Funds, &c.

The entire receipts of the year amounted to £117,440 9s. 3d., being an increase on the previous year of 16,134 14s. 3d., and nearly £600 more than in any previous year. The receipts for Bibles and Testaments during the year amounted to £61,436 ls. 5d., being an increase over the preceding year of £5459 10s. 8d. The total sum applicable to the general purposes of the society was £56,004 7s. 10d., including £30,851 11s. 11d. free contributions from auxiliary societies. The issues of the society had amounted to 1,419,283 vols.,-viz., from the depository at home, 1,109,224, and from the depôts abroad, 310,059, being 22,368 copies less than in the preceding year, but 437,223 more than in any former year. The total issues of the society had been 19,741,770 volumes. The expenditure during the past year had been 128,525 5s. 3d., being £26,749 7s. more than the previous year; and, with one exception, the largest expenditure of any one year. The engagements of the society exceeded £48,000. The legacies showed a considerable increase, being £16,525 16s. 5d.

The twelfth annual meeting of the London City Mission was held at Exeter Hall, May 6th. Sir E. N. Buxton, Bart., was called to the chair, in the absence of the appointed

chairman, Mr. Plumtre, M.P., who was required by an order of the House of Commons to sit as a member of a railway committee.

The report began by alluding to the extension of the society's labours during the year, by the occupation of thirty-four additional districts. It had been found necessary to increase the number of examiners; and the

committee had obtained the valuable services of the Rev. R. W. Dibdin and the Rev. Dr. Steane. Both the present secretaries had agreed to relinquish their pastoral engage ments, and devote their entire time and attention to the work of the mission; and the

FOREIGNERS' EVANGELICAL SOCIETY. The first general meeting of the Foreigners' Evangelical Society for promoting the spirit-missionaries would now have a more efficient ual welfare of foreigners residing in Great Britain, and especially in the metropolis, was held May 5th, at the Hanover Square Rooms. Lord Ashley, the president of the society, occupied the chair, and opened the proceedings of the day. The scope and object of the institution may be gathered from a brief abstract of the Report of the committee, which was read to the meeting by the secretary, Mr. Blair. The Report stated, that feeling the importance of having some ground of united efforts in sound protestant evangelical principles, the society had been formed, and proposed to employ a number of missionaries and agents well acquainted with the habits and circumstances of their fellow countrymen; and that one of the earliest steps taken by the committee was the appointment of three sub-committees for the Italian, German, and French branches, and, in reference to the first, a union had been effected between this society and the London Italian Society, and an asylum for poor Italian boys had been opened in Sidmouth Street, Gray'sinn-road, where they received a scriptual, as well as a useful education. The other, viz., the German and French branches, had also engaged the attention of the society. The total receipts of the society, since its formation in September last, amounted to £362 8s. 2d., and its actual disbursements to £288 98. 44d., leaving a balance of £73 18s. 94d., from which certain office expenses had to be defrayed; so that the expenses of

oversight. All new missionaries would receive a course of instruction on the evidences of Christianity and the doctrines of the gospel, and additional means would be adopted to qualify them for their important labours. The committee had resolved, in certain cases, to consent to the appointment of missionaries within twelve miles of St. Paul's, but in every case beyond their ordinary boundary of eight miles, they would require the entire support of the missionary to be guaranteed; they had accordingly appointed to Richmond, Chigwell, North Cray, and the neighbourhood of Barnet. A very large number of Ragged Schools had been established, more or less through the instrumentality of the missionaries. Since the admission of one of the missionaries to the Marylebone Workhouse, access had also been allowed to those at Whitechapel and Stepney. The four missionaries who visited each of the thirty wards of Lambeth Work house once a fortnight, reported that it con tained more than 1000 inmates; 261 persons died in it in the year; the missionaries were listened to with attention in the refractory wards; three very decided cases of conversion to God had occurred during the year in this workhouse; the workhouse visitation involved expense without any return, but the committee had confidence that they were doing right. The most perfect harmony had again prevailed in the committee throughout the year. The deplorable condition of London seemed to become more and more apparent

