gratefully received by the fick and **wounded in that garrison; and that, had Zit not been for the prompt attention of this Society, thofe gallant fufferers would have been left totally destitute of the Scriptures, as the fupply of books forwarded by the Chaplain-General for the military hospitals at Cadiz, had not, at that time, reached their destination. The Committee continued to meet the applications for Bibles from Officers of the Navy and Army to whom this Society had become known; and, it will appear, on reference to the thips, regiments, &c. fupplied, that 2,135 Bibles, and 518 Teftaments have been diftributed during the last year. But, as the Committee learned, with much concern, from various quarters,, that there was a general and lamentable want of the Scriptures in the Navy and Army; and were convinced that the officers and men of both fervices were but very partially acquainted with the exiftence of this Society, they determined to adopt fuch measures as appeared to them likely to give greater publicity to the Inftitution; and, at the fame time, to afford them more detailed and accurate information as to the number of Bibles in the poffeffion of the failors and foldiers, and the further proportion likely to be required for their use. The Committee accordingly iffued letters, which, though hitherto confined to officers commanding fhips and regiments on home ftations only, have already produced applications for no less than 26,827 copies of the Scriptures; which applications are stated, by the officers tranfmitting them, to have been actually made by individual failors and foldiers. These requests from our countrymen in arms were highly gratifying to the Committee, and will, no doubt, excite in the breaft of every member of the Naval and Military Bible Society, an ardent with to meet fuch folicitations, especially as proceeding from thofe very men, through whom, under Divine Providence, we are preferved in the peaceable enjoyment of Civil and Religious Liberty. From the ftate of the finances, however, the Committee have hitherto felt their utter in ability to answer more than a few of the moft urgent of these applications; a compliance with the whole of them, would have created an expense of between 4 and 5,000l. The Committee therefore, confined their fupplies to fuch fhips and regiments as were almoft or altogether, (as feveral were,) without a fingle Bible. In this extremity, the Committee ne ceffarily turned their minds to the cons fideration of fome mode, whereby to ob tain pecuniary aid in a degree proportioned to the exigencies of the Society; every individual was called upon to exert himself to procure donations and fubfcrip、 tions amongst his own circle of friends and acquaintance; much has been ac complithed, and yet more may be done in this way; and confidering the impor tant poft occupied by this Society, the Committee urge it upon each member, to apply himself diligently to the improvement of the funds of the Inftitution. It was further fuggefted, that great and beneficial effects might arife from an appeal to the public from the pulpit, on the 5th of Feb., being the day appointed for a general Faft; under this idea, the Committee drew up a brief statement, exhibiting the objects of this Society, the ftate of its funds, and its deficiences, and they took other effential steps previously to the circulation of the general addrefs then in contemplation: individual appli cations were also made to perfons likely to give an influence and a fanction to this proceeding; fuch opinions were confulted as promifed.defirable information, and ultimately 2000 copies of a general address were tranfmitted to clergymen and other minifters in various parts of the kingdom. The measure fucceeded beyond what had been expected, as the fums collected by these means amounted to 2012/. 168, 44d, independently of 2027. 24. as donations, and 514. 6s. by new Annual Subscriptions. The Committee having reported upon • the moft material points connected with the Finances of this Society, fubmit an abstract of the receipts and expenses of the paft year; and in adverting to the balance now remaining in the hands of the Treasurers, it is with concern they feel it their duty to ftate, that they are ftill very far from being enabled to meet the demands made upon the Society from fhips and regiments on home stations only; the wants of our brave defenders employed in the fleets and armies abroad, have as yet been but partially supplied; the Committee, therefore, urgently foli cit the clergy, and all other Christian mihifters, to renew and continue their exertions, and, at the fame time, it is their with to imprefs upon the Members of the Naval and Military Bible Society in particular, and upon an enlightened and libera! Public in general, that they cannot give a better proof of love to their Country, loyalty loyalty to their King, and (above all) of regard to their most holy Religion, than by cordially uniting to afford this Inftitution the means of accomplishing its grand and important object, by putting The Bible into the hands of every British failor and foldier defirous of reading it. The Committee add, that in their re cent purchases of Bibles and Teftaments, they have procured copies of a good fize and type for the use of the navy and the hofpitals, that the complaints which have in fome inftances been made, refpecting the fmallness of the print for common readers, and especially on board thip, may in future be obviated. They have alfo been fuccefsful in their efforts to obtain, from the Universities at Oxford and Cambridge, a fupply of above 2900 Bibles, and 6000 Teftaments, of a clear type, and of fo fmall and conve nient a fize, as to be peculiarly adapted 10 the use of our army employed on fervice in the field; the Principal and Syndies of the University of Cambridge, having obligingly undertaken, at the inftance of this Society, to ftrike off 4000 copies of a