THE

RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE.

No. XI.

AUGUST, 1834.

ORIGIN OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

[The following minutes were copied, by one of the Editors, from the Records of the Religious Tract Society, London.]

"Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1802. Present, Rev. Mr. Wilkes, in the chair, Rev. Messrs. Steinkopff, Townsend, Hughes, and 13 others.

Mr. Charles of Bala having introduced the subject of dispersing Bibles in Wales, the Committee resolved, that it would be highly desirable to stir up the public mind to the dispersion of Bibles generally, and that a paper in a Magazine to this effect may be singularly useful. The object was deemed sufficiently connected with the object of this Society to appear thus generally on the Minutes of the Tract Society.

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1802. The business of the distribution of Bibles having been proposed, it was resolved to keep the subject in view, and to reconsider it at the next meeting.

Tuesday, Dec. 21, 1802. The Secretary read a paper on the importance of forming a Society for the distribution of Bibles in various languages.

Resolved, That a special meeting be holden next Tuesday, at 8 o'clock, as preparatory to a general meeting to promote

that end.

At a special meeting, held on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1802, for the purpose specified in the Minutes of the last meeting, the

object of the intended Society was maturely considered and determined unanimously to be, " To promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in foreign countries, and in those parts of the British dominions, for which adequate provision is not yet made; it being understood that no English translation of the Scriptures will be gratuitously circulated by the Society in Great Britian."

The important items, in the minutes of the three successive meetings which were holden on the 11th, 18th and 25th of Jan. are these; Mr. Hughes, the Secretary read an address, which he had prepared, on the distribution of the Bible, to accord with the definition of the object of the Society. Mr. Mills was requested to prepare a plan, arranged on the principles of the address. It was done, and the plan adopted, subject to discussion at a general meeting. A gentleman was requested to correspond with some liberal individuals in different parts of the country, on the subject of opening a subscription, as the basis of the intended Society.

At the next meeting, on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1803, among other things, the conditions and privileges of membership were agreed upon. The Committee also were "authorised to assist in purchasing and printing the Holy Scriptures in foreign languages, and for this purpose to open a correspondence with such as they may deem most suitable for the purpose."

At a special meeting held Feb. 8, it was resolved, that the translation of the Scriptures established by public authority, be the only one in the English language to be adopted by the Society.

Resolved, That the address of the Secretary, adopted on the 18th ult. be printed in a handsome manner, under the inspection of Messrs. Rayner, Hughes, &c. by Mr. Bensley.

Resolved, That an application be made to his Majesty, for his patronage of the Society;

That Mr. Hardcastle be requested to accompany Mr. Hughes to Mr. Wilberforce, relative to the above application.

Resolved, That a special meeting of the Society, be held during the year, on the second or third Monday in May, at the direction of the Committee;

That the Treasurer and Committee shall be elected, and the accounts audited annually at the general meeting.

Resolved, That the Committee consist of 24, who shall superintend the general management of the Society, and with whom shall rest the choice of the Officers of the Society, the Treasurer alone excepted;

That one fourth of the Committee, consisting of such members as have given the least attendance, be ineligible for the

ensuing year, excepting such as are considered honorary

members.

March 15, 1803. The subject of the Bible Society being resumed, Mr. Hughes reported, that 500 copies of the address on the excellence of the Holy Scriptures would be ready, in a few days, for public distribution.

Resolved, That the Committee to whom the printing of the above was referred, be requested to distribute them.

April 19, 1803. In relation to the Bible Society a letter was read from Mr. Keisleny of Nuremburg in Germany, a merchant who annually travels through a considerable part of that empire, in the prosecution of his affairs, in which he has described in very affecting terms, the great difficulties under which the poor labor in procuring Bibles, and the eager desire manifested by persons of all ages, to be supplied with the word of life. He laments the inadequacy of his own means to satisfy those pressing wants, and expresses his hope and confidence, that the friends of religion in England will afford him that aid, without which they must remain unrelieved.

Resolved, That an octavo edition of the essay on the excellence of the Holy Scriptures be printed under the inspection of Mr. Hughes, that the number of copies be 2000, and that it be forwarded with the utmost possible expedition.

April 21, 1803. At a special meeting held this day, the Chairman having stated the origin and design of the projected Society, it was resolved, that it is expedient to consult measures for obtaining information respecting the want of Bibles in this and other countries.

