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The operations of the Bible Societies in Russia have been suspended by an Imperial Ukase. In that document, however, the following consolatory sentence is found. "The sale of the Holy Scriptures, already printed in Slavonian and Russian, as also in the other languages in use among the inhabitants of the Russian empire, I permit to be continued at the fixed prices.'

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Dr. Paterson has brought under the notice of the committee the German colonists near Odessa, for whom he solicited some German Testaments: one thousand copies have accordingly been sent.

The importance of Malta as a central situation has been noticed in former Reports. Many applications for copies have been made from different parts of the shores of the Mediterranean, by missionaries, the number of whom is happily on the increase.

From Corfu, the Rev. Mr. Lowndes writes, "The printing of the Albanian and Modern Greek goes on well." The Testament is more than half completed. The Scriptures continue to be distributed in the island; and latterly many volumes have been sold by a Jew of Corfu, who has been twice to Cephalonia, for the purpose of disposing of this sacred merchandize. Zante has been visited by Mr. Lowndes, and arrangement made for visiting the villages in that island.

Into Italy, through various channels, Bibles and Testaments are introducing in small quantities. The same may be observed of Spain and Portugal. And, while the committee rejoice in operations carried on upon an extensive scale, they feel no less pleasure in considering the zeal and patient labour of those who, without any attraction of publicity to their undertaking, perseveringly distribute here a Bible, and there a Testament.

A few friends at Gibraltar have distributed, since the last anniversary, a considerable number of copies, principally Spanish.

Constantinople. In the last Report, mention was made of a considerable circulation of the Hebrew Scriptures in Constantinople, and its vicinity. The seed thus sown has evidently been growing, and, in some few instances, actually produced fruits.

The issues from the depository at Constantinople, in the past year, amount to 5673 copies.

Mr. Leeves has been fully occupied during the past year in his labour of revision, superintending the press, corresponding on the subject of new versions, and visiting different places on behalf of the society. The Turco-Greek Testament has left the press; and a man is now visiting Anatolia, and disposing of them by sale. From accounts already received, he appears, at the outset of his journey, to have met with encouraging success. Other versions and editions are in progress.

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 307.

A journey into Romelia has also been performed by Mr. Leeves, in which opportunities were afforded of distributing the Scriptures, and making known the objects of the society Several individuals among the clergy and schoolmasters, kindly promised to assist in distributing copies. At Adrianople, Mr. Leeves visited the Hellenic School, where he was delighted to find a whole class using the Ancient and Modern Greek Testament of the society At a place through which he passed, the largest fair in Romelia is held, and a number of copies of the Greek Testament were sold.

Mr. Barker meets with many proofs of the acceptance of his labours. The different missionaries visiting Smyrna, captains of vessels, and other individuals, present channels of circulation, which he gladly embraces; and thus, as he observes, the word of life is finding its way among the Christians of these countries. At Thessalonica 200 copies were disposed of by him. They were received with the greatest thankfulness; and he was obliged to quit the town, in order not to be tempted to part with all the books, which he wished to preserve for the other places he designed to visit. At first, the Jews declined to purchase the Hebrew Scriptures offered them; but eventually they took his whole stock, and requested more might be sent. At the other places which he visited in passing, he could only partially supply the demands made upon him, but promised to send more copies.

In the course of his travels in Persia, Mr. Wolff purchased different portions of the Chaldean Bible, which, though the same in language as the Syriac, is written in a different character.

Mr. Wolff had some interviews with these Christians, whom he found, as they themselves admitted, in a wild and uncultivated state. They acknowledged that the cause of their want of civilization is their lamentable destitution of the Scriptures. But, said they, "we have heard that the English are able to write a thousand copies in one day: would they not write for us several thousand copies, and send them to us? we become wild like Curds, for we have so few copies of the Bible. The English have written those of the Jacobites, which we cannot read generally-why should they not write these

of ours?"

On leaving this country to return to his missionary labours, Mr. Wolff was supplied with copies of the Scriptures for distribution.

