though we should not, while here on the earth, see the day of Millennial blessedness, we shall be permitted to look down from the battlements of heaven, and behold all this world in complete subjection to Jesus Christ.

"O scenes surpassing fable, and yet true,

66

Scenes of accomplished bliss! which who can see,
Though but in distant prospect, and not feel
His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy.

One song employs all nations.—

The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks,—
Shout to each other, and the mountain-tops,
From distant mountains catch the flying joy,
Till, nation after nation taught the strain,
Earth rolls the rapturous hosanna round.”

Hallelujah; praise ye the Lord."

Appendix Q.

APPENDIX.

THE chief object of this Appendix is to give a brief historical and statistical sketch of the principal Benevolent Institutions referred to in the preceding Dissertations.

(A. p. 77.)

Bible Societies.

"THE British and Foreign Bible Society," the largest institution of the kind, was formed at London on Wednesday, March 7, 1804. At this meeting the celebrated Grenville Sharp presided. Addresses were delivered by William Alers, Esq., Robert Cowie, Esq., Samuel Mills, Esq., Rev. Messrs. Steinkopff, Hughes, and Owen. The Rev. Joseph Hughes, the Rev. Josiah Pratt, and the Rev. Mr. Steinkopff were appointed Secretaries. Mr. Pratt did not accept the office, and the Rev. John Owen was elected in his place. The first two articles of their constitution are:

1. "The designation of this Society shall be the British and Foreign Bible Society, of which the sole object shall be to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment; the only copies in the languages of the United Kingdom, to be circulated by the Society shall be the authorized Version."

2. "This Society shall add its endeavors to those employed by other Societies, for circulating the Scriptures through the British Dominions; and shall also, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mohammedan or Pagan."

Its officers are a President, a large number of Vice Presidents, a committee of thirty-six, who meet regularly for business the first Monday in every month; a Treasurer, two Secretaries, an Honorary Librarian, a Superintendent of the Translating and Editorial Department, several Honorary

Solicitors, an Accountant, and Assistant Foreign Secretary, a Depositary, a Collector, and seven Accredited Agents.

Officers of the Society.-The Right Hon. Lord Bexley is President; Rev. Andrew Brandram and Rev. George Browne, Secretaries; Rev. Joseph Jowett, Superintendent of the Translating and Editorial Department; and John Thornton, Esq., Treasurer.

The origin of the Society may be traced to the benevolent efforts of the late Rev. Thomas Scott, D. D. Interesting himself in 1787 to procure a supply of Bibles for the poor in Wales, the circumstance of his correspondence with a clergyman there, turned the attention of the public to the subject of distributing the Bible, wherever it might be needed, and thus prepared the way, after the lapse of seventeen years, for the establishment of the Society.* The Rev. Thomas Charles, of the established church in Wales, took a very active part in this cause in 1802.

The amount of contributions to the funds of the Society at its first anniversary in 1805 was £5,492 10s. 5d. and its disbursements £5,485 2s. 6d. The amount of funds received from all sources during the year 1838 was £97,237 10s. 11d. The expenditures amounted to £91,179 14s. 11d. The issues of the Society were 594,398, being 366,764 at home, and 226,634 abroad. The total issues since the commencement of the Society are 10,888,043. The number of Societies and auxiliaries connected with the British and Foreign Bible Society is 2,960. The distribution, printing, or translation of the Scriptures in whole or in part, has been promoted by the Society directly or indirectly in 136 different languages. The richest year of the Society, or that in which its income has been the largest, was the year 1820, when its receipts were £123,547 12s. 3d. Nearly all the Societies on the Continent are to a greater or less degree connected with the British and Foreign Bible Society. The auxiliaries of the Society, as acknowledged in the 27th Report, were 316; of which 216 are in England, 32 in Wales, 34 in Scotland, 3 in Ireland, and 31 in the colonies; namely, 12 in the British Territories of North America, 9 in the West Indies and South America, 6 in Asia, 3 in Africa, and 1 in Europe.

