Newspaper Page Text
No 48- Vol. Vl.]
American Bible Society.
Nhth Annual Meeting held in New York, May 12.
From the Neto York tip eclat or.
The Annual Report was read by the Rev.
Dr. M’Auley, of this city, and the successor
of the Rev. Dr. Woodhuli as Recording
Secretary. This ninth report, it was said,
was presented with mingled emotions of sor
row aod joy—sorrow at the death of asso
oiates dearly and deservedly beloved, and
joy that other associates, whose lives and
labours seem essential to the extension and
success of the Society, have been spared,
and brought again from the borders of the
gp'bve.
Ihe report states that the continual ad
Tancement of the bible cause—the increas
ing disposition to aid its operations—the
practical influence of the bible on the heart*,
of thousands, delivering them from the do
minion of ignorance—the almost total ex
Unction of systematick opposition—the no
interrupted love and harmony—the zeal and
diligence of the officers, managers, directors
and members of tbe Society, fill the hearts
of the board with sentiments of admiration
and gratitude to God for the past, and of
hope and confidence for the future. The
treasury for the last year has been supplied
in a very encouraging degree, although
from the peculiar circumstances of our im
mense western territory, throughout which
auxiliaries are scattered, the increase of in
eome does not bear a full proportion to the
increase of auxiliaries. But from the in
creasing population and prosperity of that
expanse of country, the prospect of efficient
aid in future is very cheering. Both the
•ales of bibles and tbe receipts of ihe treas
ory exceed those of last year, and the bal
ance remaining is encouraging.
On the subject of the receipts of the So
eieiv. the report notices for the purpose of
Correc.iog Ihe unfounded and injurious opin
ion’ currently circulated, and by many re
ceived, the receipts from contributions and
donations, independently of the return?
from sales. It is a fact that the Society re
turns in value, almost all that it receives in
money. It is important that this erroneous
impression should be corrected, both in the
minds of the friends and enemies of the Bt
ble cause. A belief that the Society has
no necessity for increased resources, relax
• the efforts of the benevolent; turns the
benefactions of many into other channels ;
misleads some auxiliaries so far, that they
invest their surplus funds, rather than trans
mit them to a treasury, supposed to be a!
ready overflowing; others, to neglect the
collection of their annual dues; and some,
to cease from all operations. The whole
amount of receipts during the last year, (ex
elusive of voluntary contributions for tbe
building of tbe Society’s house is summed
apal $46,501 81
Payments from the treasury du
riog the same period, $47,599 13
It is here proper to state, that tbe great
•r part part ot the revenue was received
during the two last months. Previously to
that period the remittances were so limited
and irregular, that (be printing and binding
of the Society was necessarily and incouve
niently curtailed. Had such not been the
fact, the whole amount would have been
expended in advancing the objects of the
Society. The receipts, however, ultimate
ly, were $4,589 37 more than duriug the
preceding year.
A legacy of S2OOO was received from the
late Matthew Van Benschoten, Eq. of Fish
kill, and the library has bee,n increased by
a donation of Dr Marshman’s translation of
a bible into Chinese-, and 27 volumes from
a distinguished Roman Catholick Ecclesias
tick in the island of Cuba.
In regard to the Society’s Building, which
is finished throughout, and affords ample ac
oommodatious for all the various and exten
sive operations of the Institution, a renewed
expression of thanks to the benefactors who
enabled the Society to erect it, without in
fringing one dollar upon the ordinary funds,
is tendered. A balance is still due -upon
this edifice, the possession of which in fee
•ecnres the Society at least SI6OO per an
Bum; but it is expected that individual lib
erality will soon enable the managers to
tancel it.
During the last year, there have been
printed by the Society 22.750 English Bi
bles; 23,000 Testaments; 2000 Spanish
Testaments ; and 800 German Testaments
have been purchased. Total, 48,550
Making in all, since the establishment --f
the Society a grand total of 451,902 bibles
and Testaments and parts of the latter print
ed in New York, and at the Society’s branch
in Kentucky, or otherwise obtained for dis
tribution. Considerable progress has more
over been made in the completion of the
stereotype plates for the pocket bible men
tioned in tbe eighth Annual report. It will
probably be completed and the first edition
printed in the course of the current year.
