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field. Others still, favoring a new version, desire a preliminary correspondence of Bible Societies and Universities, and in some way a union of all denominations of Christians in making a version which should be worthy the confidence of all. Such a union for such a purpose, they suppose, might require a considerable period for its formation, but they believe the object worthy of the effort.

Now, under the pressure of objections arising from these diverse and irreconcilable opinions, would it be wise, would it be likely to eventuate in good to the cause of religion, for this Society to take up and prosecute the revision of the English Scriptures? Within the broad purpose "to aid in the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in all lands," is there not enough of labor, which is less questionable and more urgent, to occupy the means and energies of this Society? Is there not enough in the calls of perishing millions to demand of us to abstain from questions which gender strife, and give our united strength to the practical work of dispensing to the dying the bread of life?

The Board believe that views like these have been the governing ones with this Society, and furnish the true interpretation of the resolutions of the last annual meeting. Far be it from this Society to decline from that high reverence for the Word of God, as revealed in the original Scriptures, and that profound sense of the claims of all mankind for a full and complete translation of those originals, which first gave the Society existence, which have won for it the love of its thousands of patrons, and which will make it honorable in the history of the world's evangelization. Never was needle to the pole more true than this Society to its principles; nor will it ever falter from any part to which it may properly be called in fulfilling practically the object stated in its Constitution.

With these views, your Board have been unable to see any just cause for a division among brethen who for these many years have been the friends of this Society. Do any desire a revision of the English Scriptures? This Society places no obstacles in their way. Let such a work be an independent work, to stand or fall on its own merits, and let brethren who are agreed in principle go together in details so far as agreed. Your Board believe this the apostolic rule, and that the adoption of it would be the harbinger of peace and concord to our churches, and a blessing to a dying world. "Let there be no strife between me and thee, for we be brethren." We are agreed in our labors for the destitute abroad, and even in regard to labors at home we are agreed in so far as this, that our common version should be diligently circulated until, in the providence of God, it shall be superseded by a better. In these labors there is ample room and imperative call for the most enlarged benevolence; and your Board believe it should not be the fault of this Society if all do not rally upon this common ground. Believing this, they have felt it to be their duty to suggest the tender of this branch of

If it is declined, you

peace, in the earnest hope that it may be accepted. will have the consciousness of an honest and earnest effort in the right direction. You will proceed to the accustomed work of the Society with the feeling that, if obstacles meet you, and you are unable in consequence to do what you would to give the lamp of life to souls in darkness, they are obstacles for which you are not responsible; and you will be able with stronger faith to cast your care upon Him who works mysteriously, according to his own will, and brings forth light from the midst of gloom. If this branch of peace is accepted, your Board recommend an administration of the Society carefully adjusted to such relations, which shall inspire mutual confidence by illustrating the spirit of fraternal love. They believe that such acceptance would have the approbation of God, and that this approbation would be attested by enlarged prosperity and usefulness.

Is it said that, in all this, this Society concedes nothing? Certainly it will not be required that it should concede any thing from its great object, "to aid in the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in all lands." From this it cannot decline. But it comes to old friends temporarily estranged, and in the spirit of generous conciliation offers explanations, and tenders confidence and love. It comes to invite them to co-operation in the essential things on which we are agreed, and to assure them of non-interference on the single labor about which we differ. It declares our fast adherence with them to the principles which gave rise to this Society, and to ask only that on the question of the practical application of those principles in a single case, none shall coerce the consciences of their brethren, or suffer prejudices or reproach for differences of opinion. On such grounds there may assuredly be union, which will commend itself to Christian hearts.

The Board of Managers here yield the trust which has been confided to them, invoking the Divine blessing upon the future labors of the Society.

Anniversary Addresses, Correspondence, &t.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

Members of the American and Foreign Bible Society:-Personally, and on behalf of the Board, I tender to you, my brethren, affectionate and Christian greeting. Through the mercies of God and the favor of his kind providence, I am permitted to congratulate you upon the auspicious circumstances under which we have convened to celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of the American and Foreign Bible Society. They are such as should awaken our grateful sensibility, and call for our devout acknowledgment of the Divine goodness. The entire retrospect has been so marked with the gracious interpositions of his hand, as to furnish the clearest evidence that God approves of our work, and cheers us onward with the smiles of his favor. To the circumstances under which the Society entered upon the last year, I need not advert; neither the place nor occasion would sanctify censure, or render controversy graceful or appropriate; and I would ever cherish in my heart the most sincere regard for my brethren from whom I am constrained to differ in judgment. It is sufficient for us this day to know that God has been better to us than our fears; that he has dispelled the clouds and shone forth upon us in the gracious indications of his providential favor. It will be seen from our Reports that the liberal benevolence of the churches has placed in our treasury the means of responding to every claim from abroad, and all that was requisite for ordinary home distribution. While, therefore, some of our resources have been diminished by mistaken apprehensions and by the Social and political agitations of the times, and a less amount, for that reason chiefly, derived from auxiliaries, our receipts exceed those of the preceding year by uear $4,000.

