weaken, in the slightest degree, our obligation to obey the command of Christ, TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE; to send the word of life, as we have opportunity and ability, to the destitute family of man. Of one thing we are certain; the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. If we are straitened, we are straitened in our own bowels; and want of success, as far as we are concerned, instead of relaxing our exertions in the cause of God, should only lead to great searchings of heart! Are we the men to be employed in this holy enterprise, or shall there enlargement and deliverance arise from another place? That Jesus shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied, there can be no doubt; but who knoweth whether we have been brought into the world for such a time as this? Or, peradventure, we have placed unscriptural reliance upon means ; -upon the wisdom of our plans-the skill and fidelityof our translators-the zeal and energy of our missionaries ;—and have not been properly and habitually impressed with the necessity and power of THE SPIRIT's influences, in our every effort to promote the interests of Messiah's kingdom. Exalted Prince and Saviour! give us repentance for this our sin, that we may turn from it, and cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart. Beloved brethren, we have been baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and true to our profession, it becomes us not only to have distinct conceptions of the personal agency of the Spirit, but to rely with unwavering confidence upon his infinite efficiency in the conversion of sinners. Do we labour for souls? do we hope for success? we must lift up our eyes to the Throne of Grace, until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high; then our Bibles will not be distributed in vain; then shall the wilderness and the solitary place be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; then shall a nation be born in a day, and willing converts exceed in number the dew-drops of the morning. O Lord, hasten thy word to perform it; send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; let the skies pour down righteousness ; let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation! O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O our God; for thy City and thy People are called by thy Name! The Corresponding Secretary, Charles G. Sommers, of NewYork, then read an abstract of the Annual Report. REPORT. A RETROSPECTIVE view of Divine Providence in the origin and progress of the American and Foreign Bible Society, impels your Board of Managers again to express their gratitude to God. They avail themselves of another anniversary to congratulate, and to encourage to further and still more enlarged benevolence, those who during the past year have contributed towards the distribution of that sacred book which proclaims salvation through the blood of Christ, to a ruined world. In presenting their report, the Board are happy in the belief, that the American and Foreign Bible Society has convened on this anniversary, unanimous as to the objects of the Institution, and under the auspices of heaven, advancing towards the consummation of its hopes. At no period, since the formation of the Society, have the Board been more entirely convinced, that the cause of truth demanded such an organization; and, the approbation of brethren in America, Europe, and Asia, furnishes a constantly accumulating testimony, that the course pursued by our denomination, while it has obtained the concurrence of the churches of Christ, will not fail to enjoy the smiles of the Saviour. One of the British missionaries in Calcutta, writes:"With gratitude to God have we heard of the formation of the American and Foreign Bible Society, and of the vigorous measures adopted in order to secure its permanency and usefulness. The news brought relief to our minds, encouragement to our hearts, and power to our hands. We had long felt the need of measures of the kind being taken; but saw nothing to encourage the expectation of their adoption; the hope appeared vain. Little did we think, that our rejected applications to the Societies of England and America, were designed to be the means of bringing into existence an institution, whose declared object is to carry into effect, principles, the practical application of which has subjected us to a kind of excommunication. It is truly refreshing to observe the noble stand you have made in Ame B rica, and the energetic measures you have adopted, to give unto the millions of Asia, translated into their various languages, the whole word of God. What our friends in England will do, I cannot tell; but I am every day more and more convinced of the desireableness, and in fact, the necessity, if we are to do any thing to purpose, of our acting as a denomination for ourselves and by ourselves. No other way appears to me in which we can expect to do so much good, or to do it with so much comfort. Here is an open door. I doubt not you will boldly enter, and throughout these extensive dominions spread the sacred volume, and thus hasten that glorious period, when these vast regions shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." In accordance with this view of the subject, your Board would say:-Let the grandeur of the enterprise in which we have embarked, occupy and fill our hearts. Let them expand under the genial warmth of christian harmony and love. Let us carry out the great principles of that book, where every sentiment is pure and lovely, great and elevated. Let the members of this Society exemplify their devotedness to Him who has stamped upon the pages of the Bible, the glorious image of himself. HOME DISTRIBUTION. In recording the domestic transactions of the Society, the Board would mainly refer to the details embraced in the account of contributions received, auxiliary societies, life directors, and members, constituted during the past year. They regard the prosperity of the institution, and the growing number of its friends, not only in every part of our own country, but in Great Britain, Germany, Asia, and wherever its principles have been explained, as a cheering indication of its increasing usefulness. The Board attribute the increasing attention of the American community to the objects and interests of this institution, notwithstanding numerous local claims, and an almost paralyzing embarrassment in the pecuniary affairs of the nation, in a great degree, to the regularity with which the quarterly and annual meetings of the Auxiliary Societies have been attended. This is a point of great moment, and should never be forgotten. every practicable measure will be adopted to secure at all such The Board hope that meetings, the assistance of the most able and devoted ministers, and private brethren; as a means of creating and sustaining the interest of anniversary meetings, and of thus augmenting the funds of the Auxiliary Societies. They would also request particular attention to the importance of transmitting their annual reports to the Corresponding Secretary of the Parent Institution, in time to enable him to incorporate a statement of their doings in the annual report of this Society. In accordance with the second article of the Constitution, and the special directions of the Society at their last annual meeting, the Board appointed a special committee of three, to prepare and print King James' version of the Bible, published in 1611, viz: Twenty-five thousand copies of the New Testament, for Sunday schools, in Nonpareil. Five thousand copies of the New Testament, in Brevier. SPECIMENS OF THE PRINTING TYPES OF THE SOCIETY'S BOOKS. that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 21 And the LORD went before them 37 David said moreover, The LORD by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night. 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. At the meeting of the Board in March last, it was unanimously Resolved, "That one thousand copies of our Nonpareil New Testament, be presented to the New-England Sabbath School Union." The following is an extract from the letter acknowledging the grant, and the safe arrival of the books. Dear Sir,-Your letter containing a resolution of the American and Foreign Bible Society, presenting one thousand copies of your Nonpareil New Testament, to the New-England Sabbath School Union, was duly received. The Testaments came safe to hand a few days since. In the absence of the Corresponding Secretary, allow me, in behalf of the Board of our Union, to express to you, and through you to the Board of the American and Foreign Bible Society, our acknowledgments for your very generous donation. Be assured, that this instance of your kind regard to our Institution, will long be remembered with pleasure. I ought to state before closing, that the mechanical execution of the Testament you have sent us, is in our opinion highly creditable to your Institution. Many have spoken of it with much pleasure. I have seldom seen a Testament presenting so fair and beautiful a page. Hoping that your praiseworthy Institution may be crowned with the blessing of heaven, and be instrumental of accomplishing great good, I am with Christian esteem, your obedient servant, H. S. WASHBOURNE, Agent of N. E. S. S. U. In re-printing the first edition of the Scriptures promulged by order of King James; the Board of Managers have felt that they were restoring to the English reader, the original and authorized version of the English Bible; which in the several editions through which it has passed in Britain and America, has been repeatedly altered, without any other authority than the will of the societies by whom it has been published. It is well known that there was not one Baptist among the forty-seven translators appointed by |