Jogee Das appointed his people to meet weekly on Saturdays, for the purposes of worship; but as this was found exceedingly inconvenient, monthly meetings have been substituted, and they now assemble only on the day of every full moon. On these occasions, the whole of the Saadhs who reside within a convenient distance, females included, meet together, each person furnishing, according to his means, flour, ghee, milk, or sugar. Part of the congregation is employed, during the day, in making these materials into bread; while others converse on the affairs of the community, or investigate any complaints which may be brought forwards against their people. In the evening, the bread is placed upon a small elevation, and after a short extempore prayer, divided among the guests. A vessel, containing sherbet, called "The Cup of Fellowship," is also passed round; and the remainder of the night is spent in rehearsing verses in praise of the Sut Gooroo, and listening to the legendary stories of their founder, and directions for their moral conduct in life.

The Saadhs have no regular order of priesthood. That man, who in each particular division, happens to be considered most respectable who can read, repeat their hymns, and relate their traditions, is constituted their chief.

Their moral precepts appear to be of an excellent character; forbidding falsehood, dishonesty, all dissolute practices, and flagitious actions. Offenders are punished by excommunication; the duration of which is proportioned to the atrocity of the crime. Much anxiety prevails among them respecting a due preparation for the awful day of judgment; but their present, indeed their only stay, seems to be derived from their own devotional exercises; and when their consciences are distressed through falls into sin, their consolations are drawn from the same source. The conviction upon their minds seems settled, that a rigid performance of their several duties will certainly secure them future happiness; and yet, with much apparent humility, they acknowledge themselves sinners.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Fifteenth Anniversary.

On Tuesday, the 4th of May, the anniversary meeting of The British and Foreign Bible Society, was held in Freemason's Hall, London. There were two thousand persons present. At twelve o'clock, the Right Hon. Lord Teignmouth took the chair, when the Report was read. It detailed the progress of the Bible Societies in the different countries on the continent, and in the Indies, &c.; stated the number of Bibles issued at cost and reduced prices, from the 31st March, 1818, to the same period in 1819, was 123,247 Bibles, and 136,784 Testaments; making in

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the whole, 260,031 copies, being an increase beyond the issues of the preceding year of 65,930 Bibles and Testaments; making, with those issued at the expense of this Society, from various presses upon the continent, a total of more than two million three hundred thousand. Professor Kieffier from Paris, presented himself to the meeting, and, through the medium of an able address, which was read by the Rev. D. Wilson, informed the meeting, that the government of France had promised their utmost support to the Bible Societies in that country. It is then stated, that 9,000 copies of the New Testament, printed in the Turkish language, from the royal press in France, had been sent to Turkey. (Loud applause.) Three of those Testaments, which were exceedingly well printed and bound, and bearing the royal arms of France, were then presented to the meeting by the Professor, who, aided by the advice of Baron Sylvestre de Sacy, had inspected the edition. The Duke of Gloucester then moved the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman, who made a suitable reply. The meeting shortly after broke up.

Merchant Seamen's Bible Society.

On Friday, Feb. 25, a meeting of this excellent Society was held at the City of London Tavern, which was attended by many most respectable and benevolent gentlemen. Lord Exmouth in the Chair.

The Report contained many interesting details of the Society's proceedings; amongst others, it stated, that during the past year, the Society's Agent, stationed at Gravesend, had visited 1681 vessels, containing 24,765 men, of which number 21,671 were stated to be able to read. For the religious instruction of this large number of seamen, but 2,200 copies of the Scriptures were found on board. The Society's Agent had offered sets of the Holy Scriptures for sale, at reduced prices, to the officers and crews of these ships; but, owing to the paucity of pecuniary means possessed by the scamen, he had only disposed of 390 Bibles and 207 Testaments, for the sum of 891. 4s. 10d. The Report further stated, that 590 ships, having 6,149 men on board, of whom 5,490 were said to be able to read, would have proceeded to sea without a single copy of the Holy Scriptures, had it not been for the seasonable bounty of this Society: besides the number sold, the Society's Agent had gratuitously distributed to the ships, for the use of their respective crews, 1,705 Bibles, and 4,068 Testaments.

Port of London Society, for promoting Religion amongst Seamen.

This Society, we are happy to learn, grows in the affection and gratitude of those for whose advantage Christian benevolence

has instituted it. Sailors attend willingly and numerously. At many of the morning services on board the Floating Chapel there have been more than 400 seafaring persons. The utility of this mean of attaining the avowed purpose of the Society, has been acknowledged by the Honourable East India Company, (whose immense treasures, always uninsured when at sea, give them a large interest in the morality and subordination of seamen) by a voluntary donation of one hundred pounds. The Parliamentary Commissioners, for the better regulation of the River Thames, have become, in the most handsome manner, unsolicited contributors to the Society's funds; and the Police Magistrates have spontaneously borne testimony to the beneficial tendency of the Port of London Society.

DOMESTIC.

Third Report of the American Bible Society.

[We have just received the Third Annual Report of the American Bible Society, which gives a view of the extensive operations of this INSTITUTION during the past year, and exhibits a body of facts which are highly cheering to the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who look through the medium of gospel light for the full accomplishment of the "latter day glory;" and facts, which are sure pledges of its future usefulness and suc

cess.

