The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-11 00:00:00

u THE lOU T It 3 H AND FOREIGN
BIBLE SOCIETY.

. -
LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF
THE NEW HOUSE BY THE PRINCE OF
WALES.-(THIS DAY.)

This morning the ceremony of Lying the foun-
dation stone of the new house of the British and Foreign
Bible Society was performed by his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, in the presence of an immense number of
leading Mende end supporters of the institution. The
site chosen for the new building is about a hundred
yards from the well-known depository in Earl-street, Black-
Mar, and on the slope of St. Andrew's-hill, lying between
Thames-street and St. Paul's-churchyard. The ceremony
was performed in a vast tent, one side of which was croon-
pied with twenty or thirty rows of raised benches,
filled for the most part by ladies, attired in har-
mony with the auspicious character of the occasion.
The seats, which provided accommodation for 2,500 per-
sons, were all filled. On the opposite side of the tent
was a spacious platform, about the oentre of which was
the foundation stone, consiming of a massive block of grey
granite, and the ropes that were to be used in raising
and lowering the stone were ornamented with a number of
banners of various colours, forming a sortof tritunphalarch.
Immediately behind the stone was a raised ornamental
scroll inscribed with the words, " The earth shall be full
of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea
while at the back of the platform was an immense book-
case containing bibles and testaments in all languages.
The whole tent was gay with streamers ; the band of the
Hon. Artillery Company played at intervals; and the some
altogether was one of a brilliant character, the culminating
point of interest being the anticipated presence of the
Prince and Princess of Wales, for whom two state chairs
were provided on the platform.
At a quarter-past twelve the playing of " God Save
the Queen" by the band announced the arrival, un-
accompanied by the Princess, of the Prince of Wales.
His royal highness, who was attended by his equerry,
Lieutenant-General Knollys, was received by the Presi-
dent of the society, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and many
of its leading supporters.
Among the distinguished persons present were the Lord
Mayor and the sheriffs of London, his lordship being
attended by his chaplain, sword bearer, and other civic
officers ; his Excellency the Danish minister, General
Bulow ; Lord Charles Russell, the Archbishop of York, the
Bishops of Winchester and Carlisle, the Hon. A. Kin-
naird, Mr. Horsfall, 31. P., Mr. Ilanbury, M.P., Sir Charles
' Trevelyan,
The ceremony commenced with the singing of the
Hundredth Psalm, " With one cement let all the earth,"
tic.; the first verse of which was read by the Rev. C. Jack-
son, one of the Secretaries.
The Rev. T. BINNEY then, in a clear and audible voice,
read a selection of various passages of Scripture relating
chiefly to the excellencies of the Bible as the word of God.
The Rev. S. B. BERGNE read a statement of the society's
objects and a brief sketch of its operations.
The address seta forth the object of the edifice, claiming
for it surpassing interest and importance. It then pro-
ceeds to refer to the circumstances under which the so-
ciety was founded in 1804, and to the chief events in its
history ;to the cheapness of the Bibles it has issued, and
to the number-173 in all—of the languages or dialects
into which the Scriptures have been translated. The
Society, it was stated, had spent nearly 6,000,0001. in the
last sixty years, and its example has contributed to the
formation of almost every other Bible Society
throughout the world. " The operations of the
society," it was said in conclusion, " for more
than half a century, have been conducted in
this immediate vicinity, but contemplated changes require
the removal of the premises so long and so usefully occu-
pied. This spot will be the future location of the British
and Foreign Bible Society. The work of erection is im-
posed upon the society, not by choice or desire for an
ambitious structure, but simply by a necessity which can
neither be evaded nor overcome. The building here to
rise is not for man but for God, for His honour and
glory, who, in infinite condescension, has spoken to man
words of love and comfort, and has charged upon us
the solemn responsibility of imparting those words to
others, till every human being, of every clime and every
dialect, shall read, in his own language, the message of
