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these institutions. He concluded with moving the thanks of the meeting to their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Cumberland, Sussex, and Gloucester, for their continued support of the Bible Society.

Mr. Stuart Wortley, Member for Yorkshire, in a short speech, seconded the notion.

The Duke of Gloucester wished to express his thanks to them, rather for having laboured so much in the great cause in which they were engaged, than for the mark of favour they had now shewn him. The Secretary of the French Bible Society had truly observed, that they were all united as the disciples of Christ, and were the children of one common Father; and he fully entered into this feeling. After the wars and struggles in which all Europe had been so long engaged, it was a satisfaction to him to see its inhabitants no longer contending for earthly greatness, but aiming to make their fellow-creatures happy, by giving that book which was to prepare them for eternal life, as well as to make them virtuous in this world. So long then as there remained a spot upon the globe, to which a Bible had not reached, they ought to increase their efforts in this great cause. In the name of the other members of the Royal Family, he now thanked them for their kind regards.

The Rev. Mr. Morrison, from Scotland, observed, that there was not a cottage in his country which had not a Bible; nor a soldier, a sailor, nor a shepherd in the Highlands who did not possess this treasure.

John Thornton, Esq. the Secretary, expressed his hope that every parent would teach his children the value of the Bible Society, and follow the example set them that day by the President of his Majesty's Council, who presented his eldest son (Lord Sandon) before them. He said, the Society was in a most prosperous state, but he hoped that prosperity would not lead any to relax in their exertions; for while there were above eight hundred millions of people among whom the Bible ought to be distributed, it was necessary that their efforts should be continually increasing.

The Bishop of Norwich observed, that it was probable that from his advanced age he should never again address the Society he therefore rose to congratulate the company on the happy progress they had made, and the moral improvement they had produced in various parts of the world. He was rejoiced to see so many good men of every religious denomination unite to spread the Holy Scriptures, and promote the happiness of mankind.

Sir T. D. Acland, M. P. said, that he was desired by a

foreigner from the shores of Norway, to return his best thanks for the kindness the Society had shewn his country in circulating the Bible there.

Lord Gambier said he wanted words to express his admiration of the happy and glorious success which had attended the Society. He begged that the thanks to the noble President might be accompanied by a general cheer, which was accordingly done.

Several other speakers addressed the meeting in a very able manner; and it lasted several hours.

RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.—The twenty-third Anniversary was held in London on the 11th of May. From the report which was read at the meeting, it appears that 5,272,470 Tracts have been issued from the Depository during the last year; and that since the formation of the Society in 1799, not less than Forty Five Millions of Tracts have been eirculated, exclusive of several millions printed abroad in foreign languages, at the expense of the Society.

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The Rev. John Clayton in an excellent speech, related the following anecdote to the meeting: some time ago, on a winter night, when the snow was falling heavily, a poor woman with five children reached a village in Essex, just as a farmer's lad was shutting up a barn: she begged him to ask his master's leave for them to pass the night in the barn. The lad did so; and the master, who was a kind, feeling man, ordered him to take a bundle of straw, and make them a comfortable bed. The poor woman felt grateful, and asked the lad if he would like to hear a song. hoped that it would be something amusing, and replied, yes: upon which she and her children sang one of Watt's Hymns. The lad felt interested; she asked him if he had ever prayed to God, and thanked him for the mercies he enjoyed; and said that she was going to pray with her children, and he might stay if he pleased. The lad staid while she offered up her thanks for the mercies she enjoyed, and begged for a blessing upon him. He then went away, but could not sleep: what he had heard remained_on_his mind: and after passing a sleepless night, he resolved on going again to the barn to talk with the woman: she was gone he saw her no more; but from that day he became a changed character."

The Rev. Mark Wilks from Paris remarked, "we are persuaded you will not leave us without some help; we find a demand for Tracts from every part of France, while our means are quite unable to meet these demands. Your foreign exertions first began with your captives: the prisoners from France by