This result is beyond our most sanguine expectations, and claims our grateful praise to the Author of all good; and it is the more gratifying, as it presents the strong practical evidence that the confidence of the churches has not been disturbed by the shocks we have sustained, nor their zeal in this noble and holy cause in the slightest degree abated. Especially would we discover and gratefully acknowledge the Divine hand. Obscure as are our perceptions of the Infinite ONE, whose ways and works and glories are "past finding out," yet may we discover something of the principle upon which this gracious interposition proceeds. God loves and honors his own Word, that comes forth from the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that makes known the glory of his perfections, and the clemency, righteousness, and grace of his wise and holy government; and he will vindicate its truth and purity, not in the storm and tempest of impassioned conflict, but in the veiled and tranquil, yet resistless movements of his sovereign and almighty hand! He, whose gracious voice is heard, not in the whirlwind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the gentle whispers of his Spirit communicating with man, when, in calm and solemn thought, the heart is humble and passion still, cheers us with the assurances of his faithful Word: "Fear not, I am with thee; be not dismayed, I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee." In conducting the operations of the Society during the past year, the Board have not, for a moment, supposed that the principles that should govern their action are at all doubtful; a plain path had been previously prepared before them, clearly indicating their course. They believed that they understood the will of their constituency, so emphatically expressed

at their last anniversary, and it has been their earnest desire to execute it with singlehearted fidelity. They believed that they understood the exclusive object contemplated at our organization, for some of their number were personally and actively engaged in that important work, and participated in the conferences and were conversant with all the circumstances connected with it; nor has the passage of time obliterated those interesting scenes from their memory. They believe that they have correctly understood the sufficiently intelligible, and certainly very explicit statement of your Constitution, avowing, as the single object of the Society," to aid in the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in all lands." Your Board has as yet discovered nothing to warrant a departure from the uniform course of the Society, from the date of its institution to this day; still less could they derive from its object or history any justification for engaging in new enterprises, of so doubtful a character as to divide the sentiments of the denomination, and gender disunion and strife where all should be unity and peace. The present English version of the Holy Scriptures, that receives the united confidence of all the pious, that speaks the language that has enlightened, directed, sustained and comforted their fathers "in the house of their pilgrimage," is yet dear to their hearts, and is by them venerated, loved, and inculcated as the Word of the living God. That it has imperfections is admitted, for so have all things human; and none, I believe, have ever assumed that our English translators were inspired men. But the question of its revision, in the only way in which it ever can be successfully revised, by such means as the concentrated wisdom of the churches may suggest, and by ability in some degree equal to the momentous responsibility, and of a character so unquestionable as to secure universal acquiescence and confidence, has never been submitted to this Society, and certainly is not comprehended within the limit of its constitutional objects. Whatever, therefore, may have been their individual opinions upon this subject, it is a question that could not be consistently entertained around their table. The Bible-the Book by eminence -that discloses to us, in precept and promise, the will and purposes of God, the wisdom and beneficence of his gracious government; that sheds its hallowed light upon the redeemed Church and a sin-wrecked world, upon ages past and the life to come, upon the duties, hopes, and destinies of mankind; the book that has been "the lamp to our path" from our earliest years, whose lessons of love are inseparable from all the interesting recollections of life; its language endeared to our hearts by its frequent repetition from a mother's lips and in a father's prayer; that has been our sweetest solace in sorrow, a well-spring of life in our souls, the basis of our faith and the confidence of our hope, when anticipating the dark valley and the revealings of the spirit-world beyond it, can never be by us lightly regarded, or committed to any but unquestionably competent hands for improvement. We should regard it under any circumstances as an exceedingly hazardous experiment, unless of that competency there was the most convincing evidence, and the strong. est assurances of its sanctified integrity. Of this we are confident, the received version surpasses every other in fidelity and excellence, and is rendered the more precious from its interesting and holy associations. Another, and a better, must be furnished to us, sanctioned by the confidence of our entire communion, and by all others "who hold the Head," ere we can say to our good old English Bible, Depart from our pulpits, our closets, and our confidence. Until then we are confined to it by our own strong convictions, by the expressed will of the Society, and by the purpose stated in the Constitution."

