on their Heavenly Master, and with a constant eye to His glory.

The Chairman, to whom Mr. Pope had been long known, then affectionately commended them in prayer to the protection and blessing of Almighty God.

Mr. and Mrs. Pope embarked at Gravesend, on the 6th of October, on board the Sir Charles MacCarthy, Captain Eldridge.

PROCEEDINGS OF ASSOCIATIONS.

Third Anniversary of the Sunderland, Bishopwearmouth, & Monkwearmouth. ON Sunday, July the 13th, the Rev. James Hough preached at Sunderland and at Monkwearmouth, when the sum of 401. 14s. 3 d. was collected.

The Annual Meeting was held, on Monday, in the Parochial School-Room for Boys, in Sunderland; the Rev. Robert Gray, Rector, in the Chair.

Movers and Seconders. Rev. John Tyson, and W. Chapman, Esq -Rev. James Hough, and Rev. James Carr-and Rev. 1. Shipperdson, and W. Nanson, Esq. Collection, 107. 16s. 41⁄2d. Formation of the Atherstone. On Wednesday Evening, the 17th of September, at a Meeting held at Atherstone, the Rev. Francis Blick in the Chair, an Association was formed. Collection, 41. 5s.

Movers and Seconders. Rev. F. Smith, and Rev. R. W. Sibthorp-Rev. G. Salmon, and Rev. W. Spooner-Rev. C. Thompson, and Rev. J. H. Malpas-and Hon, and Rev. H. D. Erskine, and Rev. W. Kempson.

with

Anniversaries of its Branches.

On Sunday, the 21st of September, Sermons were preached, in Ipswich, by the Assistant Secretary and the Rev. R. W. Sibthorp, at the Churches of St. Mary Tower, St. Stephen, St. Helen, St. Mary Key, St. Clement, and St. Peterby the Assistant Secretary, at Tattingstone -and, by the Rev. W. Fenn, at Thorpe.

On Monday Evening, the Third Annual Meeting of the Tattingstone Branch was held; the Rev. John Buil, Rector, in the Chair.

Oct. 1823.

On Tuesday Morning, the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Parent Association was held in the Shire Hall, Ipswich; the Rev. Edward Griffin in the Chair. In the evening, a Sermon was preached at St. Clement's, by Mr. Sibthorp. The same evening, a Meeting was held at Flowton; the Rev. J. Charlesworth in the Chair.

On Wednesday Evening, the Annual Meeting of the Stowmarket Branch was held; the Rev. John Bull, Curate, in the Chair. The same evening, a Sermon was preached at St. Peter's, Ipswich, by the Rev. Edwin Sydney.

On Thursday, the Rev. R. W. Sibthorp preached, in the morning, at Little Stonham. The Annual Meeting was held in the evening; the Rev. John Wilcox in the Chair.

On Friday, the Rev. R. W. Sibthorp preached in the morning, and the Rev. J. Julian in the evening, at Debenham. The Ninth Annual Meeting was held after the Morning Service, the Rev. Mr. Smalley, Vicar, in the Chair.

Assistance was rendered at one or other of the Meetings by the following Clergymen, besides those already mentioned-the Rev. Dr. Ramsden, and the Rev. Messrs. F. Cunningham, Faithful. Maitland, and Renton; and by Mr. Joseph Beddy, Missionary Student.

The Collections amounted to about

1007.

Sligo, Colonel Percival in the Chair; and was attended by a Deputation from the Parent Auxiliary at Dublin, consisting of the Rev. Messrs. Athill, Bushe, and Nixon, and Mr. Dalton the Assistant Secretary.

Movers and Seconders. Rev. R. H. Nixon, and Rev. Mr. Walker-Rev. W. Bushe, and Rev. Mr. Tyndall-Rev. Mr. Lovett, and Rev. Mr. Walker-and the Rev. Mr. Athill, and Herbert Clifford, Esq. R.N.

