1 CONTENTS. Page History of the Bible Society's Edition of the Welsh Scriptures 4 General Division of the Subject §. I. Absolute and paramount Importance of circulating the §. II. State of the World with respect to the Knowledge of the Scriptures, when the Bible Society was first proposed 24 Want of Bibles in India ...... in the Isle of Mann and Jersey §. III. Necessity of a new Bible Society §. IV. Advantages connected with the Bible Society. 1. Unexampled Dissemination of the Scriptures. 2. Unanimity among Christians.. 3. Removes Ground of Offence, &c. 4. Bond of Union with Foreign Churches 5. Beneficial to the Church of England 6. Preserves Text from Corruption 1. Constitution of the Bible Society 2. Members of Bible Society embrace a less Good, &c.. 3. New Society injures Funds of old 4. Impairs its relative Importance.. vi 8. Makes a great Noise in the World 9. Tends to overturn the Church.. ib, 10. Requires no Test of Admission 11. Its Bibles pass through noxious Channels 12. Has no Law to secure its professed Object 13. Originated in Love of Novelty, and has no Security for 14. Founded in a Spirit of Rivalry 15. Supported only by Five Bishops.. 16. Supported only by Half a Dozen Lords 17. Terids to produce Indifference to Christianity 18. Is closely connected with other hurtful Societies ib. 1. Church of England Subscribers to recede 2. Society to embrace Objects merely foreign .. 3. To receive no Church of England Members not belonging ib. §. VII. Miscellaneous Observations. 1. Manner of Dr. Wordsworth's Letter 2. Its Conjectures and Hypotheses 3. Its Reflections on Lord Teignmouth 5. Incorrect Impressions produced by it.. 6. Relative Value of Forms and Doctrines. 7. Poverty of old Society, &c. 8. Activity of Religious Public 9. Dissenters hostile to the Church APPENDIX A. Correspondence in 1800, 1801, and 1802, shewing the Want of a new Edition of the Welsh Scriptures, and the Diffi- culty of obtaining one B. Extracts from the Minutes of the Committee of the Bible Society, on the Correction of the Welsh Bible for the : Press C. Correspondence respecting the Society's Edition of the Welsh -Scripture s, and Minutes of the Committee of the Bible Society upon the Subject .... viii vi - Page D. Statement of the Rules observed in preparing the Society's Edition of the Welsh Scriptures for the Press ..... xxxvi E. Extracts of Letters, &c. shewing the Want of Bibles in different Parts of the World liv F. Correspondence in 1791, shewing the great Want which then existed of a further Supply of Welsh Bibles Ixiii G. Testimonies in Favour of the Constitution of the Bible Society Ixviji H. Letters and other Documents, shewing the Extent of Good done by the Bible Society ... .......... Ixxxiv I. Extracts shewing the want of Protestant Missionaries in India xcix K. Extracts shewing the Popish Nature of the Objections made to the Bible Society ... L. Specimen of the Arabic New Testament, published by the Society ..... ............ cxiii M. Extracts of Letters illustrating the Nature of the Sunday School Society cxvii CV A VINDICATION OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, IN A LETTER TO THE REV. DR.WORDSWORTH. My dear Friend, THOUGH the mode of address which I adopted in my former Letter to you, on the subject of the Bible Society, appeared to some persons* rather inconsistent with that freedom of discussion which I thought it right to maintain, yet, in resuming the question, I cannot prevail upon myself to adopt another. My intention, however, is on no account, by any semblance of misplaced courtesy, to sacrifice the great cause which I have come forward to vindicate. Our arguments are to be estimated simply by their value. I shall therefore deliver my sentiments without reserve, and with the full liberty which is allowed to literary combatants. Only let the question be decided by its merits, and I fear nothing for the result. I shall not, I hope, be thought to disparage the * See Antijacobin Review, B |