Our limits oblige us to defer the remainder of the abstract to our next Num

ber. In the mean time, we are happy to

announce the formation of a highly respectable Committee in Edinburgh, for the purpose of corresponding and co-operating with the Bible Society in London.

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EDINBURGH BIBLE SOCIETY

COMMITTEE.

The friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Edinburgh have unani. mously agreed upon the following impor

tant resolutions.

"That a direct medium of communication with that institution is, at the present time, a great desideratum among the friends of religion in Edinburgh.

"That the state of mankind throughout the world, as well in its Christian and civilized, as in its unreclaimed heathen provinces, demands as imperiously the exertions of this society, and offers them as unlimited a scope, as at the moment when it first sprang into existence; and that the success which has attended its past efforts ought to engage Christians of every denomination to persevere in a strenuous and devoted application to its objects.

That without detracting from the utility of local associations in supplying the Scriptures to limited districts, it is felt that these can in no way supersede, or authorise us to relinquish, the cultiva tion of that wider field, the world; which, through the providence of God, is in so unprecedented a way open to our exertions, through the established and effective agency of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

"That that institution must ever be entitled to our high consideration and gratitude, for the zeal and assiduity which have executed editions of the Holy Scriptures in no less than one hundred and forty-three languages; in fifty-six of which the word of God had never been seen before; and also for the dissemination through the British isles, of four millions out of the five millions of copies of the Old and New Testaments, which form nearly the amount of the Bible Society's proper issues, followed by a knowledge and estimation of the word of life unknown before, through every department of the community.

"That, satisfied with the regulations of May 1826 and 1827, confirming and guaranteeing the strict interpretation of the law which protects the purity of the society's circulation of the Holy Scriptures, to the utter exclusion of the Apocrypha; and feeling entire confidence in the integrity and uprightness of the men whose office it is to carry these regulations into effect; and satisfied also, that the British and Foreign Bible Society, in their last annual Report, and the president in his opening speech, in which he declared that these regulations are 'a retraction and correction of their error,' have admitted the

"The term 'executed' must be understood with the limitations contained in

impropriety of circulating the Apocrypha, to the utmost extent that fairness and candour can require-the friends present feel no hesitation in continuing their support to the society with which they have been long united.

"That where foreign societies consent to receive, and engage to distribute faithfully as received, copies of the pure Scriptures, bound, without any addition, this meeting considers the sanction of that mode of distribution of the word of God, as involving no violation or compromise whatever of the principle on which the Bible Society is established.

"That the friends of the Bible cause now present can no longer delay an unequivocal expression of their affectionate attachment to their brethren and fellowlabourers of the London Committee, and an assurance of their cordial good wishes and fervent prayers for the continued, renewed, and multiplied aids of the Holy Spirit, in all the gifts of wisdom and of grace, needful for conducting the affairs of that most important institution.

"That in establishing a medium of communication with the British and Foreign Bible Society, this meeting disclaims all hostility towards Bible Societies acting on other principles; and expresses its hope, that, in a field so wide, and open to such variety of agency, the labours of all these societies may be useful in promoting the common object they have in view.'

A highly respectable committee has been appointed, and subscriptions will be received for the British and Foreign Bible Society.

The above having been read at a meeting of the committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, it was resolved unanimously," That this committee have received with cordial satisfaction the above declaration of attachment and confidence on the part of so many respectable friends of the Bible in Edinburgh, and are anxious to assure them, that it is upon the principles asserted in that declaration, that they rejoice to accept of their promised co-operation."

NATIONAL SCHOOL SOCIETY. At the last meeting of the general committee of the National School Society, the following grants were made in aid of schools now being established: namely, Kidderminister, Worcesters., 150l.; Hawkley, Hants, 100%.; Helston, Corn. 100.; St. Giles's in the Fields, and St. George's Bloomsbury, 5007.; Llanarmon Mynydd Mawr, Denb. 651.; West Wickham, Berks, 107. (additional); - Englefield Green, Egham, 1007.; Great Musgrave, Westmorland, 50%. : Llandough, Glamorg., 251.; Laughton, Sussex, 40; and Ais

the table of languages and dialects pub- laby, York. 10%. (additional). lished in the society's Reports."

