day, and by diligence, faithfulness, and zeal, made full proof of their ministry-Peter McLaren, of Callender, and Alexander Dewar, of Avoch.

The morning meetings for prayer were solemn and refreshing, though not so generally attended as their importance demands; and at other diets of our Assembly, several of the country pastors gave some interesting and instructive details respecting the progress of the work of God in their different localities. This presented a new feature, and imparted a fresh interest to our meetings. The venerable Mr. Campbell, of Oban; Mr. Tait, of Blairgowrie ; and Mr. Young, of Annan, were engaged in this way. It were to be wished, indeed, that the time would allow of a greater number of brethren from a 'distance taking part in the proceedings, as not a few of them come from far, at great personal inconvenience and expense, who might be able to communicate much interesting information, and to throw out many valuable suggestions, who are unavoidably overlooked, and whom the friends in the metropolis, and other large towns, have no other opportunity of seeing or hearing. Having trespassed so long on your patience, I conclude with subscribing myself yours very sincerely,

St. Andrew's, May 8, 1850.

W. LOTHIAN.

BAPTIST IRISH SOCIETY.

THE Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Finsbury Chapel. GEORGE FOSTER, Esq, in the Chair.

The SECRETARY read the Report, from which it appeared that the Society employed 16 missionaries, 9 Irish readers, 24 schoolmasters, preaching regularly or occasionally at 70 stations. Reference was made to the extent of emigration, by which the Mission Churches have been much affected, upwards of 100 Irish Baptists having landed during the past year upon the shores of the single State of New York. The Report then adverted to the retirement from the office of secretary of the Rev. F. Trestrail, and the appointment to that situation of the Rev. Mr. Williams; and also to some changes in the Committee. The returns from fourteen Churches (two not having fully reported) show a gross increase of 79; or an average of nearly six to each Church. The loss, however, on the present year is considerable, and unparalleled in the history of our mission. The returns show a gross decrease of 99, or a clear decrease of 20; making an average decrease of 14 in each of the returning Churches. More that 600,000 of the youth of Ireland have been educated partially or entirely by this Society; and this number, it is believed, is far below the real amount. These 600,000 children were all furnished with school-books, Testaments, and Bibles. After alluding to the efforts of the Committee to reduce the expenditure of the Society without seriously impairing its efficiency, they continue:-" Your Committee are pleased to report, that the income of the Society has more than equalled the expenditure of the present year; and that the balance against the Society, instead of being, as at the last anniversary, £1,670 8s. 6d., is reduced to £1,606 13s. 2d."

The speakers were, the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, and Revs. T. Aveling, W. Robinson, and F. Trestrail.

BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting of this Society was held in Exeter Hall; ALDERMAN CALLENDER, of Manchester, presiding. The attendance was

very numerous.

The proceedings commenced by singing, after which,

The Rev. Dr. HоBY implored the Divine presence and blessing.

The CHAIRMAN then rose, and said, He was sorry that, in appearing there for the first time, it was a part of his duty to say, that the funds of the Institution were comparatively in a very low state, considering the importance of the work in which they were engaged, and the pressing demands made in all parts of the world whence their agents were labouring. They had need, not to slacken, but to redouble their efforts. (Hear.) In India, in China, in the West Indies, in Western Africa, and, indeed, wherever they had a missionary, their efforts ought to be redoubled. They had not now to put the machinery in motion for the first time. All they wanted was, sufficiency of funds to enable them to carry out their plans on a far larger scale than hitherto, and, with God's blessing, with far greater success. There never was a time like the present-blessed be God for it! (Hear) The work of conversion among the heathen never was so remarkable and so successful as at this period. When God was thus working for them, and answering their supplications, should the Church slacken its exertions, and withhold the silver and the gold which might so profitably be employed in efforts for the conversion of those who were "perishing for lack of knowledge?" It was a remarkable fact, that just now there were two Societies labouring in India, both of which were in want of missionaries. (Hear.) He had lately met with that excellent man, Mr. Anderson, of the Scotch Free Church, who, with two of his brethren, had been successfully labouring at Madras, but who had now returned home on account of the state of his health; and that gentleman had stated to him and others, that during a residence of several months in Scotland, he had been looking through all their churches to see if he could find any young men qualified for the purpose of recruiting the missionary stations in India; and though he had preached and talked to them, he had been unable to find a single individual suitable for the work, although a kind friend had guaranteed to furnish the means to the extent of £300 a year for five years, if any one would undertake to go out with Mr. Anderson. The Church Missionary Society were in the same position,-they wanted suitable evangelical men to recruit their stations, but they could not be obtained. Now, while that was the case with other societies, their own had been obliged to refuse the applications of no less than seven individuals, every way qualified, for want of funds to support them. That surely was a state of things which needed only to be made known in their own and other denominations to secure all the aid required. (Cheers.)

