The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-05-08 00:00:00

Emperial Parliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS, TUESDAY, MAY 5

Their lordships met at half-past twelve o'clock. The Earl of
Shaftesbury presided.
Several witnesses were sworn prior to their giving evidence
before the committee on gaol discipline.
Their lordships, at a quarter-past four, 'adjourned till to-moi-
row at one o'clock.

AI'NUAL MEETING OF THE FRENCH AND
FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Pests, May yesterday enjoyed three hours of nearly
unalloyed satisfaction in attending the annual meeting of the
French Home and Foreign Bible Society. I. say " nearly"
unalloyed, because my pleasure would have been complete had
I nut observed, with deep regret, that the Wesleyan Methodists
were looked upon with an unfavourable eye by some of the
leaders of a society which owes more of its success in Great
Britain to the Wesleyan methodists than to any other body of
Christians, except the members of the established church. I
saw with re,,ret, that the hey. Mr. Newstead, the able, eloquent,
zealous, and pious Wesleyan minister at Paris, was hot placed
on the committee on account of his not being a Calvinist; and
that the labours of the Wesleyans in the cause of the French
Bible Society were not even noticed by their French Calvinic
brethren. '['his instance of illiberality was the only cause of
my satisfaction not being complete.

The annual meeting was held in the French protestant
chapel in the Rue Taitbout, and was well attended. The Ad-
miral Vernheuil, a Dutchman, and a protestant, took the
chair; and about fifty protestant pastors were preseut from
various districts of France. Besides the 'French, some Ameri-
can and some English ministers were present, and a great deal
of harmony appeared to prevail. A great deal of stress was
laid upon the fact, that this year, 1835, is the third centenary of
the reformation of Geneva—of the completion of the translation
of the bible into English—and of the translation of the 'bible
into French ; and the pious Wish was often expressed, that,
from this year, the English, Swiss, and French Protestants
might renew with more zeal and energy their exertions for the
promotion of the spread of true religion, and the dissemination
of the holy scriptures. May this wish be realized! But it
would be indeed a sorry commencement, if, on the year of the
third centenary of the Swiss reformation, and of the completion
of the translation of the French and English bibles, the
English parliament should sanction the spread of popery, and
spoliate the Irish protestant church.
' - -

I regret to inform you, that during the year 1834-to April,
1.835, the receipts of the French and foreign bible society in a
country where at least one million of protestants are to be
found, should only amount to about £l,lOO, and the receipts
from the sale of bibles and testaments to about £1,200. 11. he
expenses were about £1,300, and about £l,OOO remained in the
hands of the. treasurer. On the other baud, I am glad to add
that 1,525 old testaments, and 5,500 new testaments have been
distributed, and that .10.000 ate now in hand for sale or to be
given away. A new French translation is also being. looked
to. A translation into -Spanish, for distribution in Spain,'is in
hand. A large supply of btbles has been sent to Bucharest ;
and a new edition of the German bible, for circulation in Ger-
many, is also in the course of preparation. The report was,
on the whole, highly satisfactory ; and the addresses delivered
were spiritual, exciting, and highly encouraging. But alas!
the millions are governed by catholic priests and Jesuits, and
the band of protestant disciples anxious to promote the know-
ledge of the truth is extremely small.