Scriptures had been disposed of, and that he had been assured by a Syrian prelate, that the holy Scriptures now preparing in the Carshun language will prove a most acceptable present to the Christians for whose use they are designed. The Scriptures had been sent to Jerusalem, Tyre, Sydon, Tripoli, and Damascus. Many demands are reported to be made for the Arabic Bible, and Mr. Barker had sup plied 78 out of 80 boys belonging to an Arabic school, with the book of Psalms in the Arabic language at ten paras a copy. During the course of the year, Mr. Barker has made two tours in Asia Minor and Syria. He received an assurance from one of the British consuls, who assisted him in various ways, that the Scriptures distributed were read.

In the Persian language, the Pentateuch had been completed, in the revision of which Professor Lee is engaged, while the translators are advancing with the historical books, In a letter received from a missionary, it is observed,-"In our journeys we have frequently met with Persians who were partly acquainted with the New Testament, and ardently desired to read the Old Testament, remarking, We cannot

remove into a new house unless we have found its foundation to be strong let us have the Old Testament that we may see whether the Gospel is well founded upon it." The Committee next call the attention of the Society to the gratifying reports received from Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, and Ceylon.

At Calcutta, three new auxiliary institutions have been formed; and 11,000 copies of Bibles, Testaments, and single books, have been sent from Calcutta to these infant societies. The Hindoostanee Testament, by the assistance of the Rev. Principal Mill, has been printed as far as the Acts. Mr. Bowley's Hinduwee Testament is completed. The Book of Genesis in Hindoostanee is about to be published separately, it having been much apCHRIST. OBSERV, APP..

proved. The demand for the single Gospels in Bengalee, for the use of schools, is so great that a large impression of the Gospels and Acts is ordered, instead of completing the whole of the New Testament as had been before determined. Dr. R. Heber, Bishop of Calcutta, has greatly aided the Society by his counsel and influence.

At Bombay, the Old Testament, with the New, in the Goojurattee language, are now completed. The missionaries write, "Nearly the whole of the numbers, amounting to about 6,000, are gone among the people. Few days pass without some one calling for parts of it; and we frequently have persons from villages at a considerable distance applying for Testaments. When out among the people, I am frequently called to explain parts to them.”

At Madras, the version of the Scriptures in Malayalim, under the superintendence of the Rev. B. Bailey, had proceeded to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. It is in contemplation to print the four Gospels without waiting for the completion of the whole, as the Syrian Christians are very anxious for some part of the Scriptures to be printed in their native language. The Syriac Bible has been completed, under the superintendence of Professor Lee. The version in the Malayalim dialect for the northern parts of Malabar had been advanced, as also the revision of the Tamul New Testament. A translation of the Pentateuch into the Carnatica, by the Rev. W. Reeve, has been presented and approved. The printing of 1000 copies of the Old Testament in the Tamul language has proceeded as far as the Prophets. In a letter from the secretary of the Madras Auxiliary, the writer, after mentioning the observable change now taking place in the minds of the natives, with regard to their former superstitions, and after lamenting their deplorable ignorance, observes, "that the influence of Bible Societies, in acce 5 M

lerating the evangelizing of the country, will be highly important, whenever it shall please God to excite a spirit of research and inquiry; and that till then they are usefully employed in efforts of preparation, in endeavouring to improve existing translations, and in giving them as wide a circulation as possible among the nominal Christian population, and such of the heathens as may desire to have them."

The Colombo Auxiliary has made large distributions in the English, Dutch, Malay, and Cingalese languages. The demand for the Books of Genesis, Psalms, and Proverbs, has been such, that, though extra impressions were provided, they have been all exhausted. Mr. Newstead has brought to England the manuscript copy of the Indo-Portuguese New Testament, of which he is the translator. A version of the New Testament has been made into the Pali language.