Our work, dear brethren, combines the most exalted privilege with solemn responsibility. Engaged in a holy enterprise, contemplating results that involve the glory of God and the dearest interests of mankind, we should realize at once the condescension and grace that call us to it, the honor it confers upon us, and the obligations under which we sustain the trusts and prosecute the labors confided to our hands. A menial service in the cause of the Saviour confers an honor upon him who renders it, far surpassing the titled dignities of the world, because it identifies him with the interests of God's moral government and the advancing glories of that kingdom that is destined to encompass the earth and to shine above the brightness of the firmament. But the honored agent must see to it that his service is performed in obedience to the laws of his King, and in accordance with those immutable principles of truth and righteousness that will secure the sanction of His approval. The service in which we are engaged involves peculiar grace and peculiar responsibility. To give the destitute the Word of God, to unite in effort with the ancient prophets in diffusing the light of his glory, to become the donors instrumentally of the richest gift God bestows upon man, is certainly a position of no common inter

est and importance. To meet the claims of duty inseparable from it, may involve toils and sacrifices of a peculiar character. The consciousness of imperfection, a strenuous conflict with antagonist influences within and without, require a voluntary immolation on the altar of truth and duty. This is to be expected as long as the god of this world ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience. But this should not discourage; it should only convince us of the necessity of bringing to our work the impulse of devoted hearts and willing minds. The results cannot be doubtful, for they depend not upon fortuitous events or contingencies; they are included in the predictions of the prophets, and God's Word cannot return unto him void. These results are secured by his faithful promise, that "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow." The God of truth hath spoken it, he will bring it to pass. The Lord hath given the Word of truth from heaven. Let the company of them who publish it be great and devoted, humble and faithful.

ADDRESS OF REV. R. A. FYFE, OF WARREN, R. I.

Resolved, That the distribution of the pure Word of God among all nations is not only practicable, but is essential to the evangelization of the world; and we recognize in the existing state of our own, as well as that of foreign countries, an increase of encouragement and consequent obligation to prosecute this work with zeal, faith, and hope.

Mr. President:-The Bible itself first imparted to men the great idea of a radical moral reform; and multitudes, in our day, catching up the outlines of the thought, without paying attention to the sole means by which this moral improvement can be effected, have gone wild with theories as absurd as any that ever came out of Bedlam. Every body means to reform some thing or some body. There are those who tell us that they intend to turn this whole world into a second garden of Eden, and that there need be no innocence in the paradise of their creation. Schemes for effecting this wonderful revolution are gravely paraded before us, and we are assured that they must succeed in "the good time coming." The life that we now live in the flesh need not be a life of faith-a life of trial or probation, necessarily involving inequalities and reverses; but should be made one of pure enjoyment, where all men, of whatever character, should be perfectly equal in possessions, privileges, and happiness. It seems possible, if not probable, that we shall yet have societies to give all men the same physical constitution, the same amount of strength and symmetry, of intellect and character; societies to banish disease and death from our world; (indeed, we are already, if we may believe all that is printed, well provided with this class of philanthropists.) We may soon have societies to make all trees of the same size, and to level down every hill; to give four legs to the eagle, and wings to the ox. These aims are no more absurd or impossible than some of those on which professedly rational men are now experimenting.

But it is matter for gratitude that the great schemes for evangelizing the world, which stand in opposition to these devisings of weak and erring men, and which have engaged the attention of Christians for the last forty or fifty years, are no longer to be viewed as experiments. Many projects of so-called reform are des tined to perish like the prophet's gourd, but not so the Bible Society, the Missionary Society, the Tract Society.

While some dreamers persist in the vain and endless pursuit of the moral alchemy by which the world is to be at once converted into a paradise of happiness, the Society whose anniversary we are now celebrating contents itself with less showy but more certain aims. We pretend not to change this world into heaven, but to give men the means of learning the way from earth to heaven, and of soothing, comforting, and sustaining them on their journey thitherward. We do not profess to transmute all things into gold, but to put into the hands of men a book which teaches how treasures more precious and enduring may be laid up, where gold is trodden under foot. Though we cannot lengthen men's days upon earth, yet we would furnish to every man the true elixir of life-the waters of which, if men drink, they will never die.

But can the Bible be given to every man? Is not the undertaking so gigantic as to merit the epithet visionary I answer, certainly not. Every thing

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