which the finger of justice, no less than of piety, has written upon the grave of a Hardcastle, and a Donaldson, and a May, and a Williams, and others that have followed them down to the chambers of death. But let us be grateful, my friends, that two names yet remain of great importance to our Institution. Long may the sheltering arm of Omnipotence be stretched over their heads. Far distant be the day when the melancholy task shall be assigned to those who survive them, to pass the well-earned eulogium on their sepulchres. Let us rejoice that our indefatigable Secretary, and our active and able Treasurer, are still spared

to us.

What

In every society there must be some on whom the onus of activity must rest; and we know how much lies upon the two pillars of our Institution, whose names I have just mentioned.* It should be recollected that gratitude is practical, and not a feeling of the heart which is to be suffered to evaporate in mere words. do we thank the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Directors for? Literally and truly for spending our money; and, if they had not spent it this year, instead of thanking them we should have united in a vote of censure. Hence, then, if we really are sincere in thanking them for spending this money, we shall give full proof of our gratitude during the year to come, by pouring in the streams of our liberality, to replenish their partially exhausted funds. You have heard that they have contracted a sort of debt, that debt is their glory; if you suffer it to remain it will be your disgrace, &c. &c.

To leave off where I began, let us recollect my friends, that we are dying creatures. The opportunity of helping this cause may not long be granted to any of us. Since I last had the honour of addressing you, I have been at the mouth of the tomb, and, I trust, came back from it with a deeper impression of the necessity of working while it is called To-day for soon the tongue that speaks to you, may cleave to the roof of my mouth; and the right hand which God has given to you also may soon lose her cunning. Let us recollect that the King of Terrors does not stand leaning upon an inverted spear, hearkening to our speeches, and suspending all his operations in the world. No; the work of death goes on; the shafts fly rapidly both at home and abroad: the heathen are dying around us, and we are dying with them, and God grant that when the moment of dissolution shall arrive, we may hear that plaudit from the lips of our great judge, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy

Lord."

THE CHAIRMAN.-To stand as the Treasurer of this important Society at any time is an object that might well appal the feelings and excite the fears of any individual; but to stand before you as the successor of one whose service had been so long rendered,

* The Treasurer and Secretary.

and the value of which has been so justly and deeply felt, is a situation from which any individual might well retire. I felt it, when, three years ago, you did me the honour to invite me to fill up that place which his infirmities obliged him to relinquish; and I feel it more and more to this day. And, my friends, I beg leave to mention one circumstance which peculiarly marks the dispensation of Divine Providence in the election which, when you established this Society, you were directed to make of him. His cool, his candid, his patient, his calm disposition, was well suited to promote the advantage of your cause.

ADDRESS TO THE RELIGIOUS PUBLIC.

[The remarks in the following address from an English Magazine, are so just, and, at the same time, so applicable to the situation of our own country, that we, with pleasure, give it a place in the Herald.]

THE Missionary Societies have been the honoured parents of many noble institutions to subserve the designs of philanthropy and religion. They have begotten a generous spirit, which, notwithstanding the pressure of the times, has only increased in vigour as it has been surrounded with difficulties. Since their existence among us, how many similar institutions have blessed the world. They have aroused the dormant energies of our own land, and the influence of their example has been felt in the dreary deserts of Africa, and on the banks of the idolized Ganges. To look at our numerous institutions of benevolence, it would seem as if every barren spot of Britain were occupied; but there remaineth yet much land to be possessed!' Some of our markettowns, and a considerable number of our villages, are yet destitute of that Gospel, which is received with joy by the brutal Hottentot, and the bigoted Hindoo; and Otaheite is a well watered garden, compared with some of the districts at home; and shall we not care for our own household, and promote piety at home, as well as send the gospel to distant lands? The propagation of the gospel in our villages, is an object of greater importance than many imagine. It would, under the Divine blessing, increase our churches; the increase of our churches would increase our means of usefulness in agents and funds; and the increase of our means would enable us still further to send the light of salvation. to the remote parts of the world.

The need of such a society is too plainly evinced. No where is religion so awfully neglected as in our own villages. In many of them, the means of even moral instruction are very scanty; and in the generality of them, the most daring profanity prevails. A few plain facts, that have already transpired, will perhaps

plead more powerfully on this subject than a host of lengthened arguments. In the vicinity of Banbury, on the borders of Buckinghamshire, there are sixty-five villages destitue of religious culture, and instruction cannot be afforded for want of means. In North Devon, there are 40,000 souls in one district, perishing for lack of knowledge. In Worcestershire, there are 166,000 inhabitants, and only 10,000 hear the gospel. Herefordshire is a "land of darkness;" and the extreme northern counties "know not God." Sussex is not half enlightened; and even in Surry, where efforts have long been made for the inhabitants, near 100 villages are destitute of the means of grace. Minor Societies are totally insufficient to send the gospel through the kingdom. County Associations can do but little against an evil of so much magnitude; and those counties that are in the most dreary state, have the least means of assistance. Something must be done on a large scale to storm the strong holds of Satan, and to aid the minor institutions. What Missionary Societies are doing abroad, must be done at home, and the efforts of the Hibernian, Irish, Evangelical, and Baptist Irish Societies, must be concentrated in a similar grand combination for our own land. There is indeed "a Baptist Itinerant, and British Missionary Society," as well as the local societies to which we have alluded; but it must be evident, that all these united must occupy but a small space of the vast field of labour which the spiritual deserts of Britain present for cultivation. A Society has, therefore, been formed for the establishment of HOME MISSIONS, under the title of THE ALBION UNION for promoting the Spread of the Gospel at Home. Its design is to send out labourers to preach the gospel in the dark parts of the kingdom; to encourage efforts made for the same object; to establish schools; and to employ other means likely to forward the great work; and it calls upon all the friends of religion to co-operate in its exertions, and to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Extracts from Speeches delivered at the fifteenth Anniversary. (Continued from page 340.)