This Expenditure on account of Missions consisted of the following

2975 17 4

707 5 4

1267 0 0

7658 8 11

1147 13 5

91 0 0

5504 10 9

1631 0 8

27,030 12 3

6,059 Report and List for 1822. 14,697 Abstract of Ditto.

5,283 Sermons, Ann. Meeting, 1822. 23,500 Quarto Chronicle, 23-26. 215,600 Quarto Sketches, 17-20. 14,895 Monthly Chronicle. 22,650 Addresses.

Want of Missionaries.

With deep concern this assembly has heard, that the ravages of death, during the past year, have been suffered, to an extent unprecedented, to thin the ranks of our Missionaries in the East: we must all feel solicitous, that this extensive desolation should, as far as possible, be repaired. In the South Seas, several of the Senior Brethren are beginning to sink under the infirmities of increasing years; and it is highly necessary that successors should be provided, to carry on the work which they have so happily commenced. This consideration, connected with the probable removal of Mr. Ellis to the Sandwich Islands and the loud calls from various other Islands of the Pacific where no Missionaries have been hitherto stationed, has determined the Directors to send out a considerable reinforcement to

that quarter. Nor must we omit to state, that, from other remote parts of the world, more or less destitute of the means of Christian Instruction, the Society is, from time to time, receiving applications for Missionaries, with which it would be often highly desirable to comply.

by 36 Auxiliaries, one Consistorial Society, 28 Branch Societies, and 49 Associations, of which 17 exist in Paris alone; making a sum of 114 Biblical Institutions in various parts of France. Of Martin's Bible, 36,000 copies have been already provided: of the same Version stereotype plates, in large octavo, have been completed; and a Pocket New Testament, which is much in request, has been undertaken. Of Ostervald's Version, used in almost all the Protestant Churches in the Eastern and Northern extremities of France, a stereotype edition, in octavo, is in preparation. The activity of the Auxiliaries and Associations leads, as in this country, not only to a discovery of the actual desire for the Scriptures, but to an increase of that desire, and of the means and efforts for its full gratification. An extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Lissignol, of the Montpellier Auxiliary, will evince the spirit in which the object of these Institutions is prosecuted. He observes

Among other objections raised against

Biblical Associations, the most serious has been, that the funds which they de mand would, in a small district, be expended more usefully in the formation of Schools, Hospitals, and OrphanHouses, and in the promotion of industry. To meet this and similar objections, we are at this moment employed in the formation of a Hospital and an Orphan-House, for us Protestants. On the supply to Roman Catholics, it is said

Your Committee proceed next to report some of the principal results of their own endeavours to satisfy, through the medium of their correspondents, the desire for the Scriptures among the Roman Catholics in France. It is stated, in one of the Letters received

Among the Catholics, the demand for the Scriptures is great. One individual has distributed, among those in his neighbourhood, 550 copies of De Sacy's Testament in a short period, and has now requests in writing from various individuals for 200 more. Though many of these books, from the poverty of the people, are bestowed gratuitously, yet they are not given without inquiry into the character and circumstances of the applicant, and a persuasion that he has really a claim for the gift which he solicits.

A gratifying Report has been received

from another correspondent, engaged in distributing Catholic Versions in Prisons, Hospitals, Penitentiaries, and Regimental Schools. He found several of the Physicians disposed to co-operate with him. "It is no longer rare," observes the Report, when referring to the Royal Hospital of Invalids at Paris, "to see the brave veteran inmates of that asylum reading the New Testament to their children, or hearing it read by them."

Many similar instances of a disposition to receive the Scriptures, on the part of their Catholic Brethren, have come to the knowledge of your Committee; but they confine themselves to 12,000 Bibles and Testaments, of the the single statement, that upwards of French Catholic Version, have been circulated during the last year, and that an additional donation of 5000 New Testaments has been recently made to the Society for Mutual Instruction.

In reference to Oriental Versions, it is stated

In the prosecution of Translations of the Scriptures into the Oriental Languages, your Committee have received material aid from several persons of distinguished literary eminence at Paris.

The Baron Silvestre de Sacy has undertaken, with a zeal and cordiality which reflect the greatest honour on his character, the editing of the Carshun and Syriac New Testaments.

