Star.
London, England, 1817-11-01 00:00:00

Loivvos AuxILLIARr BIBLIC

The Egyptian Hall, at the Mansion-House, was
yesterday unusually thronged :it the fi'th annual meet-
ing of the City of London Auxiliary Bible Society.
The LORD MAYOR tool: the chair at half-pas? I 1
o'clock, and opened the businens of the meetint I
after which the Rev. Mr. 1). Wrestle, one of the :;e..
cretarier, read the Report of the Committee. It con-
tained a clear view of the design with which the in•
stitution had been originally formed, and described
the progress both of the parent, and of this one of its
affiliated sociele;. The statement of its income and
expenditure exhibited a gradual decline in the former
f r the last three years, and the cause of the reduc.
tion was traced partially to the distresses of the
times, and also to the absence of that spirit amongst
the opulent merchants of this great city, which there
was reason to hope might be soon awakened. It
became the character of the metropolis, which took
the lead in every other magnificent and gene-
rous enterprise, not to be backward or to fall short
of others in the promotion of a cause which concerned
the final salvation of our fellow creaturff... With re-
' gard to the general object which they had in con-
templation, the retrospect of the advances made to.
wards it was most cheering. The good which had
been done was immense, that which remained infi-
nite. Already, by the effects of the Eritish and F -
reign Bible Association, two millions of BiLies he'l
been distributed ; it had been translated iato seventy
languages, and was naw read in the rematect qtt.ir-
ters of the globe—it had even found, its way, es it
was the principle of the Society to transmit and corn.
municate it without note or comment, into Italy and
Spain, and their benevolent intentions were now pa-
tronised by six of the crowned heads of Europe. The
report concluded by an animated appeal to the Bri.
tish nation to endeavour, after having conducted the
nation.: of Europe to security and peace, to enlighten
them with religious truth, and unite them in Claris.
tian love.

Mr. BLAIR moved that the report of the Com-
mittee be adopted by that Meeting.
This motion was seconded by the Rev. Mr. Sot-
Timm who begged to state the grounds on which
he, as a member cf the Church of England, felt it
his duty to support this institution. These were the
principles on which the reformation was founded;
and he was confirmed in his opinion, that the design
of this society was perfectly consonant to these prin-
ciples, When he saw such men as the Ilisheps of
Bristol, of Glocester. of Norwich, of Chichester, and
of St. David's, together with the first Ministers of
the Crown, bestowing upon it the sanction of their
authority.
The Reve Mr. SAUNDERS, Rector of St. Ann';,
Blackfriars, proposed a Resolution, expressive of the
sincere acknowledgments of the Society to the Lord
Mayor, for the patronage he hat afforded it, and the
handsome manner in which he had granted them the
use of the Egyptian Hell. He considered the Bible
Societies of the greatest importance. He would sup-
port them nut merely as a Christian, but as a friend
to the human race. There was now one common
consent throughout Europe to sheath the sword, by
which so much blond had been spilt, and to present
every inhabitant of the earth with a bible, to teach
them their duty towards Gnu and one another.
The Rev. EDWARD GttAY seconded the Resolu-
tion. It wei most elle:eraging td tae Society to
know that their efforts were fait at the utmost extras-
miiies of the globe, from hloutit Caucasus to the
Andes, and be hoped the pious and benevolent wish of
our beloved Severeign would yet be fedi:lied. A 4
other objects sunk to nothing in comparison ss ith that
of this lastitution. We should cantemplate that pee-
rions scene, when the Son of (eon shall come in all
his glory, and before him 411.11 stand the people of
all nations in sanctiticetien. After eiraysieg an me-
maned picture of vie teessings that weuld arise eerie
a universal thseminatioe of the Screseees, he con.
eluded with seconding the Reselutien.
The Lenin Minton expressed his greetude for the
honour conferred upon lien ; but he had done no
more than his duty ; as he considered it to be the
Jut; of every Magistrate to become an advcc.te of
this great cause. He had vac:ldes! the Meetings is
'his own district, as well as in the country, and he
could testify th e as mach zeal had been shewa there
as in any place whatever. It the Scriptures were
'generally read by the lower classes, he was convinced
there would be but few criminals brought before Mae
gistrates. He could spank with exultation o: the
great effect that had been produced by the exertions
of the. Ladies, who had visited the jails to reform the
female prisoners, but particularly in Newgate, where
the alteration in their morals, and their inclination.
to read the Bibles that had been given so them, were
beyond any tithe; that could be conceived. From a
firm conviction ui its great utility, he should always,
as long as he lived, give the Society his most ear-
nest support.
In answer to a vote of thanks to the Vic^ Presidents,
Mr. C. GRANT, \l.!'. and Mr. BerrERWORTII, M.P.
expressed their ardent Teal for the ptospetity of the
institution, awe their film conviction of the inestie
msble *riven iegce it was calculated in produce. The
letter temai ;tee, that .45 this seas the aoleveisary of
ere getormetion, tee y could nut coaimenanete it.
!totter than by endeavouring, as fir as lay in their
' power, to extelid es benefits to the wiiole humeri race.
Many other speeehes, et a s:nelsr character and
.tendency, were delivered, and the business coachtded
by an eloquent appeal from Mr. D. Wiesue to the
sensibilities of his euditote in support of a pi es the
success cat which was so nesrly connected both with
,he present happiness and the eternal interests of
Tile Hall was ett one time excessively crowded....
fairer l'cr*ltillS sat on the left et the Lord hlayniee
;Jollied accerding to their natise costume, and paid
the most marked atteption to the proceedings.
active subscription was immialiately commenced.