rand, that he meant to set up a sabbath school, to be just at hand, and for the vicinity around him. With no other manner than that which Christian kindness would dictate, and just such questions as are consistent with the respect which every human being should entertain for another, we prowise him, not merely a civil, but a cordial reception in almost every house, and a discreet answer to all his inquiries. The first thing which, in all likelihood, will meet his observation, is the mighty remainder of good that is left for him to do, amid the number and exertion of the general sabbath schools that are on every side of him. It may be otherwise in some few accidental districts; but, speaking generally, he will assemble a sufficient school out of a population of 300. Parents of all characters will accept his proposition with gratitude. And if, on his first meeting with their children in some apartment of the district, he should be disappointed by the non-attendance of some whom he was counting on, a few calls of inquiry on the subject, will generally, at length, secure the point of their attendance; and, by following up every case of absence with a week-day inquiry at the parents, he will secure the regularity of it; and thus may he bring his moral and personal influence into contact with their young, for a few hours of every recurring sabbath; and also keep up an influence through the whole week, by the circulation of books from a small library attached to his institution. It will prove a mighty accession to the good that he is doing, if he hold frequent intercourse with the families. Their kindness and his enjoyment will grow with the growth of their mutual acquaintanceship. And should he, in the spirit of a zealous philanthropy, resolve to cultivate the district as his own---should he fill up every opening to usefulness which occurs in it should he mix consideration with sympathy-and, in all his services and all his distributions, bear a respect to their character as well as to their comfort-we cannot confidently' say, that he will turn many from Satan unto God, but he will extinguish many an element, both of moral and political disorder.

"A few months of perseverance will thoroughly engage him to the cause that he has undertaken. He will feel a comfort in this style of philanthropy, which he does not feel in the bustle and distraction of manifold societies. He will enjoy both the unity and the effectiveness of his doings. And, instead of pacing, as he does now, among dull committees, and perplexing himself among the questions of a large and laborious superintendence, will he expatiate, without encumbrance, upon his own chosen field, and rejoice in putting forth his immediate hand, on the work of reclaiming it from that neglected waste of ignorance and improvidence by which it is surrounded.”—pp. 67—70.

The prevailing spirit of the times is a great hindrance to Dr. Chalmers' plans.

"The truth is, that a task so isolated as that which we are now prescribing, does not suit with the present rage for generalising. There is an appetite for designs of magnificence. There is an impatience of every thing short of a universal scheme, landing in a universal result. Nothing will serve but a mighty organization, with the promise of mighty consequences; and, let any single person be infected with this spirit, and he may decline from the work of a single court or lane in a city as an object far too limited for his contemplation. He may like to share, with others, in the enterprise of subordinating a whole city to the power of some great an

combined operation. And we may often have to deliver a man from this ambitious tendency, ere we can prevail upon him to sit humbly and perseveringly down to his task-ere we can lead him to forget the whole, and practically give himself to one of its particulars-ere we can satisfy him, that, should he moralize one district of 300 people, he will not have lived in vain-ere we can get him to pervade his locality, and quit his speculation."-pp. 71, 72.

"There is an impatience on the part of many a raw and sanguine philanthropist, for doing something great; and, akin to this, there is an impatience for doing that great thing speedily. They spurn the condition of drivelling amongst littles; and unless there be a redeeming magnificence in the whole operation, of which they bear a part, are there some who could not be satisfied with a humble and detached allotment in the great vineyard of human usefulness. Not that we at all admire the narrowness of an unsocial spirit, which cares for nothing beyond the confines of its own territory. It is simply, that we hold it to be bad moral tactics, thus to extend the field of management-thus to bring a whole city or a whole province under one unwieldy jurisdiction-thus to weaken, by dispersion, the interest which we think is far more vivid and effective when concentrated upon one given locality-thus to exchange the kindliness of a small appropriated home for the cold lustre of a wider and more public management— thus to throw ourselves abroad, over an expanse of superficiality, instead of thoroughly pervading and filling up each of its subordinate sections.”— pp. 73, 74.

