Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-07-18
From the London Courier, Of May 4.

BRI L ISL AND FORElON blDLb oOSAGA
The Sixteenth Anniversary Meeting Q
the British aud Foreign Bible Societ.
was held yesterday, 10 Freemason's Hal
Great Queen street, aud since the com
mencement Of the institution, it pever ha
been more fully or more respectfully al
tended. BY ! o'clock in the mornio
every part Of the spacious hall, includin
the gallery above the cornice, was crowd
ed TO an overflow, aud hundreds OF aPpl
Giants we're unable TO obtain admission
all.
Precisely at ~ o'clock the Presidef
of the Society, lord Teignmoutb, took tn
chair, supported on his right by bis Roya
Hichpess the Duke Of Gloucester, ADD o.
his left by the Bishops of Gloucester au'
Salisbury. There were also present tn
Earl Of narrowly, Viscount Calthorpe
Lords Gambler. Exmouth, and Ashdown
the Right Hoo. Charles Grant, Mr.. viii
berforce, Sir T. ID. AclaBd, Mr.. Rober
Grant, the Hon. and Rev. Gerald Noel
MIR. Hutterworifl, &c. &c.
From the length of the report of the
Committee, and the great number Of elc-
uuent speakers, who delivered their senii-
meuts on the occasion, We shall be able TO
give only brief outline ofthe proceedings.
The Noble Chairman opened the bnsi-
ness of the day by congraiuIating the meet
ing upon their having again assembled
upon so highly interesting and important
an occasion, from the business of which
he would not loug detain them; but he
should not be doing Justice TO his own
feelings, or he trusted TO theirs, if he
failed to offer his sincere tribute of respect
and gratitude to the memory of his Roy all
Highness the late Duke of Kent.
The report Of the committee, very
voluminous though avowedly compressed
document, was then read by the Rev. Mr..
Owen, assisted by the Rev. Daniel Will
son. 1t commenced with the foreign reIa-
lions of the Society. In France, their
exerIions had answered their most sanguine
expectations. Independently Of the parent
Society, there were great and increas-
log number Of auxiliary ones, and not
only were they supported by the Protestant
part Of the community, but by that which
was exclusively Catholic. The Due dan
gouleme, in reply to letter which had
been addressed 10 him, had expressed
himself in the most friendly terms towards
the society, and their objects, aud the Due
de Cazes had not only expressed himself
10 similar manner, but had subscribed
1000 livres 10 support Of their funds. In
the United Netherlands and its dependen.
cies, Christians OF every denomination,
and even Jews exhibit the most earnest
desire to possess the scriptures, and sup
port the societies by which they are dis
tributed. From Switzerland, Hanover,
Saxony, Wirtemberg, Prussia, Denmark,
Russia, Sweden and Norway, the intelli-
gence was Of the most gratifying kind.
Similar accounts had been received from
the Ionian Islands, aud from Athens,
where Bible Society had been estab-
lished, under the patronage Of the highest
civil and ecclesiastical authorities of the
place. The eighth report of the Calcutta
Bible Society. and that from Madras and
its dependencies, furnished abundant proof
of the advantages derived from the Iabors
Of the parent society. 10 China, though
the jealous power of the government still
operates TO prevent the admission of the
Holy Scriptures; yet well founded hopes
are entertained, that the exerlions which
are making, will eventually succeed in
shedding the light Of the Gospel over that
vast empire. Under the direction ofthat
excellent man DIR. Morrison, the whole
Bible has now been translated into the
Chinese language, and the one thousand
pounds veted by the society for that desi-
rable object had been appropriated thereto.
The New South Wales Bible Society had
been zealously supported by all the civil,
military and ecclesiastical authorities OF
the colony, and its establishment promised
the most beneficial results. The reports
which had been made from the South Sea
Islands were most gratifying. The whole
Gospel Of St. Luke had been translated
into the Otaheitan language, and 5000
copies had been printed and nearly distri-
buted. Multitudes 10 those Islands can
now read with ease, and many can even
write and read, and it was common to see
them sitting 10 circles under the shade Of
trees, even till midnight, listening with
profound attention to the reading Of the
scriptures. In Africa and America, the
Kingdom Of Hayti and the Western Archi.
peiago, there was unqnessionable evidence
OF the great aud growing success Of thai
holy cause, in which the society is en-
gagged. reporting the domestic concern,
Of the society the committee had the salts
faction Of stating, that Notwithstanding tn.
untoward circumstances OF the times, com
mercial difficulties, and anti christian doc
trines, they continued most prosperous
though, from the extraordinary exertion
which had been made, the expenditure o