The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-26 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE
SOCIETY.

A very numerous meeting of the friends and sup-
porters of this society was held in the Egyptian-hall, at
the Mansion•house, yesterday, to celebrate the jubilee
year of the institution, the society having been founded
in March, 1804. The more especial object of the meet-
ing was to raise a fund to be appropriated to the fur-
therance of the following objects :-1. The adoption, as
far as practicable, of an extensive and efficient system of
colportage throughout Great Britain in the year of
jubilee ; the supply of emigrants, together with special
grants of Bibles and Testaments to prisons, schools,
missions, and other charitable and benevolent institu-
tions in this country. 2. Special grants to Ireland, in
such ways as may hereafter be determined upon. 3.
Special efforts in India, Australia, and other British co-
lonies, by agencies, grants, or otherwise. 4. Special
grants to China, and such other parts of the world as
may appear open to special operations. 5. The estab-
lishment of a special and separate fund, from the annual
produce of which pecuniary aid may be granted, at the
discretion of the committee, to persons in the employ of
the society, including the colporteurs abroad ; and to
their widows and children, when in circumstances to
require such aid.

The Right Hon. the LORD MAYOR presided. He
stated in the course of his address, that there were in
connexion with the parent society no less than 3,819
branch societies in Great Britain and the colonies ; in
Ireland, 503 ; and abroad, 4,000 ; making a total of
8,322. When the society was first established there
were about 50 translations of the Bible ; now, by means
of this society, the Bible had been translated into 150
languages. The circulation of the Bible by means of
this society, and of other societies in connexion with it,
was not less than 45,000,000, and it was not too much
to say that by the same agency the records of inspired
truth had been rendered accessible to about 600,000,000
of the human family. (Cheers.) He could not sit
down without alluding to China. Every ono was rejoic-
ing that China was at last open to the world. But for
what did people rejoice? Because it would save them
6d. in the pound on their tea. But if men of this world,t_
because of the increase of their traffic, rejoiced at
e
opening of China, what, he would ask, ought
e feel-
ings of Christian men to be when they cont
great work to be achieved among so many
millions
had been
human race, amid whom the seeds of civilisation
sciences had
oTpltahteol
the
sown for ages, and by whom the arts a
been cultured ages before the inhabitantsnootfs wtheesreeicslaairciud-s
had emerged from barbarism ? These facts
lated to encourage the society to persevere in their
_t it a noble proposal
efforts to introduce Christianity,ol gil pure and undefiled,
into China ; and he therefore th
of the committee of the socieyt h
languageatl,ooo,o should
oOc opi es
be
the New Testament in the Chineset
printed without delay. Ile held in his hand a copy of
the work, and which could be obtained for 4d. He thought
the city of London ought to provide these 1,000,0-00
ldnot be said that they were not
Testaments. It
wealthy enough. (u, )
Mr. Brown, secretary, here presented the Lord Mayor
with a copy of a Bible, in commemoration of his lord-
ship having presided on so interesting an occasion in the
history of the society.
The meeting was then addressed by the Earl of Shaftes-
bury, the Hon. and Rev. Canon Villiers, the Rev. Dr.
Tidman, Mr. Samuel Gurney, and others, in support of
resolutions pledging the meeting to carry out the objects
of the society, and more especially those for which the
jubilee fund was intended to be raised. A vote of thanks
to the Right lion. the Lord Mayor terminated the pro-
ceedings of the meeting.

------- -
SIERRA LEONE.-4 letter dated Sierra Leone, Sept.
22, received by the Calcutta, says :—" The Governor
has ' paid his footing ;' he was attacked with country
fever on the 23d of August, and got over it on the 4th
of September, having had it severely. He has, how-
ever, had a rapid and complete recovery. The Queen's
Advocate is dead. A paid magistrate is dismissed. The
Colonial•office is likely to be removed. Sierra Leone is
quite healthy the rains are all oyer."