The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-04 00:00:00

science was

and by

hear, and applause.) When we looked abroad, when we
looked to the continent of Europe, we did not find that
the same was the case in every country there. Very

recently, at

dom of Tuscany a very painful instance of the liindrances
that still continue there to be thrown in the way of the
circulation of God's Word. Now they must bear
with him in the few words that he was going to say. He
was aware that it was a very delicate point to raise any
question as to the right of independent states to form
their own laws for their own internal government.
Speaking in the abstract,- such• a right seemed to be
essential, and necessarily implied in the very idea
of national independence. Let him, also, draw their
attention to another particular, and that was, that he be-
lieved the law in Tuscany was not in express language,
whatever its spirit might be, directed against the circula-
tion of the Bible at all, but against circulating the Bible
in any other versions than those-which their own Church
approved. But without dwelling either on that distinc-
tion, or on the delicate question of international law,
which was a matter, he begged to say, foreign to the pur-
pose of their meeting there,—he thought that they might
all say with safety this, that a policy of any government
who attempted in these days to inflict civil punishments
on a person for distributing the Bible, was a policy which,
in the end, would recoil upon its authors, because it would
enlist against them the moral sympathies of all liberal
and enlightened minds in every country of the world.
Happily in this country of ours there were no hindrances ;
there were no impediments ; we had a clear field open to
us, if we were but willing to act up to the standard of our
duty. Not only so, but what did these meetings of the
Bible Society in our own happy country show ? Why
they showed this,—good men, though differing from each
other on minor points and forms, there met together in
concord, to co-operate together for the great objects of
that society, and thus give a noble proof to all the world,—
not only to England, but to wherever English transac-
tions were.read and known, they gave a noble proof that,
notwithstanding their differences, they knew how to pre-
serve amongst themselves the spirit of Christian charity—
they knew how to recognise as Protestants, in the
circulation of God's word, a common ground on which
They could stand side by side, and a centre of unity
in which they could show to the whole world that
as Christians and Protestant Christians they were all still
bound together. (Applause.) Now these were things for
which we could not be sufficiently grateful, and it was
only when we were reminded by the painful contrast of
other countries, we became sufficiently sensible, he thought,
of our own great privileges, under God's providence, in
having this great liberty of conscience and action among
ourselves. He met them, last time when they were
ushering in the year of jubilee, and a very large- and very I.
successful meeting they had on that occasion ; but he recol-
lected well that the Secretary of the Parent Society who
was kind enough to come as a deputation felt himself's° cir-
cumscribed in point of time that he was not able to set before
them a great many interesting, particulars of infOrmation
which he had intended to do. Now, as he hoped they
had commenced in good time that evening, and as he
(the Right Rev. Prelate) was not going to make such
a sad mistake as to occupy any more of their time himself,
he hoped the gentlemen who had come there as the depu-
tation would have an opportunity' of addressing them
more at length. The Rev. Mr. Cooper had kindly come
there from a very great distance, and had been travelling
all day to reach them at that hour,. and he was sure they
would give him that kind, hearty welcome which they
never failed to give friends of that society. (Applause.)
There were many friends around him, amongst the rest the
Rev. Dr. MasTeile,—(applause)—whose views they were
always glad to hear, and whom they would-have-the gra-
tification of hearing that evening;- and there • were many
other kind friends around them. There was• their kind
friend, Dr. Raffles ;—(aPPlanso—he did not know whether
they were to hear his voice in making any speech, but if
they did, he was sure it would be delivered in the spirit of
Christian charity and good will to all mankind (Applause). •
The Rev. F. PARRY, the secretary, then read; the report
of the society, which stated that—
During the last year alone itsissues amounted to one million,
one hundred and sixty-eight thousand, seven hundred and
ninety-four copies; being an increase of fourteen thousand,
one hundred and fifty-two over those of the preceding year.
The total issues during the fifty yearsuf its past existence have
amounted to twenty-six millions, five,hundred and seventy-one
thousand, one hundred and three.
The total receipts have amounted to £109,000,160105. Bd.,
being £7ll 9s. 10d. more than those reported in the last year.
It is a very gratifying and encouraging circumstance, that the
chief increase of the year has been in the tree contributions
from the Auxiliary Societies-, which were £2,422165. 11d.
above those of the preceding year;
It is important to remark that the sums thus specified are
altogether exclusive of the Jubilee Fund, and properly belong
to the report of the next year. As, however, the friends who
are present may wish to know what progress this Auxiliary is
making, as it respects Jubilee contributions, we may state
that they amount to about:6l,ooo.
The annual subscriptions of the Liverpool Auxiliary during
the past year have amounted to £405.25. Od, being £2 19s Od.
more than in the preceding year; and the sum of £13135. Od.
has been received since the accounts were closed on the 31st
of December, (being arrears for 1852,) making the total of that
year £4lB 15s Od. The donations have been £20615s Od.
The contributions of the Ladies' Branch have amounted to
£224 6s. 3d,—an increase,, as compared with the preceding
Year, of £Bl2s. 4d.
Your Committee have also the pleasure of announcing an
increase in the receipts from the associations connected with
this Auxiliary of £29 18s. The particulars were stated in the
Treasurer's report..
The Welsh Branch has raised during the past year '4SQ
16s. id. ; contributing (after- supplying the wants of their
own countrymen, resident in Liverpool) £699175. 7d.
From the Mechanics' Association among the w Irkmen of
Messrs. Haigh and Co., have been received .4'4 12s. sd.
The proceeds of the sale of books in Liverpool have been
£699175. 7d.