Teftament fimilar to that forming a part of a pocket Bible, (pearl type) now in the prefs. The attention of the Committee has also been engaged in arrangements for the better prefervation of the Bibles and Teftaments diftributed by this Society, by improvements in the binding, and by adding clafps; which will, it is hoped, render them much lefs liable to injury, when ftowed in the feaman's cheft, or packed in the foldier's knap fack. The Committee have been enabled, during the past year, to double the number of Naval and Military ftations, whereat this Society had depôts of Bibles; which measure will tend greatly to facilitate the diftribution, and eventually to diminish the expenfe of carriage. Since the formation of this Society, in 1780, nearly 50,000 Bibles, befides a great number of Teftaments, have been gratuitously difpenfed to British failors and foldiers; and the Committee have received many pleafing and fatisfactory teftimonies from officers of different ranks, as to the advantages they have cbferved to be produced in the moral characters of the men under their command, by the perufal of the Infpired Volume. Within a fhort period, a new and ftriking feature has prefented itself in immediate connexion with the Military Establishment of this country, by the formation of Regimental Schools, under the patronage of the highest authern, This improvement, however, in the ar cle of Military Education, will netedarily augment the claims on this Socies, which may now be expected to contr bute largely to the cultivation of relig knowledge in thefe early Military Infitetions; and the Committee conceive that only one feeling can be excited on this fubject, and that the feeling fo excited, will naturally induce the Society to afond aid to the establishments in question. In thus adverting to the wide (phere opened for the education of foldiers and their children, the Committee are of op nion they cannot better support their re commendation, (that measures should be adopted for fupplying the Regimenal Schools with Bibles and Teftaments) than by a quotation from the General Orders of His Royal Highnefs, the Com mander in Chief, dated the 1ft Jan. 1812. "It muft ever be remembered that the main purposes for which the Regimental Schools are establifhed, are, to give to the foldiers the comfort of being affured, that the education and welfare of their children are obje&ts of their Sovereign's paternal folicitude and attention; and to raife from their offspring a fucceffion of LOYAL SUBJECTS, BRAVE SOLDIERS, and GOOD CHRISTIANS." Such purpotes it must be allowed are entitled to the higheft commendation, whether confidered in a religious, a moral, or a poli tical light: and means more effectual cannot be used for the accomplishment of the end propofed, than by affording the foldiers and their children an oppor tunity of becoming well acquainted with the doctrines and precepts of the Bible. Under thefe impreffions the Committee recommend, in the moft urgent manner, fuch an amendment or alteration in the laws of this Society, as will empower Schools with the requifite proportion of them in future to fupply the Regimental Bibles and Teftaments, for the use of the foldiers and their children, for whole joint education these valuable inftitutions have been established. The Committee confider it advifable to recommend a flight alteration in the 12th Law of this Society, which limits the ufual distribution of Bibles and Tel taments to one Book (of either deferip tion) among ten individuals: for the Committee are of opinion that the diftr bution of Bibles, (even under the prefent circumstances of the Society's finances,) should extend beyond that proportion; Now the 14th. sad and that a further grant of Teflaments should be fanétioned, at the difcretion of the Committee, to meet the numerous applications which ftill remain unanfwered. During the correfpondence of the paft year, the Committee have met with inftances wherein the neceffity and utility of this Inftitution have been queftioned, on the one hand by perfons conceiving that no good is likely to arife from the diftribution of Bibles amongst our failors and foldiers, and on the other by thofe who, though friendly to that measure, are not fatisfied as to the neceffity for the continuance of a separate fociety for the purpose. The Committee, therefore, in concluding their report, remark briefly, that with refpect to the former objection, (which happily is now but rarely advanced,) the teftimony from Naval and Military Officers in favour of the perufal of the Scriptures by their men, ought to be deemed fufficient to confute fo erroneous an opinion; as to the latter objection, which is more common, the Committee observe, that they at: perfuaded there are many and weighty reafons for its not being confolidated with any other Inftitution; it poffeffes high and honourable patronage, and pecuniary fupport, which it is of the greateft importance should not be relinquished; and as many of its benefactors do not unite with inftitutions engaged in the diftribution of the Scriptures to other claffes of fociety, it is evident that the aggregate good done, is confiderably augmented by the continuance of this Inftitution. The Committee obferve, that they might adduce many other powerful arguments, to prove that this Society is entitled to the Countenance and fupport of every Chriftian, and of all true patriots: but that they will content themfelves with inquiring, whether it muft not be very gratifying and encouraging to our failors and foldiers, when far removed from their native land-contending with the dangers of the fea-with difeafe in unhealthy climates-or with the enemies of their country,-to reflect, that there is a diftin&t Society of their countrymen at home, peculiarly alive to their religious interefts, and providing for them exclufinely, the best fource of inftruction and confolation under all the hardships to which they are