Sunday and day-schools, factories, &c., amounted to 558. The libraries granted since 1832, have been 4245. The issues from the London depository alone have been 18,224,836, being an increase of 1,800,266. The total circulation at home and abroad amounted to 440,000,000, in about 100 languages. The Report then referred to the publication of the Monthly Volume, D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation, and other works. The total benevolent income of the year, including special contributions for China, was £6080 3s. 9d. The gratuitous issues, £7936 9s. 7d., which exceeded the benevolent receipts, excluding the donations for China, by 2017 9s. 10d. The legacies amounted to £1931 11s. 10d.; the cash for sales, £48,495 10s. 7d.; the total receipts, £59,416 3s. 9d.; being an increase of £3305 10s. 1d., beyond the preceding year. The Report then adverted to the importance of employing increased means to circulate the publications of the society, more espe cially by colporteurs; and concluded by encouraging its supporters to renewed diligence in the work of the Lord.

society were erected, during the past summer, | terms, to destitute districts, union-houses, at Kennington, Peckham, Gravesend, and Poplar; the attendances were orderly, and many appeared to be interested in the services. A course of fourteen lectures to young persons, on subjects connected with sacred history, were delivered, during the winter months, at Claremont chapel. The committee had continued to receive applications for help in the formation or support of associations in the country, to which they had always readily afforded all the assistance in their power. It concluded thus:-"Your committee, in conclusion, would further ask the assistance of those churches wtih which their associations stand connected, in supporting the general objects of the society by pecuniary as well as personal co-operation. The state of the society's finances is a matter of constant regret. The constitution of the society, untrammelled by party or denominational restrictions, would enable it to prosecute many valuable schemes of Christian benevolence, had it at command the necessary funds for the payment of incidental expenses. A small annual contribution from each of the associations, or a congregational collection from each of the churches in every alternate or third year, would readily supply this deficiency. The committee cannot believe that the pastors and churches of the metropolis will be insensible to the claims of this society."

From the balance-sheet it appeared that the receipts for the past year amounted to £715 18s.; the expenditure, £779 4s.; leaving a balance against the society of £63 6s.

RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.

The forty-eighth anniversary meeting of this society was held at Exeter Hall, on Friday, May 7th. The chair was taken at six o'clock, by the treasurer, J. G. Hoare, Esq.

The Report gave a brief view of the society's operations during the past year in the distribution of tracts and religious books in China, Siam, Burmah, India, Australia, Africa and the African Islands, Spanish America, the West Indies, British North America, North-western America, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Saxony, Sweden, Russia, the Mediterranean and adjoining countries, Greece, Persia, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The grants made to District Visiting, City and Town Missions, Christian Instruction, and kindred societies, for sabbathday circulation, soldiers, sailors, emigrants, prisoners, hospitals, workhouses, union-houses, railway workmen, fairs, races, foreigners in England, home missionary agents, convicts, ships, colliers, rivermen, and miscellaneous, amounted to 2,635,856, of the value of £2560. The libraries granted, on reduced

VOL. X.-FOURTH SERIES.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY.

At the Annual Meeting held in Exeter Hall, May 10th, it had been expected that the question of the propriety of receiving aid from the public purse, respecting which there is a difference of opinion among the friends of the institution, would have been discussed; but, at the commencement of the meeting it was stated by the chairman, Samuel Gurney, Esq., that a special meeting of subscribers would be called to consider this point at a future day.

The Report stated that during the past year the model school for boys had retained its high character unimpaired; and the friends of the society were indebted to Mr. Crossley for his continued attention to its interests. Seventy-eight boys had been admitted during the year, making the total number received into the school since its foundation, 29,595. The Normal school for young men had been sustained with vigour, and the classes had been crowded with diligent and attentive students. The number of students in training had been 233; of these, fourty-four were in training when the last Report was presented; 189 had been received since that date; 147 had been appointed to schools; twenty-three had from various causes withdrawn from the institution; and sixty-three were on the books on the 1st of April last. The conduct of those who had been appointed to schools was generally satisfactory. The Normal school for female teachers was also flourishing. During the year 152 had been under instruction, and 37 remained on the 1st of April. 146 new schools had been opened during the year in 130 different