Up to the time of closing the accounts for the year 1852,
the total receipts of the year (including sales), were £2,768
ss. 4id.; being £22313a. sd. more than in the previous year:
The number of copies of the Word of God distributed by,
this Auxiliary, either in whole or in part during the past year,
has amounted to 20,886, being 1,293 less than in the prece-
ding year, viz

Bibles. Testament*
To the Ladies' Branch Society 636 351 -
~ St. Helens' Ditto 416 334
„, Prescot Ditto 117 138
„ Mechanics' Association 6 2
~, Southport Branch 414 472-
„ Ormskirk Ditto 139 77-
If Chowbent Ditto
„ Egremont and Wallasey Ditto} 62 5
(Ladies' Association)
„ Orrell Ditto
„ Chorley Ditto 3BO 259
„ Wavertree Ditto
„ Rock Ferry Ditto 107 63
„ Welch Branch 259 215
To Subscribers, at reduced prices
Cost prices and claims 5385 3762
Grants 653 853
Sold by the English Colporteur 158 l 2691
~ Foreign Colporteur 64 405
Egremont andWallasey (Gentleman's } 4 _
Branch)
Schools (Sales at cost price) 228 214

10641 10225
To the system of colportage, your committee attach great
Importance. In no department of its labours has the Society
been encouraged by a more decided and signal manifestation
of the Divine blessing. By the employment of two colpor-
teurs a new, and it is hoped it may prove a great and effectual
door of usefulness, has been opened to this Auxiliary.
The total number of copies of the Holy Scriptures, either
in whole or in part., issued from the depository of this Auxi-
liary since its formation in 1811, is 468,727.

Mr. JOHN CROPPER, the treasurer, read next a de-
tailed statement of the accounts.

The Rev. C. M. BIRREI4, was called upon to move the
first resolution, which was for the adoption of the report.
He said that document was not long, but it contained
much that an infallible historian would retain as of higher
value than often much that obtained greater notice. It
was said by an eminent French writer respecting Robert
Stevens, the great printer of Bibles, that Francis the First
obtained greater honour from that one man's labours than

he did fr-om all his great enterprises in peace and war;
not excepting his patronage of the arts and sciences. HE

the distribution of so large a number of copies of the
inspired Word of God, that it would obtain an imperish-
able record somewhere when ti
transactions of this great corn
floated down the stream of obi

community

was agl

Branch Association that, although the mere enthusiasm
which attended the birth of that society must have so
long since passed away, there were a great many who con-
tinued the task of disseminating copies of the Scriptures
amongst the homes of our neglected population. (Ap-
plause.) And while many of those who entered at first
vu thiA Arclum errand 114 ic i cslllo tv tinic roTacl,