The stereotype edition of the Testament,
in large letter, for aged people, has been
•ompleted since the last report, and four
edit ions of 2000 copies each, printed and
put in a course of useful circulation.
There have been issued from tbe D?
positorv, since tbe last Annual Report, 30.
•94 Bibles; 33,106 Testaments; and 651
oopies of the Epistle of John in the Mo
hawk and in the Delaware language—mak
THE MISSIONARY.
mg a grand total since the institution of the
Society, of 372,913. This estimate does
not include the issues from the Kentucky
Depository, nor those purchased or receiv
ed gratuitously from other sources by aux
iliary Societies.
Ot those issued from the Depository dur
ing tbe nine years of its existence, there
were ; Os German Bibles, 307 ; ditto Tes
taments, 397; Spanish Bibles, 421; ditto
Testaments, 1465; Portuguese Bibles, 2 y
ditto Testaments, 2; Gaiie Bibles, 8 ;
Welch ditto, 4; French ditto, 176.
The number of Bibles and Testaments
issued gratuitously during the 9th year, is
stated as follows :
English Bibles, 7,778
Do. Testaments, 9,197
Bibles in foreign languages, 483
Testaments and Gospels, do. 2.165
Total 19.623
Vlae, $10,447 44
The stereotype plates of the Spanish Bi
ble, in (he version of Padre Scio, reported
last year as being in an “unfinished state,”
have been completed, entirely to the satis
faction of the Board, and an edition of2ooo
copies printed off, and put in a course of
circulation. As this version has long been
received by Ihe Spanish nation as an ap
proved translation of the Bible, Ihe Maria
gers believe it will have an uninterrupted,
sppedy, and extensive circulation.
The next division of the Report relates
to the operations of the Society ; and, from
the documents submitted, it satisfactorily
appears that every exertion has been mat'e
to supply the destitnte in every section • f
the t T . S. and their territories. But had th
fnnds of the Society been tenfold, they
would not have been able to supply the as
certained necessities of the poor. Sup
plies have been graded to the Army of
the U. States, at distant stations, and these
supplies have been gratefully acknowledg
ed by the officers; their (banks having
been transmitted through the Adju'antGen
eral. The Secretary of War also, and
MujorGencralGaines , highly -approved of tbe
liberality of the Board, and gave every fa
cility necessary to the distribution, and eve
ry security which their authority and inflo
ence could give, for the safe-keeping, at
the different posts, of ihe preemns tr'-a-ure.
in (he last Report it was mentioned, that
doubts existed as to the accuracy of the
Mohawk translation of the Testament, and
its circulation was suspends; but salisfac
tory evidence has since been received, (bat
the errours are few. and those principally
in orthography. The suspension has there
fore been removed, and grants of that im
portant gospel made to the Indians who
speak and read the Mohawk language at
Green Bay, in the Michigan territory; at
Grand River, in Upper Canada; and at
Caughnawaga, aud St. Regi, in Lower Ca
nada. These are tbe only places known to
the Board where the scriptures in the Mo
hawk language can be profitably circulated
Furiher translations into the language of
Ihe Six Nations, have occupied thp atlen
lion of the Board; bat for the want of com
petent assistance for a correct translation,
but little progress has been made. The
several schools am-mg the Indian tribes,
however, where there are Missionary sta
tions, and those schools under the care of
the Foreign Missionary Society, have heen
supplied with Engli-h Bihles, “through the
medium of the New York Bible Society
From South America important comma
nications have been received Tbe ardour
with w hich the Bihle is sought for, and the
gratitude with which it is received, the free
introduction of the New Testament, or
parts of it, into some of the most important
schools; the strong desire manifested by
many to have the whole Bible in Ihe ver
nacular languages of some of the most pop
ulous and powerful provinces; the gradual
decline of prejudice and opposition, and the
cordial and affectionate co-operation of ma
ny of the most influential clergv and laymen,
are encouraging in the highest degree.
