patience; but I have no desire to recover, or even to live long. Don't grieve for me. Jesus is my Prophet, Priest, and King: therefore I have nothing to fear; no, not Death itself, for he is no longer the King of Terrors but a Messenger of Peace." About four o'clock, while in conversation with her, I discovered that my dearest Wife was dying; and was obliged to quit the room, to give vent to my feelings. Before I could speak, on my return, she said "Why do you grieve so"-and, clasping her arms round my neck, added, "I am very happy, though I now know that I am dying. I have no fear. I feel Jesus very precious: you should, therefore, rather rejoice with me that I am going from a world of wickedness to one of happiness...... Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ..... I feel more happy than words can express." I asked, "Do you think the Saviour will be with you as you pass through this dark valley?" She replied, "I know He will; for the Lord is my Shepherd," repeating the whole Psalın, and then adding The last clause is the crowning mercy of all!" "Well," I said, "The Lord has heard your prayer, and has nearly granted you your heart's desire, for you now really are dying." "Yes," she replied, "I am: thank God! I am.” I then asked many questions respecting her confidence in her God and Saviour. There did not appear to be a single doubt or fear on her mind as to her future happiness. She said that the Tempter would, at times, endeavour to harass her; "but I know," she added, "in whom I have believed; and I know that the Eternal God is my refuge, and underneath me are His everlasting arms. Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. He will never leave me nor forsake me!.... Oh, when shall I die to vanity, pain, death? When shall I die? When shall I live forever?" 66 I asked her if she would wish to make any alteration in the arrangements on which we had before agreed? No," she said, "I am happy to think that I have now nothing to do, but, like Moses, to go up into the mount, leave the world behind me, gently close my eyes, and fall asleep in my Redeemer, who I know liveth and whom I long to see." I asked her if she felt much pain or inward conflict: She said, "No: thank God, I am free from both." I asked if she had any thing more that she wished me to say to any one. "Yes," she replied: "give my dying love to my Mother, Sisters, and all my friends,in Africa, in Hereford and in London. Tell them all to trust more simply to Jesus, for they will find Him faithful.... He will change this vile body, that it may be like unto His glorious body.... Oh, how glorious My life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ who is my life shall appear, I shall appear with Him in glory." About an hour before she departed, she embraced me, and said, "I shall soon bid you a short farewell, but we shall meet again. May God ever bless you!-oh, how long, Jesus! Ilong to go!-Comfort my dearest Husband !"-She then pressed me to her, kissed me, and said, "I am nearly in Heaven!-Farewell !—and may God ever bless you, my dearest, dearest love!" After this heart-rending farewell, she fell into a composed sleep-but never opened her eyes again, nor even moved but thus sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, without a struggle or a groan ! The supports and consolations of Faith, so abundantly vouchsafed to this Christian Woman, should encourage all who labour and suffer according to the will of God to cherish her dying counsel, and to trust with filial simplicity in their God and Saviour. May He graciously endue all His servants among the Heathen with like Faith and Love! Proceedings and Entelligence. United Kingdom. BRITISH & FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. NINETEENTH REPORT. In the present Number we shall give an abstract of all such parts of this Report relative to the United Kingdom and the Continent, as have not been before noticed in our pages; reserving the other Foreign Proceedings for the next Survey. Stipends assigned to the Secretaries. Your Committee have to communicate a Resolution, which they have adopted after the most mature deliberation, that an Annual Salary of 3007. should, in future, be attached to the Office of Secretary to the Society. It is to be observed, that, in consequence of the gratifying success with which Divine Providence has favoured the British and Foreign Bible Society, the magnitude of its efforts and the variety of its relations have progressively increased; and have thrown upon its Secretaries an accumulation of labour and a weight of responsibility, which could not have been foreseen, and consequently was not in the contemplation of the Society when it accepted their gratuitous services. It is obvious that this prosperity has been materially promoted, so far as human means have been instrumental in producing it, by the indefatigable exertions of your Secretaries; and your Committee, deeply and gratefully impressed with a sense of the Christian zeal and disinterestedness, which have prompted the distinguished individuals, who have hitherto filled that office, to devote themselves gratuitously to this great work, cannot sufficiently express their unfeigned esteem and heartfelt acknowledgement for their invaluable services. But whatever gratification they may feel from these acknowledgments, in which every