The Rev. WILLIAM ROBY." My Lord, I found my anticipations of the happy results of the Society, not merely on the nature of its constitution, but likewise on matters of fact, which have come within my own observation. As an official Member of one of our Auxiliary Societies, I have had an opportunity of noticing its operations on a considerably enlarged scale; and also of witnessing its harmonizing influence, in producing a union of diffe

rent classes and denominations of Christians; a union of heart, and a union of operation.

"And why, my Lord, should we not all cherish this kind of union? Because we cannot agree in all points, shall we, therefore, be determined to be hostile on every point? Shall we continue to treat one another as the Jews and Samaritans of old? Have we learnt so little from religion, as not to be convinced, that it is our duty to strive together for the propagation of the Scriptures? Are we afraid of contracting too much of the character of primitive Christianity, when the multitude of them that believed were, amilst their lesser differences, of one heart, and one soul? Are we afraid of approximating too near to the glory of the latter days, when Ephraim shall not vex Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim? Are we afraid of imbibing too much of the atmosphere of heaven? But, my Lord, I am wandering from the subject: my feelings have carried me away. I was attempting to describe particularly the effects of our Auxiliary Society. I have witnessed the great necessity of such Institutions, and the great advantages arising from them; and therefore trust I shall be excused for having expatiated so much at length on a topic so dear to my heart."

:

The Right Hon. CHARLES GRANT, M. P. Secretary of State for Ireland." My Lord, who is there that does not delight to join in Associations, the ohjeet of which is to promote ordinary consolations, and to suggest ordinary hopes and can there be indifference in any mind to the interests of a Society like this-a Society whose character is pre-eminently that of hope and consolation? And what words are those, my Lord, in the midst of a suffering and sorrowful world? A Society of hope-of what hope? Not the hope that belongs to earth, not the hope that inspires the enterprises of the mere politician-not the hope that harnesses the chariot of conquest, or spreads the canopy of empire;-but the hope that dwells in the sanctuary, the hope that watches by the sick bed, and kneels beside the tomb.-A Society of consolation also, and what is that consolation, and for what misery? Not the misery of feverish hopes, and wicked passions;-not the misery of blasted ambition, and designs of iniquity withered in the bud;-but the misery of the loss of those whom we have loved,the misery of those pangs of separation, which blot from our eyes all the charm and fascination of life :-and the consolation which this Institution presents, is commensurate (and I can say no more of it) to the agony of that distress.

"My Lord, a few years ago, when I had the honour of presenting my sentiments to this audience; at least to the audience then present at our Anniversary Meeting; and, perhaps, I might still almost use the expression, "this audience;" for surely it is not impossible that many who then partook in our pleasure, and swelled our acclamations, are even now, though invisible to mortal

eyes, watching over the proceedings in which we are engaged :but when I last had the honour of standing here to express my sentiments, I ventured to anticipate a period, when, from the borders of remote rivers, and unknown lands, the delegates of kindred societies should crowd around us, to offer their homage to the Parent Institution; and, in proof of that universal charity which we attempt to diffuse, to join in our common adoration of the God and Father of all mankind: little, however, did I then imagine that we should so soon see the day when that anticipation should begin to be accomplished, and accomplished, not (as I then imagined) from the borders of unknown rivers and distant regions, but accomplished in the instance of that very nation with whom we were then in a state of hostility, and a hostility which appeared almost irreconcileable. Yes, my Lord, we have been compared to conquerors, and our conquests have indeed outstripped those of any which history records; but, in this instance, we appear to act the part, not merely of adventurous, but of wise conquerors. Having widely extended our triumphs, we now proceed to consolidate the empire we have won. Having carried our bloodless victories to the extremities of the globe, we now return to confirm and unite our power nearer home. We strengthen its foundations, we secure its safety, by establishing a cordial and intimate sympathy with our neighbour kingdom,—our sister kingdom, I will rather call it,-of France. It was a saying of Louis the Fourteenth, when he formed a confederacy with Spain, "The Pyrenees are no more." My Lord, the British Channel and the Straits of Dover are no more!-The Alps and the Appennines are no more!-The mighty ocean between this country and India is no more!—Who has not followed the steps of those who, warmed with the spirit of this Institution, have gone forth to plant, in distant regions, the Christian Religion? Who has not followed the steps of Martin? Who has not sympathised with his feelings? Who has not traced his sorrows and his sufferings, and felt almost at home while weeping over his tomb in a strange land?

"My Lord, I may congratulate your Lordship on the pleasing and triumphant prospects which yet await us. We are confident, because we have found that our former anticipations have not been falsified. We are confident, because we trust in the same resources which have supplied us with strength and with success. And what a ground of glorious anticipation is open for us, when we recollect the progress of opinion and of the human mind, during the last thirty or forty years! We have seen every species of enlightened charity established; we have seen the noblest plans of benevolence realised; we have seen crimes, which for centuries had been the disgrace of this country and the scandal of our holy faith, abandoned as by a common impulse of the whole people.

"Amidst all those institutions however that have been rising