with the Scriptures, are sent off to some part of the country.

The native Portuguese have been largely provided with New Testaments; and it appears from the testimony of the distributors in Calcutta, that the present has been always thankfully received, and in some cases with tears of joy.”—The large edition of the Tamul New Testament, 5000 copies, has been entirely completed and placed at the disposal of the Calcutta Society for distribution. Two thousand copies of the Cingalese Testament, designed as a present to the Bible Society of Ceylon, had been put to press; and the Gospel of St. Matthew is finished and ready for dispatch. The imperfect state of the version which is undergoing a revision at Columbo, influenced the Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society in printing so small an edition; and they felt unwilling to delay printing altogether till the revision should have been completed, on account of the urgent demand for Testaments in the Island of Ceylon, there being scarcely 20 cop-, ies among nearly a million of souls.

With respect to the Malayalim, the Committee of the Calcutta Society lament that they have not been able to fulfil their intention, in making arrangements for completing that important translation. The work is however in progress under the Rev. Marmaduke Thompson and Tinnapah Pillah, the latter of whom revised and corrected the Malayalim gospels. 500 of those gospels, printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have been put into a judicious channel of distribution; and, though the supply is small, it was expected it would prove most seasonable, and partly meet the urgent demands of the Syrian Christians. Of the four classes of native Christians, therefore, (the Committee of the Cal. cutta Bible Society observe) with a special view to whom the Society was originally formed, a bountiful provision has been made for three, the whole of which would be speedily in circulation. They add, "Every practical effort is making in behalf of the remaining class of Christians, who

are in the mean time furnished with a small temporary supply, which will be received by them with the most heartfelt joy, and prove a welcome relief to their necessities."-The Society has undertaken a large edition of the Armenian Scriptures, at the earnest request of J. Sarkies, a principal Armenian at Calcutta, who has come forward with 5000 Rupees as the united subscription of his countrymen to that work. The Missionaries at Serampore had not advanced far in making the types for this Armenian Bible when a new call upon the funds and exertions of the Calcutta Bible Society arrived from another quarter. The resident at Amboyna sent the Society a memorial in behalf of the Amboynese Christians,-with a handsome subscription in aid of an edition of the Holy Scriptures for their service. The Amboynese use the Malay Bible in the Roman character, and are computed to be about 20,000. The Committee of the Calcutta Bible Society felt all the importance of this call, and determined on applying to the government for pecuniary aid. A public letter was according ly addressed in the name of the Committee, praying for help in printing an edition of the Scriptures. The answer of the government was favorable. They announced their resolution to give 10,000 rupees in aid of the Malay Scriptures; and added, that having heard of a similar plan in progress at Batavia, they recommended to the Committee to open a correspondence with Batavia, and report the result to government, who will then decide on the appropriation of money.

To this important intelligence is added that Tinnapah Pillah has proceeded in the Malayalim Scriptures to the end of St. Paul's epistles; that the Cingalese New Testament would be finished in a few weeks; that a large shipment of the three first gospels had been made for the Island of Ceylon; that ten presses were in constant use at Serampore, and scarcely a day concluded without some proof sheet of the Scriptures having passed under the hand of their Secretary. Your Committee in the fullest conviction

that the funds of the Society can be applied in no direction with greater probability of gratifying the wishes of its members, and effecting the Sacred end of its establishment, than in India, in addition to the grants already made, have instructed the Calcutta Corresponding Committee to draw for 1,000£•

Your Committee have also the pleasure to announce, that a Society was established at Bombay on the 13th of June last, under the designation of "The Bombay Auxiliary Bible Sciety;" the objects of which are, to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures; and especially to supply the demands of the native Christians on the western side of the Peninsula of India. This establishment has been effected under the direct patronage of the Recorder, the members of Council, and some of the most respectable persons in the Presidency, and with the countenance of his Excellency the Governor, Sir Evan Nepean, Bart. one of your Vice Presidents, who has contributed 1000 rupees in aid of its funds.