An attempt was made some time ago, by the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism, and several members of the Sunday School Union, to subordinate the whole city to a system of visitation, and that by a simultaneous movement on the part of many individuals. The same plan is still contemplated by the society, but, in our opinion, it were greatly better that this were abandoned. The projectors of the scheme never found their way through the conflict and perplexity of many opinions, to its accomplishment. To muster a force, in any way adequate to the commencement of such an enterprise, there was required a very wide and crowded arena of consultation upon the subject; a Committee of more than 100 members, a portion from each ward of the city, were appointed, and this turned out, with but little exception, an arena of controversy and discussion, where, after a great deal of unproductive speechifying, the parties neutralized each other's propositions, and the project was given up almost in despair. Even though it had been possible to institute a system of domiciliary visitation, the work of filling up the local committees, would have gone on most languidly-the agency would have sunk under a consciousness of a burden two heavy for them; it would have been utterly impossible to send, over this wide extent, the impetus of such a common spirit as is often observed to animate a more small and select band of philanthropists; in proportion to the sublimity of the aim, would have been the shortness and slenderness of its execution:

"And one delusion more would have been added to the number of others, by which the public have been blinded to the fact, that, amid all the zeal and variety of our apparent doings in behalf of Christianity, we live at a time when irreligion is multiplying her proselytes every day, and vice, and ignorance, and ferocity, are making their most frightful advances over a rapidly degenerating population."-p. 76.

And we do not believe that this object of the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism will ever be attained, until they are content to limit their exertions to the extent, of at most, a single ward, and direct all the talent and philanthropy of their Board, and the weight of that popularity which they have justly acquired, to operate on the population of a single district.

Intelligence,

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The last publications we have received from England contain a great deal of interesting intelligence, from various quarters of the world. The following extracts from the Correspondence of the British and Foreign Bible Society, selected for this number of our work, are deserving an attentive perusal of the friends of the Bible cause, and show the catholic spirit which the simple truths of the gospel are calculated to excite and nourish.

From the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff.

Cassel, August 30, 1820." Marburg was our next station. The Professor had invited us to take up our quarters in his hospitable mansion; and we considered it an honour and privilege to spend a few days in the company of Leander Van Ess, who had been, and still is, so distinguished an instrument in the hand of God, to make our Catholic fellow Christians more extensively acquainted with his holy word. The number of Catholic and Protestant Bibles and Testaments circulated by this extraordinary man up to June last, amounted to 383,888 copies, out of which 377,703 are New Testaments of his own version, and 7,449 Lutheran Bibles. The opposition which the Professor has lately experienced on the part of his Biblical adversaries is very severe; there are before me several prohibitions which have issued from episcopal authorities. Not a few priests and curates, who formerly lent a helping hand to the circulation of the New Testament, have been intimidated thereby; but the Professor remains firm, and though unwearied labours, combined with a load of anxious cares,have weakened his bodily constitution, bis mind is as determined as ever to prosecute a work which the providence of God has assigned to him. Entering his house, the first thing which struck us was a number of bales and chests; they all contained either bound or unbound copies of his Testament: it is now published in four sizes, in 4 Q

VOL. VII.

