communion, and by competent and approved judges of the same communion, declared to be correct and faithful. Can they be Christians in more than name, who treat with such indignity the sacred depository of Christian faith and hope! Let our readers adopt, in behalf of these wretched men, the crucified Saviour's expiring prayer"Father forgive them, they know not what they do." From the Secretaries of the Liverpool Auxiliary Society. Nov. 1, 1832. At the request of the Committee of the Liverpool Auxiliary Bible Society, we beg to submit the following proposition to the kind consideration of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The Committee here have, for some time past, supplied emigrants proceeding to British America, and to Australasia, (viz. New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land) with grants of copies of the Holy Scriptures; of which many of them were destitute. But emigration has of late so increased, that our funds are inadequate to the purpose of continuing such supply. We therefore earnestly hope that the Parent Society will undertake this work of Christian benevolence; and we shall have great pleasure in acting as their almoners, and seeing that their bounty is properly applied. Some idea of the extent to which emigration has proceeded from this port may be obtained from the following statement. From the 1st of January to the 10th of September, 1832, the number of vessels and emigrants have been To British America, 60 vessels, 3000 emigrants. To Australasia, 10 vessels, 1500 emigrants. We have here a very intelligent agent, who would make it his business, person ally, to inquire into the condition of emigrants, with respect to their wants of the Holy Scriptures; and who would furnish us with a detailed Report of every case, for the information of the Parent Society. From a Minister in the North of Scotland. Oct. 29, 1832. Upwards of four years ago, I applied to your excellent Society for a supply of the Scriptures, for the people then under my charge; which they were pleased to grant on easy terms, and gratuitously to the indigent. This boon was received with gratitude by the people. Joining that with other similar favours which I have since obtained for the poor people now under my charge, I feel myself called upon to acknowledge myself under weighty obligations to the British and Foreign Bible Society. This parish is one of the largest and rudest parishes in Scotland: its length is 60 miles, its breadth above 20: the population about 3000, the one-half of which is Roman Catholick. We had till lately but one parochial school. This school could do but little to diffuse knowledge over so vast and darkened a surface. I have endeavoured to remedy this evil, by supplying the desideratum of schools. There are several subsidiary schools now in the parish. These schools are situate in localities where Popery chiefly abounds. The population of one of these districts is almost exclusively of that persuasion, amounting in number to upwards of 900 souls. In the winter of 1830, I made out a statistical sketch of their condition as to ordinary literary knowledge, of which the result is as follows: Whole population 985 read 337 In this necessitous district I have got a respectable school established. This extensive population is nearly totally ignorant of the contents of the Sacred Vo lume. No way occurs to me so effectual, or even practicable, for bringing them to the knowledge of divine truth, as introducing the Bible as a class book in the school: the children are in the first place familiarized with the word of God, and, through their instrumentality, its inestimable treasures may be unfolded to their parents. This is a pressing case. I trust, according to my earnest request, that your Society will grant me 200 copies of the Gaelick Scriptures; with power to distribute them gratuitously, in certain cases, among the scholars; say, as prizes to merit, or when the individual is very poor; and to dispose of them, in other instances, at such prices as may be procured, and for which I shall account, as you may direct. The one half of the above number of copies might consist of the New Testament only; the other half, it were desirable, should include both. From Dr. Pinkerton. Basle, July 18, 1832. From Bern, whence I last addressed. you, I proceeded to Neufchatel. Therę, as in Lutzerne, several persons whom I wished to have seen were absent; but I had much conversation with Mr. Narbel, the Minister of a small independent Church, of which there are now four in the Canton, to whom the King of Prussia has lately granted full toleration. Mr. Narbel says, that they have had cheering revivals, and that pious persons may now be counted by hundreds, in different parts of the country. How different from the state of things fourteen years ago, when I first visited Neufchatel! Mr. Narbel is one of the five Members of the Committee of the Society for Religious Books, to whom we have entrusted supplies of the Scriptures from Frankfort and Paris. The circulation is proceeding steadily, and the Scriptures are extensively read. I next visited the Moravian Establishment at Montmirail; where Mr. Richard, one of the Ministers, asked for a supply of 60 Bibles in German and French, with 20 Testaments for distribution in the usual way; which I promised to send to him. In this place I have had an interview with the venerable Antistes of Basle, President of the Bible Society, who gave me some favourable accounts of their transactions during the year. They had experienced, in a pleasing degree, the tendency of public affliction to promote personal piety. Since their unhappy civil contention began, their public and private meetings for religion have filled, and their missionary and other pious institutions have enjoyed a degree of public attention and support greater than they had ever received