It falls in with the preceding articles to mention, that Mr Morrison at Canton, whose labours in translating the Scriptures into the Chinese have been liberally assisted by your Society, is advancing in his work with considerable success. By the latest intelligence it appeared, that the first edition of the Acts had been distributed; a corrected edition was in the press; and it was expected that in the course of the last vear the whole Testament would be printed. Your Committee, understanding that a channel of conveyance was likely to be opened through Russia to the Chinese Empire, have ordered a supply of copies both from Canton and Serampore, in order to be forwarded to Russia, and placed at the disposal of the St. Petersburg Bible Society.

AFRICA.

The transactions of your Society in Africa, though neither few nor deficient in interest, are however, from the peculiar circumstances of that Continent and its Dependencies, not yet of sufficient bulk or maturity to oc

cupy any considerable space in the Society's Annual Report.

A Society has been formed at the Cape of Good Hope, under the auspices of the Governor General, Sir John Cradock, which unites the edu cation of the poor with the distribution of the Scriptures; and in reference to the latter of these objects, the Committee of that newly formed Society have opened a correspondence with your Institution.

The distribution of the Scriptures, furnished by your Society, in Cape Town and the vicinity, appears to have been made with judgment and good effect.

Copies have also been gratefully received by the Military in Cape Town, particularly the 934 Regiment ef Highlanders; who desired their thanks might be presented to your Commit. tee, and insisted upon paying the cost prices of the Bibles and Testaments, in order to avoid putting the Society to expense.

It will now be proper to mention, that on the 11th of November, 1812, was formed, under the sanction of his Excellency, at the Government House in Port Louis, Mauritius, "The Bible Society of the Islands of Mauritius, Bourbon, and Dependencies." This Institution appears to have been established in a spirit, and upon a basis which promise to render it a very useful Auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society, in promoting the circulation of the Scriptures among the African islands In what degree the Scriptures may be supposed to have been wanted in the Mauritius itself the seat of this institution, may be inferred from the account of the Secretary, that many persons were living in the island, at the advanced age of sixty and seventy years, who rever saw a Bible: and the reception which the Scriptures, furnished by your Society, met with in the same island, may be sufficiently judged of by the further assurance of the Secretary, that the aviity with which the Bibles and Testaments are purchased is beyond all description; that 100 copies were sold in one day, and twice as many more could (he believ

ed) have been disposed of with the greatest facility;" and finally, "that he receives daily messages of gratitude from the inhabitants, for the more than kind attention of the British and Foreign Bible Society to their eternal welfare, in supplying them with the means of Scriptural knowledge."

Your Committee have further the pleasure to report, that an Auxiliary Bible Society has been constituted at St Helena, of which Thomas Green tree, Esq. is the Treasurer, and the Rev. Samuel Jones, Chaplain to the Colony, is Secretary. The first communication of this Society was ac companied with a contribution of 1601. sterling

AMERICA.

Your Committee will now detail the principal facts which have occurred in connexion with the object of your institution, on the western side of the Atlantic.

Your Committee have to regret that little has hitherto been done towards promoting the object of the Society in South America. They are, however, encouraged by the communications of a respectable correspondent to hope, that the period may not be very remote, when the inhabitants of La Plata may be induced to avail themselves of the Society's benevolence.

Your Committee have great pleasure in reporting, that the object of the Society continues to excite attention and liberality in the West India iskands, particularly in Jamaica. Contributions have been received to the funds of the Society in the course of the last year from different parts of that island; among which may be particularized 2831. 10s. 5d. from the Corporation of Kingston, and 1001. from the Justices and Vestry of the Parish of Westmoreland. To these should be added, the sum of 551. 3s. 6d. sterling from a Society under the designation of "The Jamaica Auxiliary Bible Society of the People of Colour."