The Secretary, the Rev. F. TRESTRAIL, then read the Report:

The missionaries sustained by the Society labour in Asia, on the western coast of Africa, in France, and in the islands of the Western Sea. The service of Christ is carried on in this extensive field by forty-eight brethren, with their wives, and nine females engaged in the special department of education. It has been, however, one of the blessed results of their toil, that from the midst of the converts there have been raised up, by the grace of God, not less than 120 natives of the different lands where the Gospel has been proclaimed by our brethren, to aid them in the further extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. About 180 other Christian brethren gratuitously devote more or less of their time in making known the unsearchable riches of Christ.

"The labours of the missionaries may be divided into three chief departments-1. Translations; 2. Evangelization; 3. Education.

"1. TRANSLATION.-In translations, the precedence must be given to the transference of the Word of God into the languages which are spoken by the people among whom the brethren labour. Although no new language has this year been undertaken, much progress has been made in several versions, and copies of portions of the Divine testimony have in large numbers left the press. In Hindi, for the use of the population in the Ganges between Monghir and Benares, 4,500 copies of the Gospels and Acts have been printed. In Hindustani, for the use of Mohammedans, in Persian and Bengali, 62,500 Gospels, Acts, or perfect Testaments, have been finished, chiefly under the supervision of Mr. Lewis. And in Sanscrit, under brother Wenger's care, 7,500 copies of portions of the New Testament have appeared. Other large editions are in progress, especially of the Old Testament in Bengali and in Sanscrit, by Mr. Wenger. The Bengali Testament, the work of Carey, Yates, and Wenger, is passing under a new ordeal; but has been triumphantly vindicated by the last-mentioned brother from the charge of heresy made by the clergy of Bishop's College in Calcutta. The total number of copies printed during the past year is 74,500; the number distributed, upwards of 50,000. "2. EVANGELISATION. Every opportunity is seized by the missionaries and their companions in labour, the native preachers and catechists, to extend the knowledge of the glad tidings of God's love to man. As the result of these self-denying labours, and the Divine blessing resting upon them, there are under the pastoral care of the brethren, and of the native converts chosen to the pastorate, 108 Christian Churches-cases of spiritual life in the midst of deserts and death. There are at present in fellowship in India and Ceylon, 1,962 persons; in Africa and the West Indies, 3,007; making in all nearly 5,000 professed disciples of Christ, and about 350 seeking admission into the fold, exclusive of Jamaica. The clear increase during the year has been 188. The future prospects of evangelisation in India are, however, rendered more bright than before by the longdelayed declaration, recently issued in the form of a draft of an Act by the East India Government, that no native of India, on changing his faith, shall henceforward be subject to the penalties, confiscations, and the disruption of

every social tie, which conversion has until now drawn in its train. It is the Magna Charta of India on liberty of conscience.

"3. EDUCATION.-The training of young men of native origin for the ministry has not, to the Committee's regret, proceeded so favourably in every case as they could wish. The adverse influences alluded to in last year's report as in operation in Canada, have led to the closing of the College of Montreal, and the resignation of the tutor's office, by their respected and esteemed brother, Dr. Cramp, and, from present appearances, there does not appear much probability of its revival. The Institution at Calabar, Jamaica, must be regarded as entirely successful.

