Malta still was the source of Bibles, of which 6,882 copies were issued in Hebrew, Italian, French, German, Modern Greek, Arabic, Coptic, and Amharic.

Mr. Leeves, from Athens, issued 19,068 copies of the Scriptures, of which the American Missionary, Mr. Calhoun, had 7,195 copies. The Old Testament, in Modern Greek, was now first published, at the expense of the British Society. Mr. Barker, the Society's agent at Smyrna, issued 5,000 copies of the Scriptures. The Bulgarian New Testament, and the JudæoSpanish also were now completed in Smyrna.

In Calcutta, the issues were 20,628 copies; besides 3,566 copies by the Calcutta Bible Association. The presses of the Baptist Church Mission were employed in printing the Scriptures in various languages. The Parent Committee granted 16,000 English Bibles and Testaments, and 5,000 English Bengalee Testaments printed in England; and Dr. Hæberlin returning to Calcutta took authority for the Committee to draw on the Society for £1,000, besides 1,000 reams of paper, and binding materials worth £100.

The Madras Auxiliary issued 42,429 volumes of the Scriptures, 3,338 copies of them in the Canarese. This Auxiliary was largely engaged in revising and reprinting the Scriptures in the Teloogoo, the Canarese, the Malayim, and the Hindostanee languages; and the British Society granted them 1,000 reams of paper, and 2,000 English Bibles.

The Bombay Auxiliary prospered; and a large supply of the Scriptures in English, Hebrew, Arabic,

Turkish, Portuguese, Modern Armenian, and Persian, was granted, with portions of the Bible in Urdu, Hindui, and Romanized Urdu, from Calcutta, with 1,000 reams of paper to print the New Testament in the Maráthí language.

The Colombo Auxiliary obtained a grant of 500 reams of paper, for an addition of 2,500 Bibles and 5,000 Testaments in Cingalese. The Jaffna Society obtained 500 reams of paper for printing the Scriptures in Tamul; and, in the year, it issued 15,350 volumes of the Word of God.

In China, portions of the Scriptures were distributed among the emigrants in the Eastern Archipelago. The printing of the Scriptures in the Chinese and the Malay was carried on at Malacca, by the Rev. J. Evans, who was unable to meet the demands for the sacred Books.

The Society sent out 4,500 copies of the Tahitian Scriptures, including 1,500 of the entire Bible, printed under the care of the Translator, the Rev. W. Nott. On a memorial from the Rev. John Williams and six other Missionaries for aid in printing the Scriptures in the Samoan, the Committee granted 300 reams of paper and £250 to the Church Missionary Society, in aid of translating the New Testament into the language of New Zealand; 5,000 of which were printed on paper from the Bible Society. Aid was promised also to the Wesleyan Society in translating the Scriptures into the Feejeean language. Thus six languages of the Islands were sanctified-the New Zealand, Tahitian, Rarotongan, Hawaian, Samoan, and Feejcean.

Madagascar was still the scene of cruel persecution; the pursuers of the Christians being ordered to put them in holes, and kill them by pouring on them boiling water yet 1,000 small New Testaments were granted to the faithful confessors.

South Africa was still aided in furnishing the Scriptures to the emancipated slaves. In England, the Rev. Mr. Moffat watched over the printing of his translation of the New Testament in the Sec

huana language. Western Africa received some grants of the Scriptures; and the Rev. Mr. Ewald reports the distribution of 2,719 copies at Tunis.

South America remains almost closed against the Scriptures, by the policy of the priesthood.

British North America offers large fields for the word of God, especially at Quebec, Montreal, and Toronto, in New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. In the West Indies, Mr. Wheeler has been successful in furthering the circulation of the Scriptures, especially in Jamaica.

Domestic proceedings were distinguished by great activity in all the vast operations of the Society. But one subject of agitation arose in the Committee this year, by the Memorial from the Baptist Union to move them from neutrality regarding "the trans lating (in some of the Eastern versions) of the words baptizo, &c., by terms signifying immersion.” As the Committee adhered to the course taken in the English and many other versions, leaving them untranslated, a new Society was formed among the Baptists, under the name of " The Bible Translation Society;" a fundamental principle of which is,

"that the words relating to the ordinance of Baptism shall be translated by terms signifying immersion."*

The receipts of the Society for the year were £111,449 13s. 1d.; and the issues were 272,577 Bibles, 265,882 Testaments; total, 538,459; on the Continent, 38,714 Bibles, 199,187 Testaments; a grand total of 776,360 copies of the Scriptures. The grants of this year amounted to £52,130 6s. 9d., including 13,500 Bibles and 47,500 Testaments for Schools and the poor of Ireland.

The Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting was held May 6th, 1840, in Exeter Hall, when the great assembly was addressed by the President, Lord Bexley, the Bishop of Chester, Lord Teignmouth, and Lord Mountsandford, the Rev. Dr. Urwick, of Dublin, Rev. Dr. Eastburn, of New York, Rev. Professor Pilet, of Genoa, Rev. R. Moffat, of Africa, Rev. J. Smith, of Madras, Rev. W. A. Shirley, Rev. W. M. Bunting, Rev. A. Brandram, and Rev. W. Raikes.

THE THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE SOCIETY,

1840-1841.

"REJOICE in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice" is the apostolic language that each member of the Bible Society's Committee would adopt, in reflecting on their successes of this year. The issue of the Scriptures were larger than ever before; and it may be hoped more productive of spiritual good, under the blessing of God. Considerable * Bible Society's Report for 1840, p. xciii. See pp. 281, 282.

agitation, however, prevailed in the public mind, respecting "the Bible-printing monopoly" by the Universities and the Queen's printer, by which the Scriptures were kept at a price far higher than justice required. The controversy was carried on with great warmth, both in England and in Scotland; but the Bible Society's Committee deemed it their duty to remain neutral. Public intelligence, however, and right prevailed, first in Scotland, and then in England; and the prices of the common Bibles and Testaments were reduced, in some instances, more than one half, to their present remarkable cheapness.

In France, M. de Pressensé persevered in his agency; and he reports his issues, as 149,413 copies of the Scriptures, of which 117,431 were sold by colporteurs. The French and Foreign Bible Society also report their issues as 110,599 copies, 21,579 Bibles, and 89,020 Testaments. Many refugees from Spain being now in France, the British Committee voted for them 1,500 Spanish Bibles and Testaments; besides 400 Spanish Testaments for the same at Toulouse.

In Germany, Dr. Pinkerton's labours were efficient; his issues being 55,898 copies of the Scriptures, in various languages; and, by his journeys, he greatly served the Bible cause in Wurtemberg, Switzerland, Alsace, Bavaria, and Hanover.

In Belgium, Mr. Tiddy experienced "a storm of determined opposition," led by a Jesuit, "the most celebrated preacher the Roman Catholics have." Still the issues of the Scriptures at Brussels were

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