forms the peculiar glory of our own realm, is transferred already to the courts of its dependencies. Is it asked, then, how benefits so precious, which guard the rights of personal security, of property, and conscience, can be further amplified, angmented, and enlarged? Can they put this question, who know what the life of man is at the best in this world, and who should know what his hope may be in a better scene? The enlargement, then, of the benefits of civil freedom, must consist in the cultivation and encouragement of moral and religious principles, without which there can be no adequate improvement in the human character, and therefore no successful operation of external Jaws; without which, the sum of every reasonable satisfaction in the heart of man must be wanting; and, without which, there can be no intelligible ap prehension of a future state, no just presumptions, and no hopeful earnest of that happiness to which the soul of man aspires, as the fountain leaps up to its springs, and points in its utmost elevation to the level of its native current.

"Without doubt, the work of moral culture will advance, in no light meaBure, where the salutary end of civil government shall be maintained. But indeed there is a debt to truth; a debt which they who love the truth can never overlook. There is a public service to be rendered, which truth only, that truth which has God for its author and its object, can supply. The best improve ment and the noblest exaltation of the moral character of man, can only be made good by just conceptions of the moral attributes of God. Behold, then, the perpetual ground of every truth by which the choice of man can be directed! It is here, that the work of sound instruction must begin. His own name, his own excellence, his own perfections, form the ground of every treaty which God opens with the reasonable creature; the ground of every argument and evidence which he proposes for their notice, and of every truth which he reveals for their accept ance. Where this first principle of truth and knowledge shall be vindicat ed and established, the monstrous errors of idolatry and superstition (the twofold bane of all improvement in the life of man) must be supplanted. The field will then be opened to communicate the knowledge of God's gracious will; and to teach men what his counsels and

provisions have been for the succour and salvation of a fallen race, for reconciliation after trespass, for the restitution and recovery of a lost integrity, and for the glad inheritance of fature and eternal glory."

"In order to the increase and enlargement of the benefits which should be derived upon a heathen population, by their intercourse with a happier and a more enlightened people, there will, on your part, be the eare to couple the best rules of practical improvement with the principles of faith. You will have to testify that this is the will of God, even the cleansing of the heart from evil purposes and faulty habits; and the care to cherish in it, through this term of trial, every good and profitable disposition, every generous quality, every noble elevation. The votaries of a wild degrading superstition must be taught that such is the will of God, and not the rigours or the phrensies of fantastic methods of religion. How plain is it, that uncouth and horrid schemes of discipline produce one uniform effect, in full contradiction to the great end of revealed truth as it is designed for all! Thus they never fail to sever the professors of such narrow rules from those who may perhaps ad. hire their zeal, and gaze at their strange performances; but who have no heart, and no rational or fit inducement, to incline them to adopt the pattern."

In displaying before the heathen" the noble image of God's everlasting attributes," the Archdeacon shews the importance of appealing to the common feelings of mankind.

"When God calls himself a Fatherwho knows not what a father's love is? When he calls himself a Ruler and a Judge-who knows not that integrity and justice must be the measure of his sway? When he speaks of mercy—who, that consults his own needs, can want to be informed what that is also? Thus we are not beckoned to the clouds, nor sent into the deep; for God is ever near us, if we will consult our own hearts, and consider what notions can be formed by us of what is good from all that we see, from all that we know, and feel, and understand. Establish well these leading principles, and you will scatter the first obstacles which would obstruct the knowledge of that saving word which God hath spoken."

After an able summary of the evidences of Revelation, particularly as

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The following extract from a speech of a member of the Society, himself a labouring mechanic, and a collector of one shilling per week, is, in more respects than one, a forcible proof of the impolicy, as well as injustice of the opposition which has been made to the system of collecting small sums from the labouring classes of the community.

"The Church Missionary Society has not excluded the meanest person from a share in its labours and triumphs. Thousands of the labouring poor contribute to her support. Their sums are comparatively small; but numbers compensate for individual littleness: and, perhaps, among these cottage donations are gathered some of the choicest fruits of Christian benevolence.

"But here the utility of weekly penny subscriptions presses on our consideration. We see them producing habits of retrenchment and self-denial. We see them stimulating to industry, and teaching economy. And if the poor learn economy and become industrious from a desire to benefit others, they will soon become industrious and economical for themselves. If retrenchment and self-denial be practised to assist the holy designs of Christian love, we may reasonably conclude, that, when the beneficial results of such conduct are seen, it will be diligently pursued in all the regulations of domestic life. Thus will the poor assume a higher tone of morals,' and rise in the scale of being. The prevalent but dispiriting idea, that their poverty and their fancied insignificance exclude or excuse them from all acts of benevolence, will vanish. They will be convinced of the possibility of becoming, not merely

useful individuals, but blessings to society; and the consciousness of this ability will give a noble impulse to all the worthiest feelings of the heart, and make them desirons of being private and public blessings.

