Star.
London, England, 1819-11-05 00:00:00

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question of experimentlo a matter of certainty ;
that if apathy and indifference were scarcely justifi-
able inaudinary. times, they are still less so in the
present ; lad .that its one particular, at least, the
enemies of truth are worthy of imitation, namely, in
the active and unremitting industry which they dis-
play—an industry worthy of a better cause than that
of being called into action for the depravation and
destruction of mankind.
" Your Committee would finally express an ardent
wish that all the Members of the Bible Society may
be careful to evince more than ever its influence upon
their personal characters, so that all around them,
may behold the operation of a high and Heavenly
principle in the production of those fruits which are
inseparable from genuine piety ; and that the enemies
of the Bible may be constrained to admit, that there
is a Divine reality in that religion which can change
the heart and subdue the temper, sanctify the affec-
tions, and teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly
lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in
this present world, that we may thus be, as it were,
living epistles,' which may be' known and read,'
even by those who reject the authority of the Apos-
tolic Records. While, therefore, we desire to ascribe
the entire praise to the AUTHOR and GIVER or ALL
GOOD, let us anticipate still brighter days. If the
cause of the Bible Society be indeed (as we dcubt
not) the cause of GOD, who appears to be rendering
it eminently instrumental in conveying to the Nations
the knowledge of his will, is it not probable that this
may be one of the principal means employed in
hastening that happy period which forms the subject
of Prophecy, when the principles contained in that
blessed Book will be universally felt and recognized;
and when the influence of such hallowed principles
will be at length' seen in their full and sensible ope-
ration upon the practice and conduct of mankind at
large ; when happiness, the inseparable attendant of
holiness, will be universally diffused, and when the
ruin and desolation of man's revolt shall be repaired
even on earth by the benign and healing infhpince of
the Gospel of Peace ?
Oh ! scenes surpassing fable and yet true, •
Scenes of accomplish'd bliss! which who can see,
Though but in distant prospect, and not feel
Ilis soul refresh'd with foretaste of joy?
One song employs all nations; and all cry,
Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us !
The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each otber, and the mountain tops
T. ern distant mountains catch the eying joy ;
Till nation, after nation taught the strain,
Earth rolls the rapturous ilosannah round!' "—Cowes".
Mr. Shelia' !torn vvEnn moved the first Resolution:
•• That the Repot; n.r.v read be received and adopted, and
tl-at it bs printed under the direction of the Committee."
—',Thich was seconded by the Rev. JOHN OWEN, who,
in a speech of considerable length, described the great
necessity that existed in the present times for a vigorous
exertion on the part of the Friends of the Gospel.
The second Resolution—

" That the wicked and blasphemous publications now un-
blushingly diffused through the Nation, form, in the opinion of
this Meeting, an additional reason for supporting the British and
Foreign Bible Society, which, havirg for its simple and exclu-
silte object the widest possible circulation of the Holy Scrip-
tures, is precisely adapted to repel, in the most efficient and ade-
quate manner, such impious attempts, by giving a distinct ho-
nour and prominence to the inspired Volume, by encircling it
with the affection and marked reverence of Christians of every
rime, and by thus contributing to pledge the Nation to that holy
Book, which infidelity is daring to revile, hut on which all the
plinciples of moral and religious order and subordination, and
therefore the very foundations of public tranquillity and private
virtue and happiness, ultimate:7 rest."
—Was seconded by Mr. LUKE HOWARD: in doing
which, he read an extract front the Report at a for-
mer Meeting, by which the Society had pledged them-
selves to oppose the attacks of infidelity on every
occasion. One occasion was now before them, and
trusted they would redeem their pledge. Admit-
till that strong grounds existed for the most active
exertion on the part of the Institution, yet he could
not but rejoice at thehappy effects which were already
manifest from their Associations. Would any one,
who had watched their ptoicress, deny that a great
good had been attained ? they had already a har-
vest, and might yet reap an abundant one in this and
every part of the world ; and while there was a har-
vest to be gathered any where, their exertions should
be unremitting. It was true, that they had found
some chaff mixed with the corn ; but that must be
expected ; and it should not damp the ardour of these
who were engaged in the holy work. It had bees
said, that the publication of some of the blasphemous
works alluded to were justifiable, under that liberty
which the Press enjoyed in this country. He ad-
mired the Liberty of the Press as much as any man,
but he thought it ought to be under the same re-
straint as the liberty of the land, or the liberty of the
tongue—(Hear.) Its abuse should be always check-
ed : but how was it to be known when there was an
abuse or an excess? Ile would answer, by the ver-
dict of twelve honest men on their oaths, who would
ever mark (what he agreed with Chief Justice Abbott
in thinking there should be) the difference between
sleeting argument by argument, and the practice of
open and virulent abuse.—The Resolution was now
put, and carried unanimously.
The Rev. J. Cult /menu moved the 3d Resolution,
" That the sincere acknowledgments d this Meeting are due
to the Bight Honourable the Lord Mayor, for the patronage
which he has afforded to the Instieetiee as President ' • and for
the handsome manner in whieb he grunted the use of the Egyptian
Hall for the Anniversary Meeting.'
The Rev. Gentleman, in a long, eloquent, and
manly address, supported the object of the Society.
He denied that infidelity or scepticism had taken such
deep root as was imagined, and added, that all the
great and good men in society were in favour of the
truths of the Gospel. From the apathy of some, and
the too confident security of, others, the funds of the
Society had considerably declined. To remedy this,
the exertions of all should be united. Those who
had hitherto done little, should now do much: those
who had done much, should do a great, deal more.
They (the Meeting) had not assembled together in
order to form a procession, they came, he hoped, to
act—to contribute to the support of their religion;
and he trusted they would return to their homes, re-
collecting that they had pledged themselves in sup-
port of an Institution fraught with so much good to
their country and to posterity. He adinired humility
as a great moral virtue; but there was a kind of dis-
eased humility which dried tip the sources of bene-
volence, and sometimes induced well meaning per-
sons to imagine that they could do nothing, and they
therefore refrained from an arduous undertaking
through the fear of not receiving aid from Heave),
Li carry them through. To such he would say on