The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-21 00:00:00

tivil and commercial point of view. The Almighty would remove
all apathy and suspicion.
Tins Rev. Dr. Alouittsort said. the necessity of this society,
and its utility, had been so fully set forth, that any further remarks
from Mtn on those points were uecalltsl fur. In China there were
from two to three thousand seamen who understood the English
language ; of thootabout two hundred died annually. There was
there a Bethel flag; but, alas! there was nos preacher. It was
well known his pursuits were of a diferent kind, but while.at Can-
too he hoisted the flag to prove the practicability of the measure.
Ile wrote to America and to this country, retpiesting that person,
should he sent forth.to preach to the par seamen there ; but from that
day to this, neither Ainslie& nor Great Britain had done any thing.
Personal service was much wanted. Ile did not mean to insinuate
that other modes of promoting Christianity were of trifling import-
ance, but lie did mean to assert that personal service was more
wanted than any other. especially as regarded this Institution. He
regretted to Lear of sailors preaching to landsmen : he would have
them devote themselves to the inattuccton of their fellow-seamen,
sod in this way the Bethel flag would be again raised in China.
Low zealously, and at the same time how humbly and devotedly,
ought they to engage in these efforut t• and wherever they did this.
he believed it had never been rowel that the Most High had with-
held his blessing. (Applause )
The Rev. Mr. Evaxsog accondcd the Resolution, and in doing
so expressed his great obligations as a member of the Established
Church to his Dissenting Brethren, for the example they had pet
them in instituting this Society. He would give them every credit
for it, and would combine in promoting their object without re'er-
ence to mere form. It was gratifying to perceive that these ex-
amples had been followed by the nirinben, of the Church of Eng.
land. lie wished all denominations of Christians would unite in
furthering so laudable as Institution.
The Rev. Mr. SMITH now introduced a lad on the platform,
who had made a piece of mechanism, representing a sailor on (leek,
with a flag ill one hand, and the other resting on en anchor with his
bat in it. By dropping a shilling into the hat, it made the figure
give a moat graceful bow. Upwards of 111. had been collected in
this way by the boy, for the benefit of the Society.
The Noble Cuatnasew expressed his thanks to the lad, and
hoped it might phase God to prosper him, and inspire hint with
an inclination to pursue the saute zealous efforts in so pious a work.
(The boy bowed, and was cheered by the meeting aa he lett the
11/0110 to station his ... grateful Jack" to receive the coutributious of
the company. 1
The tier. Dc. lltonntsnx, from St. Petersburgh moved the
next resolution. They had heard of shipwrecks of the body, but
what w. re such sufferings compared with those of s dying sailor
labouring under feelings of divine wrath ? flow was it possible
for any in that aseetnbly to withhold term this society those means
whereby this man might be sand ? Ile rejoiced In having seen
many instances of the benefits of this Society. During the two
last yews he spent in Russia, he never addressed a more attentive
congregation titan those whom he pteaehed to, who were connected
with ti.e Va. lie most cordially seconded the resolution.
The Rev. Mr. SMITH said there were steersl ravel officers who
bad aided the Bethel Union Society, and whoni be should like to
hear tell their own stories.
Capt. St xtrvist came forward, and lo a subdued tone of voice
said he was the first to introduce prayer meetings on the River
Thames ; but he would not detain the meeting with a detail of the
particulars, as they might sees full account of them in the Sailor,'
Alogarier.
The Rev. Dr. llooTienoTn seconded the Resolution moved by
Dr. Henderson; in doing which he observed, an impression had
gone abroad that sailors were so ignorant and so depraved that it
.was in vain to preach to them; but the facts they had heard this
night were enough to refute such an impression. The Gospel was
sufficient ler the chief of sinners. The celebrated Captain Josse
had formerly been a Captain of a collier, and being converted by a
minister who preached at the port where ale was, the Captain be.
came a preacher I.iniself in Whidield's connexion, to the blessing
of th-iusands. This was an instance among many more of the effi-
cacy of the Gospel when preathed to seafaring men. Though lie.
tog at a distance, the Rev. Doctor promised to render all the sup-
port he coeld to promote the object of the Bethel Union Society.
The Rey. Mr. Dt;ss moved the thanks of the Meeting to the
Committee and Secretaries. It would be presumption in him to
anticipate to interest an audience like the present, surrounded as he
was by so much talent and piety, especially at that late hour in the
ewendig; but still it was difficult to restrain the feelings of a grate-
ful heart from expressing themselves. The Bev. Gentleman then
spoke in high terms of the good revs of the institution, and ex-
pressed his heartfelt wishes for its prosperity.
Mr. °collets BAILMY (who was announced to the meeting as a
builder of wooden Gods—namely, a ship-builder, at Ipswich) se-
conded the resolution, which was tarried unanimously.
The Rev. Mr. Smith returned thanks.
. . . .

Several other resolutions were then put and carried, and a hymn
having been sung, the meeting separated at ten o'clock.
A handsome collection was made at the door in support of the
funds of the institution.