"In reviewing the course of the year, there is one reflection the Committee would urge upon the members of the Society. God has continued to bless his servants, so that there has been no diminution, but an increase, in the spiritual results of missionary toil. For if some portions of the vineyard are not so productive as might be wished, the fruit in others has been sufficiently abundant to remove discouragement or fear. Yet the strength of the mission has been declining. In no case are the labourers equal to the toil demanded of them. Western Africa has lost one after another of its most energetic evangelists. They are reduced to the lowest possible number to hold the ground that had been occupied. In Ceylon, where three missionaries were not enough for the service of thirty-five stations and the oversight of 450 members of churches, one only is left-and must we not say, to sink under the accumulated responsibility and toil? In India, with one or two exceptions, every station needs additional aid; some places have already been abandoned for want of it. Large tracts of country are unoccupied, where it would appear the fields are white unto the harvest.

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

"The Committee commenced the financial year with a debt of £4,946 17s. 10d., not including in that sum the balance of £1,554 14s. 1d., owing on the special grant to Jamaica. They are happy to state that this debt has not been increased. The income has exceeded the expenditure by £144 28. 10d.; a result which is owing to a liberal donation of £200 by the senior treasurer, just previous to the closing of the accounts.

But, in order to keep the expenditure within the income, large reductions have been made. In India alone the expenditure has been reduced by £2,625; in Ceylon by nearly £200; in Africa by nearly £1,000; in incidental and casual expenses, about £150. In other respects the expenditure has been about the same as last year. With regard to the receipts, the Fund for General Purposes has improved by £860, arising partly from enlarged contributions by the auxiliaries, and partly from the amount of legacies received. There has also been an increase of nearly £100 for translations. On the other hand, the receipts for the sale of the various publications issued by the Society have fallen off more than £150. The total receipts for all purposes, including £359 2s. 6d. towards the debt, have been £19,776 138. 1d."

S. M. PETO, Esq., M.P., who expressed his regret that the long-tried friend of the Society,

Mr. Gurney, was prevented, by continued indisposition, from being present, read the Treasurer's account for the past year, the result of which showed a total of receipts amounting to £19,736, and of expenditure £19,632; the balance against the Society being now £6,357 against £6,501 at the opening of the year. He also wished to observe, for the information of the meeting, that the total payments of the Society, for the general purposes of the Society during the last year, was more than £4,000 less than it had been in the preceding year; and with regard to their being £130 less in debt than at the last anniversary, that result was owing entirely to the Committee having, in various parts of the mission, made deductions to the extent of more than £4,000.

The speakers were, the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel; Revs. W. Walters, W. Farebrother, J. J. Brown, T. F. Newman, J. Webb; and J. L. Phillips, Esq.

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.

THE Seventh Annual Meeting of the above Society was held at the Freemasons' Hall; J. D. PAUL, Esq., in the chair. The hall was crowded in every part.

The Secretary read the Annual Report, which commenced by drawing attention to the altered state of the Jewish mind at the present time; instancing the stirring appeals of the Chief Rabbi in London, no longer soothing or flattering the people, but calling on them to repent, and reminding them of the approach of the day of redemption. But although the Jew was now in a great measure freed from those rabbinical usages which seemed once to close his ear and his heart against Scriptural arguments and persuasion, he was, nevertheless, unacquainted savingly with the truth. There was an increasing facility for the diffusion of Christianity among the Jewish community; on many minds deep convictions had been produced; and there were numerous believers in the Gospel whose faith was not sufficiently vigorous for open avowal. During the past year six individuals had been baptised on evidence of their piety. A Jewish youth, for a short time an assistant missionary, had gone to Australia, leaving, as the results of his early zeal, a young convert, who had been received at the College as a student.

The Report further noticed the inquiring state of the Jewish mind, the growing distaste amongst the Jews for the Talmud, the frequent attendance of Jewish families on the ordinances of Christian worship, and other signs of their preparation to receive the Gospel in all its ful

ness.

From the Treasurer's Account it appeared that the receipts of the Society for the past year had been £4,034 0s. 5d., and the expenditure £3,687 178. Sd, leaving a balance in the hands of the Treasurer of £346 2s. 9d.

The speakers were the Rev. Drs. Archer, Bennett, and Thompson; Revs. E. Pizey, G. Rose, R. Herschell, H. Marchmont; and Messrs. J. W. Adin, Benoliel, and Paul Gottheil.

CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTION SOCIETY. THE Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Finsbury Chapel, Moorfields; Alderman KERSHAW, M.P., presiding.

The Rev. R. ASHTON, the Secretary, read the Report, of which the following is a brief abstract:

"One hundred and five churches are united as Associations with the Parent Society, and 2,150 Christian men and women visiting 52,105 families for the purposes of Christian instruction by book or word. Several cases are reported of persons who, in their sick and dying hours, have beheld by faith the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world,' while more than thirty individuals are believed to have become genuine converts to Christ. By the personal efforts of the visitors, 2,063 children have been reclaimed from the streets, and are found in Sabbath-schools; 1,655 adults have felt the force of Christian persuasion, so as to go from the once Sabbath-neglecting homes to the house of prayer; 2,782 of the distressed, among whom are many of Christ's brethren,' have had their temporal necessities relieved; and 442 copies of the Scriptures have been distributed. Four meetings for special prayer and advocacy have been held. Six new Associations have been formed during the year. A Sabbath Afternoon Lecture has been conducted in Fetter-lane Chapel, and two Sunday Evening Services have been attempted by the students of Highbury College. Three German services were held during the summer at Rotherhithe, for the benefit of the seamen belonging to German vessels. Religious services are conducted on Sabbath and on week evenings in ninety rooms and cottages in the various districts of the Associations. In the Tabernacle district alone 300 services have been held at such meetings. The tents have been much in requisition during the year, and much good has been the result of the services held in them. One hundred and fifty sermons and addresses were delivered during the season in the tents in town and country. In the open air, too, attempts have been made to call on men to repent and believe the Gospel. On Sabbath evening, January 24th, thirty-five sermons were preached to the working classes, and on March 24th twenty sermons were preached to the young men of London. One of the most interesting, encouraging, and successful undertakings has been the delivering of lectures to the working classes, in various halls and schools in different parts of the metropolis. 52,000 religious books have been circulated among as many families on the stations; 30,000 tracts were distributed during the visitation of the cholera, &c." The Report closed with some devout and appropriate reflections.

JOHN PITMAN, Esq., presented the Treasurer's account, which showed a balance in favour of the Society of £131 68. 4d.

The speakers were the Revs. J. Aldis, G. Smith, J. Robinson, J. Weir, R. Ainslie, and J. Gill.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Exeter Hall; the Right Hon. the Earl of HARROWBY presiding.

The Secretary read the Report. The work of the Society had been carried on in the face of

many difficulties and obstacles, arising out of political and ecclesiastical jealousy; but notwithstanding these impediments, the Society had issued from their depôt at Paris 108,338 copies of the Holy Scriptures, making an aggregate of copies distributed in that country since 1820 of 2,728,968 copies. The Report then went on to show the number of copies distributed by the Society in Belgium, Holland, Cologne, Baden, Bavaria, Hesse Cassell, Hesse Darmstadt, Nassau, Bremen, Wurtemberg, and various parts of Germany and Hungary, in Switzerland, and in Rome, Turin, Florence, Tuscany, and most parts of Italy. Upon Italy the Committee looked sadly, but hopefully; and the result of two visits, by one of their agents, was a sale of 12,000 copies of the Scriptures. In December last Pope Pius had addressed a letter to his archbishops and bishops at Rome, repeating his condemnation of Bible Societies; and upon the return of the Pope to his capital, the copies of the Italian Testament printed by the Society at Rome would have been seized, but they were placed for safe custody in the possession of the American Consul there. The present obstacles in Italy the Committee regarded as but temporary, and expressed their conviction that the Gospel would be spread all over that peninsula. Among the facilities granted by foreign powers to the operations of the Society, those granted by the King of Sweden were favourably noticed in the Report, and the Committee also recorded their obligation to the Emperor of Russia, who, on one occasion, had remitted Customs' duties amounting to £300 on an import of copies of the Bible, and had given permission to bring in 20,000 copies free of duty. At Malta the distribution of copies had been 12,925. The revision of the Greek Scriptures had been accomplished. The report then went on to show the success which had attended the efforts to spread abroad the Word of God by the Society in Jerusalem, Caffreland, the north of India, China, Australia, the islands of the Pacific, the Cape of Good Hope, Sierra Leone, the West Indies, and various other parts of the world. The Committee next announced that His Royal Highness Prince Albert had constituted himself a life governor of the Institution, by a donation of £50. The following is the financial part of the Report:

