good health, and continue quite well, through the mercy of that gracious Lord, whose guardian care and faithfulness I have so wonderfully experienced. To His holy name be thanks and praise.

As soon as we have an open sea, we are to return to England. Farewell dear and honored brethren; kindly accept these hasty lines, written during the night, and salute all my brethren and sisters, and friends, from me. Remember, in your prayers before the Lord, your still absent brother,

J. A. MLERTSCHING.

(From the "Moravian Magazine.")

THE BIBLE SOCIETY.

WE cannot allow the jubilee year of the British and Foreign Bible Society to pass away, without bearing testimony to the deep and practical interest we continue to feel, in an organization so noble in its object, so unsectarian in its spirit, and so efficacious in its operation. It is true indeed, that we concur most fully, in a remark made by the late Robert Hall, who said; "A speaker can never be so dissatisfied with anything he can deliver, as when he attempts to commend an institution, which by its own merits is so preeminently exalted above all eulogium;" but though unable to shape our words into an adequate expression of deserved commendation and praise, we cannot refrain from endeavoring to extol an instrumentality, standing foremost amid the agencies which christian philanthropy has established for the benefit of mankind, and disclosing the most glorious scheme connected with human endeavor that has ever been devised or acted on, for the improvement of man's moral condition, and the universal triumph of divine truth.

It was formed at a time, when the enemies of religion and of social order were combining to discredit and, if possible, to exterminate the Holy Scriptures; when the inspired Word which the Reformation had rescued from papal imprisonment, was, humanly speaking, in danger of being again incarcerated by reckless infidelity; and when the solitary Bible chained to the lectern of the parish church, was for the most part, the only copy of the revealed will of God to which the people had access. At such a time it was, that the Bible Society was established by a few pious men who had "knowledge of the times," and were supremely solicitous to proclaim the divine authority and paramount importance of the sacred volume, as well as to circulate it without note or comment at home and abroad. The hopes they entertained in accordance with God's promise, were more than realized; and now, when looking

back over the fifty years during which the society has been in operation, who can fail to exclaim, "What hath God wrought?"

It has

It is unnecessary that we should attempt to describe the extent of Bible circulation which this noble institution has been able to secure; but it becomes us to say, that no one can by any means estimate all the good which it has been instrumental in accomplishing. It has wrought both directly and indirectly. It has been a means of prevention, as well as a source of supply. It has prescribed to other Christian institutions the true basis of evangelical effort, and held up the Bible as the religion of Protestants. acted as a faithful monitor, reminding earnest and benevolent spirits, that, instead of heeding the cry of humanity for "any good," they should seek to impart that good which shall never be taken away; remembering that temporal relief and mental improvement will be ultimately unavailing, without moral principle, and that the "BOOK OF GOD" is the great emporium of truth for man, in every circumstance of his history, in every phase of his being, in every form of his improvement, and in every feature of his earthly destiny. It has presented a bold and fearless front to the hydraheaded antichrist of modern times, and wielded a weapon before which the hosts of darkness have quailed, and under which they have fallen. It has brought together into visible union, the ministers and members of various denominations, who otherwise would have stood aloof from each other, or have done little else than fallen out by the way. It has been the parent of several efficient christian societies, and proved itself an invaluable auxiliary to all the churches of Christendom; and more especially has it been the means of enlightening, renewing, comforting, and sanctifying a great multitude out of every nation and people and tribe and tongue. And then,-whilst the work of conversion through the grace of God has been proceeding, a preparatory process has at the same time been going on, the effect of which will be seen after many days; for, wherever the Bible is introduced, it not only acts as a lever accomplishing an immediate change, but it operates like a leaven which diffuses itself in all directions until it leavens the whole lump. In every land where truth is scattered by the sale or gift of God's word, there is set up, so to speak, an apparatus which, when God's Spirit is poured out on all flesh, will instrumentally, with the rapidity and irresistibility of the electric element, cause a nation to be born in a day. In all countries where the Scriptures are circulated, there is deposited that "incorruptible seed of the kingdom," which, when "the showers of blessing" descend, shall spring up in a glorious harvest, making "the wilderness to rejoice and blossom as the rose. Every Bible has its mission.

It is evident, therefore, that by supporting and co-operating with the British and Foreign Bible Society, we are not only conferring present benefit, but helping to secure a future blessing. We are

giving to thousands, whilst we live, "the bread of life;" and so preparing the way of the Lord that, when we live no longer, all nations may be blessed in Him. And as much remains yet to be done, in our own country, on the continent, in the world,-let us advocate the cause, defend the principles, and extend the operations of an instrumentality which, next to the preaching of the Gospel, is the most promising means of success in bringing the ends of the earth to the obedience of faith. Let us hold up the arms of a society, which is standing on the mount of spiritual influence, with the staff-the Word of God, in its hand, until every Amalekite is subdued, and "the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ."

It is an interesting fact, though in all probability no mention has been made of it at any of the Jubilee meetings of other denominations, that the Church of the United Brethren, in Bohemia and Moravia, gave the first translation of the Bible to the world, about the year 1490; and so rapid was the sale, that in a short time two entire editions were disposed of. The desire to make the sacred volume a household book, induced the members of the church to establish two printing offices in Bohemia, and one in Moravia, which for some time were solely occupied in printing Bohemian Bibles. Subsequently, in 1726, the Church of the Brethren, still anxious to send "the light of life" into the dwellings of the poor, began to print and issue the cheapest Bible that had ever been published. Three printing presses were in constant operation at Ebersdorf, and a reference Bible was sold at the low price of thirteen pence halfpenny. So eagerly was the Word of God sought after and purchased, that in the city of Dresden alone four hundred copies were sold immediately on their arrival.