Member of the Society will cordially unite, it would be unbecoming the dignity of this Institution to require the gratuitous continuation of their labours. In adopting the amount stated, your Committee have been more influenced by an economical attention to the finances of the Society, than by the consideration of a compensation for services which no salary can adequately remu nerate. Increase of Free Contributions. The Committee would always bear in mind and gratefully acknowledge, that, in reporting their own proceedings, they are recording the results of the operations of Auxiliary Institutions. It is British and Foreign Bible Society upon their aid, that the stability of the depends; and from them, that the resources of its liberality are supplied. And it is, therefore with peculiar pleasure, that your Committee have to butions of Auxiliary Societies, in the report an increase in the FREE contripast year, to the amount of nearly NINE thousand pounds. They consider this fact, not only as indicating the con tinuance of zealous exertions in their cause; but also as affording proof, that the labours of this and other religious Societies have already met with some degree of success, in supplying the local wants of particular districts. And it has always been found, that those, who possess and can themselves appreciate the value of the Holy Scriptures, are the most anxious in their desires and endeavours to communicate to others so great a blessing. Issues of the Scriptures. The number of copies of the Scriptures issued from your Depository, during the year ending March 31, 1823, has been effects have in some measure been counteracted by pious and distinguished individuals; and by none more than Doctor Leander Van Ess, whose name, while it merits the affection of those of his own Communion, will long com1000 mand the esteem and respect of all sincere Christians. With such coadjutors, your Committee trust that the cause of Truth and Charity will finally prevail; and that the Word of God, which was graciously revealed for the illumination of the whole human race, will have free course and be glorified. 1500 Works completed during the Year. German Bible..... Copies. New Testament.. 5000 Spanish New Testament, Scio's Ver sion Italian Ditto, Martini's Version.. 20000 Greenland Ditto..... Hebrew Old Testament. Arabic Bible 3000 Mandjur Gospel of St. Matthew..... 550 French Testament, De Sacy. 20000 and Welch languages. Besides various editions in the English While the British and Foreign Bible Society most cordially rejoices in the acceptance with which its principle has been so extensively received, it is to be lamented, that there are nations professing Christianity, in which both its efforts and object are proscribed; and to which the perusal of the Scriptures, if not interdicted, is permitted only under restrictions calculated to deprive them of half their value and influence. This deplorable prejudice-which would exclude the light of heaven; which would deprive a famished world of the bread of life, prepared for its eternal sustenance, and deny to misery the balm of heavenly consolation has been deeply regretted, while happily its Union of the Institution and its Foreign Your Committee have now to express their cordial satisfaction, in which all the Members of the British and Foreign Bible Society will participate, at the uninterrupted continuance of that friendly intercourse, which has so long subsisted between their Institution and its Foreign Associates. A strict adherence to the simple principle of their Association is the base and cement of this happy union, which has proved the source of blessings to millions. Disclaiming all concern in political affairs, and all interference in the civil or religious establishment of this or any other country, the labours of the Society are exclusively directed to one object to communicate, in the widest extent possible, that which is the common property of all, the Code of Divine Inspiration; inviting the co-operation of all the Members of the Christian Community in its labour of love. NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY. Appeal for increased Support. AN Appeal in behalf of the Society has been circulated by the Committee, the chief parts of which we shall lay before our Readers. The Naval and Military Bible Society has been labouring, with varied success, for FORTY-THREE YEARS, to convey the glad tidings of salvation to that long neglected, but most important class of our countrymen who man our fleets and armies. During the continuance of a long and sanguinary war, many individuals, constrained by feelings of gratitude to those, who, under Providence, were the instruments of protection from the multiplied evils which deluged the rest of Europe, were ready to admit their claim as paramount to all others, and admitted it most liberally. But, in latter years, this spirit, to the prejudice of our brave Seamen and Soldiers, has greatly subsided: and many and painful have been the occasions, when, through want of funds, the Managers of this Society have been compelled to pause; and, to a certain extent, withhold the Word of Eternal Life from those who were earnestly beseeching the boon at their hands. It might be imagined, and that not unreasonably, that, on the arrival of peace, and the consequent reduction of a large naval and