The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-26 00:00:00

The same gentleman
been, that he

these men, but
be heard. He P

speetable Magt.
had no hesitation

bore a Yee,
Bible Society
Title diminution enatiatted -till about three
was only a Gentlemen's Amocietten, but sin. ...an ♦ Ladies'
Association had been formed, and the consequence was a con-
siderably greater decrease in the number of delinquents. Such'oras
what he would call a fair sample of the advantages derived from
the dirt-Motion of the Bible in his vicinity. But how mach good
meter they might have already done, yet they must not delude
themselves by supposing that their work was accomplished. It
was a melancholy fact, that full three-fourths of thelitonan rue
were at this moment lying in heathen darkness. The number of
converted Jews throughout the world at least amounted to six
millions, and they should not forget that within five miles of
the spot where they were now assembled, there were, at least,
notwithstanding the augmentation at churches and chapels,
notwi•listanding the active and rapid diffusion of the sacred
word—yet he would assert, from a careful inquiry into the
fact, that up to this present moment there were at least
sixty thousand individuals who had never read the Word
of God, or had ever even had it read to diem. Consider.
Ing. therefore, dim oat of these sixty thousand there were three
Individuals dying weekly, they would come to this concluaion—
that within five miles of this metropolis no leas than 156 indi.
videals went to their last account every year, without the pord.
bility of hearing or of reading the Holy Scriptures. Surely this
would be a motive sufficiently strong for them not to slacken in
their exertions. Could any of them hesitate to give a few pence
or a few pounds in supplying these numerous candidates for rem.
mortality with the means by which that immortality might bei
made a blessed one ? Let not their ideas of benevolence, philan-
thropy, and sympathy, be mere idle conceptions', but let them
be grounded in love to man, so that they may bring forth fruit so
the glory of God.
/qr. Posivor, the Secretary, then rod the Report of the Com.
mince for the plat year. It stated, that the numbers of subscribers
had been great?y augmented, and the prospects of the Associa-
tion were most encouraging. The amount of contributions during
the Ira year was 1361. 18). 7d.; and, Mat since its formation. this
Association had remitted to the i'arent Society 17461. 51. 6d. With
respect to the circular which had been sent to the Committee, re.
lative to the circulation of the Apocryphs, about which there pre-
vailed some difference of opinion, the Committee could root avoid
ciaptessing their most decided conviction, that the circulation of the
Apocrypha intermingled with the Sacred text, was highly objee.
tionable. and ought to be discontinued.
The Rcv. Twos. MORTIMER, of the British and Foreign Bible
Society, moved that the Report be adopted and printed. It wan, he
observed, with pleasure that he stood forward to do what he could
in the cause of the Bible Society ; but yet sometimes with pain.
mingled with that pleasure, when he reflected oo the character that
man ought to bear who came forth to advocate the circulation of
the B.ble to many others. But where duty called they must obey,
and however other engagements might press upon them, they
ouglit to esteem it a privilege and an honour to be called in on stich
a cause as this. He would hest observe that principle% had been im-
planted among the people of this country by means of the eircula.
tion of the Bible, that withstood the power ofthroptation. He was
very much struck with an anecdote mentioned the other day by a
gentleman at a meeting where he happened to attend. A poor
Irish lad had received a bible from the Hibernian Society, and
which he had been taught to read. The boy came up to England,
and his first inquiry was for the people of his own coon.
try. He was directed to St. Gilca's, and thither he went
and asked them whether they could give him something to do;
they replied they could; and what was it ? Why, they wished
ehe lad to circulate forged Bank of England notes, but to their
astonishment he said no, I will not do it; I want to earn my living
in an honest and religious way. The Reverend Gentleman men.
tioncd two or three other instances illustrative of his proposition,
that the influence of the Bible implanted principles in the minds of
untutored persons that resisted every temptation to crime.
JAMES HARMON!, Esq. samondM the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
JOHN DYER, Esq. (of the Admiralty) moved the next Resolu.
lion. It was always highly gratifying to advocate the cause of God
and his truth ; and that gratification was considerably heightened
when he saw their honoured Chairman among them, with whom he
had, many year' ago, had thehappiness to plant the first
auxiliary society in the vicinity of London, and of which he could
with sincerity say, " Many daughters have done virtuously, but
thou excellest them all." If the object of the Bible be truth, he
conceived it was the duty of every British subject to come forward
to promote its dissemination- A friend of his, the brother of a
highly respected nobleman, was, not lorg since, appointed to the
command of a ship. It so happened that he came to him (Mr.
Dyer) to take up his commission, and he said, " lam now de.
termined to act upon the Bible principle;" and accordingly, when
he wished to man his %hip, he gaveinstroictions that no loose unhappy
women should be allowed to go on board. His brother officers
laughed at him, and said he would never man his ship at that
rate ;to which he replied, that l.eallooold leave that to God. When
it way known that this plan was adopted, men flocked to the ship,
and it was manned in half the time that he (Mr. P ) had ever known
any one done since the war. Many men were turned away, and
they were all hefted to ray "that is the ship for Ma" • inee then, up-
wardaof 150 of those men had became subscribers to a Bible Society.
Mr. Dyer then adverted to the elects produced in Ireland by the
circulation of the Bible, and considered that great good had been
done there ; also, in Brirish India, Persia, and even China. With
respect to the latter place, he begged to say that a beloved son of his
was sent to Cambridge with a view to being called to the bar; be
very soon, however, preferred the gospel to the law, and had since
studied the Chinese laagoage under Dr. Morrison, and was shortly
about to proceed to that country to preach the word of Uri. It was
supposed that the Chinese language vas very difficult to acquire; but
the contrary was the fact, for In the course of six months' application
any person might be able to read the testament in that languaoe.
Ile knew that some men whom he loved, and who, like him-
self, were connected with the St.tte by filling official situations,
would sneer at his conduct, and consider it as being all en.
thusium. lie knew not what it was, but if it was enthusiainn,
he wished he bad more of it, and he only regretted That he had not
sooner been blessed with such feelings. After some further ob-
servadens in favour of the inetitutioo. the worthy speaker moved
the thanks of the meeting to Lieut.-General Neville, and that it
was their sincere wish that, under God's blessing, he might ob.
tain every object for which he was then sojourning on the Con.
tinent.