As a people, we cannot sufficiently extol the grace of our God, who chooses "the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty," that he was pleased to confer on our church, as, in fact, the first Bible Society, the honor of circulating his holy word. Her labor of love in this respect, though not done in a corner, is little known by the churches generally; nor does she seek the honor which cometh from man by making mention of it at this time, but only, that on a review of the past, she may be stimulated to abound in thanksgiving," and be excited to efforts "more abundant."

We believe that all our congregations in this province, have either held or joined in special jubilee services, to commemorate the formation of the Bible Society, and to pray for its success; and we understand that in many cases the interest of the proceedings was greatly heightened by the communication of the facts just mentioned; for the explicitness of which we are indebted to a fellow-laborer. In this way we have again been reminded of the spirit which animated our forefathers, and the great principles:

which governed all their actions. Appealing "to the law and the testimony," and experiencing in their own hearts the power of Bible truth, they longed to give to every man that blessed book "which is able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus;" and they rested not, until their countrymen, with the Scriptures in their hands, could read in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. Having searched "the word" for themselves, and framed their ecclesiastical system as far as possible in accordance with its spirit and prescriptions; they were desirous that all the faithful should be able personally to examine the will of the Lord, so as clearly to ascertain the pattern after which church regulations must be modelled, and the law to which church life must be conformed. And who can question that we shall do well, if we do likewise? taking the length and breadth of revelation, "the whole counsel of God," as our directory and our rule, and placing in the hands of our fellow-men everywhere the inspired volume. Verily, the more we abide by the teaching of the Holy Ghost without partiality and without hypocrisy, the more shall we grow in grace ourselves, and do what Israel ought to do, on behalf of others. We shall thus not only exist, but live; not only be, but increase; and whilst we are examples of what "the truth as it is in Jesus" can effect, we shall aid in the universal dissemination of that word, "which liveth and abideth for ever;" which by the Gospel is preached, and by the Bible Society is circulated,

IN ALL THE WORLD.

THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY of the Auxiliary Bible Society at Bethlehem, was held in the Moravian church on Thanksgiving day, November 24th, 1853.-ED.

LORD, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DO? There are times in the life of every Christian, when this inquiry bursts forth from his heart with irrepressible earnestness. When he looks around him and contemplates the condition of a world lying in wickedness, a sense of dissatisfaction with his present comparative unproductiveness overwhelms him, and he longs to be 'something more than he is, and to accomplish more than he has ever done.

And why do these aspirations so often come to naught? How happens it, that amid the multitudes who ask "What wilt thou have me to do?" so few are found to do anything? We cannot believe it is always because the inquiry goes forth from hearts that are not sincere; we are more disposed to attribute the failure to the fact that the answer is not understood. The wretchedness and sin which draw out desire, are so vast, that the heart assumes that the remedial effort must be on a scale of corresponding visible dimensions. The philanthropist would do some great thing; he would revolutionise a continent; he would, at one grand sacrifice,

one single energetic movement, overthrow some giant evil or institute some great and pervading system of beneficence. But, while he is waiting and looking for such a grand occasion, time passes, and with it the freshness of feeling and the strength of zeal also pass away, and the individual sinks down to the level of his ordinary life. While he looks and longs for an opportunity to do some magnificent good, he oversteps the obvious occasions for usefulness which lie around and before him in his daily path.

On all sides the Christian can find work to be done for his Master; and it is in the doing of this that the human portion of the work of converting the world mainly consists. Our own church, our own neighborhood, our own country, are parts of "the world" which Christ bids us evangelize; and we are not permitted to overlook these because there are other larger fields beyond. Is it not possible that the whole christian church fails of her grandest efficiency, because she is waiting for some vast providential movement, which is to save her the trouble of grappling with human wickedness in detail? Instead of descending to particulars, and looking into all the highways and hedges of society, seeking everywhere for the lost, is there not a secret feeling that this is too tedious a method of doing good, which is somehow to be superceded by an interposition of Heaven, in which the Gospel shall gain a rapid and triumphant prevalence throughout our own land, and abroad over the heathen world? It is true, the promises of God lead us to hope for displays of spiritual triumph beyond the proportion of human agency; but do they warrant us to expect the triumph without such agency? It requires but little consideration of the word of God, and the methods of the divine procedure, to see that pagan nations will be brought to the knowledge of the Lord only through the medium of influences emanating from christian nations; and that those influences will be numerous, efficient, and well-sustained only in proportion as those christian nations are vitalized by tho pervading power of the living Gospel. Instead, therefore, of looking abroad, the primary duty of every man is to begin about himself, to get his own heart right, and thence to work outward upon others other hearts, other communities, and other nations.-The Home Missionary.

BOOK NOTICE.

THE MORAVIAN ATLAS; embracing Statistics of the Church of the United Brethren in her Home and Foreign Departments; compiled from the most recent and authentic Sources, by the Teachers of Fulneck Academy. 1853.

Of the origin and nature of the work, the materials of which it has been composed, and the sources whence they have been derived,