through the instrumentality of this society. And it is asked, who will say that it is wrong to solicit pecuniary aid for such a benevolent purpose? I do not say, that this would be wrong. But I do say that it is wrong-a crime of no small magnitude to solicit money for a declared purpose, and then never apply it to that purpose.

The annual meeting of the officers and managers, with the delegates, &c. of the American Bible Society, in May, 1833, granted to the American board of commissioners, for Foreign Missions, the moderate sum of ten thousand dollars!! During the same year, and at the same meeting, the society granted to the Baptist General Convention in the United States, the sum of five thousand dollars!

And it will not be denied, but that the society has been in the constant practice of making these or similar donations from the beginning, although some individual members of the board of managers have objected to it. But, it will, perhaps, be urged, that these appropriations have greatly aided these missionary societies in doing good in other lands; and that all we aim at is, to do good to the souls of men. But is this applying the money to the purpose for which it was collected? And would it not be less exceptionable for each missionary society to furnish itself from its own funds, than it is for the American Bible Society to devote any portion of its funds directly for those objects? Certainly it would. For, the furnishing of missionary societies, which are purely denominational in their character, unless it distribute its donations equally among all sects, may, and must hazard its reputation as a strictly national, and exclusively Bible society; and it is plain to be seen, that so far as a missionary is aided in his peculiar work by the liberality of the American Bible Society, so far the denomination to which he belongs is favored above others. Perhaps, but few, of the many Arminians who daily contribute to the support of this institution, are aware of the fact, that their money is to be used in this way-to aid the cause of Calvinism.

Again: It is wicked in the sight of God, and that too, in the highest degree, to obtain money for the support of any institution, by falsehood and misrepresentation. Well, on the 23d page of the twelfth annual report of the American Bible Society, for 1828, speaking of the progress of the Bible cause in Tennessee, the corresponding secretary of the Blount county Bible society, writes that they had "commenced exploring;" that "ten captains' companies had been visited;" that in 694 families 187 were found to be "totally destitute;"

and that they had reason to conclude "that 400 dwellings" were "totally without the book of Revelation!" The same writer, in the next sentence, expresses his fears, with regard to their competency, within themselves, to supply all the destitute families.

Now, it so happened, that shortly after this "exploring", took place, I was sent to Blount county to travel, and as there was much talk among the people about what had happened, I was led to examine into the whole affair; and the result of my enquiries was, that the secretary at least stretched his blanket, if he did not tare it, when he made out his report. Nay, the assertion, that 400 dwellings, or even half that number were without the book of Revelation" is wholly untrue. I, indeed, visited some of the most remote parts of the county, and I even ventured up into Chilhowe, a remote sort of cove, which, because of its pecuniary embarrassments, is seldom, if ever, visited by a Hopkinsian preacher: and even there, I always found a Bible to hold prayers in the family. And similar instances of falsehood and misrepresentation, on the part of the secretaries and agents of this institution, have occurred in every state and territory in the Union.

Once more: We are told, that the vast amount of money collected, is to enable the society to give Bibles to the poor. It is true, that the society professes to have given away a vast number of Bibles; but if we can accredit its own report, we shall find, that this has been, somewhat of a curious species. of giving; a mode of giving which, I presume, the society would wish to have kept up. The society's report for either the year 1827, or '28, represents them as having printed 134,629 copies of Bibles and Testaments: of which they sold only 127,357 copies and gave away to the poor, the immense number of 7,260 copies!! But mark, here, while giving to the poor so generously, they received 64,764 dollars!! or EIGHT DOLLARS AND NINETY-ONE CENTS per copy, for each Bible and Testament given away!!!

In the year 1832, I travelled in the Western part of North Carolina, at which time, there was no little stir on this subject, occasioned by the imprudent conduct of one of the distributing agents of a Bible society, auxiliary to the American Bible Society. The circumstances of the case were as follows: two agents for the American Bible Society, for the State of North Carolina, having visited Macon County, formed a society auxiliary to the Parent Institution at New York, to be denominated the Macon County Bible Society, &c. Well, the sum of seventy-five dollars, was raised by sub

scriptions and voluntary contributions, and forthwith forwarded to the Parent Society, which institution made a donation of 500 Bibles to this auxiliary society, for gratuitous distribution. For proof of the truth of the above statement, I refer the reader to the following receipt:

"The Board of Managers of the American Bible Society, acknowledge the receipt of seventy-five dollars, from the Treasurer of the Macon County Bible society, to be received on account of Bibles and Testaments sent to them as a donation.

JOHN NITCHIE,

General Agent and Accountant

New York, 13th June, 1831."

