The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-05 00:00:00

their duty to give them al opportunity of reading the :scriptures
in their own language ? (timid they reniain in praisession of such a
itourca of light and happiness, witlicnit feeling themarives call,-1
upon to estei,d the hlei• 'rigout it r.s widely as posi,ihic ? They were
now, in tact, only on lilt threshoid albeit. exertions. The Society
should act, and were acting, not merely from the impulse of feeling,
but front rational and scriptural motives. Their object was to ex-
tend the IS'urol of lind to the uttermost parts or the earth.
The worthy Alderman concluded by proposing ►he following
liewdotion

" That tiiis Meeting views, with undiminished interest, the ef-
forts of the Bible ,issoeistions in ennittetion with the City of Lon-
don Auxiliary, and knowing that the success of all such t-iucietics
is effected by lhvine agency, through human instrunientality, it
appeals to all the Alembets of the Institution fur additional
earnestness and zeal."

The Rev. Holum, of Camberwell, seconded the nation.
It was not necessary for him to dwell long on the principles, the
progress. or the utility of this Institution. Few he believed of
those whom he addressed were ignorant of them ; if any were ig-
norant on the subject. and remained as yet to be informed, they
had deprived themselves of the highest gratification that rational
beings could eity. He regretted the deficiency of exertion and
of contributions announced in the Repent. The eneeuragement of
such a Socizty ought to be considered as a matter of duty. The
Founder of the Christian Religion required of his followers to
preach the Gospel to all nations. By supporting each an Insti-
tution they were contributing all they could to the amomplishaient
of the object thus enjoined by Christ himself.
The Resolutionwas agreed to.
The Rev. W. ED)its.rox rose to repute the thanks of the meet-
ing to the Lord Mayor, the Secretanes, Presidents, he. A.c. of the
Society. When public men devoted their time to such an object,
they deserved the highest rommendatioe. He would merelyadvert
to two points : the first was, that the means were now open foe
walling over to China, and spreading among its numetous popula-
tion the contents sf the Farrel scripture. They might remEect the
venerable man (Ur. Morrison) who upon a former occasion pre-
sented himself to their notice. He had translated the Scriptures
into the Chinese language, and thus afforded to three hundred
millions of people the mans of instraction. The next work he
engaged in was a Translation of the Liturgy of the Church of
Englar.d. The second point to which he would advert was
Ireland. [Here the Her Gentleman stated the number of
copies of the Old and New Testament distributed in Ireland, both
in the English and Irish languages, and the pecuniary assistance
afforded for that purpose by the British and Forregn Bible Society.]
There were proofs that the Scriptures were making way. His
couutrymen of Ireland were becoming more enlightened. They
would no longer be without the Scriptures—they would no longer
be without education. In Colombia also, a similar spirit was
beginning to sheer itself, sod many copies were sent there. These
facts proved that something had been done within the last year.
Much practical good hod been done, and they were warrantee' in
expecting mere extensive results.
The Reverend Gentleman concluded by proposing the following
Resolution
That this meeting, sensible of the advantages which. under
the Almighty blessing, have been derived from the patronage
always conferred on the Setiety, tenders an expression of gratitude
totl:eßigghtlion.theLnt Mayor, the President; to the Right
Iforouralde and others the Vice-Presidents ; to the Treasurer; to
the Se:retarics ; and to the Committee, for their countenance,eup-
poet, and exertions, during the past par."
The Rev. 11. Tow KLEV, 3lissicoary from Calcutta, seconded
the motion.

.....
The Rev. 31r. Scnutdr. Minister of the French Protestant
Church in the city, next addressed the meeting. He began by pro.
(easing himself a warm and sincere advome for the general dis-
oevoir.ation and perusal of the Scriptures. Ile could never compre.
head that mysterious danger, which was supposed to be convected
with the reading of them, and he regretted that until lately
that important duty of every Christian wan very much neglected
on the Continent. There never was a more powerful instzu.
ment for disseminating the trm:s among the other nations of
Europe, than the institution of Bible Societies. Ile was sorry
to say that even in Protestant countries the reading of the Scrip.
tures was hitherto in a great measure neglected. He knew a
person of the Unteersity of Gottenbovgh, a man of extensive
knowledge, of liberal education, and • Professor too, who con.
Cased to him, that until the introduction of a Bible Sudety in
Oottenburgh, he never looked into the sacred writings with a view to
examine them for himself. The evil, however, was gradually dia.
appeartng. Among the Roman Catholics themselves the prejudice
was wearing away. As a proof of this he need only state what he
knew to be a fact, that the Duke of Angoulcute, the present
Dauphin, had ordered two hundred copies of the New Testament
for the use of his household.