To the Report, which occupies sixty-five octavo pages, is added an Appendix of more than 100 closely printed pages, containing extracts from the Reports of Auxiliary, or other Societies, with which the Parent Institution has had correspondence, and letters from individuals, with an account of the proceedings of the most important Bible Societies in other parts of the world. We would inform our readers that on the list of Ministers of the Gospel who have become members of the Society for life by the contribution of thirty dollars and upwards, are the names of four hun dred and thirty-two, besides fifteen who have been made Directors for life by the contribution of $150 each; and, the largest part of these contributions for the Lord's treasury has been made by Females.

In this number of the Herald we commence making such extracts from the Report as are thought most interesting, and shall continue them, with such remarks as the subject may suggest and as time and room will permit.]

At the first organization of the Institution, it was announced to the public, that a main object of the Society is "not only to provide a sufficiency of well printed, and accurate editions of the Scriptures, but also to procure well executed stereotye plates for their cheap and extensive diffusion." This important measure has been pursued by the Board with much attention; and they have the pleasure of stating that the Society now own the following sets of plates, and of the following descriptions.-For the whole Bible in the English language, Three sets of octavo size;

one set of duodecimo size in Brevier type; and three sets of duodecimo size in Minion type. For the Scriptures of the New Testament in English, One set of duodecimo size in Bourgeois type.

In the last Report, it was mentioned, that of the stereotype plates for the Bible in the French language, to be sent out by the British and Foreign Bible Society, only those for the Old Testament had then been received. The remainder have since come to hand; and the Society, of course, have now a complete set of plates for the Bible in the French language. This must be viewed as an acquisition of importance, when it is considered how generally this language is spoken, not only in the Canadas, but in the southern territories now belonging to, or bordering upon, the United States.

In consequence of representations made to the Board as to the prospect of introducing the Scriptures into the parts of South America in which the Spanish language is spoken, the Board have also provided themselves with a set of plates for the New Testament in Spanish-so that the Society now own in the whole, eight sets of stereotype plates for the whole Bible, and two sets for the Scriptures of the New Testament.

One of the sets for the whole Bible, of the duodecimo size in Minion type, has been sent to Lexington, in the state of Kentucky, and placed with the Kentucky Bible Society, who commenced in January last to print from it an edition of two thousand copies. A set of the octavo size is now ready to be forwarded to the same Society. The others are in the immediate employment of the Board.

As the Board have thus been furnished with increased means of multiplying the Scriptures, they trust it will be found that they have been faithful in the improvement of them to the best advan tage. Of this some judgment may be formed when it is known that there have been printed for the Society during the last year, 47,320 copies of Bible, and 24,000 copies of the New Testament, which, together with the 29,500 copies of the Bible printed in the two former years, makes a total of 100,820.

These are exclusive of the edition of 2,000 copies, by this time printed from the plates sent to Lexington; and also of the Bibles in Gaelic, German, Welsh, and French, mentioned in the last Report, as amounting to 2,450, and which have been sufficient to meet the demand for the Scriptures in those languages until the present time. The whole making a total of 105,270 Bibles and Testaments, either obtained for circulation by the American Bible Society, or issued from its presses during the first three years of its existence. It is thought proper to add, that the present printing establishment is sufficiently extensive to furnish an average amount of 100,000 Bibles and Testaments annually.

The printing of the Scriptures in the Indian languages has, in the mean time, been prosecuted as far as circumstances have permitted. One thousand copies of the Gospel of John have been printed in the Mohawk language, and the same number of copies of the Epistles of John, in the Delaware. The Board wait for nothing but approved versions of the Scriptures into these languages, in order to go on and furnish the whole or most of the Bible to the Indians in their native dialects; and as the object has of late excited much interest in the minds of some who are able to render efficient aid, there is a prospect that it may soon be accomplished.

Of the New Testaments printed during the past year, 2,500 are in the Spanish language. The books have but recently been finished, and none of them are yet distributed. The Board have appointed a Committee for the purpose of collecting information as to the best mode of circulating them, who have opened a correspondence with gentlemen through whose instrumentality it is hoped much may be done to introduce the Scriptures among the inhabitants of South America. There is, perhaps, no country which has a greater claim than this to the attention of the American Bible Society. Forming a part of our own hemisphere, it is filled with a population, the numbers and resources of which seem to have been but lately developed to the other nations of the world; and it is now engaged in a struggle which subjects the inhabitants to the evils of a sanguinary war. The Board will not fail to embrace every opportunity of furnishing them with that Word of Truth which both "exalts a nation," and gives to man his best support and consolation amidst the horrors of bloodshed and civil strife.

The Missionaries of the United Brethren, or Moravians, have many years since opened a door for the introduction of the Scriptures among the Indians on our borders. Accordingly, 140 copies of the Epistles in the Delaware tongue were transmitted to the Rev. Mr. Leukenback, in the state of Ohio, to be distributed among the Indians under his pastoral care, and such others as may be within his reach. Three hundred copies of the Epistles of John were sent to the Rev. Mr. Dencke, of New Fairfield, Upper Canada, for the use of the Indians among whom he labours. In both places the gift was highly acceptable. Mr. Dencke distributed, in his church, the copies sent to him; and he writes that they were received not only with thankfulness, but with tears of joy, among old and young. The remainder of the two editions are held subject to future disposal.

In the distribution of the Scriptures throughout our own country, the Board have aimed at that impartiality and discretion which would prevent any from being displeased by delay to answer their application, and which at the same time would extend the first supplies to places in which there is the greatest need. Besides the issues sent to Auxiliaries, for which they pay,