before. To the Swiss troops, who were quartered here for some time, they had distributed 9000 Testaments; of which about 2000 were given to Catholics and earried into the Catholic Cantons. How much the Bishop of Chur dreaded the effects of these books upon the men, will be seen from his Circular to his Clergy. The Antistes prayed for a fresh supply of 1000 Gossner's Testament, which 1 engaged to send them. From the Same. Stutgart, July 28, 1832. I left Basle on the 19th; and next day reached Freiburg, where I made the acquaintance of Professor Gessner, a welldisposed Catholic, who for some time past has been endeavouring to supply the students with the Scriptures which he received from Basle. He conducted me to Mr. Held, who told me, that, when Secretary to Wessenberg at Constance, he had circulated about 70,000 copies of the TesCh. Adv. Vol. XI. Leaving Freiburg, I proceeded, by way of Waldkirch, and Hornberg, through the ravines and mountains of the Black Forest, to the Moravian Settlement of Königsfeld. Having never been there before, I tried to gain as much information as possible respecting the state of the Scriptures among the surrounding population. In many parts of the famous German forest the families of the peasantry are well supplied with Testaments; and this has led numbers to apply to the friends in Königsfeld for the whole Bible, even in the trans lation of Luther. Other districts of this extensive tract of country, mostly covered with pine, and where the deep rocky glens, mountain torrents, and stony fields, draw forth the utmost efforts of the inhabitants to gain a scanty subsistence, are not yet adequately supplied with the Holy Scriptures. Dr. Franze, to whom I last year sent a grant of copies, told me, that he cannot obtain money for them, the people are so poor. I referred him to our rules, which allowed of gratis distribution where poverty forbade any returns. This being the residence of the Catholic Bishop, I resolved to call upon him, and endeavour to persuade him to aid the dis tribution of the Scriptures in his extensive diocese. Accordingly, about eight o'clock the following morning, I was introduced be to him in his garden, and met with a civil reception, and, after discussing the subject with all possible freedom on both sides for upwards of an hour, the Bishop begged to supplied with 1000 Van Ess's and 200 Gossner's Testaments; which he engaged to distribute according to our rules, and render an account. He said, he believed that he could do much good among his people in putting the Testament into their hands, especially in these times; adding, that his diocese included 462,000 souls. He finally begged for an Italian and a French Bible, for his own use; which I promised to send him. This act of the Bishop's will encourage the Clergy in the work, whom I have supplied with copies during this tour; and enable them to proceed with less fear of censure. From the Rev. George Scott. Stockholm, Oct. 5, 1832. The Agency have granted several * Established by Dr. Paterson, in his bast visit to Sweden. S Auxiliary Society. Barbadoes, August 30, 1832. small parcels of Bibles and Testaments to From the Secretaries of the Barbadoes persons residing in Stockholm and the neighbourhood, and are happy to discover a disposition to exertion and inquiry on the great subject they have before them. As the beginning of good days, the Agency respectfully transmit the following circumstances, which are of very recent oc currence: A pious peasant from Sonala, in the diocese of Arke, twenty-eight Swedish (about 170 English) miles from Stockholm, called on Pastor Warnke here, and mentioned, that in the parish where he resided he knew many earnest seekers of salvation, who frequently met together to edify 501. as the first fruits of our labours in A few weeks ago we sent you a Bill for this island. In a short time we hope to be enabled to forward you another Bill of the same amount*, the Treasurer having about 30l. in hand. Subscriptions are still coming in, and the sales are going on. Agent, the Rev. James Thomson, we have Since the departure of your respected formed a Ladies' Society, to co-operate with the Auxiliary in town. We have Wesleyan Missionary, and two other Memalso requested the Rev. James Rathbone, bers of the Committee, now residing Parish of Christ Church; but they have there, to form a Branch Society for the not yet succeeded. each other. Pastor Warnke informed him of the generous proceedings of the British and Foreign Bible Society, whereby Bibles and Testaments might be obtained by the poor at an exceedingly low price, or even without money if the case seemed to warrant a gift. Scarcely had this peasant arrived at his parish, when, in the midst of several serious persons, he heard a female declare, that she had not in her possession a single religious book of any sort, and would rejoice to have such, in which she could read at leisure hours: our peasant related what Pastor Warnke had said regarding Bibles and Testaments, and those present collected 32sk banco (about 1s.), which they sent to Stockholm, and with great thankfulness presented, to purchase a Bible for the poor yet pious woman. A young and zealous but not rich workman here has, for some time past, employ ed his few leisure moments in visiting the cottages of the poor, to inquire ire whether they possess the word of God; and has discovered a lamentable deficiency. Many of these have, with tears of grateful joy, received a Bible or a New Testament at a reduced price: to some a gratis distribution has been made. This man met an interesting boy in the street, and asked him if he possessed a Testament: the boy answered in the negative: being further asked if he wished to have one, and how much he could afford to give, he answered, he anxiously desired such a book, but could not possibly give more than 8sk (a little more