At the fourth general meeting of the Society held at St. Paul's Coffee-House, May 12, 1803, the Secretary stated, that it was in contemplation of some respectable friends to form an extensive plan for the dispersion of the Bible into the hands of such persons, as are at present unable to procure them; and requested the members present to inquire in their respective vicinities, as to the facility of procuring Bibles, and to communicate such information.

Rev. Mr. Townsend, in a very impressive address, urged the necessity of diligent attention to the want of Bibles in this country, in Ireland, and on the continent.

Rev. Mr. Knight related an instance of a man who travelled over the snows in Nova Scotia to obtain a Bible.

Rev. Mr. Bogue suggested the propriety of printing the Bible in modern Greek language.

Several gentleman stated the great want of Bibles in different parts of the country.

Rev. Mr. Tracy stated that in the countries which had been under the destroying hand of infidelity, during the French Revolution, the Bible had been generally destroyed in the conflagration with other religious books, which have occasioned such a scarcity as cannot be publicly supplied by the Missionary Society.

June 14, 1803. The subject of the formation of a Bible Society being resumed, Mr. Hughes was requested to prepare a circular letter to be printed, for the purpose of inclosing the address to the ministers of different denominations.

June 21, 1803. The subject of the Bible Society being resumed, Mr. Hughes was requested to wait upon the Treasurer of the "Society, for the distribution of the Bible to Soldiers and Sailors," to inquire into the views of that Society, as to the extension of its object.

June 28. The subject of the Bible Society being resumed, a letter from Rev. Mr. Williams of Birmingham was read, in which he suggests the propriety of encouraging the formation of local Societies, to which poor persons might be permitted to pay for Bibles, by installments of one penny per week, the prices being reduced by the aid of such Societies.

Resolved, That a consideration of the same be deferred until the formation of the Society be accomplished.

A letter drawn up by the Secretary, to be addressed to several persons likely to favor its object, was presented.

Resolved, That Messrs. Wilberforce, Hardcastle, Grant, S. Hoare, G. Wolfe, A. Maitland, H. Thornton, G. Sharpe, be applied to for their subscription to the letter, of which 1000 copies are to be printed.

August 2. The subject of the Bible Society was resumed. Several letters in answer to the queries inserted in the Evangelical Magazine, were read, which stated a great want of Bibles in the places from which they came.

Oct. 11. A paper from Rev. Mr. Steinkopff, containing several very interesting communications from Germany and Switzerland, on the subject of the distribution of Bibles, was read, and referred to Mr. S. to consider in what manner it would be best to publish it.

Dec. 6. Passing on to the state of the plan for diffusing the Scriptures, Resolved, to sell the Essay, and duly advertise it in the British Critic, Christian Observer, and other religious periodicals,

Dec. 20. A letter was produced from Mr. D. Dule of Glas gow enclosing £20 as an aid to Mr. J. F. Oberlin in distributing the Bible. It was recommended to acknowledge it in the Evan. Magazine.

Jan. 3, 1804. A letter from Harslew in Denmark, dated Nov. 7, 1803, translated by Mr. Steinkopff was read, containing important information on the state of various translations of the Bible on the continent, which was referred to the Editor of the Evan. Magazine, for insertion in that work.

Jan. 10. Resolved, That the Society be called, "The British and Foreign Bible Society," agreeable to the suggestion of the Secretary;

That, a circular letter be prepared on the subject, by the Secretary of the Tract Society, before next Tuesday.

Jan. 17. Two letters were received from Mr. Wilberforce, signifying his cordial concurrence in the general object, and suggesting the propriety of further consultation previous to a general meeting.

The circular letter written by the Secretary, was read and ordered to be printed.

A Committee was appointed to prepare for a general meeting.

Jan. 26. A letter from Mr. Wilberforce was read. The outlines of a plan for the intended Bible Society agreeably to the resolutions of former meetings were read, and with some alterations adopted.

A selection was made of names of persons to be requested to allow their signatures to be attached to an invitation for a general meeting.

Feb. 27. At a meeting for arranging the business of the Bible Society, the following was adopted as the invitation to accompany the circular address, which arrived this morning from the printers.

"SIR,

The prefixed address is respectfully submitted to your perusal. A public meeting will be held relative to the formation of the proposed Society, at the London Tavern on Thursday, March 1, 1804. Your presence on this occasion is requested.

The chair will be taken precisely at 1 o'clock."

Feb. 14. The following names were proposed for the chair. G. Sharpe, G. Wolfe, J. Benwell.

Feb. 21. Agreed that the 7th of March be the day of meeting instead of the first.