The motion having been agreed to, the Rev. JOHN CLAYTON,
as one of the Secretaries, returned thanks.
The Rev. Dr. STYLES then came forward. and having moved
the following Resolution, " That this Meeting. convinced of the
necessity that still exists for perseverance in distributing the Sacred
Volume, requests the Gentlemen, whose names the Secretary will
read, to undertake the various office% of the Society for the ensuing
year ;" he proceeded to advocate, at considerable length. and with
great forte of argument and eloquence. the object.. of the Institution.
The Rev. Dr. 1110117 I we a. as one of the officers of the Society,
addressed the Meeting. lie began by contrasting the state of the
country now with what it was when King William first landed
in this country. Perareution, superstition, and a'bitrnry power.
then prevailed. Let them look at the sufferings of all classes at
that period, when the perusal of the Scriptures was forbidden. Five
thousand soldiers were termed out to starve in the streets because
they were Protestants. The University of Cambridge was repri-
manded, because it Issued degrees to a Roman Catholic. Doctor
Sharpe, afterwards Archbishop of Turk, was required to be sus-
pended because he preached against Popery, and the Bishop who
refused to comply was himself suspended for such retests'. Free-
men of the city of London were rejected as officers, because they
were Protestants. But tbe moment king %Vahan' landed, liberty of
conscience was granted, and the sacred volume was no longer a
sealed book.
Sir C. S. IlttarrEn proposed the thanks of the meeting to the
Ladies who so zealously anti effectually promotes! the objects of the
inttiunien. He spoke at considerable length on the groat gold
effected by it, and congratulated the meeting on having the meats
now open of introducing the Scriptures into China, en opportuuity
enjoyed by no other Christian country but this.
The Rev. J. THACKER"' seconded the motion, which was una-
nimously agreed to.
Joint Key, Bag. one of the Sheriffs of London, rose to pro.
pose the thanks of the meeting to the l.oed Mayor. far granting
the use of the Hall. However unwilling he inigot be. and how-
ever incapable of addressing a public assembly, he could not omit
this opportunity of raising his feeble voice in support of an Insti-
tution that had for its object the circulation of the Scriptures. He
congratulated the Lord Mayot un having that Hall, where gaiety
and dissipation prevailed for so many years, devoted to such
a purpose as this. The more the subject was considered,
the more they must be convinced of the importance of such
an Institution. Though it bad been announced from the
pulpit by a Divine of the Protestant Church, that the Scrip.
tures were not fit to be put into all haunts indiscriminately without
comment, he could not acquiesce in such a position. Christ him-
self declared that the Gospel should be preached to all men. Their
object was to promulgate, as widely as possible, a book containing
the finest system of morality in the world--a book compared to
which all others were but as waste paper. It was declared, that
whosoever should calla sinner to repentance would save a 'soul from
death. This surely ought to operate as the avenged excitement to
proceed with zeal in such an undertaking. It the work were of
men it must fail; but if of God nothing could prevent its success.
A Rev. Gentleman, the Wesleyan Minister of Barbican, whose
name we could not learn, seconded the motion, and spoke at some
length in support of the Institution.
I'hc motion being agreed to,
The Loan 31AYOU ruse to return thanks. The business of the
Chairman, he said, was rather to hear the sentiments of others. and
to take yew that proper order was observed. than to speak hut:welt;
otherwise he should -be disposed to say a few words on so important
a subject. But atm the able speeches they had heard, any further
observation was unnecessary front him. lie would make only one
remark. As, from accident or circumstances, he was often engaged
in the discussion of the civil and religious rights of the people, his
ideas upon those subjects were no secret. lle would deny his prin.
ciples if he did not say that he was friendly to the dissemination of
the Scriptures and of every branch of knowledge. It was impos-
sible that men could know what religion was, if they were pre.
eluded front the perusal of the writings in which it was pronaul-
gated.
The meeting then adjourned to April next, that being the tints
appointed for holding the Anniversary in future.

We understand that a new Company, for the papaw of
efr-cting Marine Insurances, is about to be formed by Mr.
Rothschild and his friends. This has been resolved upon,
in consequence of whAt fell from the Lord Chancellor ym-
terday.
The Thames Tunnel Company have so far commenced
operations, that the houses which now cover the intended
site of the shaft, near Rotherhithe church, are taking
down, and the ground is clearing, preparatory to the ex-
cavation, which is to be connuenct.%l from the Surrty side
of the river.

'fl ----- .
its being tne anniversary of the gunpowder plot,will'
be observed as a collar-day at St. James's ; the royal stan-
dard will be hoisted on the tower, and the park and tower
guns will be tired at one o'clock.
AsTrxe.e, Nor. 11..—Our sisitors begin to migrate,
but we have still many genteel families, and most of the
large houses are taken for the winter.
It is reported in the military circles, that • Major of
one of the Dragoon regiments has lately been put under
at rest in consequence of his having given an exceptionable
toast at the mesa. We understand that he was privirely
and gently rebuked by his superior Officer, who called him
aside fur the purt...se : but that, on returning to the table,
he repeated the obnoxious toast. It is expected that a
Court-Martial will have to settle the business. An erro-
neous version of the affair appears in the Morning Papers,
but we believe the above statement will be found tu be cor-
n ct.--Sfer.

A few days since, a meson's labourer. named Were, who
was emplojed in the cyllar of Mr. Boyce, at 'rtscrton,
drank so freely from a cask of gin, that he died.