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The meeting was enlivened by the cordial expressions of attachment to the secretaries which were made whenever references were made to their labours, or allusions to recent attacks upon the executive, all symdisposed to repudiate. There were present also one or two protestant ministers from France, whose language in reference to Tahiti was in full accordance with their profession: "It was not so much owing to the power of French pride," said M. Boucher,

that the events, so much to be deplored, occurred in Tahiti; and let me say, that the Jesuits are not French, any more than the French, as a nation, are Jesuits." "I have not seen a single evangelical Christian in France," said M. Grandpierre, “and I believe there does not exist a single evangelical Christian in that country who has not wept over the sad events of Tahiti, and prayed for the unfortunate queen Pomare and her poor people. And further, I believe there is not a single evangelical Christian in France who will cease to pray that the change which you anticipate may take place."

localities. Of these 32 had been established either in the mining or the manufacturing districts; forty-nine in towns and villages in the agricultural counties; eleven in London or the neighbourhood; six in places in this country not falling under either of the fore-pathy with which the assembly was evidently going descriptions; and forty-eight in North and South Wales. Six gentlemen had been more or less employed during the year in visiting, inspecting, and reporting upon schools of the society; and the committee attached great importance to their labours. Mr. Phillips's endeavours to originate local effort" as it was owing to the power of the Jesuits, in North Wales had been attended with great success. During the time of his connexion with the society, fifty-one new schools had been established through his exertions, of which twenty-three were held in rooms erected for the purpose. Forty-eight schools had been opened in North and South Wales; and eightythree were now in operation. The grants of the Society for schools in England and Wales amounted, during the year, to £991 3s. 3d. Attempts made to obtain an increase of funds had not been attended with the desired success, local claims being often pleaded as the excuse. Under the head" Foreign operations" it was stated that assistance had been afforded to several schools. Letters had been received from Montreal and New Brunswick of the most satisfactory character. Schools in Van Dieman's Land included 1313 children. As the result of mature deliberation, and a conviction of the necessity for such a step, the committee purposed commencing four branch Normal schools. The first of these it was proposed to plant near the centre of the great cotton manufacturies; the second in the heart of the clothing districts: the third in what was called the western district; and the fourth in the eastern counties. The sum required for this purpose would be large. Twenty thousand pounds would probably be required for the purpose of raising suitable buildings and porting the schools for the first year.

THE PEACE SOCIETY.

The thirty-first anniversary of this Society was held on the 17th and 18th of May. The meeting of members on the 17th, convened by printed circular, was held at the White Price, Esq., in the chair. The report of the Hart Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, Joseph T. committee was read by the Rev. J. Jefferson, the secretary, and unanimously adopted, and ordered to be read to the public meeting in Finsbury Chapel. The officers for the year ensuing were appointed, and the general business of the society attended to. The sup-ceedings: J. Allen, Esq., W. Ashbury, Esq., following gentlemen took part in the proR. Barrett, Esq., Mr. E. Clarke, R. Ransome, Esq., E. Smith, Esq., Mr. A. B. Stevens,

It appeared from the cash account, that the the receipts for the past year had been £14,742 11s. 10d.; while the expenditure had been £14,463 19s.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

On the 13th of May, the fifty-third anniversary of this society was held in Exeter Hall. Sir E. N. Buxton, Bart. presided.

The statistical summary was nearly the same as that reported last year. The number of stations and out-stations supported by the society is 460; the number of churches connected with it, 150; the number of European missionaries is 165, and these have 700 European and native assistants. The number of printing establishments in operation is fifteen. The total amount of receipts during the year had been £76,319 7s. 1d.; the expenditure, £75,724 6s. 11d.

Mr. F. Wheeler.

At the public meeting in Finsbury Chapel, on the 18th, the chair was taken by Charles Hindley, Esq., M.P., and afterwards by Joseph T. Price, Esq., and the following gentlemen addressed the meeting: Rev. Thomas Aveling, Rev. J. Burnet, Joseph Brotherton, Esq., M.P., J. S. Buckingham, Esq., Mr. Elihu Burritt, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Mr. Henry Clapp, of Lynn, Massachusetts. The resolutions were embodied in a petition which was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting, praying that suitable measures may be taken to settle international disputes by arbitration, or other legal process, without having resort to arms.

From the report, it appeared that the cause of peace is gradually advancing. It was stated that by the agents of the society