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6th Report of the Bible Society of Baltimore.

347

the way of the Lord, and making his paths straight. The sound of their Master's feet is behind them. Ültimate success is sure. Already the iron band of the Hindoo caste begins to give way and I thank my honoured Friend for the idea about the Chinese wall beginning to totter. Go on, and one stone of that wall shall not be left upon another. One one word more. We all know what apprehensions have been entertained for the condition of GreatBritain.-Fears without and fears within.-There is a protection to the island of Great-Britain, better than all your fleets, your armies, your statesmen, your heroes, (I speak without derogation of any of them) the holy seed is the substance thereof.

I have to move, Sir, that the cordial thanks of this Socicty be given to the Rev. George Burder, the gratuitous Secretary, &c. &c.

!BIBLE SOCIETY OF BALTIMORE.

Extract from the sixth Report of the Managers, presented at the anniversary Meeting of the Society, 23d Sep. 1816.

ONE hundred and seventy-three octavo Bibles, six hundred and forty-nine common Bibles, three German Bibles, thirty-three German Testaments, and one quarto Bible, have been distributed during the past year. The managers received 150 dollars as a donation from the Female Auxiliary Bible Society of Baltimore, and also ten dollars from a private contributor, for the purpose of purchasing Bibles to be sent to the Western part of our conti

nent.

By a resolve of the Managers, which has been carried into effect, 100 dollars is appropriated as a donation from this society, in aid of the funds for supplying the Chinese with Bibles.

The Brevier octavo Stereotype plates, a part of which had arrived at the last annual report of the Board of Managers, have been received, a press put in operation, and an edition of the Bible, consisting of 500 copies, has been completed. A second edition of the Bible, to consist of 2,500 copies, is in such a state of forwardness, as to afford flattering hopes of a speedy completion; the expense of which, however, will far exceed the balance now in the Treasury.

The Managers cannot deny themselves the pleasure of stating, to their constituents, the grateful sense which they cherish for the aid received, in establishing the Stereotype Press, from our national government, by a remission of the duties upon the imported plates. They also owe a debt of gratitude to Major Barry, who made a present to the Society, of an elegant and appropriate stamp.

A view of the fiscal concerns of the Society, is exhibited by the following abstract from the accounts which are kept by the gentleman who has that department under his care, viz:

348 6th Report of the Bible Society of Baltimore.

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The Directors of the Bible Society of Baltimore, were induced to decline the invitation to become auxiliary to the institution of the American Bible Society by a variety of considerations. They are persuaded that the vast extent of territory to be represented, must render a National Society in reality impracticable, and that the attempt will eventuate in the establishment of a Bible Society in New-York, acting upon the disposal of funds drawn from every part of the Union. They are persuaded that these funds may be more judiciously employed by the Trustees of Societies having a local acquaintance and a local interest in the several States and Counties where the necessary means are to be procured. They are persuaded that the inevitable expense of conveying delegates from every principal Society, many of which are greatly remote from the proposed centre of their operations, will deter many Societies from appointing any representative, and will diminish materially the means of usefulness in others disposed to send delegates. They are persuaded that there will be less active cooperation in the cause, when the agents to employ the funds raised, are distant and unknown; that the subject of Bible Societies will be less talked about, less felt and understood, than if the objects of benevolence were wholly dependent upon the zeal, wisdom and bounty of their own neighbourhood. They believe, finally, that while a National Society can never long be conducted with vigour in so great an extent of country, all the valuable purposes of a National Institution can as well be effected by an intimate epistolary correspondence among the distinct and independent 'State and County Societies.

They are happy, notwithstanding, to aid in giving an extended circulation to the pious and zealous sentiments of the body entitled "The American Bible Society," and they therefore present to their constituents, the conclusion of the address of that Society to the American public.

Officers of the present Year.