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CAVAN REFORMATION SOCIETY.

In our Number for February we announced the formation of this society, and gave an account of its plans, and the circumstances which had led to its institution, as detailed in the interesting speech of Lord Farnham on the occasion. In our last Number we recorded the formation of a similar society in London, and stated its objects as related in the circular of the committee. Numerous auxiliary institutions are in progress in other parts of the kingdom, especially one in Bristol, where the object has been embraced with a zeal due to its high importance. As every thing connected with the progress of true religion in Ireland is highly interesting to every Christian and Protestant mind, we shall copy for the information of our readers, the following passages from a let ter addressed by Lord Farnham's chaplain, the Rev. A. M'Creight, to his lordship, detailing the origin and progress of the conversions in Cavan. It is appended to the report of the speeches and proceedings at the formation of the Cavan Reformation Society; Mr. M'Creight having intended to deliver the substance of it at that meeting. It is particularly satisfactory to learn that the majority of the converts were persons seriously concerned for the discovery of religious truth: anxious to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling," and not apparently swayed by any secular motives, in their renunciation of the Ro

man-Catholic faith, and their adoption of

a purer ereed.

"In the exercise of my duties as your lordship's chaplain, and also as one of the clergymen of this diocese, I have had an intimate knowledge of all things connected with the reformation, from its commencement to the present time; but to enter at present into a detailed history of all those events would, in a great measure, be only a repetition of what has already been stated, and therefore a needless waste of time. Much of what it would have been my duty to relate has already been given to the public in your lordship's statement, which requires no comment of mine. I shall, therefore, on the present occasion, confine myself to such things as fell more peculiarly under my own personal observation, and which it becomes in consequence my especial duty to detail. In proceeding to which, I would first mention generally such observations as my intercourse with the conformists, both be. fore and after they renounced the errors of the Church of Rome, but especially during the time they were receiving religious instruction in this house, enabled me to make.

"Since the reformation commenced up

to the present time (January 1827), not less than five hundred persons have been received into this house, and have read their recantation in Cavan church. Among so large a number of individuals there must of course have been, as has already been stated by your lordship, a great variety as to character, circumstances in life, and previous religious information; and what 1 have to say is of course spoken of them as a body, and concerns, so far as my own knowledge goes, the motives of the conformists for leaving the Church of Rome, their conduct whilst receiving instruction in this house, and their general demeanour since they became members of the Church of England.

"As to the motives of the conformists, though in a very few instances they have proved to be unworthy, I should indeed be doing great injustice to the great bulk of them, if I did not declare it to be my full conviction, that a persuasion of the superiority of the Church of England, both in doctrine and practice, over the Church of Rome-yes, a persuasion that the former was completely in error, and that the latter only had the true faith-and further, that a

concern for their soul's eternal salvation, were the great and influential principles which led to their change of creed; and rant, when questioned as to their motives to this the answers even of the more ignofor renouncing Popery, bear satisfactory evidence. Not a few of the conformists gave reasons for the step they were about to take, which shewed they had been long and attentively considering the differences between the two churches. Not only did they clearly state the doctrines and practices to which they objected, but established their objections by such weighty arguments, drawn from Holy Writ, as proved, that, notwithstanding all the prohibitions of their clergy, the pure word of God had been the subject of their diligent perusal. The replies of others, though less full and clear, yet were such as could leave no reasonable grounds to doubt that they were convinced that the church of which they were members was a corrupt church, and that it was their duty to forsake its communion; whilst some also there were who, amidst the gloom in which they had hitherto lived, had just got so much light as to enable them to perceive the surrounding darkness, and to make them sigh for deliverance from a system which had not only kept themselves in such profound ignorance, but would perpetuate that ignorance, with wretchedness and poverty, the only inheritance they had to bequeath to their offspring.