The Turkish New Testament has been carefully revised by Professor Kieffer; and the Committee hope soon to see it in a state ready for circulation. The printing of the Bible in the same language advances; though slowly, through the anxiety of its editor to see it executed with accuracy.

Your Committee have also to announce the completion of the translation of the Four Gospels into Modern Armenian, from the Ancient Armenian Text; being part of a Version of the whole learned Armenian residing at Paris. New Testament, undertaken by a An opportunity of ascertaining experimentally the merit of this work was provided by Dr. Pinkerton; who had a specimen printed at St. Petersburg, and sent into different parts of Turkey for examination.

Your Committee look forward to the most valuable assistance in the execu

tion of their Oriental Translations, from the recent formation of an Institution at Paris, under the denomination of "The Asiatic Society for the encouragement of Oriental Literature."

We noticed, at pp. 132 and 133, the formation and objects of this Institution, and its probable subserviency to the designs of the Society. It only remains for your Committee to acknowledge, under this head, the advantages which they have derived from the free access to the Parisian Libraries which has been afforded to their friends and agents; and to express further their gratitude to the French Government, for its indulgent remission of the duties upon copies of the Scriptures imported into France.

Thomas Pell Platt, Esq., Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, who has been appointed Honorary Librarian to the British and Foreign Bible Society, visited Paris in the early part of last year, chiefly with the view of facilitating the preparation of an edition of the Ethiopic Scriptures. He bears a strong testimony to the influence of the Protestant Bible Society :

My residence in France has not yet been long; but it has been long enough to persuade me that the Bible Society is one of the greatest blessings, that Divine Providence has ever bestowed

upon that country. Societies and Institutions, philanthropic, moral, religious, are commencing or flourishing around us. And what is the main spring of all these operations? The answer is:

It is the Bible Society that has brought us together. Before, we did not know one another. Individually, we could not have devised such schemes; or if we had, we could not have executed them. But, in the Bible Society, are a bond of union and stimulus to exertion.

The Committee of the French Society give the following impressive view, of the variety of motives on which their object is supported, and of the happy results which may be hoped for :

We may affirm, with an humble conviction of the imperfections attendant upon our exertions, yet with an animated feeling of gratitude to Divine Providence, that there is scarcely any

portion of Protestant France, from her opulent and industrious cities down to her poorest hamlets, in which some efforts have not been made, or at least some desires excited, for the propagation of the Holy Scriptures.

There yet remain obstacles to be arise, as we proceed; but the germ of overcome: unforeseen difficulties may good is sown, and God will not suffer it to perish.

If we seek for the causes of that interest in the spread of the Gospel which is beginning to develope itself in France, we shall doubtless discover, that these are not the same in the minds of all, and that a variety of motives may affect different persons. While some place all their confidence in those sacred doctrines of redemption, which exert a mysterious, but irresistible influence upon the character of those by whom they are received; others, more concerned with the moral precepts than the religious doctrines of the Gospel, seek, in the distribution of the Sacred Volume, the means of improvement for individuals, and a security for social order: others perceive in Bible Societies

a desirable bond of union for the mempersed by a long series of troubles: bers of the Protestant Family, dis

others rely upon their effects in removing those fatal prejudices, which separate nations, and present a barrier against the progress of knowledge and of morals: others, aware that a people can neither enjoy durable liberty nor prosperity without having public morals, conceive that nothing contributes so effectually to produce such a result, as the habit of occupying themselves in common for promoting the best interests of humanity. All these motives, and many others, may excite to the formation of Bible Societies in our country.

The Gospel assures us, that God, who spared not His Own Son, will with Him also freely give us all things: and if, in point of fact, we have seen for eighteen centuries, all the moral and intellectual improvements of mankind resulting directly or indirectly from the Christian

Religion, who is able to calculate the benefits, of every description, that will arise from a more general and intimate acquaintance with the doctrines of this holy religion?

In detailing to you those happy results which the perusal of the Sacred Volume has already produced among