M

from M. near AP

and

Extracts of letters C, of V"Between AC, there is a tract of country, well cultivated and rich, called S- Less than three years ago, the first colporteur who went thither, of the name of Mcalled upon us on his return, and gave us the most afflicting account of the religious state of the inhabitants; in fact, he was utterly discouraged, and even determined not to go back again, so great were the obstacles which he had had to encounter in the distribution of the New Testament! No one was willing to purchase it, for, indeed, no one knew what kind of a book it

was that was offered to them. Some found

it too long; others thought that it differed from that of their priest; and, again, others having ascertained that the services of the mass were not contained in it, took it for granted that it could not be a good book; besides which, very few among them were able to read. In fact, it almost seemed that this delightful country was closed against the [written] Gospel. It happened, how ever, that six months afterwards the same colporteur made another attempt, when, by dint of conversing, and of visiting a great number of houses, he succeeded in disposing of a larger quantity of copies than he could have ventured to expect, chiefly among families, but a few also among schools. A new colporteur, named D- from L, situated in S itself, offered his services to us in distributing New Testaments, accom. panied by an assurance that he could dis*pose of a considerable number, as they were every where in demand. This infor mation, unexpected as it was, caused no small joy. In fact, since November last, nearly a thousand copies of the New Testament have been distributed in twenty villages."

"The large number of Testaments which are issued from my depôt, proves to you that a great improvement has taken place in the dispositions of many. An abundant seed has been scattered abroad, and God will assuredly cause it to spring forth; for how could he suffer it to be ineffectually sown, when he himself came into the world to save sinners?

"The number of Testaments distributed in A—— is great, and in general they have been circulated among, or for the use of families. This year our colporteurs have also sold some for schools; and we hope, that in the autumn they will be able to sell many for the same purpose, as several schoolmasters have already applied for copies.

"It will take a long time, and require great perseverance, before we shall be able to get the New Testament introduced into all the schools. That time, however,

is perhaps, after all, at no great distance; and the prejudices which still exist, are perhaps not so deeply rooted as we may imagine. More than a hundred villages have adopted it; another hundred are waiting for a favourable moment; and nearly every time our colporteurs undertake a fresh journey, they meet with new applicants."

left

From the same:

"A circumstance, which strikes and even astonishes me, is the number of copies of the Sacred Volume which have my depôt since the 1st of March, 1831, being the commencement of the sixth year of my distributions. They actually amount to 5000 New Testaments and 45 Bibles, being nearly as many as were issued during all the four preceding years, the total of which was 5100 copies. For my own part, I am lost in wonder, from knowing the localities and the spirit which animated the inhabitants. One of the Lord in this, and from blessing him cannot refrain from recognising the hand for it. This fact is a subject of great encouragement; it proves that a great and a very salutary change has taken place in the minds of the people, inasmuch as the beforementioned New Testaments were distributed nearly in the same districts as in the preceding years. You will see by it that the opposition is greatly diminishing."

Extract of a letter from Mr.
-, Colporteur at S-
near L-

Dby L

"The present period is strongly mark. ed: every one is willing to be convinced for himself, and every one is anxious to see for himself. And although, generally speaking, France is in a state of deplorable incredulity, there is every reason to hope that the Lord will do great things for our country; for assuredly never before has his word been so widely circulated, or so much inquired after."

Extract of a letter from the Reverend G. Monod, St. Quentin:

We, who have ourselves experienced the power of the Gospel, know well what will be the result of so abundant a dissemination of the divine word after the lapse of a few years. We anticipate in faith a vast change and numerous conversions as the effects of it; and, in this anticipation, I daily pray to God to bless our benevo lent friends and brethren, whose charitable labours are preparing so rich a delight for us, and so great a glory for the Lord. Nevertheless, we can even now witness some results which appear to be the beginning-the preliminary steps to a great

er work. During the period of distress which we have just passed. through, a number of working persons, well acquainted with the country, both men and women, having no other mode of subsistence, for want of employment, took upon them to hawk Bibles and Testaments for sale." Extract of a letter from the Rev. Mr. J at C:

"I must here quote one fact, which will convince you of the truth of my assertions, and which is, that every time our colporteurs enter upon a district previous ly unexplored by them, they complain of the ignorance of the inhabitants-of the difficulty of making them understand what

a New Testament is-of the use to be made of it-and of the benefits to be derived from it; but after repeating their vi sits, they find less and less reason for their complaints. In a short time the whole department, together with some parts of Normandy, will be provided with the Scriptures, through the medium of these colporteurs.

