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Benevolent Institutions at Kingston, N. Ÿ.

spot in Christian Europe, I would hope, where such a thing could have been conceived,) will not divert this Society from the tranquil course of its proceedings. I trust, my Lord, we shall continue quietly, but zealously to prosecute the noble work in which we are engaged, leaving that document, as we safely may, to work its own confutation."

[Referring to the speech of Dr. Thorpe, and certain topics wich that gentleman had omitted to touch out of tenderness for his country, a tenderness on which he (Mr. Burn) spoke with feeling, for he was an Irishman, he proceeded as follows:]

But there were points adverted to in the speech of my reverend friend that will not, I trust, be soon forgotten.-His affecting statement of the actual wants of so large a portion of that country with respect to the word of God, will not fail to produce its proper influence, by exciting Christian sympathy, and calling forth our best exertions for the moral and religious improvement of that too long neglected portion of the empire. This will be our truest policy, and the best mode of cementing and perpetuating a union so essential to the best interests of both countries."

"I really beg pardon, my Lord, for having trespassed so long; but my feelings on this occasion are much in unison with those of the reverend gentleman from America. I have for four years been longing for the privilege which till this day has been denied me; and the gratification I now feel impels me to let out my heart in thankfulness to God for what I this day witness! Indeed I can never sufficiently express my gratitude for the advantages I have derived from my connexion with this Society. Under a variety of circumstances, to which in this scene of trial and difficulty we are all in our measure subject, I have never failed to find what a thousand voices in this assembly might now witness, that to be occupied in the work of this Society has been a solace to my mind in many a trouble, and inspired my heart with joy in the prospect of that consummation to which the word of prophecy directs our hope, When all the ends of the world shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord.'

the

"May God bless your Lordship, your Committee, this numerous assembly, and all who throughout the empire and the world are associated with you in this work and labour of love. And may beauty of the Lord our God be upon us--and prosper Thou the work of our hands upon us--the work of our hands establish Thou it!"

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS AT KINGSTON, (UI. Co. N. Y.) We are indebted to an obliging correspondent for the following account of the charitable exertions which have been made during the past year by the friends of Zion in the small village above named, towards advancing the cause of religion and humanity. We trust that our readers will be gratified by the perusal of this recital, and we should rejoice to see every village in our land emulating their zeal as instruments in helping on the good work

Report of the Female Bible Society of Kingston.

which the Lord is performing in our day, to promote his own blessed kingdom in our apostate world.

FEMALE BIBLE SOCIETY OF KINGSTON, (N. Y.)

The members hope that by giving a Report of their humble efforts to aid in diffusing the light of Revelation over the whole human family, it may induce others to engage in the same labour of love, who recede from it under the plausible but fallacious excuse that they have not means or numbers to form a society. This Society was formed in March, 1815, not indeed under the auspices of the great nor with the expectations of human applause; they were few in number (only nine) and not the most affluent. Gradually they increased to about twenty in number, and only fourteen or fifteen of these are regular attendants.-The collections are made weekly at Prayer Meetings held for the purpose, and are wholly voluntary. A plate is set on the table, and the members put in what they please. Of those who have nothing to give, nothing is required; and they who give most willingly, share the credit with those who have less to spare, who might be discouraged from giving any thing at all if the tribute of each were known. Thus by strengthening and encouraging each other, under the smiles, and by the grace of the "Prince of the kings of the earth," they have been enabled to contribute to the Bible Society of New-York, to which they became auxiliary when first formed, one hundreds and twenty-five dollars at different times. They afterwards became Auxiliary to the American Bible Society, to which they have contributed, in three donations, ninety-four dollars; the last thirty of which were transmitted for the purpose of making their Pas tor a member of the National Society for life.-Sum total 219 dollars.

From the New-York Society they received ninety Bibles, which they have distributed; and who can tell how many precious souls these Bibles may conduct to the mansions of light, where donors and receivers, through grace, may one day rejoice together. The Society could have procured more Bibles for distribution; but have refrained from so doing, lest they should thereby deprive of supplies those destitute regions where preachers and Bibles are seldom seen; and many such places there are. This statement proves that none can justly plead exemption from this highly privileged duty because they are few and small. It is by such instruments as are despised by the world that the great Head of the Church has chosen to effect the purposes of His grace. According to that passage in the Sacred Record, "He hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things that are wise, and weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, that no flesh may glory in His presence." He is the same yesterday, today, and for ever; and will as readily and graciously accept the mites offered now by the hand of sincerity and love, as in the days of His flesh. They therefore affectionately entreat the friends of Zion, in every place where the Bible cause is not espoused, immediately to engage in it.

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Benevolent Institutions at Kingston, N. Y.

The JUVENILE FEMALE BIBLE SOCIETY in eight months, the short space of their existence as a society, contributed to the Bible cause the sum of twenty dollars-six dollars to the New-York Bible Society; ten dollars to the American, and four to the Senior Female Bible Society of Kingston.

The FEMALE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL SOCIETY of Kingston, composed of about twenty young ladies, have, the first year of their formation, contributed in two donations the sum of forty dollars to the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Dutch Church of New Brunswick. How delightful to see youth and beauty devoting their influence, time, and property to the service of God, and thus laying up for themselves treasures where moth doth not corrupt nor thieves break through and steal.