EAST LONDON AUXILIARY BRITISH AND
FORLIGV BIBLE SOCIETY.
On Wednesday evening a meeting of the members of this So-
ciety took place at the Court House, Osborne-street, Whttechapel,
for the purpose of receiving the annual Report of the Committee,
bet in consequence of the very inclement stew of the weather it
was not so numerously attended as had been anticipated.
About six o'clock the Chair was taken by Jou x BuaxxLL,
Esq. a Magistrate of the county.
The Report was read to the meeting. It appeared that since the
last general meeting 400 Bibles and 100 Testaments had been re-
ceived from the parent Society, making a total receipt of 7,363
Bibles and 3,238 Testament*. Of these 344 Bibles and 112 Testa-
ments had been distributed since the last meeting, making in the
whole 7,175 Bibles and 3,106 Testaments, issued from the deposi-
tory of the Society to associations. subscribers, and for gratuitous
distribution. The nrnount of annual subscribtions and donations
received daring the year was 7 1 1. 25.; from associations 1641. ls. 5d.;
and for Bibles and Testaments soli to subscribers at first cost and
reduced prices 30/. 9n. Bd. The whole receipts for the year were
2651. 12s. 10d. The sum of 2001. had been paid to the parent
Socie.y, and there remained in the hands of the treasurer a balance
of 941. Dis.
The Report was received by the meeting with the warmest marks
of approbation.
Mr. CHARLES DUDLEY, travelling secretary to the Society,
congratulated the meeting upon the increased circulation which they
• • had been enabled to give to the sacred volume. Previous to the
year 1812, 430,000 copies had been distributed, but by a reference
to the reports it now appeared that they had distributed upwards oil)
millions of copies, which, if spread out, would cover a space of 781
miles In 1812 the Scriptures were printed In 19 languages only, but
now they were to be found in 142 languages. In 1800 years after
the birth of Christ the Bible had not been published in more than
40 languages. but in the few years which followed its circulation
had been wonderfully extended, chiefly by the working of the
divine spirit, and he now called upon the meeting as Christians
and Briton,. not to relax in their efforts, for much still remained to
be done. 'lnc Secretary then adverted to the assistance they had
received in foreign countries from members of religious persuasions
which had been inimical to a spread of the divine knowledge. In
South America one of their agents. Mr. Thompson, had visited
Chili. and the first customer he then encountered was a friar, who
purchased 24 copies of the Scripture.; for himself and brethren, but
I they had now a society established, the secretary to which had for-
' merly been a secretary to the Inquisition ; and in France there were
now several Bible Societies, but in former times a bible had been
tied to an angel tail, and burned in • public square at Orleans.—
Societies had also been established in Botany Bay, and a vast num- '
ber of bibles had been there distributed, and he had been informed
by *friend that English convicts had -been seen holding up their
• bibles in the streets of Sidney, saying " if we had been taught this
at home we should never have been here." The speaker sat down
exhorting the meeting to a perseverance in the good work in which
they had engaged.
The Rev. W. Newman, Rev. 31. Rain (a missionary to SibcrL')
Rev. Mr. Fletcher, Rev. Mr. Stocks, Rev. Mr. Castleton, Mr.
Cooke, Mr. Henry Knight, and Mr. Freeman, severally addressed
the Meeting.
In the course of the evening thanks were voted to the Duke of
Sussex (Patron of the Society) to the Marquis of Hastings, for the
assistance he bed 'Forded them in India. and to the Committee.
The Rev. Mr. Fletcher, of Mile-end, moved the thanks of the
Meeting to the Chairman, which he ptefaced with a neat and wept-
mentative speech, expressive of the gratitude due to that gentle-
man for the readiness with which lie had granted the use of the
• present place of meeting, and for the pecuniary and other assistance
he had always renlered them.
Mr. Butt KELL returned Omuta, and said he should feel it a de-
reliction n( his ditty if he were not to lend them the assistance both
t of his Intlitenee and his pocket.
The Meeting (comprising many respectable females) then
dispense.

LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT At PORTPATEICI —We have
been informed by the guard of the Galloway mail, that on
Thursday, the 13th inst. between five and six o'clock in
the evening, a bullock-boat, having on board eight men,
one woman, and a child, besides a number of cattle, which
was on its passage from Donaghadee to Portpatrick, went
suddenly down when within a mile and a half of the latter I
place, and carried to the bottom every creature within her.
As abc thus vanished like the " baseless fabric of a vision,"
without leaving a single " wreck behind," nothing as yet
has been learnt of her name or that of her owntr, or in
what manner the accident occurred. The sea was quite
calm, and the weather favourable; and, under these cir-
cumstances, conjecture has yet been able to assume no
other plausible cause of the misfortune than that some of
cattle, as the bullock boats arc frequently in a crazed and
rotten state, may have thrust a foot through the bottom of
the vessel, or a horn through her side, and thus occasioned
the water to rush in too suddenly and irresistibly to be pre-
vented.—Thinifi Cot. i'•r.

At Edinburgh a magistrate lately fined a man 201., or in
default of payment to be imprisoned for six months, for
assisting a soldier of the regiment quartered in the Castle
to desert. The penalty imposed teas in compliance with
the terms of 41:e Mt:tiny Act, which admitsof no mitigation
in such rms.