tians; and, by the exposition they have given of the state and circumstances of that portion of our land, have awakened the sympathies of thousands in these more favoured districts, who will gladly contribute their aid in the heavenly effort to scatter widely in those Western regions the precious seed of divine truth.

The information given by these Missionaries, is contained in a pamphlet of 64 octavo pages, printed last year at Andover. We shall extract from it few of the many passages, which show the destitute condition of the country oyer which they passed, and which prove the necessity and probable usefulness of a National Bible Institution, such as that now in contemplation.

Writing from the Illinois Territory, on the 12th of January, 1815, they say: "We ascertained that there never had been any English Bibles or French Testaments sent into this Territory for gratuitous distribution, except in one instance. Some time since, the Directing Committee of the Philadelphia Bible Society sent to the care of Dr. Elliot, then residing at St. Genevieve, a number of English Bibles and French Testaments, to be distributed by him. The English Bibles were soon given out, and the French Testaments principally. This Territory presents a very important and interesting field for Missionary labours.

"One man whom we saw in this Territory, informed us, that for ten or fifteen years he had been using exertions to obtain the sacred Scriptures, but without success. Notwithstanding there are many ready and able to purchase the Scriptures, still there are others who cannot with convenience supply themselves, and must for many years, perhaps as long as they live, be destitute of the Bible in their families; unless their wants are relieved by others, who have ability and a disposition to supply them.”

"We did not find any place in this Territory, where a copy of the Scriptures could be obtained. Merchants occasionally bring into the Territory books of this description. The common school Bible is not unfrequently sold for two dollars."

"From the best estimate we could make, with respect to the proportionate number of destitute families in the three Territories, we are led to believe, that 10 or 12,000 Bibles are necessary for the supply of every destitute family.""You will readily perceive, Sir, that living, as most of the people of these Territories do, 1000 or 1500 miles distant from any place where the Bible is printed, very many of them,

for a long time, must remain destitute; unless their necessities can be relieved, at least in a considerable degree, by the Managers of the Bible Societies in the different States. Do, Sir, intercede with the Managers of Bible Societies in your vicinity, to aid in supplying the destitute poor in this portion of our country."

Writing from Tennessee on the 1st of February, 1815, they say: "The want of Bibles and other religious books, in this State, is probably as great as in Kentucky. A respectable clergyman says, Perhaps one fourth of our population has not a Bible.' According to this estimate, which we think is too favourable, more than 10,000 Bibles are here wanted, to give a copy to each destitute family."

"We had many applications for the sacred Scriptures, with which we could not comply. Some of the people asserted, that they never had an opportunity to purchase the Bible at any price, though they had long been anxious to possess it. Others were evidently too poor to furnish themselves, without much inconvenience. The Bible was received by many to whom it was presented, with an eargerness which induced us to believe that it would prove a lamp to their feet and a light to their path.””

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At Natchez, on the river Mississippi, they say: "Five thousand copies of the Scriptures, we believe, would not more than supply the destitute. Unless, therefore, some more efficient means are used to enlighten that benighted portion of our country, the day of glory will dawn on the rest of the world, long before the darkness will be dispelled from these regions."

On the 6th of April, 1815, they write thus from New-Orleans: "In West-Florida, the attention of some of the inhabitants was not long since turned to the subject of religion. Many of them solicit Bibles whenever there is a prospect that they can be supplied, which is very rare. There are some American families in this part of our country, who never san a Bible, nor heard of Jesus Christ. There are some hopefully pious persons, who cannnot obtain a Bible or a Testament."

"It is a fact that ought not to be forgotten, that so late as last March, a Bible in any language could not be found for sale or to be given away in New-Orleans. And yet eight thousand Bibles would not supply the destitute in this State."

On this statement, these zealous heralds of the cross ground

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the following impressive Appeal to the Christian Public."