Rt. Rev. Bishop Kemp, D. D. President; Rev. Mr. Neal, Rev. Mr. Bartow, Vice-Presidents; Rev. Dr Kurtz, Rev. W. E. Wyatt, Cor. Secretaries; Mr. Evan Thomas, Rec. Sec.; Alex. Fridge, Esq. Treasurer.

REVIEW of the observations relating to the American Bible Society contained in the above Report.

The object of Bible Societies is momentous. Whatever has a material bearing upon the great enterprises pursuing in Christendom to promote an extensive circulation of the holy Scriptures, must

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Review of part of the Report of the Baltimore B. S. 349

be interesting to all who duly estimate the precious gift of Divine revelation to a fallen benighted world; and great is the responsi bility attached to the public expression of opinion, or the adoption of measures, calculated to impede that circulation. That there should be difference of sentiment between the directors of different Bible Societies, as well as of any other bodies of men, in relation to the expediency of certain plans of operation, is to be expected: but the religious community have a right to expect also, that in all questions of moment concerning the best means of attaining the great end of Bible institutions, the decisions of those who manage their affairs be the result of deliberate and mature examination ; and when reasoning is undertaken to be supported by facts, those facts be well ascertained and correctly stated. This is the more important, when these decisions are to be published to the world in annual reports, which come out in the name and under the sanction of large and respectable associations of Christians, and which are widely circulated and read by all descriptions of men, and of course produce, an extensive influence on public opinion. This importance increases with the magnitude of the design which is the subject of deliberation. Now, if ever an undertaking on this side the Atlantic for promoting the dissemination of revealed truth, from the catholicity of its views, the extent and importance of the operations it contemplates, the greatness of the resources it is designed to call into action,-deserved most serious, profound, faithful, candid, and prayerful consideration, before it should meet with public opposition, or be treated as visionary, certainly a NATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY FOR THE UNITED STATES was entitled to that consideration; on the part of those especially who conduct the concerns of institutions founded expressly for the same grand object, the widest practicable diffusion of the sacred oracles amongst the destitute. That some powerful machinery was wanted to give greater scope and efficiency to Christian exertion in the Bible cause in this country, previously to the formation of our National Institution, had been pretty extensively felt for some time antecedent: but the practicability of framing an establishment suited to answer the great ends desired, was not so manifest, nor so generally believed in, until a system combining the advantages required, and adapted to the actual state of this country, was digested and presented to view. Such a system was exhibited in the constitution of the American Bible Society, framed by a convention of delegates from upwards of thirty Societies, met in this city in May 1816. This constitution, after mature deliberation, was adopted by the unanimous vote of that convention; and was shortly afterwards published, in a pamphlet, together with an account of the proceedings of the convention, and its address to the people of the United States, and was proclaimed in newspapers and magazines from one end of the Union to the other. Numerous Bible Societies in almost every part of the country took the earliest opportunity to declare themselves auxiliaries to this National Institution; many new Societies were soon formed for the

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Review of part of the 6th Report

express purpose of aiding it; and great and good men of every political and religious denomination expressed their approbation of its design, made large donations to its funds, and accepted of offices under its constitution. Surely these facts afforded a strong presumption in favour of the National Society. If the directors of other societies doubted the correctness of this presumption, was it not their obvious duty to examine with care and candour, the Constitution of the American Bible Society; to ascertain the principles on which it was founded; to weigh the arguments which had been advanced for and against it; and to trace the rise, progress, and success of similar institutions in other countries, before they decided on expressing a disapprobation, which might in any measure restrict its usefulness?

The preceding principles and facts we consider indisputable. Let us now examine in what manner the Directors of the Baltimore Society have regarded or disregarded them in their statement contained in their sixth annual report. In that document are the following passages.

"The Directors of the Bible Society of Baltimore were induced to "decline the invitation to become auxiliary to the institution of the "American Bible Society, by a variety of considerations :

(1st. Because) "they are persuaded that the vast extent of territory "to be represented must render a National Society in reality imprac"ticable, and that the attempt will eventuate in the establishment of a "Bible Society in New-York acting from the disposal of funds drawn "from every part of the Union."