"The entire receipts of the year ending March 30th, 1850, amount to £91,634 12s. 7d. The receipts applicable to the general purposes of the Society have amounted to £45,449 11s. 1d., including £31,418 18. 7d., free contributions from Auxiliary Societies, and £1,314 88. 2d. additional subscriptions to the Special Fund in aid of the extended circulation of the Scriptures on the Continent. The amount received for Bibles and Testaments is £46,185 18. 6d. ; being an increase of £2,826 9s. 8d. on this item. The issues of the Society for the year are as follow: from the depôt at home, 783,203; from depôts abroad, 353,492; total, 1,136,695 copies. The total issues of the Society now amount to 23,110,050 copies. The expenditure during the past year has amounted to £97,246 28.; being £8,415 08. 10d. over the previous year. The Society is under engagements to the extent of £63,555 188. 2d."

The speakers were the Bishop of Norwich, the American Minister, Capt. Pakenham, the Marquess Cholmondeley, Revs. F. Close, C. Prest, and others.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION.

THE Annual Meeting was held at Exeter Hall, which, as usual, was densely thronged. S. M. PETO, Esq., M.P., presided.

Mr. W. H. WATSON read the Report. It referred to the foreign operations of the Union, giving accounts of the assistance granted to schools in Denmark, Germany, Palestine, Western Africa, South Africa, Australia, the South Sea Islands, and the West Indies. Two applications for building grants had been complied with; 120 grants had been made of lending libraries; while 56 country Unions had subscribed to the funds of the Union in London.

The benevolent income of the Union has kept pace with its necessities. The subscriptions and donations have considerably increased, and the total received from all sources has amounted to £1,269 138. 9d.; the expenditure to £1,251 9s. 6d. With a view to afford more time for making up the trade account of the Union, it has been found desirable to make it up to the 31st December in each year, instead of the 31st March, as heretofore. The sales during those nine months have amounted to £6,595 15s. 8d.; showing an increase of £174 98. 2d. over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Upwards of 120 schools have made no report, and if the numbers contained in those schools are in proportion to those which have been reported, the grand total will be-Schools, 623; Teachers, 12,642; Scholars, 123,949.

Reference was then made to the proceedings of the Committee with reference to postal labour on the Lord's day, and the Report concluded as follows: "Statements are sometimes made and figures paraded which would almost lead to a conclusion that Sunday-schools have been an entire failure, if not something worse-that the only result of the teacher's labours had been to train up the profligate, the drunkard, and the thief. With such statements the Committee have no sympathy; in such figures they have no confidence. The great subject of the teacher's instruction is, that the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching them that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present evil world.' And is it possible that such truths can lead to evil? The Committee would not discourage any effort to promote the social or moral condition of men; but if such efforts are to be a substitute for the Gospel, in its simplicity and its pureness, or even to come on a level with it, they must avow their want of confidence in them. It is the Gospel which is designed to regenerate the world; and the heart which, by Divine mercy, receives it, possesses the principles which will work out into all that can sanctify

and adorn the character. And the Committee rejoice in the evidences continually brought before them of the moral and spiritual benefits resulting from the exertions of their fellowlabourers."

The speakers were Rev. Dr. Archer, Revs. C. Stovel, S. G. Green, R. Hamilton, W. Groser, G. Rose, and E. Corderoy, Esq.

RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.

THE Fifty-first Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Exeter Hall. The Hon. ARTHUR KINNAIRD took the chair, and the proceedings commenced with prayer by the Rev. Dr. HENDERSON, one of the Secretaries.