In North America, the progress of that cause in which the British and Foreign Bible Society is engaged, Vol. III.

has been considerable during the last year, and has been characterized, in certain respects by circumstances of particular interest.

Many new Societies have been added to those already reported in the United States. Three of them, viz. "The Nassau Hall, The Virginia, and the Rhode Island Bible Societies," have officially notified their establishment to your Committee; who have, on their part, acknowledged the com munication, and accompanied their letters of acknowledgement with a donation, in the first case of 50l. and in the two latter of 1001. each.

The Louisiana Bible Society is another newly formed Society, from which great eventual good may be expected. Its operations will be among a free population of 100,000 souls (of which about 70,000 are Roman Catholics) and slaves about 40,000. It will afford pleasure to hear, that "the Catholic Bishop in Louisiana, with the other principal clergy of the Roman Catholic Church," expressed themselves "perfectly willing to have the Scriptures circulated, and even to aid in the good work themselves." Impressed with the importance of these considerations, your Committee have granted the sum of 1001. to be laid out in the purchase of French Bibles and Testaments from the Philadelphia Bible Society for the use of the Bible Society of Louisiana.

The Bible Societies previously in existence, appear to proceed with good success. The annual reports of the Philadelphia and New York Societies display the evidences in those, the two earliest American Bible Societies, of unabated ardor and progressive labors; and the accounts they furnish of the other Sister Institutions in the United States are equally satisfactory.

But if evidence were wanted of an interest taken by those Societies in the object of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the salutary influence which such a feeling is capa ble of producing, that evidence would be furnished by the generous conduct of the Massachusetts Bible Society, in their recent transmission of 1551.

sterling, in order to replace a supply of Bibles, designed by your Society for the British Colonists in Nova Scotia, but which had been captured and sold by an American privateer. The particulars of this transaction will appear in the Appendix; and all that your Committee can do in this place is to put on record their admiration of this gratifying triumph of Christian principle; and with their brethren of Massachusetts to express their hope that the conduct to which it led, "will remind both nations, that we are fellow Christians, followers of one Master, who has solemnly commanded us to love one another."

It now becomes the duty of your Committee to report what has been done in furtherance of your Society's object in British North America: and here it affords them particular satisfaction to be able to announce the formation of a Bible Society at Halifax, designated "The Nova Scotia Bible Society," under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor, Sir John C. Sherbrook, and other characters of distinction. The fruit of this New Institution has already appeared in the transmission of 2001. sterling to the funds of your Society.

A Branch Society has been added at Liverpool,denominated, "The Queen's County Auxiliary Bible Society," of which the Rev. John Payzant is the President, and its management is entrusted to respectable characters, both civil and military.

Two other Auxiliary Bible Societies on a smaller scale have announced their formation and remitted contributions; one at Pictou in Nova Scotia, and the other at Quebec. Collections have also been transmitted to the funds of the Society from Montreal. Thanksgivings continue to be presented from the Christian Congregations under the care of the Moravian brethren in Labrador. They represent the copies of the Scriptures which they have received in the Esquimaux language, as "an invaluable gift," and as having tended to promote a great eagerness to learn to read, both in children and adults; and they unite

throughout all their settlements in praying to the Lord "to bless that venerable Society which exerts itself with so much zeal and charity to publish the word of God in all languages, and send it into all parts of the earth.

DOMESTIC DEPARTMENT.

Your Committee will now proceed to the Domestic Department, and briefly report the transactions which have taken place within the limits of the United Kingdom-The first con sideration which demands attention is the addition made in the course of the last year, to the number of the Society's Contributors and Supporters, by the formation of Auxiliary Societies, Branch Societies, and Bible Associations, notwithstanding the splendid list of Auxiliary Societies which appeared in the last Report. Not to mention other Auxiliaries of great name and large promise, your Committee cannot forbear particularizing the formation of the Oxfordshire Auxiliary Bible Society under the patronage of the Lord Lieutenant of the County, the Chancellor of the Univer. sity, several Heads of Houses, Nobles and Dignitaries, &c. as an event of the greatest importance, and as shedding a particular lustre on the tenth year of the Society's History.