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It appears by the introductory paragraph, that the Directors undertake to assign to the Baltimore Society their reasons for not having co-operated in the formation of the American Bible Society; which, at the time when that Report was made, had been several months in existence and successful operation. very remarkable, the Directors give their objections to the National Institution as founded on their impressions respecting it at this last mentioned period. They do not say, they formerly supposed, but " they are persuaded," "they believe," &c

In detailing, however, the grounds of their opposition to that Insti tution, they fancy something in embryo, and pourtray its leading features in such colours as to present a complete caricature, having so little resemblance to the American Bible Society, as it really existed at the time, and as it is described in its constitution, that, if the supposition could be reconciled with other facts, one would be strongly inclined to suspect they had never read or heard of that constitution. If this latter supposition be correct, what excuse can such respectable gentlemen as these Directors are known to be, make, for so decided and so public an expression of their opinion against the nature and tendency of so important an Institution, of which they had no correct knowledge; especially, when that opinion is calculated to have so extensive an effect in withholding or restricting the beneficent co-operation of so large and opulent a district as that which forms the bounds of their Bible Society?

Baltimore B. S. which relates to the American B. S. 351.

It was indeed true,-not that the attempt to establish a National Bible Society would,—but that it did, several months before the Baltimore Directors uttered their prophecy, "eventuate in the establishment of a Bible Society in New-York ;" just as the attempt to establish the British and Foreign, and the Russian Bible Societies, eventuated in the establishment of Societies in London and St. Petersburgh: it is also true, that these three institutions act upon "the disposal of funds drawn from a great distance."

But 2dly, the Directors of Baltimore "are persuaded that these funds may be more judiciously employed by the trustees of societies having a "local acquaintance and a local interest in the several states and counties "where the necessary means are to be procured."

To this we reply: that the constitution of the American Bible Society recognizes in its auxiliaries, both the right and the propriety of employing their funds within their own districts, to the extent of what they may consider requisite for supplying the wants of those districts; and only requires of them to give to it what may remain after that supply. These "surplus funds" are to aid in advancing the great purposes of the National Society,-which purposes the several local societies are deemed inadequate to accomplish. If Bibles are to be sent to a great distance, it is presumed that the managers of a great institution, possessed of an extensive correspondence, will generally be better qualified to make a judicious distribution than a small society, having few or no correspondents, and consequently possessing little information of the exact want of Bibles at a distance. The Baltimore Directors however think differently. They are opposed to the American Bible Society, because a local acquaintance' and 'a local interest' are in their opinion necessary to a judicious distribution of the Bible: yet from their 6th Report it appears, that their complaisance for the ladies of Baltimore must have compelled them, contrary to their ideas of propriety, to undertake the distribution of 150 dollars worth of Bibles"in the western part of our continent," in which it is most probable they had neither "local acquaintance,” "local interest."

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The third ground of objection to the American Bible Society, stated by the Baltimore Directors, namely, "the inevitable expense of conveying delegates from every principal society," &c. is so void of foundation in point of fact, that a simple perusal of the constitution will do away all apprehensions on that score, which a total ignorance of that document could alone have created.

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The above mentioned Directors object to the American Bible Society in the fourth place, because "they are persuaded there will be a less active 'co-operation in the cause, when the agents to employ the funds raised 66 are distant and unknown; that the subject of Bible Societies will be less "talked about, less felt and understood, than if the objects of benevolence were wholly dependent upon the zeal, wisdom, and bounty of their own "neighbourhood."

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As this objection relates to a hypothetical, and very fanciful state of things, totally foreign to any thing to be found in the constitution of the American Bible Society, or in the nature of its operations, it needs no refutation. As to the idea that the national institution will lessen the zeal of the inhabitants of this country in the Bible cause, we trust that the following facts will amply prove the

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