healing and heavenly ministry, freed, as much as possible, from the incumbrance of all adventitious earthly load and intermixture"-(that is to say, Tracts)" the sole proper work of man's hand ?"*

SECTION IV.

IV. I now, therefore, proceed to consider some of the advantages which result from this "novel union and combination."

1. The first which I shall mention, is a most wonderful and unexampled dissemination of the Scrip

tures.

The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge has been established upwards of a century. I have already stated, that the only edition of the Scriptures which it has given to the world, in a foreign language, was an edition of 10,000 copies of the Arabic Testament, in 1720.

The Bible Society has existed six years, and in that time has printed editions of the Bible in English, Welsh, and Gaelic:

* Dr. Wordsworth, p. 29.

a Mohawk version of St. John's Gospel, and an Esquimaux version of the same; to which the Gospel of St. Luke will soon be added.

The Society has contributed to promote in Europe, editions of the Scriptures, or portions of them, in the

Editions of the Scriptures in the following Oriental languages are now preparing in India.

* The translator was Teyoninhokarawen, a Mohawk chief. Ou my asking him the question, whether he would be willing to translate a portion of the New Testament, if we could procure the printing of it, his answer was: " If I could have it printed in England, I would begin at sun-rise, and work till dark, every day, without intermission."-This conversation took place in August, 1804.

+ "I must not omit to commend the zealous and persevering labours of Mr. Lassar, and of those learned and pious persons, who have accomplished, for the future benefit we may hope of that immense and populous region (China), Chinese versions, in the Chinese character, of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; throwing open that precious mine, with all its religious and moral trea

On this subject I must take the liberty to insert an extract of a letter, written by a clergyman of Calcutta, who cannot fail to be well acquainted with the facts.

"At Dinapore the learned and indefatigable Mr. Henry Martyn *, with his coadjutors, Sabat from Arabia, and Mirza from Lucknow, are competent to furnish correct editions of the Scriptures in Hindustani, Persian, and Arabic.

"The Malayalim, Cingalese, Malay, and Telingat,

sures, to the largest associated population in the world."-Lord Minto's Speech at the College of Fort William, 1808.

芊 "The number of natives in Ceylon, subject to the British Government, is computed at a million and a half; their languages are the Cingalese and Tamul, Nearly the first three books of the. Old Testament, and the whole of the New, have been translated into the Cingalese, and printed at Columbo, at the charge of the Government." As the means of printing at Columbo are very limited, the Bible Society is rendering the necessary assistance.Sixth Report of Bible Society.

Mr. Martyn is Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge: a gentleman of very superior talents, and of the highest respectability. He is now at Cawnpore.

† Mr. Desgranges, the Missionary at Vizagapatam, is employed, in conjunction with Anunderayer, a converted Brahmin, in translating the Scriptures into the Telinga.

I subjoin an extract of a letter written a few months ago, by Mr. Desgranges, to the Rev. Mr. Brown of Calcutta.

"The extent of country through which the Telinga language prevails, is an important consideration."-" On the sea-coasts" it is spoken "from Ganjam to Madras. By drawing a line from Madras to Toonibudra, thence to this side of Hydrabad, thence to Ganjam within the Ghauts, the extent of country within which the Telinga language prevails, may be ascertained as nearly as possible. But the knowledge of it, either in speaking or writing, is not confined within these lines, as it is well understood, spoken, and even written, by numbers in Madras, Mysore, &c."

For another extract from this letter, see Appendix H, No. 1: see

*

in Malabar, Ceylon, and the Coast, will be ably conducted; and the Missionaries at Serampore are qualified to proceed with Bengalee, Mahratta, Sanscrit, Burman, Chinese, and perhaps some other dialects of India. It is probable in a year or two there will be found competent translators into every Oriental tongue.

"This happy beginning could not have advanced beyond the threshold without the fostering care of the British and Foreign Bible Society †."

The Bible Society has already appropriated to Bengal 5000l.; and since the last arrivals from India, the Committee have resolved to aid the funds of the Corresponding Committee in Bengal by an annual grant of 2000l. for the years 1811, 1812, and 1813; and, at their recommendation, to furnish a printing press and fount of Malabar types, complete, for the Ministers at Tanjore.

also No. 2, a letter from the Rev. Mr. John, senior Minister at Tranquebar.

* Dr. Carey, and the Missionaries at Serampore, have been engaged in translations for several years. The Baptist Missionary Society published a Memoir upon this subject in 1808, and another in the present year. For an extract from the last Memoir, I must refer to Appendix H, No. 3. The state of the translations in November 1809, is announced in the following terms. ›

"In the Bengalee, the work is completed; in Sungskrit (Sanscrit) and Orissa, the New Testament is printed, and a commencement made in the Old; in Mahratta and Hindoosthanee, the New Testament is nearly half printed; in Guzeratte, Punjabee, and Chinese, a beginning only is made in the printing; in the Telinga and Kernata, the New Testament waits for revision; and in Burman we have types prepared and a translation commenced."-Periodical Accounts relative to the Baptist Missionary Society, p. 56. + Summary Account of Bible Society, p. 62.

.

Look next to the Continent of Europe and to America: what was doing there till the year 1804?

The zeal of the Bible Society, as I have already shewn, operated upon them like an electric shock; and the result is a diffusion of the Scriptures to an almost incredible extent: and that not merely in states which are either wholly independent of the Papal power, or but remotely connected with it, but even in France* and Spain †.

A supply of copies of the Scriptures, either in whole or in part, has been extended to

Southern Africa;

Paramaribo in Surinam;

Demarara;

The coast of Labradore, for the Esquimaux Indians; The West Indies, for the use of the Christian Negroes;

1

The islands of Sark, Jersey, Madeira, Sicily, Malta, Dominica, Bermuda, Jamaica, Guadaloupe, Martinique, Trinidad, Antigua, St. Thomas's, and Prince Edward's;

The British soldiers at the Cape of Good Hope, and on various foreign stations;

The army, navy, and European inhabitants, in the East Indies;

+ Appendix H, No. 5.

* See Appendix H, No. 4. "The 500 copies of the Italian New Testament, sent to a respectable correspondent at Malta, have been received and put into distribution. Roman Catholic Priests, upon receiving copies, expressed their joy, that they now had the Scriptures in a language which they understood."-Sixth Report of Bible Society.

K