military establishment, the demands on the Society for the Scriptures would be proportionably diminished; but that this is an erroneous assumption will appear from the Abstracts of Issues and Receipts, hereto annexed, for the last three years of the war, 1812, 1813, 1814; and those of recent date, 1821, 1822, and 1825. Receipts and Issues during the last Three Years of the War. These abstracts demonstrate, that, in the war, the demands for Bibles were fewer, while the receipts of money were considerably greater; whereas, in the latter years of peace, above cited, the demand for Bibles has been much augmented, and the annual receipts of money greatly diminished. The copies of the Scriptures issued, during the last Three Years of the Peace, were 8906 MORE than during the last Three Years of the War: the Contributions by SAILORS and SOLDIERS themselves toward the purchase of the Scriptures, during the last Three Years of the Peace, were 10041. 6s. 10d. MORE than during the last Three Years of the War; while the Total Cash received, during the last Three Years of the Peace, was 37341. 8s. 8d. LESS than during the last Three Years of the War. The solution of this fact is to be sought for, in the formation of Regimental Schools; and in an increased desire in the Navy and Army to profit by the comparative leisure which they now enjoy, in searching the contents of that Volume which they had not the means of studying with sufficient diligence under the extremities and constant occupations of actual service. To those who love their Bibles, and hail this growing thirst for religious knowledge, this statement will not appear strange, nor this Appeal unnecessary: to them, and to all well-wishers of our Navy and Army (and where is the family that has not immediately or remotely some connexion in one or other of the services?) the Committee would say, "While you are contemplating the conversion of a world, let not your brethren at home, especially your Soldiers and Seamen, remain neglected: their numbers are still great, and their claims inferior to none." The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall stand. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL. REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1822. State of the Funds. Receipts of the Year. £. s. d. 492 19 6 1130 18 10 4072 5 1 Benefactions and Legacies.... 451 14 10 9412 10 0 In the separate account of the East-India College, it is stated that the Collections and Subscriptions have been 181/. 1s. 3d., and the Dividends 1955l. 8s. 4d.; and that the sum of 17007. has been paid on account of Salaries, 500l. in aid of the erection of a Church at Graham's Town in South Africa, and 2581. 15s. 4d. for Incidentals. Increase of the Society, A List of Contributing and Associated Members was given in the Report for 1820, which contained 587 names: the present List contains 1130. The Corporate Members are gradually diminishing by death, till reduced to the number stated in the Charter: they have decreased, in the two years, from 310 to 297. Fifty-three Diocesan and District Committees have been formed, in various parts of the kingdom, in aid of the Society. The Annual Sermon was preached by the Lord Bishop of Bristol, from Matt. vii. 28, 29. In our last Number, pp. 396401, we extracted from the Report the Rev. Mr. Mill's narrative of his Journey in various parts of the Peninsula of India. In the present, will be found the statements relative to British America. Other notices will be reserved for the Survey. will complete the number of European Teachers, which it is the design of the Committee to endeavour to maintain in those Schools. Mr. and Mrs. Pope, as we stated at p. 382 of our last Number, are proceeding in the best spirit to Africa. The Secretary, in addressing them in the name of the Committee, led them to the encouraging consideration, that if they were ready, as Christians, to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God, they had no reason to fear any consequences of going to Africa: for they were not rashly exposing themselves to danger out of had been providentially led to enter the path of duty. The Society on its labours in West Africa; and those labours had received, in a remarkable manner, the stamp of Divine Approbation: it was, there. fore, felt to be a plain duty not to forsake the work, but to pursue and extend it in every practicable way. While numbers are eager to run all risks of health and life in Africa for temporal advantage, a Christian Society and those who labour in connection with it, and whose sole object is the present and eternal good of the people, are not only justified in persevering in their labours through every difficulty, but would expose themselves to merited reproach if they should relax in their exertions. For themselves, they had taken the course which became them as Christians, in trying to ascertain the path of their duty: and they, who go out under a Society, which sends them forth after taking all due pains to ascertain its own line of duty in reference to such persons, may satisfy themselves, if they go in a right spirit, that they are going according to the will of God. In these views Mr. and Mrs. Pope expressed their entire concurrence, and begged the earnest prayers of the Members that they might be enabled to proceed to their labours in entire dependence |