"What, then, is to be done? Shall we leave one of our fairest cities to be overwhelmed with vice and folly? The dreaded inundation of the Mississippi would not be half so ruinous. Now, by divine assistance, an effectual barrier may be opposed to the flood of iniquity. And is the liberality of the Christian community exhausted? Have you no Bibles to give? no Missionaries to send? Are there no men of apostolic spirit, who desire not another man's line of things made ready to their hands? Then is this city wretched and hopeless indeed. But surely the cry of some of its citizens must be heard: it is earnest and importunate. It is continually sounding in our ears, Send us some one to break to us the bread of life."

From the view presented by Messrs. Mills and Smith, of the deplorable want of Bibles among our Western brethren, who does not feel an ardent desire to supply this want? Who does not perceive the importance and necessity of a National Institution, whose expanded charity shall send the word of life to the destitute poor in the remotest district of United America?

The blessings we should confer, by a wider circulation of the Bible, on multitudes now living in vice and ignorance, and on many who once lived in a land of Bibles, but have since removed to regions where the Holy Scriptures are not to be obtained on any terms,---are great beyond calculation. Those, and those only, can justly estimate the value of the sacred records, who know the true value of the human soul, and the importance of eternity.

Of the benefits which we ourselves might derive from the establishment of a National Bible Society, we may form some conception; but we cannot minutely describe, nor sufficiently appreciate them. That such an Institution would have a tendency to secure the gratitude and affections of those to whom its bounty would be extended: that it would be calculated more firmly to cement together the members of our widely extended community: that it would tend to awaken pious zeal, and unite the various denominations of Christians among us, by ties of mutual charity and esteem: but above all, that it would draw down the blessing of Heaven on us as a Christian community,---are advantages which may be justly expected to result from the contemplated establishment.

Let us, then, invoking the blessing of God on the effort, make the attempt to lay the foundation of an Institution,

which shall collect the resources of United America; and, with a charity to be impeded by no obstacle, and chilled by no lukewarmness, aim at circulating the inspired volume wherever there is ignorance to be enlightened, and want to be supplied.

Princeton, 25th April, 1816.

WYCKLIFFE.

THE following Report exhibits a striking proof of the valuable acquisition which the Bible cause has derived from having the zeal, the exertions, and the influence of benevolent and pious females, employed in promoting its benign object. What a blessing would it be to our land, if similar Institutions, producing such fruits, were formed in all our large cities!

(FROM THE RELIGIOUS REMEMBRANCER.)

Report of the Philadelphia Female Bible Society.

THE second anniversary meeting of the Female Bible Society of Philadelphia, was held on Wednesday, 27th March, 1816. The business of the day was opened with prayer by the Right Rev. Dr. White, after which the following Report was presented and read:

At this period of another revolving year, when your Managers are called upon to make an annaul report to the Female Bible Society of Philadelphia, it is with peculiar pleasure, that, in fulfilling this duty, they have the opportunity of observing the more than wonderful, the astonishing thirst for improvment and knowledge in the Holy Scriptures which prevails in every direction.

When we consider the results that have attended the exertions of the British and Foreign Bible Society, established at so recent a date as in the year 1804, and that there have been issued from that Society alone, in the course of eleven years, upwards of a million three hundred thousand Bibles and Testaments, and that they have given rise to similar associations in every quarter of the world, in aid of the pious design, we cannot withhold our acknowledgments of the exalted merits of the first founders of the plan: their names should be enrolled in the brightest annals of history. As the instrument in the hands of Providence of rendering much good to mankind, the influence of the Holy Word appears to be extended in all languages; from the east unto the west, and from the north unto the south; it is universally received with gratitude and readiness of mind, and is unto inany a cause of great joy. In the limited sphere of our experience, numerous cases have occurred, where that joy has been evinced in expressions of the most animated thankfulness, for the donation of a Bible. Your Managers derive great satisfaction from a retrospect of the usefulness which we hope our efforts have attained, in distributing to the lowly needy, the oracles of life. It might be considered as entering into too minute a detail, were we to report the many interesting examples that have come under the notice of the Managers of this Society, of the impressions made by the giving of a Bible; but the relation of one instance, affecting and illustrative, we hope will not be deemed obtrusive or irrelative. A poor woman to whom a Bible had been given, on being visited by the lady who had supplied her, accosted her benefactress with saying, "Oh! that I could sufficiently thank you; but I have the comfort of knowing that you will be blessed by One greater than me!" Surely our humble exertions are amply rewarded by such returns: and when we reflect that the Eternal condescends to make use of