than 3d.): a New Testament was produced from the pocket of the inquirer; and the boy, on receiving it, clasped his hands together, and in the middle of the street praised God for at last sending him what he had long desired. Twenty-four soldiers, who have for some time been in Stockholm from a distance, and are about to return home, hearing from the same man that they could obtain New Testaments at a reasonable rate, bought 24 copies, paying 16sk banco for each. Bridge Town, which contains about 30,000 inhabitants, has been divided into Districts; and Visiters have been appointed to each. They have visited a each house; and have found that by far considerable part of the town, calling at the greatest part of the people are destieither a Bible or Testament; and the getute of the word of God: many never had nerality of those that had, lost them in the dreadful hurricane of 1831. In a few distressed cases, where they were likely to Bibles or Testaments: but they have prebe well used, the Committee have given ferred selling at cost price; and have met the amount in small weekly or monthly inthe plea of poverty, by engaging to receive stalments. In this way we have circulated 87 Bibles and 67 Testaments. We have of Bibles is nearly exhausted; and we are many Testaments on hand, but our stock much afraid that we shall not be able to meet the demands of those who have begun and are expected to begin to pay for them in small weekly or monthly sums: we therefore beg you will be kind enough to send us a supply, by one of the first ships bound for Barbadoes. From Correspondents at Toulouse. Aug. 17, 1832. of the 2d instant, and beg to offer our sinWe have been favoured by your Letter cere thanks for the friendly expressions it cor.tains. Your aim and ours is the same of our Heavenly Father has been to save -to spread that word, by which the will believers. To your Society it has been given to be, in His hand, the powerful inLight of the world; and every Christian strument of gathering nations round that can but deem it a high privilege to be allowed, in assisting your exertions, to * This has been since received. render to his fellow men the most important of all services. To you, who have the immense advantage of living in a land where the Bible is an honour, and where, though prejudiced minds may deny it, the influence of the Bible is exerted, spreading the Bible is an act of faith: to us, Sir and much honoured Brother, who are call. ed upon to water a parched land, and to spread the word of God where it has hardly been known, faith is often changed into sight. The distributions that have taken place have produced already a visible effect: the authority of the Bible, so long discarded, is assuming its due importance on the minds of many, and preparing abundant fruit for the time of the Lord. That word is now creeping into multitudes of families, in almost every village and town: there it may remain hid for a while; but soon, when the spirit of inquiry shall be more universal, it will be referred to as the only infallible guide. Never did the moment appear to us more important: the struggles and oppositions we meet are a certain evidence of the immense good which is preparing. The conversion of M. De B, and the great sales of New Testaments which have taken place in that part of the country, have caused a great indignation among some of the clergy; of which the following extract from the Letter of one of our pedlars (a Roman Catholick) will give you an idea. It is dated Aug. 12, 1832:-"I have received your last envoy of New Testaments at Montrejeau: it would have been sold instantly, had not the priests exerted themselves to prevent their sale: the very day they arrived, they preached that the books I sold were very bad." We have written instantly to the pedlar a very long Letter, to be communicated to the priests of the different parishes where the New Testaments have been burnt, and to all those he may visit. We deplore, in our Letter, the blindness of those, who call themselves Christians, and condemn the book on which Christianity rests: we explain this circumstance, as the continuance of that spirit of opposition which, our Lord himself announces, would ever pursue truth and its disciples: we deplore this error; and express the heartfelt pity we experience for those who, thinking to withstand men, wage war against God. We then explain our aim in spreading the Bible; and forcibly represent the state of immorality and unbelief in which multitudes are plunged, and our deep conviction that the word of the Lord is alone powerful, and the only means of bringing them again to faith and good works. We then discuss the question of the Edition of De Sacy being Roman Catholick; and give them the copy of the Certificate delivered to one of our pedlars by the Bishop of Montauban, of which the following is a translation: "Montauban, April 14, 1832. "I thank Mr. B for the present of the Bible and New Testament, of the edition of 1831. A long examination was not necessary to convince me that the latter is in every respect conformable to the edition of 1759, by M. le Maistre de Sacy, with the approbation of the Clergy of France. There is, therefore, no objection to its circulation among Catholicks. "Signed, "L. GUIL, Bishop of Montauban." We trust this Letter will produce some effect. We have tried to unite Christian charity with the expression of the deep affliction we have experienced on learning that the word of God has been burnt: this affliction has been great: but we are comforted by the conviction, that if the blood of Martyrs has ever been the seed of the Church, how much more shall the ashes of the divine word become the principle of a spirit of investigation among those who have been the witnesses of its burning!and perhaps even the priests themselves will feel remorse, and, seeking to excuse their action in