And in addition to all this, the translation of
Ihe whole New Testament, into the Gui
chua or Peruvian language, spoken by more
than a million of intelligent people! The
certain prospects of the speedy completion
of the translation of the whole Bible into
that ancient and sacred language of the la
cas, and also into the Aimora and Maxo
languages, spoken by more than 200.000
people; and the formation of a Bible Soci
ety in Carraccas, by the united exertions of
the priests and laity of that place, cannot
fail to gladdeo the heart of every one in
terested in the spiritual emancipation of
South America. Towards this result, in aid
of translations, a grant of SSOO has been
made by the Board Tbe Bibles formerly
remitted to that country were duly receiv*
ed; but of the manner of their disposal, or
of the effect produced, io the unsettled
parts of the country, no information has
been received. They have information,
however, that tbe Bible i* gladly received
in Patagonia, io Monte Video, Bahia, tbe
Brazils, in Valparaiso, Chili, and through
out Mexico. The donation to St. Barthol
oraews, mentioned in the lav report, was
most seasonable—as many of the inhabi
tant* had lost iheir Bibles by a very disas
trous visitation of Providence, and were
wholly ttoable to procure • supply, aod tbe
nr.ii a- ‘V Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to everv creature —Jems Christ
MOUNT ZI6N. (HANCOCK COUNTV, GEORGIA,) SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1825.
Governour of the Island has expressed his
gratitude for your kindness to the colony.
There is a very increasing demand through
all (hat group of islands for the Gospel of
God, and there is reason to believe that it
will meet with a full and satisfactory atten
tion from the active agency of the Antigua
Bible Society. As almoners of the British
and Foreign Bible Society, the Board re
ceived 100 Bibles and 210 Testaments, in
the Por'uguese language, which were dis
tributed in the Island of St. Jago, one of tbe
Cape de Verd Islands. Tbe want of the
scriptures io that island is very great, and
the inhabitants so poor that they cannot
procure them unless distributed gratuitous
ly. The emigrants to Haytt have also been
supplied through the New York Bible So
ciety, and provision made for their Schools.
Bibles and Testaments have also been sent
to St. Martins and St. Cloix, and thankfully
received.
Tde Rev. John M. Peck, mentioned in
the last annual report, as an agent of the
Society in the States of Illinois and Missou
ri, is still actively and advantageously em
ployed. He has succeeded in organizing
several new auxiliaries and branches—in
exciting the publick attention to the itnpor
tance of the subject—in adding new mem
bers, and giving new efficiencies and zeal to
several societies that were already in exis
tence, and in reviving several that were in
a very languishing state. Dr. Nathaniel
Dwight, of Rhode Island, has been employ
ed as an agent at the eastward, and the man
agers have it m contemplation to employ
others to promote the views of the institu
tion. These agents are charged with the
duty of gaiuing a full and accurate account
of the resources and wants of every’ section
of the country to which they Bre sent, that
the Board may approximate as soon as pos
sible to a perfect knowledge of the wants
of the whole community. And they most
affectionately and earnestly invile the ai
tention of £very Stale Society—every Aux
iliary and Branch Society—and of every
friend of the Bible, who feels for those who
are perishing for lack of knowledge ; to the
great importance of obtaining a correct sta
tisticHl account of the wants of everv town
ship and settlement in the United States.
This object, it is suggested, might be ef
fected through the instrumentality of those
who take the census of the several Slates,
or by the collectors of taxes, or by the
clerks of school districts, or by assessors—
nr by special agents.
The Board have commissioned the Rev.
Sereno E. Dwight, of Bostoa, a member of
this Society, now travelling for the benefit
of his health in Europe, to represent this
Society in any Bible Society or committee
where be may have the privilege, and
there to express (heir affectionate co-ope
ration with them, and their best wishes for
thrir success.