The CHAIRMAN, in his opening address, said, the only hesitation he felt in accepting the invitation of his friend, Mr. Hoare, the valued Treasurer of the Society, to preside on that occasion was, that he feared his time was so much occupied with various engagements as to preclude the possibility of his making himself master of the whole history and bearings of the Society, so as to enable him, as Chairman, to render efficient service on that occasion. That which he feared had been realized; and he had to beg that the audience would bear with him, that he was not prepared to advocate as he could wish the claims of the Society in which he took so deep an interest. But a Society which had been so long known, and which had been so honoured of God in this and other countries, would need very few remarks from him. The little attention which he had been able to give to the observance of its operations had endeared it a hundred-fold to his heart; and he candidly confessed that though, in other societies with which he was connected, he had seen many of the benefits which the Religious Tract Society conferred, he had not till recently had any conception of its bearings for good in various quarters of the globe. There were a few prominent points which he would bring before them, to show the value of such an institution; and, first, he would draw attention to the fact of the enormous circulation of works of an altogether different tendency to those issued by that Society. It appeared that, in this country, there were no less than ten stamped newspapers of a decidedly infidel tendency, whose circulation amounted to 11,700,000. Of unstamped publications of a similar class, there were six, with a circulation of 6,240,000. Of miscellaneous publications, no less than 10,400,000; and of the worst class of all, there were 520,000 copies sold; making a total of 28,000,000 annually. Could they conceive of anything more frightful than that, or could they bring any stronger argument forward to support the claims of that Society? He was happy to say, that, from the commencement of its operations, it had issued 500,000,000 of these little "messengers of mercy." (Loud cheers.) This fact, whilst it should cause them to lift up their hearts with grateful acknowledgment to Almighty God, should yet point out to them the truth that they had not as yet nearly overtaken the evil. (Hear.) The books and tracts of the Society had been printed in 110 different languages and dialects, and it had been the means of affording large and important services to every other association for good. What would such societies as the

London City Mission do but for the invaluable assistance which the Tract Society rendered? It was gratifying to know that, during the past year, they had circulated a larger number of tracts by means of their Missionaries than in any previous year of their existence. (Cheers.) Another fact which it was important to bear in mind, because some misconception had arisen on the subject, was, that although their benevolent receipts from 1799 to 1849, a period of fifty years, had been £174,167, the whole of that sum had been expended in their home and foreign operations, and no portion whatever in the trading operations of the Society, or in any of its expenses. (Hear.) He urged upon their friends to become possessors of the history of the Society, which was published in a volume, and called, "The Jubilee Memorial." If every one would only take the pains to read that work, or even to glance over some of its leading features, he felt persuaded it would tend much to deepen their interest in its affairs. He could only confess his fault, that, from circumstances, he omitted to subscribe to the Jubilee Fund, and hoped that any who were in the same condition would follow his example, and afford some contribution to it even now. (Hear.) The next fact to which he adverted was, that the Society had, within the last few years, granted more than nine thousand libraries to various societies. (Cheers.) At the present moment there was a very valuable field opened to them in providing "servants' libraries," consisting of proper books for perusal in families. The Society had come forward and made a valuable selection, and, for a small sum, the subscribers and friends could furnish to the domestics of their families admirable food for the Sabbath and other days. It was also interesting to notice the effort about to be made to supply the sister country with tracts suitable for this particular period. (Hear.) All present, he trusted, did take a deep interest in unhappy Ireland, which had been visited by severe affliction, and was now only just recovering from that dreadful famine. From all accounts he had heard, the people were ready to receive instruction, and it was a matter of sincere thankfulness that the Tract Society had turned its attention to the peculiar position of Ireland, and were prepared to supply appropriate tracts, and also to employ agents as colporteurs-a system which had been tried successfully by the Bible Society in foreign parts. (Cheers.) Another point he alluded to was the inadequacy of the Society's funds. He had thought till lately that the income was almost equal to its wants; but he now found it was quite otherwise. This was a most momentous consideration. The openings which presented themselves on every side were rapidly increasing. They had all had their attention turned of late to the system of emigration which was being carried on; and he would call special attention to that part of the Jubilee Volume which bore upon the operations of this Society in all the Colonies, but more particularly at the present moment in Australia. While an enormous stream of emigration was setting in upon those shores, it appeared that there was a great lack of publications, and he most sincerely hoped that the attention of the Committee would be specially directed to the appeals which proceeded from thence. In a country where the people were scattered about in the Bush,