The general result of what I have here written is, that the Gospel is making, and will make, great progress in France, and that by an abundant distribution of the Scriptures, they will prove the precursors of the ministers sent on before by the Lord to pave the way for them; while again, wherever there are the ministers of Christ to be found, there the Scriptures are sure to be made known."

"Supposing, however, that our Christian brethren in England were actually not in possession of any document which they might deem satisfactory, would that be a sufficient reason for their giving up the noble object which they are pursuing? Must not the seed spring up, take root, and grow, before it can produce any fruit? If truth proceed by slow and gradual steps, is it not certain that, after all, it makes a sure progress, and achieves real and unquestionable triumphs? But is not also time required for scaling the walls, making a breach in the ramparts, and overcoming a host of difficulties? Did a single plague only suffice to curb the ob stinacy of Pharoah? and were the lofty

towers of Jericho laid low in the course of

the first day? The religious liberty which we enjoy, the zeal of the inhabitants of this country to purchase the Sacred Volume,-are not these, I ask, sufficient proofs of the will of God? and would not the Society, by hesitating in its course, be acting in opposition to it? Do not let us suffer the press to issue lies or absurdities; but, amidst a torrent of errors which it scatters abroad-alas! too

abundantly-let us oppose to it the barri

ers of truth. What shall Christians be found wanting in carrying on the battles of the Lord of Hosts? and, with the standard of Christ in their hands, shall they

fear to make themselves masters of the strongholds of impiety? Oh no! The Society will not retrace its steps. Its work is too noble, too grand, too holy, too

kind and with every Christian mind. * * If, then, the salvation of souls be an object, dear to our Christian brethren in Great Britain-if France appears to be a noble field for their operations-if they take an interest in the happiness of its vast population-if the errors under which so many souls are labouring fill them with dismay, and, finally, if harmony amongst men, and peace among the nations, is calculated to gratify them-oh, let them continue their labours, and the Lord will bless them with the choicest gifts."

Extract of a letter from the Rev. Mr. C, of R▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬:

"I take up the pen to write to you in one of those peculiar moments when we feel ourselves, as it were, in a kind of ecstasy. For the last three days I have been besieged in my dwelling by a crowd of persons whose souls are in a state of excitement, and famished for want of nourishment. I am followed in the streets whenever I leave home, and this very afternoon I have been obliged to go out for

specting the benefits already produced by their distribution of the Scriptures in France."

the sole purpose of gaining a little relief from the importunities of those who call upon me for the good book which I was so kind as to give to those who were fond of learning.' I should never finish if I were to undertake to describe to you what is going on here; at the moment of my writing the street is full of people. *** Let me, then, entreat you to send me, as soon as possible, a sufficient number of New Testaments. Pray, do not neglect to afford me an opportunity of co-operating in producing a great benefit here. Oh! if you had been here in person!

"Have the kindness, then, to send me another case of New Testaments, for they will be speedily distributed among such as are anxious to make a good use of them. Three or four times to-day and yesterday, I have spoken of the things of God in the open streets, before crowds of people, who have listened to me with joy and the greatest attention."

The sum expended in promoting the above distribution of the Scriptures has been large, while the sum of 1,886l. 18. 5d. has been received as the produce of copies sold. Your Committee cannot conclude their account without expressing afresh the increased sense they have of the high value of the services of Professor Kieffer. His endeavour to improve every opportunity of distributing the Scriptures-his seeking for such opportunities-the laborious nature of his correspondence, (for, he observes, in February, respecting the preceding quarter, "of all the copies, 50,997, not one has been issued without an application made to me in writing")-the exactness with which his accounts are kept-and his general devoted attention to the interests of the Society, all demand an expression of gratitude.

Of the benefits which have accrued from the distributions of former years, a lady, on presenting the Society with a donation of ten guineas, has borne a pleasing testimony.

"In the secluded glens and remote valleys of the Pyrennees, I have traced the footsteps of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and found in the shepherd's hut the precious word of God, conveyed there by your agents. I may take this opportu

nity of expressing my gratitude to the Society for the privilege granted to me in the years 1828 and 1829, of spreading the Scriptures in France. Of 1000 copies, which, in that period, I had the happiness of selling, giving away, or placing for distribution, many, to my own knowledge, have been the means of enlightening the understanding, and converting the heart; doubtless, many more will be found after many days, when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open."

