The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-10
THE ANNIVERSARY WEEK In NEW YORK.



The anniversary Of the New York City Bible Society
was kcommemoratcd last evening" at the Tabernacle.
The exercises were commenced by prayer after which
a psalm sung by the choir.
The Rev. J. NJ. MCDONALD, of Jamaica, preached the
anniversary He selected his text the Goth
Psalm, 4th verse
Upon this foundation he built sermon which occu-
pied upwards of an hour in delivery The Rev gentle
man divided his discourse into four parts the purport
of oil of which culogy the Bible without
or comment, which he contended the supreme rule
of faith without reference to tradition This he said
should be in the hands of Christians every denom-
nation and INDUCED in philippe against the Church
of Rome for withholding it from the people, thereby
shutting the gates of Heaven against them The Bible,
he commended is in the first place centre and bond Of
unity among Christians, which excelled the vaunted
unity which Roman Catholics pretended was character
stic of the Church of Rome. Secondly it is n symbol
Of victory the hands of Christians under which they
certain of succeeding in the warfare against the
flesh and the devil Thirdly, it is an instrument for
the reformation of the world. Fourthly, it is
the proud centre around which Christians should
rally, If they would achieve social reformation and
correct abuses These the points into which the
Reverend gentleman divided his DISCOURSE and he illus
traed them in manner that evnced considerable theo
logical research and study. He dwelt particularly on
the last point and insisted that If the abuses which
exist society are to be reformed it can be done only
by placing the Bible the hands the people, without
Gas he before sai note or commentary This was easy
of because the Almighty In his wisdom
had permitted man to discover the manner of using
steam as a mechanical agent, by which an unlimited
nSmber of issues could be printed with the greatest
rapidity He rdiculed the school of morasts
and philosophers and their endeavors to reform society
without the aid of the Bible He characterised them
empyrics In morals and politics. who engaged in
tempting to undo what the gospel has been accomplish
ing II they he said wished to put their principles to
practice let them 60 to Africa or some other uncivzed
tunity Of seeing their effect.
We gathered from the gentlemans remarks that the
New York City Bible Society engaged in re-suppyng
the city with the Holy Scriptures Since December last
1900 families have been visited by the eight distributing
thousand six hundred were found destitute of them
five thousand were suppied-four thousand seven hun
dred and ffty-fve copies Of the New Testament
circulated and two thousand families refused to receive
the copies Of the Scriptures rendered to them.
The discourse ended with an exhortation to the men,
bers engaged in the work to prosecute it with vgorto
MISUNDERSTANDING among the numerous emgrants
arriving in this city to the number of thousand
daily If the word of God he said, were not
placed in their hands as soon as they entered the
land OF liberty through doors, they would
in their future wanderings through the United States
form combination of streams that would flow into and
port of the gentemans discourse is comprised in this
synopsis of it. After he concluded it, he sat down. ap
parently much wearied
Prayer then made by gentleman, whose name
not acquainted with, who, after he had finished
informed the audience that subscription woull be
taken for the support the mission in which the society
was engaged. The small sum Of twenty-hv cents, he
said, would pay for Bible which might be the means
of saving soul, perhaps the souls of whole family
The exercises being ended the for the press
to leave, likewise did others but they had
many steps towards the door, when the gentleman
begged leave to inform the audience that all who
not willing to contribute any thing towards
der the necessity Of leaving the house The announce
meAt, no doubt, prevented many from leaving.