A letter from the South-Sea Islands accompanied the Acts of the Apostles in the Taheitan language, 500 copies of which have been circulated in thirteen different islands. In six of these missionaries are stationed, and four have renounced idolatry and embraced the Gospel. The writer of the letter says, "I apprehend that our edition of the sacred Scriptures must be at least 10,000 copies to satisfy the demands of the Leeward mission alone. In the name of my brethren, and in the name of the surrounding islands, I therefore entreat the Bible Society to send us an adequate supply of paper. The labours of the Bible Society (he adds) have been already blessed in these seas, and I trust they will increase more abundantly, even unto the coming of the great day. In a short time I hope to print the Epistles, together with the Book of Psalms: a new edition of the Gospel of St. Luke is also loudly called for."

Dr. Morrison having stated that all the Chinese who live in the islands of the Malayan Archipelago,

are capable of receiving the sacred Scriptures without difficulty, as far as the governments are concerned; and that their probable number is from two to three hundred thousand, and that through them, the Scriptures may and will find their way into China itself, the Committee have determined to employ a special agent in promoting the objects of the Society in this quarter. The missionaries at the Anglo-Chinese College write, that "many, both of the Chinese and the Malays, have lately called and begged for the word of life. Many hundred copies have gone from hence, and there appears an increasing desire among all classes to obtain our books."

With regard to Africa, the Society returns thanks to the Church Missionary Society, for a valu able present of ten volumes of Ethiopic manuscripts, containing among others the entire New Testament, an edition of which is now preparing for the press under the direction of the librarian, ....The King of Madagascar sent to this country, a few years since, three youths, for the purpose of receiving an European education: while here, they became converts to the Christian faith, and were baptized. To each of them an English Bible was presented on their departure from England.

From the Mauritius, intelligence has been received, that 362 Bibles and 400 Testaments in the French language have been already distributed, and that scarcely a day passes without persons calling upon him to know if he had any Bibles to give them.

The South-African Bible Society's Report proves that the circulation of the Scriptures has done, and is still doing, much good. A missionary writes, "You cannot conceive what joy sat on each countenance, when it was published in our church, that Bibles and Testaments had arrived. To the Namacquas it was a day of gladness. The friends of the Bible will rejoice to hear that the poor Namacquas, whose days were for

merly spent in roaming over mountains and deserts, have learnt from the sacred Scriptures to assemble together to worship the true and living God." A translation of the New Testament has been undertaken in the Namacqua language, and four Gospels have been already

finished.

Every opportunity that has offered of sending the Scriptures to the Northern shores of Africa, has been embraced. A gentleman on a visit to Tunis, has taken with him 500 copies of the Scriptures in the Arabic and other languages.

Passing to South America, the Committee rejoice in stating, that all the information from this quarter continues to afford the pleasing hope of a still more extensive circulation of the Scriptures. They have, in consequence, ordered very large impressions of the Spanish Bible, and have accepted the offer of the Rev. Mr. Armstrong, to visit South America on the Society's account. His principal employment will be to discover channels in which they may hereafter be advantageously sent.

At Lima, the Monthly Extracts have proved acceptable, and fit individuals are found here and there willing to assist in distributing the Scriptures. There have, however, been efforts of an opposite ten dency; for information has been received of the landing of infidel publications on the shores of South America. The translation of the New Testament into the Peruvian language is completed. "I am convinced," writes a correspondent, "that the Testament is in general considered a treasure; for with pleasure have I seen, in passing through the strects, the shopkeepers, and poor people who have stalls, read in the Gospel; and had I had ten times as many, I could have sold them all." The Bishop of Durham having received from one of his clergy, a chaplain of a ship of the line, a statement that "the Spaniards on the Western coast are

hungering and thirsting for the Bible in their own language, and anxiously wish for a few hundred copies," no time was lost in placing at the disposal of this gentleman 100 Spanish Bibles. Another communication has been received, from Rio de Janeiro, relative to the Portuguese Scriptures. When the distributor published that he had Bibles and Testaments to dispose of, the former were all sold in three hours, and the latter within three days, and he was often asked when more would arrive. Five hundred Bibles and 500 Testaments have in consequence been dispatched.