The counties and considerable stations having been for the most part formed into regular Auxiliary Societies previous to the commencement of the last year, the public attention has been chiefly directed to the formation of Branch Societies and Bible Associations, as subordinate and contributory to them. Many of these Branch Societies, as at Tiverton under the Earl of Harrowby, at Halstead under the Marquis of Buckingham, at Egham under the Duchess of York, &c. are hot less exalted in patronage, or productive in funds, than several independent Auxiliary Societies: and the same observation may be substantially applied to not a few of those establishments which have been formed on the principle, and appear under the humbler name of Bible Associations. With these prefatory remarks your Committee will now proceed to

the enumeration of the New Auxiliary Societies, and the sums which they have respectively contributed.

[Here follows a list of 51 new Auxiliary Societies formed within the year, in England, Wales, Scotland, and the British Colonies, exclusive of the Branch Societies. These 51 Societies had contributed more than 12,5001. There is also a list of the Auxiliary Societies, of an earlier date, with their respective contributions.]

It will appear from the sums as above reported, that the zeal of the Auxiliary Societies continues undiminished, and that in various instances their exertions have been augment ed. It would give your Committee heartfelt pleasure, to exhibit more distinctly the progress which has been made by the respective Auxiliary Societies during the past year examples have beer. displayed of distinguished benevolence and indefatigable exertion, which your Committee regret that the limits of their Report will not allow them to particularize. For much of that vigor which has characterized the Auxiliary Societies in several parts of the Country, they are indebted to the seasonable visits and zealous services of your Secretaries, whose exertions during the past year have given them a renewed claim to the respect and gratitude of the Society. Very great progress has been made in organizing Institutions of this description, on various scales of magnitude, in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. In Wales some new Auxiliary Societies of considerable importance have been formed in the course of the year. The patronage under which these have been established, and their liberal contributions, afford encouragement to believe, that Wales will continue to maintain that rank among the friends and supporters of the British and Foreign Bible Societies which she has held from the commencement of the Institution. Scotland has evinced a growing interest in the promotion of a cause, to which she lent a seasonable and effectual countenance in the earliest stages of the Society. The Annual Reports and other communications, justify your Committee in

asserting, that in no part of the Empire has the British and Foreign Bible Society more zealous friends and more diligent co-operators, than in Scotland.

Considerable exertions have also been made in Ireland during the last year; and they have been attended with corresponding success. The Hibernian Bible Society in Dublin has increased its branches from 37 to 53, and issued 50,000 Bibles and Testaments. By its exertions, the Scriptures are now for sale in more than 100 towns in Ireland; and a hope is encouraged, that it will ere long be in a condition to contribute its assistance towards the general purposes of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

Your Committee, while they rejoice in the opportunity of bearing this testimony to the conduct of their numerous Auxiliaries in every part of the Empire, trust they shall be excused, if they urge not only upon the Committees of Auxiliary Societies, but also upon individual members, the importance of keeping the fundamental principles of the Parent Society distinctly in view, and of exemplifying a conscientious observance of them, both in their collective and their personal transactions.

The distribution of the Holy Scriptures from the Society's Depository in London, through the various channels, has kept pace with the other exertions of the Society. The principal of these channels for supplying the native population of the United Kingdom, are the Auxiliary Societies. It would however be an injustice to a very important class of the Society's Contributors, the Members of the Bible Associations, to overlook, or slightly commend, their eminent services, in promoting the distribution of the Holy Scriptures.

In estimating the value of Bible As. sociations, your Committee are at a loss to determine whether more is derived to the funds and operations of the Parent Society, by this ingenious and popular instrument, than is communicated, through the feelings which it excites, and the employment which it furnishes, to the mor