large, middle, and small octavo, and in duodecimo. Three apartments are stocked with German, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Scriptures, ready to be sent in various directions. Fresh opportunities for circulation present themselves; no sooner is one channel stopped than another opens. Applications now pour in from different quarters. In some the people really thirst for the waters of life, but our friend has lately been obliged to restrict himself in his gratuitous distributions; he has insisted in most cases on being paid at least the expense of binding-in some he succeeded, but the far greater number of his friends plainly tell him, "Unless you send us bound copies to give to our people without money and without price, we can no longer serve your cause." The Professor is in a painful dilemma: on one hand he is anxious not to lose opportunities which never may occur again; on the other he clearly sees the necessity of acting with circumspection. I entreated him to use his utmost exertions to procure subscriptions and donations, from his friends among the Catholic clergy and laity. "I have written again and again, (was his answer,) but succeeded not to the extent of my wishes." I represented to our friend the constantly increasing demands made on the Parent Society, not only from the Christian, but also the Mahometan and Heathen world; and put it to his own good sense, whether those on whom scarcely a single ray of divine light had yet shone, might not justly claim a propriety. "I am fully sensible (he replied) of the justice of your remark, but still forget not our Catholic brethren, many of whom are immersed in ignorance and vice." I assured him that our Committee felt as much disposed as ever to do the utmost they could, consistently with their other engagements, nor would they withdraw their assistance, as long as the God of heaven prospered their plans, and the Christian public furnished the needful means. He then showed me his accounts and documental papers, which are inspected by a Committee of three respectable gentlemen; and I feel it due to our excellent friend to state my strong conviction, that every thing is transacted with perfect integrity and order.

Professor Van Ess seeks no earthly emolument, nor is the applause of a vain world his aim; he desires not treasures which the moth and the rust consume; no, the glory of God, and the salvation of souls-these are the pure and heavenly principles which influence his mind, and stimulate his actions. It is a pleasing feature in the character of Van Ess, that you may speak to him with the utmost freedom; even when you differ from him, he listens with calmness, and thanks you for your fraternal observa

tions.

We found two pious divines in his house, who are both members of the university of Tubingen, and excellent Hebrew scholars; with them he has read Deuteronomy, and all the historical books of the Old Testament. He intends to commence the print

ing of it in two or three months; the first edition is to consist of 10,000 copies. The last grant of 1000l. came most opportunely; it cheered this indefatigable labourer in the vineyard of the Lord, and enabled him to pursue his thorny path with fresh alacrity. I am not acquainted with the present financial state of our Society; but, if the funds admit, I would respectfully submit to the consideration of the Committee the propriety of granting additional aid to the Professor at the close of the present or the commencement of the next year; such a man is seldom to be met with. One of our dear friends has quitted the field; another retires; but Leander is still the avowed champion of the Biblical cause: he showed me a list of applications for Testaments; we read it over, and felt pained to refuse many.

To friendly interposition I owe a request from the Reformed Clergyman to preach in his church; I had a large and most attive audience of members of government, professors, clergymen, military men, students, and citizens. I preached from Isaiah lv. 1. In the afternoon the Marburg Bible Society held its general meeting in the Town-hall. The introductory speech, delivered by the President, breathed a truly Christian spirit. The Report was drawn up by the Professor of History: it will be printed, and transmitted to England. Several learned profes sors, who are well versed in oriental literature, expressed their peculiar satisfaction at the many versions promoted by the British and Foreign Bible Society in the Asiatic languages. I presented copies of the Syriac, Hindostanee, and the Ancient and Modern Greek Testament to the University Library, which present was received with peculiar pleasure. The Marburg Bible Society pays particular attention to Upperhessen, where many wants still show themselves, which induced me to make it a grant of 100 Basle Bibles, and 200 of our London edition of the New Testament. I could not leave Marburg without blessing God, that he is every where raising up men, both among Protestants and Catholics, who regard pure and undefiled religion as the pearl of great price, who revere the Bible as the revealed word of God, considering it their highest privilege to be found instrumental in its dissemination.

From the same.

Eisenach, Sept. 2, 1820. Near this town lies the celebrated castle called the "Wartburg;" the views from its walls and towers are enchanting; its antiquities are interesting to the historian; but there is one point which endears it more than all this to the friend of the Bible and of the Reformation. Wartburg was the refuge of Luther; there, after his excommunication by the Diet at Worms, he found an asylum, prepared by the wisdom and generosity of the Elector of Saxony, where he was safe from all the violence of his enraged enemies, and