From the Jamaica Eastern Auxiliary a remittance has been received of 150%. In the letter announcing it, the Secretary observes,” In these eventful times it will rejoice our friends to hear that the Bible cause has not suffered loss, notwithstanding the distracted state of the public mind. On the contrary, its interests are fostered by many respectable individuals, whom Divine Providence has raised up to watch over them." By this Society upwards of 700 copies of the Scrip tures have been issued in two years. From the Auxiliary Society of the People of Colour, in the parish of St. Thomas in the East, a donation of 30%. has been remitted. From Barbadoes also the People of Colour have remitted 251.

The American Bible Society continues to prosper. At the publication of the last Annual Report, its distribution of the Scriptures had reached 309,062 Bibles, Testaments, and parts of the New Testament. The more it labours, the more it finds the need of its labour. In the city of New York, where Bible Societies were established at an early period, and where many thousand copies have been distributed, it was found, on an examination of one ward during the past year, that 264 families, containing 518 persons who could read, were without the Scriptures; and in another ward, that 324 families, con.

taining 1265 individuals, likewise able to read, were equally destitute. This statement is accompanied by several others of a similar import. The net receipts of the treasury, during the eighth year, have been greater than in any preceding year. The Auxiliary in Nova Scotia has remitted 1881.; and the secretary announces the establishment of a Ladies' Association, from which much good was augured. At Montreal, a Roman-Catholic minister, on being presented with a copy of De Sacy's New Testament, remarked that he had never before seen a French New Testament complete, but merely a part of one of the Evangelists. Gaelic Bibles and

Testaments have been sent to New Brunswick. At Miramichi, the So ciety requests some Hebrew Testaments, "for some of the descendants of Abraham." "It is pleasing to see the people of this place (writes the secretary), while suffering many privations in their attempts to form a new settlement in the wilderness, desiring to enjoy the word of life to cheer and comfort them amidst their toil."

From Labrador the Committee report the progress of the translation into the Esquimaux language. The New Testament and the Psalms have been translated. The people peruse the New Testament daily in their houses and tents with the greatest earnestness, delight, and edification. Their understanding of the word of God has greatly increased, and its influence upon the

moral conduct is manifest. Those things which were formerly practised among the Esquimaux, by their sorcerers and angekoks, are at present hardly ever heard of.

In Greenland, we are informed, "the New Testaments have been distributed and read with manifest blessing. The joy of the people, Greenlanders, in receiving this generous gift is not to be expressed in words."

Among the domestic occurrences of the past year, the Committee record, with peculiar satisfaction, his Majesty's gracious acceptance, for his private library, of a set of the different versions of the Scriptures printed by the Society.

The net receipts of the Society for the year have been 93,2854. and its expenditure 94,0447. The number of copies of the Scriptures issued from the depository has been 116,539 Bibles, and 164,116 Testaments, making a total of 3,722,987 copies of the Scriptures issued in this country by the Society in twenty-one years.

Such is an outline of the Report of this invaluable institution. May the Society continue to be one of the instruments of the providence of God in hastening that day when every creature which is in the heaven and on the earth, and such as are in the sea, shall say, "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever, Amen.”

DEEPLY anxious as we feel on the whole subject of slavery, believing, to use the words of Mr. Justice Best, in a recent memorable judgment, that "the law which recognises it is an anti-Christian law, and one which violates the laws of nature, and ought not to be recognized in this country," and convinced that the utter extinction of it is the most decisive, if not the only death blow to the slave trade, we still

view it necessary not to lose sight for a moment of the actual enormities of the latter, or to remind our readers that the existing state of this brutal commerce still calls for the most vigilant measures of repression on the part of every friend of religion and humanity. If, from whatever cause, any such individual should be disposed to sink into any degree of apathy on this painful subject, he has but to