The wauts of many portions of our coun
try are represented as being far more ex
tensive thau is generally supposed. In one
of our western states, we are told that more
than seventy thousand reader? are destitute
of the bible, and in many districts of that
state it is almost wholly unknown—nor does
it appear that the wants of that state are
greater than those of some others. No:
there is not one state in the union fully sup
plied. But a detailed account of every dis
trict would swell this sketch to a forbidden
extent. Yet, still, there are a few cases
which may not be omitted. The state of
Missouri, possessing a population of more
than eighty thousand, has not in circulation
ten thousand bibles. The state of Illinois,
nearly equal in population, does not possess
an equal number of bibles. In the state of
Alabama, io Madison county, it was ascer
lained that in one district, containing 655
white inhabitants, there were but 69 bibles;
and more than 2000 bibles are necessary
for the supply of that county alone. The
Bible Society of that place is taking meas
ures to ascertain and supply the wants of
the whole county. Several of the auxilia
ries to the Connecticut Reserve Bible Soci
ety are pursuing tbe same course.
But so vast is the extent of our western
slates, and so rapidly increasing is tbe pop
olation, that the managers cannot but look
forward to their condition with painful
emotions and gloomy forebodings, with the
present means of the Society. The popu
latioo increases faster than they can multi
ply Bibles. Nor is the scarcity in those ex
tensive regions, confined to the western
states. In the State of New Jersey, aod
almost within sight of the Society’s House,
in that region called the Pines, in Camden,
Haddenfield, Clemington and Speedwell,
&c. as we learn from the last report of the
Nassau Hall Bible Society, (whose agents
have examined all that region) many fami
lies were found who did not possess the Bi*
ble, and not a few, who had never seen one!
and whole neighbourhoods, io which there
was not a single copy to be found. In all
that part of the southeastern section of the
State, lately explored, there were very
few copies of the Scriptures.
In the State of New York too, there is a
most deplorable scarcity. In the county
of Monroe* there were found about 1200
* It is but justice to the citizens of the county
of Monroe, to state that a most praise-worthy ex
ample has been set upon this subject. When !
tbo destitute situation of many families in that
families destitute. In the county of Jeffer
son, in the town of Champion, more than
half of those who are able to read, are des
titute of the Bible. And in the city of N
York, in a small section of a single street,
aod on one side of the street, there were
found, a few months since, forty six families
wholly destitute of the Gospel.
The next division of this interesting re
port relates to the means of supply. Tbe
demand, as the reader will have seen, is
very great; aod the only means by which
it can be met, is by the exertions of auxili
aries—the growing liberality of the rich—
the praise-worthy economy of the poor—
and the combined activity of all. |i is men
tioned under this head, that tbe Massachu
setts Bible Society has made a timely dona
tion to this institution, of $500; and the AI
bany Society hasfurnished an important pre
cedent, by paying over to this Society its
permanent fund ot 900 dollars, conditioned
that they should receive in return the in
terest thereof in Bibles and Testaments, at
cost prices.
Forty four new Auxiliary Societies have
been added during the past year; making,
in all, 451 recognized auxiliaries to the pa
rent institution The activity and zeal of
all these are particularly spoken of and (he
college auxiliaries are highly commended
and are generally in a flonri-hing situation.
That ot Yale numbers more than 240 mem
hers. The Society of the University of
North Carolina enrois on its books every
member of that flourishing institution. The
Nassau Hall Bible Society is still actively
engaged in the different parts of New Jei
sey/ The members of these College Aux
iliaries, as the report justly remarks are
the flower of our country, and the hope ot
her future glory: are destined to fill her
important official stations, and perform her
varied professional ditties. Their vnlunta
ry submission to this early course of train
ing in Bible Society operations, cannot fail
to excite in every mind the most certain
expectations of great benefit to the great
work, from their future enlightened and
influential assistance. A suitable notice of
approbation is likewise bestowed upon the
female auxiliaries scattered through thc
country ; of the Marine Bible Societies,
and of the labours of the Bible Society of
New Orleans.