peace and salvation. While inviting the liberal and hearty
co-operation of all who are friendly to the circulation of
the Scriptures—firstly, and chiefly, the blessing of God is
invoked upon the undertaking now commenced under the
the distinguised auspices of your royal highness. May He
abundantly prosper this work of our hands, and accept it
as an expression, feeble and inadequate indeed, of the
mighty debt of obligation England owes to a free, trans-
lated, and cheap Bible."
The Earl of SUM/DOUR! then in a short and appro-
priate address requested his royal highness to lay the
foui.dation stone of the new edifice.
Before the foundation stone was laid the Rev. C Jackson
presented to the Prince a bottle containing a copy of the
last annual report of the society, a copy, on parchment, of
the inscription on the stone, a Tinier newspaper, and
several of the current coins dated 1866. This bottle was
deposited in a cavity prepared for it under the stone.
His Royal. HIGHNESS then laid the foundation-stone
of the new building. It bore the following inscription '
" British and Foreign Bible Society, founded A.D. 1804.
This stone was laid June 11, 1866, by his Royal High-
ness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Shaftesbury,
president ; C. Jackson, S. B. P,ergne, secretaries ; Ed.
I'Anson, architect ; Rider and Sons, builders. ' Thy
word is truth.'—John xvii., 17."
The Prince having gone through the usual manipula-
tions, pronounced the stone duly laid—an announcement
which was followed by loud cheers. The silver trowel used
by his royal highness was inscribed as follows:
"Presented to His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince
of Wales, K.G., by the President and Committee of the
British and Foreign Bible Society, on the occasion of
laying the first stone of the new premises, Blackfriars,
London, June 11, 1866."
The hilt of the trowel was an ornamental piece of work
consisting chiefly of a bible and the Prince of Wales's
feathers.
His ROYAL Ilicmrsas then delivered the following
&dames : My Lord Archbishop, lilies, and gentle-
men,—l have to thank you for the very interesting address
in which you ably set forth the objects of this noble
institution. It is now G 3 years ago since Mr. Wilberforce,
the father of the eminent prelate who now occupies so pro-
minent a place in the Church of England, met with a few
friends by candlelight in a small room in a dingy counting-
house, and resolved upon the establishment of the Bible
Society. Contrast with this obscure beginning the scene of
this day, and which not only in England and in the colonies
but in the United States of America, and in every nation in
Europe, will awaken the keenest interest. Such a reward
of perseverance is always a gratifying spectacle—much
more so when the work which it commemorates is one in
which all Christians can take part, and when the object is
that of enabling every man in his own tongue to read the
wonderful works of God. I have an hereditary claim to be
hereupon this occasion. (Cheers.) My grandfather, the Duke
of Kent, as you have reminded me, warmly advocated
the claims of this society, and it is gratifying
to me to reflect that the two modern versions of the scrip-
tures more widely circulated than any others—the
German and English—were both in their origin connected
with my family. The translation of Martin Luther
was executed under the protection of the Elec-
tor of Saxony, the collateral ancestor of my lamented ,
father, whilst that of William Tyndale, the foundation of
the present authorised English version, was introduce;
with the sanction of the royal predecessor of my mother
the Queen, who first desired that the Bible " should
have free course through all Christendom, but especially
in hie own realms." It is my hcpe and trust that, under
the Divine guidance, the wider diffusion and the deeper
study of the Scriptures will, in this as in every age, be at
once the surest guarantee of the progress and liberty of
mankind, and the means of multiplying in the purest form
the consolations of our holy religion.
The Bishop of WINCHESTER then returned thanks to his
royal highness ; after which the National Anthem was
sung, and the Archbishop of York concluded the proceed-
ings by pronouncing the benediction.
His royal highness was conducted to his carriage by the
I Earl of Shaftesbury, the Lord Mayor,and several members
of the committee, and retired amid the cheers of the as-
sembled populace.

The old church at West Cowes, in the Isle of
Wight, is about to be pulled down and rebuilt at an ex-
pense of 3,0001.