The number of Societies in Foreign parts, which though not auxiliary, have issued Bibles and Testaments with the aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society, is 60, namely, 54 in Europe, 4 in Asia, and 2 in America.

* Other accounts have been given of the origin of the British and Foreign Bible Society, but for this see Scott's Life, and the History of the British and Foreign Bible Society, by Mr. Owen. The first Report of the Society contains no notice of the way in which it originated.

The number of Languages and Dialects in which the Bible has been distributed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, either directly or indirectly, is 153. The Anniversary of the Society is always celebrated in London on the first Wednesday in May.

The "American Bible Society" has the same object in view as the British and Foreign Bible Society, and was instituted at New York in May, 1816. The labors of Samuel J. Mills contributed to this glorious event. The Society was formed by a convention of Delegates assembled for that purpose from various Bible Societies, which then existed in different parts of the country. The whole number represented by delegates, regularly appointed, was 29, besides which several were represented informally, by such of their number as were providentially present.

The Convention was organized by choosing Joshua M. Wallace, Esq. President, and the Rev. J. B. Romeyn, D. D. and the Rev. Lyman Beecher, Secretaries. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. Eliphalet Nott, D. D. The Convention first resolved on the expediency of forming, without delay, a general Bible Institution for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and then appointed a Committee to draft a constitution, and prepare an address to the public on the nature and objects of the Society. At a subsequent meeting this committee reported, and the Society was formed. The first two articles of the Constitution are:

1. "This Society shall be known by the name of the American Bible Society, of which the sole object shall be, to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment. The only copies in the English Language to be circulated by the Society, shall be of the version now in common use."

2. "The Society shall add its endeavors to those employed by other Societies for circulating the Scriptures throughout the United States and their territories: and shall furnish them with stereotype plates, or such other assistance as circumstances may require. This Society shall also, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mohammedan, or Pagan."

The officers elected were a President, 23 Vice Presidents, a Secretary of Foreign Correspondence, a Secretary of Domestic Correspondence, and a Treasurer. The first President was the Hon. Elias Boudinot, LL. D., the first Secretaries the Rev. Dr. J. M. Mason, and the Rev. Dr. J. B. Romeyn, and the first Treasurer Richard Varick, Esq.

The officers of the Society for the year 1838 are the Hon. John Cotton Smith, LL. D., President; the Rev. James Milnor, D. D., the Rev. Thomas M'Auley, D. D. and the Rev. John C. Brigham, Corresponding Secretaries; Rev. George Bush, Editor and Librarian; Abraham Keyser, Esq., Treasurer, and Joseph Hyde, Esq. General Agent. The business of the Society is conducted by a Board of thirty-six Managers, all laymen, one fourth part chosen annually.

The receipts of the Society are derived from the sale of Bibles and Testaments, from annual subscriptions, from lifememberships and directorships, from donations of individuals and societies, and from bequests. A contribution of $30 constitutes a person a member for life, and $150 a director for life.

The annual receipts of the Society from its commencement have been as follows:

The seat of the operations of the Society is the city of New York. Here a building has been erected of one hundred feet square, four stories high, with a court in the centre; in which are the offices of the Executive Officers of the Society; also the Hall of the Managers, the Depository for Bibles, and the printing and binding establishments. There are seventeen printing presses and a machine for rolling and stamping books, moved by steam power, connected with the building. One thousand Bibles could be printed and bound daily.

The Bibles printed by the Society are generally in the English language. Some, however, are prepared in the French and Spanish tongues; also in the modern Greek and Armenian and in several dialects of the Indians. Bibles are also imported and issued in many of the European languages. Since the formation of the Society, there have been issued from the Depository 2,353,298 copies of Bibles and Testaments. The issues of the last year were 34,000 Bibles and 108,000 Testaments, in English, German, Spanish and French. These Bibles and Testaments have been distributed in every