their own eyes, will read the Bible to find precedents, and may by that means be brought to Him, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. MEASURES TAKEN TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER ASAAD SHIDIAK WERE LIVING. The story of Asaad Shidiak is known to all the friends of Evangelical missions throughout the world. There is little if any remaining doubt, that he has died a martyr to the faith of the gospel, under the cruel and relentless persecution of the Maronite Papal Patriarch of Canobeen, in Syria. But the following account of the measures taken to ascertain the fact of his death, which we extract from the Missionary Herald for February, is deeply interesting, and conveys important information on the change that has taken place in the state of things in Sy-. ria and the Holy Land-a change most auspicious, we hope, to the success of evangelical missions in that extensive and most interest ing part of the world-The fortitude, decision, and perseverance of Mr. Tod, must command the admiration of every reader-We publish about half the account this month, and hope to insert the remainder in our next number. In the last number, says the Missionary Herald, mention was made of a journal of Mr. Tod, an English merchant at Beyroot, relating to a recent excursion to the convent at Canobeen, to ascertain whether Asaad Esh Shidiak were living. Extracts from that journal will now be given. It was addressed to the Rev. Isaac Bird, mis sionary of the Board at Beyroot, and dated June 26, 1832. It will be observed, that twelve days elapsed from the time the Emeer Besheer became acquainted with the object of the visit to Acre to Mr. Tod's arrival at Canobeen; so that, in all probability, the Maronite patriarch had notice of his coming in time to remove Asaad to another place, if living. The journal, however, increases the probability of his death, which was before very strong. Rev. and Dear Sir-On passing through Sidon, on my way to the camp of Ibrahim Pasha, I made a proposal to your worthy friend Wortabet to accompany me, which he gladly accepted; and a boat being found on the point of starting for Haifa, we immediately got on board and put to sea. Scarcely had we cleared the harbour, when this zealous and devoted servant of God commenced preaching in Arabick to the crew and passengers. They were a mixed company of Mohammedans and Christians, and I was much struck with the attention with which they listened to the discourse. It was an exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, and part of the Gospel of John. From these he discoursed more than two hours, and then entered into an examination of some points of Mohammedan doctrine, particularly their Ramadan fast, during which they were required to eat and drink nothing from morning to night, for a whole month. This, he said, could not be of divine origin, because not of universal application; instancing the inhabitants of high latitudes, where there was perpetual day for weeks and months together. This staggered them; but one of the more intelligent of them said they might fast by means of a watch: to this it was answered the Koran does not specify a period of so many hours, but expressly says from sun rise to sunset. Next day (May 30th) we arrived at Haifa, where we found a battalion of Egyptians, several of whom I found drink ing wine publickly. Indeed the wine stores are always full of these men, but in other respects they showed excellent discipline. The following morning I set out in company with Wortabet and my brother P. for Acre, situated at the other side of the bay, and distant about seven miles. We proceeded by land, and met a convoy of sick and wounded, coming on cavalry horses to the Egyptian hospitals on mount Carmel. Shortly afterwards the dead bodies, which we observed floating on the water, announced our approach to a late scene of conflict. Acre had been taken by assault the preceding Sunday; but Ibrahim Pasha was three miles from the city, in the summer residence of his predecessor, who had already been sent off to Egypt. We arrived there at four P. M. and were immediately directed to the hall of audience. As soon as the Pasha perceived us approaching, he welcomed us in that engaging manner for which his father, Mohammed Ali, is so celebrated, and the usual Oriental salutations were exchanged. Wortabet cut them short, however, by requesting a private audience. "Instantly," said the Pasha, and rising, led us into his cabinet. "Now, dragoman," said he, "do you interpret exactly what the gentleman has to say." The Pasha having been informed who I was, of the acquaintance I had with his father in Egypt, and so on, I directed Wortabet to open the subject of our visit in the manner we had agreed upon; when he began "We have come to tell your highness of a most important matter, one which is of deep interest to many on both sides of the great ocean." "Well, what is the matter?" W. "It is a thing which is a shame to all countries and kings, a thing which has been done contrary to all justice and right, and which there has been no one to inquire into." Pasha. "What is it?" W. "A certain man by the name of Asaad Esh Shidiak, was instructor in Arabick to some American gentlemen in this country, and while in this employment, it so happened that he heard many things contrary to his religious opinions in which he had been educated. This led him to search into the holy book which is the foundation of the Christian religion, and he discovered that many of his opinions were wrong. So he determined to give up his errors and follow that book. But the Maronite patriarch, hearing of this, was angry, and commanded him to continue to worship his images, and such like, and finally threw him into prison, where, if alive, he has been lying seven years, and there is nobody to inquire into the cause of his imprisonment." |