us as the means of communicating his Holy Word to some of his creatures, who for happiness were created, but who have hitherto remained in darkness and doubt; are we not awakened to a grateful sense of his goodness, and excited to persevere with energy in the work which our heavenly Father hath appointed us?

In observing the successful progress made by the different Bible Societies of Europe, in spreading abroad the Holy Scriptures, even amidst the din of war, thereby manifesting the goodness and greatness of our God, offering comfort and hope to the wretched; who can resist the feeling that would impel us to perform some part in diffusing the gospel light among the ignorant and destitute of this our western hemisphere? The bright example from the east has had the happy effect, and already there have been formed (according to the intelligence received) more than one hundred and twenty Societies in the United States for circulating the book of life; the first of which was established in the city of Philadelphia. The increasing zeal evinced throughout our favoured land, furnishes well grounded expectation, that more associations will soon be added to the list already known, especially as the female part of the communi ty unite their efforts in a cause so intimately affecting the welfare of the human race, It is an agreeable reflection, that the establishment of this institution was so favourably received, and the plan adopted by our sisters in many parts of our own, and the neighbouring States. Several communications have been sent to us, expressive of the general approbation; and among others, an acceptable attention shown towards it from the British and Foreign Bible Society, by the transmission through their Assistant Secretary of the 10th and 11th Reports of that Society, with some pamphlets relative to their proceedings. Attentions of this sort, cannot but excite a due acknowledgment from this Society, and animate their exertions; as they prove that the small contribution which the Society has in its power to afford, is of value in the general cause. Much has been done, yet much remains to be effected. It would be a pleasing task to collect and detail the various interesting information that might be ob tained from the reports of the different Bible Societies that have appeared in print, of the extended circulation of the "glad tidings of salvation;" but it would exceed the objects of the present report. Suffice it to mention, that the New-York Bible Society alone have issued for gratuitous distribution, previous to the commencement of the present year, fourteen thousand and six Bibles; and that they had then on hand five hundred and seventy-two Bibles and Testaments in different languages. That the Bible Society of Philadelphia gratuitously distributed in one year, preceding May, 1815, three thousand one hundred and forty seven Bibles and Testaments, besides about five thousand New Testaments in the French language, distributed in Louisiana and the adjacent territories; and that they issued from their stereotype press in the same period, twenty two thousand eight hundred and seventy six Bibles and Testaments: exhibiting a zeal and exertion in that Society which cannot fail of being attended with success and advantage to the general community. The Female Bible Society of Philadelphia have with much gratification distributed wherever the desire has been expressed, or the utility apparent, since the last annual report, one thousand three hundred and eighty one Bibles.

The expense of the purchase of these Bibles, has been discharged by the funds of the Society, which arise from an annual subscription of its Members, of such donations as are liberally made, and the investment of life subscrip tions.

It appears by the Report at our last annual meeting, that there were then 635 annual subscribers, and 10 life subscribers. In addition, there was received, as donations, the amount of 385 dollars, 35 cents. And we have the pleasure to state, that there has also been an addition to our list, of fifty-one annual subscribers, of three life subscriptions, and of fifty-one dollars as donations to the Society.

Besides the discharge of incidental expenses, the Society have been enabled to contribute, and have paid to the Philadelphia Bible Society, the sum of 1000