"As to the conduct of the conformists during the time they remained under instruction at Farnham, it was such as we had reason to hope from persons assembled

on so solemn an occasion. Seriousness of mind, deep attention to God's word, and fervency in devotion, were the leading

characteristics of their demeanour. And so striking was the effect produced upon their hearts by the religious exercises in which they were engaged, that it was no unusual thing, whilst those who kindly assisted in this labour of love were reading or expounding the precious truths of the Gospel, to see, not merely one or two, but many, at the same time bathed in tears (I trust) of godly sorrow for their past sins and ignorance, and of overpowering gratitude for present mercies: and the same pleasing indications of minds alive to the service in which they were engaged, have I likewise witnessed, whilst kneeling at the table of the Lord they partook of the sacred emblems of a dying Saviour's love.

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"And it may not be uninteresting to mention the great thankfulness they have almost invariably expressed for the instruction and attention they received during their short abode in Farnham-the terms in which they have referred to their visit, whether during their stay here or after their return to their own homes, shew at least that they are not insensible to the kind offices of those who have interested themselves on their behalf. " We never knew what religion was before-we are delighted with all we have heard and seen, and hope we shall for ever be the better of it.' We only wish we had taken this step ten years ago.' Such or similar is the language in which our lately acquired Protestant brethren are wont continually to speak of their visit to this place. And that the good impressions made on their minds have not been mere transient emotions, is abundantly testified by their after. walk and conduct. Their diligent attendance on the means of grace, on the hearing of the word, and on the Lord's Supper, and their pious and exemplary deportment in general, bear ample testimony to the abiding nature of their convictions. And in this account of the conduct of the conformists, as concerning the anxiety some of the less instructed display to attain a knowledge of reading, I am borne out, both by my own observations, and the accounts I have had from several of my Reverend brethren, who have the spiritual charge of the different parishes in which the conformists reside. And here it may not be irrelevant to remark, as an earnest of what we may expect from the present converts from Popery, that I am well acquainted with several individuals in this part of the country, who have, within the last four, five, or ten years and upwards, renounced the errors of the Church of Rome, and joined themselves to the Church of England; and I do regard them, for intelligence, character, and conduct, as among the highest ornaments to the faith they profess, and some of whom have since been made the honoured instruments, in God's hand, for the conversion of many others of their once err

ing brethren. The same, I trust in God's Almighty grace, I may be enabled to say, also, in years yet to come, should I be permitted to remain in this world so long, with respect to many of those who, within the last few months, have been added to our communion: indeed several of them have already been most useful in this re spect."

Mr. M'Creight proceeds to prove and illustrate these general remarks, by a selection of individual facts, which our limits will not allow of our detailing, but which those of our readers who wish for further information on the subject, may find in the Cavan Report. We trust that the Society may continue to promote its Christian and benevolent labours in the spirit which becomes so important an object, and be abundantly rewarded by a large increase of faithful converts to the pure faith and holy life of a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ.

UNITED STATES EPISCOPAL

CHURCH.

At the last General Convention of the

Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, on the motion of the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, the house of bishops passed the following important preamble and resolutions.

"The house of bishops, deeply solicitous to preserve unimpaired the liturgy of the church, and yet desirous to remove the reasons alleged, from the supposed length of the service, for the omission of some of its parts, and particularly for the omission of that part of the communion office, which is commonly called the antecommunion, do unanimously propose to the house of clerical and lay deputies, the following resolutions, to be submitted to the several state conventions, in order to be acted upon at the next general convention, agreeably to the eighth article of the constitution.

"1. Resolved, that in the order how the Psalter is appointed to be read,' the following be added to the fourth paragraph: ' or any other Psalm or Psalms, except on those days on which proper Psalms are appointed: '-'—so that the whole paragraph will read as follows:- The minister, instead of reading from the Psalter as divided for daily morning and evening prayer, may read one of the selections set out by this church, or any other Psalm or Psalms, except on those days on which proper Psalms' are appointed.'