SAMUEL Roont, Esq. seconded the Resolution, and observed
that it was twelve years since he first ventured in that place to ad-
vocate the cause of the Society; and if he had indulged in Some
anticipations respecting the benefits that would result from it, and
if he had ventured upon some predictions respecting its farther
progress, what was now the ease? Those predictions had become
history, and all those sanguine anticipations had become sober
realities.
_ _

The Rev. Dr. BOOTHIOYD moved the thanks of the meeting
to the Of r.era and Committee of the Society. •
The Csazamaw said, before the resolution was seconded, he
begged to inform the meeting. that the Rev. Doctor who had just
moved it was well known in the literary world as the Editor of the
Hebrew Bible, and who had also completed an entire new tranvia-
tion of the Holy Scripture% into the Engliab ranguage, which every
biblical critic knew was a work of great valor. He could net pre.
vent himself from mentioning there taco, although he well knew
that the Rev. Doctor's only wish in doing this:, was to promote the '
al wy of God and the goad of mankintl-4Cheare,)
JOSEPH Matct.st D. I:sq. seconded the etiolation.
Several other resolutions were then tutored, and unanimously
rated to. in the course of which Mr. Pal n the Rev. James
l:ooper, Edward Hoodart, Esq. and the Rev. Wm. Evanson, ad.
dressed the meeting.
The thanks of the 3leeting having been unanimously voted to
the Chairmen.
Dr. attioao returned Malik.. Allusion/ fad been matt,. in
the con -of the evening, more than once, to ;lie opposition which
that D:ble Society hid had to crammer. Prorrly ',peaking, they

the religion which it inialcated. The htabendthls
one of the mu profligate men of any of Viekairer
neighbo4rhood, and neither of the fientilptlared to
circumstance of their having heard the weed of God
heir characters were changed, and that theybeid been
thereby. Bat the mother being anxious Met hereon
portion of the bible eight, the -boy Aid se While
is drinking at the Wain. On *nee thoseoccanons
turned home in a state of cempangliyagyteriety, he en-
or while the family were in the "opt praying • he
'moments, and the meeting mightguess the astonish-
die and children on beholding him kneehiown and join
prayers. (Hear.) The boy soon aftee died s but the
r, and father, all became changed iw•thairtnibita, and
moment real onraroents to the profession sit Christi-
] this was erected by the bleating that attended the
is single bible to the boy. Ht Joined to mention
tote. At the time the Society was forper4, a gentleman
him, that it was Impossible so lids were profligate
than those employed to:rairtopliardariat.Wiselwich:
the institution of the Al7ll upwards
of those very men beat saboicribefs, sod in the
ew months each of them beearorpesset fled of a bible.
;entlernan had assured filvitythat The hippy effects had
and others had walked abate the ropisyard 'midge all
ut not a single oath or other wicked enpreseion was to
begged to mention one more circurnatanna..4 vary re-
iaistrats, to the viciniiy of NVoolwiche bad :ditleved be
aim toeing that the dinahtution of crime in his district
obvious repertien to the entertain( of the Autiltary
ty that had been established there. (Hes 4 bear.)
ation costumed-till shoot these yang ago, whim there