The Breton Old Testament has proceeded in the translation as far as Judges, chap. xx. Of the translator, the Rev. Mr. Price of Crickhowels, who kindly revises the work, and who has recently visited him, writes—

"The more I see of this translation, the more cause I have to be satisfied with the

industry and fidelity of Mr. Le GI assure you I think the Bible Society very fortunate in having engaged him."

The friends of the Protestant Bible Society in PARIS, in common with the friends of other public Institutions have found it necessary, in the present afflicted state of that capital, to postpone their Annual Meeting usually held in April; but the following intelligence has been received:

The Committee have continued, since the last Report, to provide with Bibles and New Testaments, every society or church

where active friends have been found to

distribute them.

"The offer made last year to all our societies, to furnish successively every Protestant family or individual, capable of reading, with a copy of the Sacred Book, has been continued. Thus, the departments of the Basses Pyrenées, Drôme, Ardèche, Isère, and Tarn, have been provided with 2,352 copies of the Bible, and 730 copies of the New Testament.

"Last November, the Committee issued a letter sent to all the Pastors of the Protestant churches of France, and to the Presidents of Auxiliary or Branch Societies, or Bible Associations of our kingdom, offering, in the name of the Society, and gratuitously, a Bible at every marriage, and a New Testament to every person that receives the holy sacrament for the first time.

"Twenty-two departments have thos been provided in a short time with 1,494 Bibles, and 3,588 New Testaments. In fulfilling this task, the Committee have had no consideration for the great pecu

niary sacrifices the Society has incurred by these distributions, all being made gratuitously, and which have nearly exhausted our stock of sacred books.

"The issues during the last year have been 11,948 copies, making a total, since the establishment of the Society, of 130,000 Bibles and New Testaments. The receipts amount to about 28,000fr."

Of the need of continued effort to maintain a due supply of the Scriptures, the Secretary of the CASTERS Bible Society gave striking evidence in his address at the anniversary, in 1831:

"You will doubtless suppose, that, for a long time at least, we are provided against every possible demand; but you must undeceive yourselves. Having communicated the offer of the Parent Society to each of our Branch Associations, they stated to us the number of Bibles which they would require for rendering the distribution among them complete. Réalmont applied for 15 copies; Roquecourbe for 18; Montredon for 30; Lacaune for 234; and Vabre for 320; making in all, 617 Bibles; the appropriation of which is decided upon and the want of which has been ascertained, not, as you might imagine, by a mere vague calculation, but by an accurate census, taken in every place, and from house to house, from cabin to cabin-by a census showing not only the numbers of persons in every family, but also the degree of instruction which each has received; and declaring, not only the want or existence of the Bible, but, in the latter case, also the state of preservation or injury of the sacred volume, and whether in a more ancient or modern style of language.

"Applications of the above description are calculated to surprise you, particularly after the labour and distribution of eight years, the latter amounting to 2,117 copies of the word of life. You will doubtless ask, what has been done with so many books? and how happens it, when at first sight it appears so easy to leave a Bible in every house, that so many families are still unprovided? To this we reply, that the means furnished by your annual subscriptions have not yet proved sufficient to answer every demand. What are 2000 Bibles or New Testaments, among a population of 20,000 souls, generally speaking, in want of them? We must add, moreover, that most of the families remaining to be supplied were, a few years ago, unable to make a profitable use of the Divine word, and consequently incapable of feeling the want of it, and of ask. ing for it. That was, unquestionably, a great evil, over which we could do no Ch. Adv.-VOL. X.

more than sigh and groan. We have petitioned for schools-we have encouraged their formation; and in proportion as these schools render a ground, which had long been abandoned, more cultivated, the Biblical field, being extended and prepared, is open to receive the good seed. A single child, who has once learned to read, imposes upon us the obligation of conveying the book of all consolation into the bosom of its family. And supposing, among other happy results, that the Bible cause should be able to show nothing more, as being effected by it, than the restoration of primary instruction among our mountains, what a claim would it not have upon the gratitude of our churches?-Similar wants, though still more extensive and pressing, exist in the consistorial district of Mazamet. In that of Vabre, three times more Bibles than have hitherto been distributed there would be required, to satisfy the most pressing wants."