This seventy-five dollars, was raised by subscriptions and voluntary contributions, and forwarded to the Parent Institution, with the understanding on the part of those who contributed, that the Bibles were to be sent to the poor of their county "as a donation" sure enough. But to the utter astonishment of all concerned, the most of the Bibles were SOLD, instead of being given away! Nor were they sold at a very low rate either. It is true, however, that the Parent Soci ety, instructed the Managers of this auxiliary branch, to give Bibles to those who were very poor, but to SELL to those who were "able to pay." But one of the distributing agents for that county, being a Baptist preacher, and a man by the bye, who had ever been unremittingly aspiring after preferment, mercilessly fleecing the flock, or engaged in litigations about some paltry peculations, commenced bartering the Bibles for rails, spinning and sewing! And this dignified agent, and libeller of the religion he professed, even went so far as to bargain with very poor old man, a collar-maker by trade, to let him have a Bible for two good shuck-collars!! But, it is due to the Managers of this auxiliary society to state, that they brought this, their catch-penny agent to an account-disapproved of his conduct in the form of a trial; and some of them reluctantly continued him in office. He, however, shortly after this transaction, published a defence of his conduct in pamphlet form; and in this masterly production of his, he contended that "common trade" should not be "excluded from benevolent societies," or their friends would have to "give up!" O tempora! O mores!! At this time, I was travelling in Macon County, and being desirous to know, as an individual, the views of the Parent In-. stitution, on the points of difference then existing between the parties, I addressed a letter to Mr. Nitchie, setting forth

a

the above-mentioned conduct, to which he replied as follows:

"NEW YORK, 13th FEB., 1832.

DEAR SIR:-In answer to your letter of the 26th January, I have to say that in Oct. 1830, the Managers of this Society, made to the Macon County Bible Society, a DONATION or grant of 500 Bibles for GRATUITOUS distribution, to enable them to supply the families of that county, who were destitute, with a copy of the Holy Scriptures each. We never INTERFERE with Local Societies, as to the manner in which they effect their general instructions. I trust, my dear sir, that in effecting this most delightful work in your country, there will be no misunderstanding among the friends of the Bible.

Yours very respectfully,

JOHN NITCHIE."

Now I ask the candid reader, if SELLING Bibles and Testaments for "common trade, or even for cash, at any price whatever, can be considered a "donation" or the "gratuitous distribution" of them? And I would also ask the impartial reader, if the community at large, had not better withhold their support from an Institution which has officially acknowledged that it will not "interfere with Local Societies, as to the manner in which they effect their general instructions," although this same Institution, caused these Local Societies to be formed, and has been apprised of their improper conduct?

Last of all: The constant practice of the agents and friends of the American Bible Society, in representing all other denominations as equally concerned in the support and management of the Institution, is highly exceptionable-not to say wicked. Take for instance, the following paragraph from a letter of Dr. Ely's, published in the Philadelphian, for Oct. 14, 1831:- "The American Bible Society, is supported by all classes of persons in our country, who believe the Bible is the divinely inspired record of God's revelations to man; except a few high church Episcopalians who would never give or sell God's word without a prayer book, of human invention attached to it; and the Roman Catholics who countenance nothing in English, but a bad translation of the Latin Vulgate!"

The above, is a FAIR SPECIMEN of the Doctor's accuracy, in collecting and presenting facts. Reader, look at this matter, and decide for yourself, and say, whether the Doctor can apply to himself the words of a certain historian:-"This is the disciple which testifieth of these things; and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true." In one word, the foregoing extract, contains an insinuation, subtilly conducting the reader to an inference, incorrect and injurious to the Bible Societies of other denominations.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in relation to the "classes" by whom the A. B. Society is "supported," is summarily contained and comprehensively expressed, in the following letter, from the pen of Dr. Bangs. I give the letter the more cheerfully, first, because it will tend to correct the statements of the agents of the A. B. Society: and next, because it will go to show, that Dr. Bangs is not that enemy to this Institution, he is represented to be.

"NEW YORK, MARCH 17, 1834.

My Dear Brother: In answer to yours of the 3d inst., I have to say, that the Board of Managers of the American Bible Society, consists of 36 laymen belonging to different denominations, Presbyterians, Protestant Episcopalians, Baptists and Methodists and formerly there were two or more Quakers, but I think none of that sect now. There are three Methodists, but the MAJORITY are of the Presbyterian Church, as the Protestant Episcopalians do not generally give into it. Besides these elected laymen, there are many clergymen, of different denominations, who are ex-officio members of the board, by their having been MADE life members of the society. I believe this society is actuated by very liberal principles, and is doing much good. We never have any disposition here to make war upon it. Wishing you much peace and great success in the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

I am yours affectionately,

Rev. W. G. Brownlow.”

N. BANGS.

In the preceding remarks, I have not adverted to the particular intimacy existing between this society, and that of the American Sunday School Union. But having received the New York Evangelist, of May 10, 1834, a Presbyterian paper, since writing the above, in which I find a brief notice of the eighteenth Anniversary of the A. B. Society, I will give some few particulars. From this abstract of the 18th Annual report, it seems that 2,000 testaments have been given to the American Sunday School Union, for the use of schools in the Western States! and 5,000 more for the same purpose in the Southern States!! Besides this, it seems that a vast amount of Bibles, testaments, and MONEY, have been granted

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