The FEMALE SABBATH SCHOOL of Kingston is also in a flourishing condition. It consists at present of eighty scholars, all people of colour, and chiefly adults. it is conducted by twenty-one teachers. The attention and application on either side has not in the least degree abated with the novelty. The teachers animated by success pursue their labours of love with an undeviating course, assured that their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. The pupils rising from the grave of ignorance and contumely, now fostered in the bosom of kindness, feel their hearts expand with generous emotions, and realize that they are human beings, and as such have precious souls which they are taught to know must exist after death, in everlasting bliss or wo The deep interest with which many of them receive religious instruction is frequently evidenced by the most solemn attention, anxious inquiries, and streaming eyes. One a ed woman of colour, shortly after she entered the school, began to inquire the way to Zion, obtained a hope after a few months, and applied for admission into the church. She took sick the same week that she was to have been received, was baptized on her death bed, and calmly, a few hours afterwards, resigned her soul unto Him that gave it, in hope of acceptance in the beloved. Another has since been baptized, and several are waiting to be made better acquainted with the way of life before they engage in sacramental solemnities.--Must we not exclaim, "what hath God wrought," and say, "not unto us, but unto thy name, be all the glory."

CENTURIAL, JUBILEE.

At a meeting of the Presbytery of Jersey, at Rockaway, N. J. on the 9th instant, a minute was made of which the following is a copy: viz.

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Resolved, that Friday the 31st of October be recommended to the churches under the care of the Presbytery, to be observed as a day of religious thanksgiving for the temporal and spiritual mercies of the year, and in commemoration of the Third Centurial Jubilee since the reformation from Popery."

Westfield, N. J. Oct. 13, 1817. THOMAS PICTON, stated clerk.

THE CHRISTIAN HERALD.

VOL. IV.] Saturday, October 25, 1817.

(No. 5.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. Speeches at the 13th Anniversary, (concluded from page 62.) The Rev. Dr. STEINKOPFF, Foreign Secretary.

My Lord and Gentlemen,

"I cannot help feeling solicitude and pain when I recollect that, at the Thirteenth Anniversary of this Institution, I am for the first time unaccompanied by my friend Mr. Owen; still I trusted that my other excellent colleague, Mr. Hughes, would have relieved me from the necessity of appearing before you; in this I have been disappointed, a violent cold preventing him from speaking on this occasion. His importunity has prevailed upon me to break the silence which it was my wish and purpose to maintain.

"It would be unpardonable in me to detain you long; but when I consider the consolation Mr. Owen will derive from the kind sympathy excited here in his behalf, and the delight which has pervaded the assembly, it would not have been right in me to shrink back from expressing my feelings. I esteem it my greatest privilege to labour in this cause; and though sometimes these hands have trembled, and this heart has failed, and many an apprehensive thought has crossed my mind, that soon this body might perhaps sink under the accumulation of burthens, yet to spend and be spent in such a service is, in my account, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon mortal man.

"It was the intention of the Saxon and Würtemberg Ambassadors to have attended this meeting, but they are prevented by indisposition.

And now, my Lord and gentlemen, permit me to conclude. May it please Almighty God long to preserve this Society in that purity of design in which it has hitherto been conducted; for it is my firm conviction that as long as we give the Bible, and the Bible alone, in simplicity and godly sincerity, looking to God only, and to the salvation of immortal souls, so long the blessing of the Most High, and the benedictions of a grateful world, will descend upon our undertaking."

Thanks to the Presbyteries in Scotland, Gla-gow, &c. were moved by the BISHOP of CLOYNE, Vice President, in the following

"I shall detain you but a very few moments; but I rise to submit a resolution which has been put into my hands. You have been told, that, however we may differ in other respects, we agree on the important point of spreading the Scriptures of God and his Christ over the world. I rise, therefore, as a Bishop of the Established Church, with gratitude, to make this motion The severe cold under which I labour, will prevent my attempting to do justice

E

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Speech of the Rev. John Paterson at the

to it by any remarks which I might feel disposed to offer: nor would it be easy to do justice to it; for, not to mention what is due to the other parties concerned in it, if I were to name a body of persons who have assisted us most, it would be the Reverend Presbytery of Glasgow. But, situated as I am, I will not degrade it by my feeble and individual praise, but move, that the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Reverend the Presbytery of Glasgow, for the continuance of their liberal annual collections on behalf of this Society, and also to the several Ministers and Congregations generally, for their respective contributions and exertions, as well as to those friends who have enriched the Library with copies of the Holy Scriptures, and other valuable books, in various languages."

The Rev. JonN PATERSON, from St. Petersburg.

"Three years have elapsed, since, in company with my friend, Mr. Pinkerton, I had an opportunity of attending one of the Anniversaries of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Since that time, as your Lordship knows, we have been employed in promoting the cause of the Society on the continent of Europe, and particularly in the extensive empire of Russia. What we then stated, as to the progress of the cause in the north, seemed to awaken universal attention; but the work was then only in its commencement. The foundation had, indeed, been successfully laid, and such advances had been made, as to excite the warmest hopes, as to the future grandeur and glory of the rising superstructure. But its progress since that period far exceeds our most sanguine expectations. Encouraged and assisted by the British and Foreign Bible Society; patronized and supported by the great and good Alexander of Russia; under the direction of our excellent and pious President and Vice-Presidents, with their co-adjutors; and, above all, under the blessing of divine Providence, the whole building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord. In proof of what I assert, I need only refer to the Report of this day, and to the facts which it contains-facts which must fill every heart with gratitude, and every mouth with praise; and which, while they inspire every individual, who has been instrumental in carrying on this great work, from the Emperor on the throne to the humblest contributor, with holy admiration, will compel them to exclaim, • Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name be the glory.'

My Lord, the lateness of the hour forbids me to enter on a detailed account of the proceedings of the Society in the north of Europe; I would only beg leave to observe, that the progress we have made, has tended to convince us, more than ever, of the great want of the Scriptures which exists in Denmark, in Sweden, in Finland, and in Russia; and the very means which we have used to supply that want, have led to new discoveries of it, and convinced us that the real extent of the evil is even yet but imperfectly known. On a moderate calculation, not fewer than Fifteen