The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-11-29 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE
SOCIETY.

On Wednesday last a meeting was held in the Town-
hall, in connection with the British and Foreign Bible
Society. M. Devennili, Esq., Mayor, presided, and the
attendance was rather numerous. The li:weeding' hay'
log been commenced with prayer,
The Rev. E. HALL rose and said : Before I proceed
to say a word with reference to the great work which
we have before us to night, I beg to congratulate you
(Mr. Chairman). lam not aware whether you have
attended any public meetings wince your new office, but,
of this I am confident that your presence could not
have hem n given to a more noble cause than to that of
the British and Foreign Bible Society. I am quite
sure that you take a great interest in the scriptures on
your own behalf, for I know well that you are in the
habit of reading and meditating on that inspiring
volume; you know its value (non you: own experience;
mid, as su di I trust you will ciii us in promoting the
circulsti in of that blessed work throughout the world.
And I d sincerely hope that all your public acts, as
Mayor of this borough, they will be grounded on that
blessed work. I am sure the more closely this is at-
tented to, the more we shall see and du that which is
right in the sight of our Lord. This society takes a
position Almon; the societies of the present day. I do
not assume to say that it stands, indeed, first and pro-
minent with regard- to age; because, I ant well aware
that there were others that existed before this society
catne into being. But I believe it was in the co: ttttt ittee
room of the Church Missionary Society that the design
first originated for the commencement of a Bible Society
for the world. However, I think this society does stand
prominent as the fountain from which all the other
societies obtain their supply, and in which I am in the
habit of taking a lively interest. The lours we follow
the bible in our public ministry and in our christian
walk, the safer we shall be as regards the various flocks
coi 1111 l itk-d to our charge, and alio as regards our indi-
vidual salvation. Now let us look to the bible, and ad'
here to the Word of God. Let all our proceedings be
brought into unison with this. If we do not act acoonl-
ing to the Word, it is because we have no fruit in us.
I am out enabled to give you so much information on
the subject we have before us as probably others could
do, simply from not having given much of my attention
to it. But I will just touch lightly upon the object we
have in view. If we look for a moment at the neigh-
bouring island of Ireland—a conusment part of our king-
dom—we observe the manifestation of God's work
there, and of which you may read day by day ; and of
which there can be no more doubt about the zeality
than there is about • light in this room. A abort time
ago I read a very cheering account; it was to this
effect :—The London City Mission Society has a particu-
lar missionary employed in going about among the police
authorities; and that that missionary had stated that
there were no less than 400 of the police subscribing
for the purpose of obtaining • family -bible, which will
oat them one guinea. Only think of their obtaining
such a beautiful copy of that work, (you are aware of the
copy which I am speaking about); it may well be
termed a "family bible." This cheering circumstance
gives us reason to believe that they value the Word of
God. The rev, gentleman here made a few remarks,
and narrated several circumstances, tending to show the
beneficial results springing trout the operations of Bible
Societies, and obaerved that they (the rev. gentlemen
on the platform) as supporters of the Foreign and
British Bible Society were called upon to redouble their
efforts just in proportion as God is pouring out out his
spirit upon us, and added that he had never since Ms
ministry spoken in public of this society, but he should
rejoice in doing whatever he could to aid it and promote
its cause.

The Rev. Mr. Mi t.t.gu then said he bad often had the
pleasure of addressing them on behalf of the circulation
of the Bible. The arguments with reference to that
work were becoming day by day stronger, as was appa-
rent at meetings which he attends. They feel that
they ought to love the Bible, and were therefore must
anxious to send it to others that those blessings which
we enjoy through it may he shared by them. This
society employed persons called colportears, and these
men are engaged in carrying the Scriptures to villages
and towns throughout various parts of the world. The
rev. gentleman here made a few observations with re-
ference to the good effects that the society, by means of
these agents, had produced in France. In some cases
these eolporteurs in order to effect a sale read a portion
of the work, which enables the purchaser to see what it
is lie is going to buy. Then if we go to any other
country, or any min of Europe, continued Mr. Miller,
we see these men employed in this work. Now there
is, I think, one special claim this society has upon us,
viz., that it engages several agents who are distributed
almost all over the world occupying their time in scat-
tering the gospel and sacred scriptures into places where
they were never before known. Mr. Miller then re-
ferred to a statement which gave evidence of the good
results arising from the giving away of one single copy
of the Scriptures in Portugal, and said he thought they
could scarcely estimate the immense interest it meet
awaken in the hearts of those who receive the Word of
God.

The Rev. H. Mor.e : Before I make any other re•
mark I should like tu give you an instance of what Mr.
Miller has just been speaking of—what the effect of a
single copy of the Word of God may pruduoe in the
mind of an individual, or in the minds of a village.
I have the feet from the brother-in-law of the person
who gave a copy of the Scriptures to an Italian servant,
and it shows also how wonderfully the grace of God
increases. I had known that individual, he is a mem-
ber of a somewhat high family in this country, but
when I first became acquainted with him he was • very
proud num ; but, however, the grace of God had
reached his heart and lie became quite the opposite.
But that on which my mind has been dwelling is some-
what of an overwhelming character--it is that to which
Mr. liill just referred—" The connection between the
outpouring of the spirit of God and the circulation of
his Word.' The circulation of that Word we have been
for years speaking about is • work of God. Some of
you, I dare say, recollect we are upon the threshold of
this work. I have felt within the last two years that
we have been scattering seeds—literally sowing seeds—
in the different nations of the earth in which we have
been permitted to preach the Scriptures. Now the
reality of God's work in Ireland does come out remark-
ably in the mind—in the minds of men from the circu-
lation of the Scriptures. The rev, gentleman here read
a corroborative statement in reference to the above, in
the report of this month, and observed upon the vast
number of Bibles that were sold by these agenta, the
colportenrs. lii India he was pursuaded that the out-
pouring of the Spirit had come upon that country: the

way in which the people had become acquainted with
the Scriptures there was marvellous. The rev. gentle-
man offered a few observations upon the Scriptural
improvement of the people of (Mina, and read • letter
fr a rev, gentleman there showing this with great
force. He then dwelt at great length upon the good
effecte the society had produced in different parts of the
world, and illustrated them by reference to many
pleasing facts.
The CHAIRMAN then made • few general observations
in favour of the society, and expressed the satisfaction
he felt with the statement adduced._ .

ii; posology was then sung, and the meeting imps-
rat.d. The collection at the door iunounted to
1:2 15s. CA.