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thousands and tens of thousands were supplied with your Tracts: many of them received the truth-the seed was sown in good ground, and an harvest has sprung up, and fruit is now gathering in.-The first contributor to our Tract Society in France, was a poor man in an hospital, who gave us three francs; and our first distributor was a journeyman pastry cook, who was going on a journey to Switzerland, and begged to have a supply of Tracts to give away on the road.” The Rev. Legh Richmond, in an excellent speech, greatly interested the meeting with the following facts: during the last year, I witnessed the effects produced by one single tract, under circumstances, perhaps worthy your attention. A lady of rank and fashion, one evening went to a place of public amusement, leaving her servant to await her return. The maid soon afterwards observed a seller of Tracts passing by; and though she had no seriousness of mind, and was eager in pursuit of any foolish pleasure within her reach, the Tract basket attracted her attention, and she bought some. At a late hour the mistress returned, and found her bathed in tears; she tried to hide her sorrow and anxiety, but, her mistress seeing the tracts, talked to her, and laughed at her till she retired. When the morning brought them together again, I think, said the mistress, you were better employed last night than I was; I passed but an unpleasant evening, and I almost wish I had stayed at home, and read those Tracts with you.' The maid put a Tract into her mistress' hand, and I can state, that one solitary tract, the same tract which caused those symptoms of anxiety in the maid, brought the mistress also to tears, and was the means, under divine influence, of bringing them both to God. They have now lived together for three years with the harmony of sisters; the time which was once devoted to dissipation, is now spent in reading and prayer. A circumstance, unnecessary to detail, caused me to be introduced to them. I have known christians of different ranks mingle together, but I never saw such an union of propriety and of christian familiarity before; such a willingness to consider each other as sister, without the smallest departure from the respect due from the one, or the proper superiority which belonged to the other.

"I must trespass upon you a little longer, to give you the contents of a paper put into my hands; it speaks in the most encouraging and pleasing terms of the great work which is going on among seamen, in effecting which, Tracts have been mainly instrumental. The captain of a Plymouth trader mentions the eagerness of his men to obtain

Tracts, and their care to preserve them, sewing them together in canvass covers; and he states the great difference in their conduct since these little books have been on board; he now never hears an oath, and says, that often when he looks down into the forecastle, he sees his men sitting and reading the tracts; sometimes, he adds, they meet with passages they do not exactly understand, but, instead of differing upon them on the one hand, or passing them by unexamined on the other, they refer to their Bibles, and, like the noble Bereans of old, 'search the Scriptures, whether these things are so." This work is indeed interest

ing, and may it go on increasing."

The account of the Church Missionary Society Meeting did not arrive in time.

RELIGIOUS CHARITIES.

The following are the receipts of the last year.

Society for promoting Christian Knowledge
Society for propagating Gospel in Foreign Parts
British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign School Society (about)
Church Missionary Society

Wesleyan

London

Moravian

Do.

Do.

Do.

.....

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53,729 9 19,513 11 0 103,802 17 1,600 0 32,975 9 26,883 5 29,437 13 7,192 18 2,040 4 10,689 13 5,372 5

Sunday School Society for Ireland

Irish Religious Book and Tract Society

Naval and Military Bible Society

Society for conversion of Jews

Hibernian Society

Religious Tract Society

Church of England Tract Society

..........

Society for relief of poor pious Clergymen

Continental Society

London Female Penitentiary

African Institution

Hibernian Bible Society

..............

Prayer Book and Homily Society

Sunday School Union Society

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EPITAPH ON AN INFANT.

Copied from a Tombstone in the Church-yard of a village in Shropshire.

Here sweetly sleep awhile, blest babe, thy sun
In haste hath set, thy race of suffering done:
A stranger to thy great Creator's name-
Unknown to thee thy glorious Saviour's fame.
Nor faith, nor hope, nor love, nor other grace,
Within thy infant bosom held their place.
No power hadst thou to shed one contrite tear,
One duteous act perform, or lisp one prayer.
But not in vain thy life! Thou hast not sown,
Yet the rich harvest reapest as thy own:
Thou hast not fought, but thou hast won the prize,
Hast never borne the cross, yet gain'd the skies.
E'en guilt was thine, of Adam's guilty race;
Yet such the Father's love-the Saviour's grace,
That Father's love hath turn'd thy night to day,
That Saviour's blood hath wash'd thy guilt away;
Cloth'd in his robe of righteousness divine,

Peace, pardon, life, and endless joys are thine.

NOTICES.

The Editor is greatly obliged to Salopiensis for his communications. He will attend to his hints. More of the prose poems will be very acceptable.

The Editor has received the following sums for supplying the Protestants in France with Bibles and Tracts:

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Printed and sold by A. FOSTER, Kirkby Lonsdale.
Price 7s. per hundred.

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