Since the Board made arrangements for
publishing a stereotype pocket edition of
the Bihle, the British and Foreign Bible
Society, with the wonted liberality of that
splendid inslitntion, offered as a donation, a
set of plates of suitable size, or, if more
agreeable, the value of them in money
Bui, relying upon their own resources, and
believing that ‘he amount might be dispos
ed of to greater advantage elsewhere, the
Board felt constrained to decline the offer.
The next division of tbe report is devot
ed to an account of the alterations made in
the organization of the Society, in reaped
of the Secretaries, in consequence of the
illness and consequent resignation of thp
Rev. Dr. Woodhuli. with all the particulars
of which the publick have already been
made acquainted. Nor is the illness of
their Domestick and their revered Foreign
Secretary, the severest affliction of which
the managers have to sppak. They havi
been called to mourn over the death of
three of their most efficient and beloved
fellow managers, viz: Divie Bethune, who
departed this life in September lasi— and
Georoe Warner, who departed this life in
January last—and Thomas Carpenter ; and
last of all, on the 25th day of April, the be
loved and respected Senior Vice President,
Gen. Matthew Clarkson.
After a brief notice of tbe aid which the
great cause receive* from Societies not aux
iltary, among which the societies of Phila
delphia, Montreal,Fredericktown, (in New
Brunswick,) and No'va Scotia, are particu
larly mentioned, the report takes a survey
of the Eastern Continent. This part of the
report is so rich in information, so compre
hensive and so interesting, that we must
take in much more than we had intended.
In Calcutta, Ihe Bible Association has adopt
ed the system of District inquiry, end have
succeeded very well; and are now helping
the Hindoos, Mahommedans, Portuguese
and Armenians, who receive Ihe bihle with
great readiness, and some of them contrib
ute with great liberality. From Seram
pore, Burmah, Bombay and Madrass, intel
ligence of the most gratifying kind has been
received in relation to the progress of trans
lations, and the circulation of the Scrip
lures in the various languages of the east.
As also, from Ceylon and Amboyria, from
Sydney, in New South Wales, and Hua
hame. Two versions of the whole bible,
in the Chinese langimge, have been com
county was discovered, the feelings of the wise
and good were shocked. They sent into every
school district in the county, to ascertain the ex
tent of the want. A meeting was then held in
Rochester, and a resolution unanimously adopted,
“ that every family in the county of Monroe,
should be supplied with a Bible.”
The bead of their subscription paper was in tbe
following words :—lf is do hereby subscribe and
pay towards the fund for supplying the poor with
the. Bible, as Ihe Lord hath prospered us.” “ I7e
that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord ”
“He that sowsth sparingly, shall reap also spar,
ingly.” And having thus resolved, they acted.
Their first order on the depository, was for 1200
Bibles and 1100 Testaments, in all 2300 and
their first remittance to Ihe Treuirr. was fit,
handred mi eightg dallgr. / *
[Price S3 50 per atm.
Ipleted, and are now in circulation. One
by Dr. Marshman, and the other by Dr.
! Morrison and Dr. Miloe. By this means,
240.000,000 of people in China, Cochin
China and Japan, may be enabled to read
tbe scriptures in Iheir own language. The
society of Sierra Leone, is in a flourishing
state, and continually extending its benign
influence—even there tbe doeipstirk visita
tion is vigorously and beneficially pursued;
and there, the privilege and the duty of
searching the scriptures seem to be well
understood.
The society of Mauritius, while it endeav
ours to relieve its own domestick wants, ex
tends its helpinj hand to the army, the na
vy and the schools of that island: and the
society of the Cape of Good Hope is doing
much. Dr. Phillip writes thus, to the Brit
ish aod Foreign Bible Society, in relation to
the sphere of its action—“ The discove
ries daily making, lead to a supposition that
all languages, spoken from Keiskamma to
the Arabian Gulf—and from the mouth of
Zembeze to that of the Congo, are derived
from the parent stock; and so nearly allied
to each other, as greatly to facilitate the
translation and circulation of the Holy
Scriptures. Who does not see io these cir
cumstances a field of operation of unlimited
extent—a population to work upon innu
merable—a foundation laid for Ihe. Temple
of Jehovah, in Southern Africa; in which
ail (he numerous dialects of the Bootcbuane
language will be consecrated to the service
ot tbe living God; and in which its numer
ous tribes may worship, and receive the
.ight of life and salvation?”