"Nor is this all. Effects of a superior nature may be produced. Missionary benevolence is a virtue of no common interest. Transcendant in its operation, it aims at no less than the salvation of five hundred millions of souls! This life limits not its prospects; nor does this world bound its sphere of usefulness. Its projects are carried beyond the grave. Its plans are laid for eterpity. It seeks to bestow on idolatry's savage millions, not only the blessings of civilization, but the unutterable bliss of au eternal weight of glory. The demolition of the power of the devil, the subversion of his empire; the destruction of his worship, and the emancipation of his blinded and miserable slaves, together with the promulgation of Emmanuel's Gospel, of the wouders of his Love, of the triumphs of his Cross, the blessings of his Redemption, the establishment of his Kingdom, and the universal worship of his glòrious Name;-these, these are the stupendous objects of this benevolence!

"Now can any one cherish a principle so inestimable, and teeming with benefits so invaluable to others, without thereby being blessed himself. While he contemplates the lost estate of the heathen, will he not reflect on his own? Will he sincerely aid efforts to publish peace and glad tidings of forgiveness, through a crucified Lord, to heathen nations, without desiring that forgiveness, and sighing for that peace himself? In remembering their souls, will he forget his own? No, it cannot be! What gracious results, then, may associations of this kind expect from penny subscriptions? Exalted morals-just ideas of usefulness-the annihilation of narrow-mindedness-and the expansion of the heart in all that is lovely and of good report,' may be promoted. The slothful may be induced to habits of diligence, the drunkard may become sober, the profligate may learn frugality, and the wicked and the immoral may be won over to the cause of virtue and religion. A laudable thirst for pleasing and profitable information will be excited; the monotonous and tiresome recurrence of thought in the illiterate may be agree

ably diversified; and that well-known maxim, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' will, in every point of view, be realized.

"It is to the patient and steady bene volence of the middle classes of society, that associations like this must look for their chief support. The pecuniary assistance of the poor, properly so called, those who are themselves objects of charity, is not requested. Their prayers must suffice. But the aid of the liberal youth, the industrious labourer, and the mechanic, is now earnestly implored by one involved in the same humble yet not despicable circumstances, and warm for the welfare both of the solicited and those for whom he solicits."

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The Managers of the American Bible Society commence their First Report with remarking the harmony, cordiality, and forbearance, displayed in the proceedings of the convention who formed it, which they consider as affording satisfactory evidence of the Divine approbation, and a sure pledge of the Divine blessing upon its future fate. "Many," they add, "who had doubted of the practicability of the plan, yielded to the pleasing conviction that they were mistaken, and joined with those who had never doubted on the subject, in cherishing the hope, that the national institution would realize the most sanguine expectations of its ultimate prosperity. Its formation was hailed as a great and glorious era in the history of our country, and its means of accomplishing the all-important end of its formation, have been in creased with more than ordinary rapidity."

In entering on the duties of their office, the Managers felt that their first exertions ought to be directed towards the procurement of well-executed stereotype plates for the accommodation of large districts of the American Continent. They, accordingly, at an carly period, contracted for three sets of stereotype plates in octavo, and as many in duodecimo.

As they were not in a capacity to print Bibles, having no plates of their own, they at first declined answering the various applications for Bibles which they received from Anxiliary Societies; till they were enabled, by the liberality of the New-York and the

New-York Auxiliary Bible Societies, to do so without loss or risk. Those Societies presented them with a set of ste reotype plates of the duodecimo size, and brevier type; in consequence of which donation, 10,000 copies, according to their direction, have been printed; of which about 6000 have been sold and distributed. They have lately ordered 2,500 copies to be printed from the octavo plates, and 7,500 from the duodecimo plates.

In establishing the prices at which Bibles were to be sold, the Board of Managers determined, "That to the cost of the paper, press-work, and binding of the Bibles printed for the Society, from the stereotype plates, five per cent. be added for interest, insurance, and wear of the plates; which aggregate amount shall be considered the cost of the Bibles; and that these Bibles shall be sold at this cost price to all Bible Societies who do not contribute to the funds of this institution; and that the said amount of five per cent. shall be deducted from this cost price, on all Bibles sold to Auxiliaries, and such other Societies as contribute to the funds of this institution."

Applications having been made at an early period, from different parts of the United States, for New Testaments, the Managers took the subject of printing and circulating the New Testament, separate from the Old, into their consideration. After mature deliberation, they resolved, that for the present it was inexpedient for them to do this in the English language.

The Managers give a list of forty three Societies in existence previously to the formation of the American Bible Society, which have now become auxiliary, and of forty-one which have been expressly formed as auxiliaries to the national institution.

The Long-Island Bible and Common Prayer-book Society had so altered its constitution, as to aid the Managers in translating and publishing the Scrip tures, without note or comment, in fo reign languages. Various other Socicties, without becoming auxiliary to the national institution, have expressed their approbation of it, by respectful donations, as also some societies which are not Bible Societies.

From letters received by the Board, there was no doubt that other societies already in existence would be added, and