DR. PINKERTON.-The experience of another year has tended to prove the great advantages of Dr. Pinkerton, the Society's Agent, being stationed at Frankfort. The manner in which the affairs of his agency has been conducted, has afforded, from month to month, and from quarter to quarter, as your Committee have received his periodical statements, the most lively satisfaction. At the close of the year, your Agent presented the following review of his proceedings, which your Committee insert as a specimen:

"During the year, we have issued to our numerous correspondents, scattered throughout Germany, Prussia, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Bohemia, Bavaria, Switzerland, and Alsace, 71,509 copies of the word of God, of which 11,330 were Lutheran Bibles, 17,796 Lutheran Testaments, 24,972 were Catholic Testaments; together with 1,280 Bibles and Testaments in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, French, and other languages, all issued from the depôt here. And from that at Munich, 9,529 copies of the New Testament for Catholics; with 4,276 Polish Testaments, for Catholics, 1,700 Lutheran Testaments, and 350 Bohemian Bibles from the depôt at Leipzig; also from Halle, 266 Hebrew Bibles. Of these copies we have had 50,866 bound here; and those issued from the depôts at Leipzig and Munich, have been bound in those places.

"From the above statements it is manifest, that of these 71,509 copies of the precious word of God circulated during 3 G

* *

the past year, 38,787 have been disseminated among Roman Catholics. The amount of proceeds received, after deducting the expenses of carriage, duties, and postage, is 7,509fl. 56., or 6251. 178. of which sum 512fl. 9. (421. 13s. 7d.) were obtained from 1,201 individuals, most of them from the lower classes, who have visited our depôt here in the course of the year, to supply themselves and families with the Holy Scriptures. What narra tives of poverty and distress have we frequently had to listen to, while bestowing upon them, at a low rate, and sometimes gratis, the desired boon. And when we consider the impoverished state of the people that have received our Bibles, I cannot but look upon the amount obtained as considerable; for, in general, it is only those who are unable to purchase the Bible with the Apocrypha who apply for our copies without these books."

The depôt at FRANKFORT has been furnished with the following supplies:

From Leipzig, 2,000 Lutheran Testaments. Tubingen, 500 Greek and Latin

Testaments.

Paris, 200 French Bibles, 400 French Testaments.

London, 1,482 English Bibles, 406 English Testaments, and 100 Hebrew Bi

bles.

Munich, 2000 Catholic Testaments. Sultzbach, 16,965 Catholic Testa ments, and 1,000 Lutheran Bibles.

Frankfort, 10,000 Lutheran Bibles, and 15,000 Testaments.

At Munich there have been printed five editions of Gossner's Testament; and 1000 Van Ess's Testaments have been ordered thither from Sultzbach.

Considerable advantages have been derived in reducing of the prices, in the quality of the paper, printing, and binding; points of detail to which your Agent has been unwearied in devoting his attention.

Dr. Pinkerton has accomplished two journeys in the course of the year, which would either have been of a more extended character, or have been followed by others, had not the visitation of the cholera thrown considerable difficulties in the way. In the first journey, which was to Stuttgard, he visited the parish of Ashchaffenburg, containing a population of 6000 Catholics, and a small con

The

gregation of Protestants. Protestant minister, on his arrival in the parish only eighteen months previous, could find but four Bibles in all the Catholic families. This instance may be given as an example of multitudes of other cases, which still exist, of extreme destitution of the Scriptures, but which, it is hoped, will ere long be remedied. Wurtzburg was next visited, which is in the centre of a population of 20,000 Roman Catholics, on whose behalf Professor Fischer, an old friend of the Society, has received a supply of New Testaments. In the vil lage of Freudenthal, similar measures have been taken. At Stutt gard, Dr. P. met Mr. Blumhardt, of Basle, and made arrangements with him respecting the versions preparing by the Missionaries of the Basle Missionary Society at Shushi, and the supplies of the Scriptures which it would be desirable to send them. These measures will be noticed in their proper place.

(To be continued.)

THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE SYNOD OF PITTSBURGH.

It is with no ordinary pleasure that we learn, that foreign missions are likely soon to be organized and in operation, in the Presbyterian church. We have long thought and said, that we regarded it as both a sin and a reproach, that this church, one of the largest and wealthiest in the United States, had not, in its distinctive character, and under its exclusive direction, a single missionary among the millions of heathen, who are perishing for want of vision in our sinruined world.*

After the reorganization of the Board of Missions of the General Assembly, in 1828, an earnest attempt was speedily made, and for

* Perhaps the Rev. Alvan Coe, who is

exploring the Chippeway country, should be considered as an exception.