"2. Resolved, that in the order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read,' the following be inserted after the fifth paragraph:- The minister may, at his discretion, instead of the entire lessons, read suitable portions thereof, not less than fifteen verses. And on other days than Sundays and holy days, in those places where morning and evening prayer

is not daily used, he may read other portions of the Old and New Testament, instead of the prescribed lessons; it being recommended that, unless circumstances render it inexpedient, on the stated prayerdays of Wednesdays and Fridays, the les sons for those days, or for one of the intervening days, be read.'

"The bishops, in the use of the office of confirmation, finding that the preface is frequently not well suited to the age and character of those who are presented for this holy ordinance, unanimously propose the following resolution :

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"3. Resolved, that after the present preface in the office of confirmation, the following be inserted, to be used instead of the former, at the discretion of the bishop:-'It appears from holy Scripture, that the Apostles laid their hands on those who were baptized; and this ordinance, styled by the Apostle Paul, the laying on of hands,' and ranked by him among the principles of the doctrine of Christ, has been retained in the church, under the name of Confirmation; and is very convenient, and proper to be observed, to the end that persons being sufficiently instructed in what they promised, or what was promised for them in their baptism, and being, in other respects, duly qualified, may themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the church, ratify and confirm the same, and also promise, that by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things as they, by their own confession, have assented unto.'

"And to correct the injurious misapprehension, as to the meaning of certain terms, in the first collect in the office of confirmation, the bishops unanimously propose the following resolution :

"4. Resolved, that after the first collect in the office of confirmation, the following be inserted, to be used, at the discretion of the bishop, instead of the first collect. Almighty and everliving God, who hast vouchsafed, in baptism, to regenerate these thy servants, by water and the Holy Ghost; thus giving them a title to all the blessings of thy covenant of grace and mercy, in thy Son Jesus Christ, and now dost graciously confirm unto them, ratifying the promises then made, all their holy privileges; grant unto them, we beseech thee, O Lord, the renewing of the Holy Ghost; strengthen them with the power of this Divine Comforter; and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness, and fill them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever. Amen.'

"And whereas, in the opinion of the Bishops, there is no doubt as to the obligation of ministers to say, on all Sundays and other holy days, that part of the com

munion office which is commonly called the ante-communion, yet as the practice of some of the clergy is not conformable to this construction of the rubrick on this

point, the house of bishops propose the following resolution :

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5. Resolved, that the following be adopted as a substitute for the first sentence in the rubrick, immediately after the communion office

"On all Sundays, and other holy days, shall be said, all that is appointed at the communion, unto the end of the Gospel, concluding divine service, in all cases when there is a sermon or communion, and when there is not, with the blessing."

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The same convention has also passed a Canon, directing that "every person who desires to become a candidate for orders in this church shall, in the first instance, give notice of his intention to the bishop, or, if there be no bishop, to such body as the church in the diocese or State in which he intends to apply may appoint; and if, after obtaining the canonical testimonials from the standing committee, he be admitted as a candidate by the bishop, or if there be no bishop, by such body as which he intends to apply may appoint, the church in the diocese or State in he shall remain a candidate for the term of three years before his ordination, unless the bishop, with the advice and consent of the clerical members of the standing committee, shall deem it expedient to ordain the candidate, after the expiration of a shorter period, not less than one year.”

This is a highly important regulation ; and something similar is to be found, we believe, in almost every church in Christendom, except our own, in which the candidate is seldom known even by name to the bishop, till within three weeks, innation. Would that the governors of our stead of three years, of his intended ordichurch would determine upon some similar plan of clerical probation, and theological as well as merely literary instruction. In the United States, among Presbyterians, and all other classes of Christians, as well cal and probational course is quite indeas among the Episcopalians, the theologipendent of the academical. A college degree, which imports nothing as to the piety and pastoral sufficiency of the candidate, is not of necessity considered a qualification for holy orders.

NEW-YORK EPISCOPAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. The house of bishops and of clerical and lay deputies of the Episcopal Church in the United States, report in reference to the Theological Seminary at New York,

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