expofed. It is (faith the Committee, in the last paragraph of the report) the duty of other departments with much care and at great expense, to equip our forces with provifons, with clothing, and with arms, fo as to fit them to meet the enemies of their king and country; and add, that they would ask the Members of the Naval and Military Bible Society, and Britons in general, whether an appeal in behalf of 560.000 of their countrymen in arms, fhall be made in vain? and whether they will allow this Inftitution to be abolifhed, or to fail for want of adequate fupport? an Institution, whofe fole ob. ject is to provide thefe very men with the Holy Scriptures, which, under the divine bleffing, will qualify them for that warfare, wherein as Chriftians they muft be engaged, and in which, by far the greater number, (as members of the Church of England,) have pledged themfelves "manfully to fight under the banner of the King of kings, against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Chrift's faithful foldiers and fervants to their lives end *" POETRY. I VISITING THE HOUSE OF MY NATIVITY AFTER A LONG ABSENCE. (By a Scholar, late of Kingswood.) TIME. MORNING. IINE out, fair fun!' and gild the present hour; ow o'er my mind thy genial influence pour, is thine to animate the body's might, nd e'en the foul's uplifted by thy light; ew life is felt where beams the cheering ray, nd all Creation owns thy potent sway. Baptismal Service. The body's death--the soul! it never dies, ETERNAL POWER! who doft the Good e But flourishes, immortal, in the skies. If, then, my mind were wont fo oft to trace Where the first fun-beam play'd upon my face, How must my bofom fwell this day to fee man. Touch now my youthful heart with bot Help me to dedicate my life to thee, And know why GoD commanded me to To the Editor of the Methodi Maga Rev. Sir, The following Verses, which appeared months ago in a periodical Publication, were posed by a worthy and respectable Local Pres of our Connexion Should you think propera them a place in your Miscellany, they will y Eight thousand times fince here my footsteps bly please and edify many of your Readers. rang'd, The day and night alternate rule have chang'd But ah! what's this that shoots across my mind? Why look ft thou, Memory, fo far behind? O ceafe, my pen! 'tis time I lay thee down; As faithful as the feelings that indite: Let filent.forrow speak her virtues ftill. When I reflect how many things I've feen fcan What makes the difference 'tween man and The Latter Day Glory. "Blessed be his glorious name for ever, al the whole Earth be filled with his Glory; An and Amen!" PSAL. Ixxii. 19. Come, Brethren, and fing And fhout Hallelujah! Amea, The mountains bring peace, Join Angels with Sinners in anthen: Chorus, Continue the ftrain, &c. The handful is fown; Chorus. Continue the ftrain, &c. 4 The showers defcend; Again fwell the Chorus that never fe Chorus. Continue the ftrain, &c. 5 The Reign of the Son With us is begun; To conquer the nations, Meffiah rides Chorus. Continue the train, & 6 Each Sceptre and Crown He claims as his own; And fovereigns with fubjects fall wa ping down. Chorus. Continue the ftrain, &c. The flame of his grace Sets Earth on a blaze, And makes Man's dark dwelling a Chorus. Continue the ftrain, &c. praife. 8 This Paan fhout all The tenanted Ball, "God bleffed for ever, and Lord w Chorus, Continue the ftram, da Printed at the Conference-Office, 14, City-Road, ByT. CORDEUX, Agent. ANOTHER powerful temptation to marry with one who does not fear God and walk in his ways, is the profpect of worldly gain. A man or woman with fuch a profpect, commonly rea fons in this way. This match will place me in very different circumftances: Two fmall fortunes joined together will make fomething; or a large fum of money with the person I have an opportunity of marrying, will not only render my circumstances eafy, but enable me to do much more good: I can relieve the poor, and fupport the cause of God in a manner I otherwise could not do. And if this money come not into my hands in this way, it may fall into the hands of one who will wafte it by pride, folly, or extravagance. But is not fuch reasoning more like that of one who loves money, than of one whofe heart is under the influence of the love of God? The flesh and not the fpirit fuggefted these arguments, which, if they convince yourself, will not convince others of the purity of your motives. if your own falvation, the relief of the poor, or the cause of religion, required that you should poffefs a larger fortune, you ought to think of acquiring it fome other way, and not by breaking the law of God. The fact is, you want the money: The poor and the cause of religion, have hitherto done without it, and can do fo ftill; fay not then that you cannot be happy or faved without an increafe of property, left you renounce Chrift as the author of your happiness and salvation. Another argument for difregarding this precept, is that the unbeliever may be converted by being married to one who is truly enlightened. If, fays the man, I marry this woman, I have no doubt but that fhe will foon both fear and love God; for the really is not ftubborn, but eafy to be entreated; and I believe my converfation and example will, in a little time, make her as good as myself. What a pleafing dream is this! Perhaps a few months in the fame houfe with her, will awake you to defpair. If her falvation be the object you have in view, I fhould fuppofe you have already done all you could to make her both fee and feel the truths of the Gospel, and you cannot reasonably expect that your converfation and example, will be more effectual. Why then will you clofe your eyes, and ftill dream of doing what God alone can do? Does it neceffarily follow, that because The becomes your wife, fhe muft, therefore, become religious? Do you forget, that, to make her a chriftian, the "must be born VOL. XXXV. DECEMBER, 1812. again?" |