The Bihle Society of Mattatoo, is pros
pering m its labour of love, and already has
the light of divine truth shined out beyond
them into the darkness of Egypt. The
American mis?iooanes bare distributed
nearly a thousand copies of ifie bible m that
benighted country. They write from Aric
mim, “ that it was highly gratifying io see
the priests zealously stirring up the people
to purchase the word of God.” And again
“ we feel authorized to state that the Cop
tick Church, has lifted up its voice in favour
of the Bible Sociely, and the distribution of
the Scriptures. The Patriarchs, the Bish
ops, tbe Priests, the people—call to the Bi
ble Society and say, help us!!”—Jews and
Mahommedaus join io the cry, and are wil
ling Io purchase the bible for themselves.
The Society is also enlightening the holy
land, whither it ha? sent several thousand
copies of the bible, in the Arabick, Armeni
an, French, Hebrew, English, Italian,
Greek, Ethiopick, Syrian, and Sclavs tan
languages. The Amharick version, front
the press of the B. and F. B. S at home,
has already come forth into Abyssinia, and
tbe Ethiopick version will soon follow it,
and help Ethiopia io stretching out her band
to God.
Throughout Asia Minor and Turkey, io
Europe, the bible is beginning to shed its
light and diffuse its love.
At Constantinople, even there has been
something effected in the holy labour and
facilities given to the circulation of the
scriptures in the Turkish language, and io
sending them into many surrounding coun
tries. How far the late firman of the Sul
tan may effect the spread of the bible, re
mains to be known. Through the lonian-
Bible Society, the Isles of the Sea have re
ceived a small supply of (be Law of God.
In Russia, the Bible cause, u is hoped, is
-till gaining ground The National In.-ti
• utioD has 289 auxiliaries and branches; hag
issued the scriptures m 23 different langua
ges, which have been freely circulated.
Tbe Riga Sociely alone has put the Bio| e
into circulation in M different languages •
and in New Pehalz, a branch of ih* Riga
Society has no less than 2340 members! *
From Sweden, the Bible news is highly
gratifying. The National Society at St <k
holm, and the Ladies’ Association of that
city, are highly prosperous. The former
has already put in circulation more than
200,000 Bibles and Testaments. The Ara
sian Bible Society—the Heraosand Ladies*
Society—the Carlscrona Fleet Society,—
are doing well, and give promise of much
future usefulness.
The Danish Bible Society has sent out
more than a hundred thousand Bibles and
Testaments; and tbe Sleswig (Holstwin)
Society more than fifty thousand, and Rens
burgh about fiw thousand.
Tbe Prussian Bible Society has issued,
according to the last accounts from its cen
tral Depository, 11,022 Bibles and Testa
ments. and from its forty.two Auxiliaries,
22,400 copies.
The Konigsbnrgh Society—the Dantzig
Society —the Pomeranian Societies of Stet
tiu and Slralsund—the Silesian. Br-mlzlau,
and Potsdam—the Kreutznauth, Neuvried,
and Cologne Bible Societies, —are all pros
pering, and hastening onward the fulfilment
of the promise, that “ the knowledge of thft
Lord shall cover the earth.”
There is a noble spirit of benevolence
kindled up in Germany. The Bible msti
tutions through the whole of that great em
pire, are generally (joing well, and increas
ing both in eeal and usefulness. Tbe Ham
burgh Altona Society has distributed al
ready between twenty and thirty thousand
copies of the scriptures. The Hannveriao
Society aod it* Auxiliaries are settings good
Waapl* It all irsiH Uia. The Saxoaj