them little hopes can be entertained of gaining entrance with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ; and though they manifest moral sentiments, they would probably become only nominal Christians. The adherents of this party have recently built synagogues at Berlin and Hamburg, and regulated their divine worship agreeably to Christian usages, singing hymns accompanied by an organ, and having sermons delivered from a text of the Old Testament.

"2. The Sabsaids, a mystical sect, who abound in fanciful notions, and suppose to find in these more wisdom, than in that wisdom which is from above, and which makes known to us the mystery of godliness.

"3. The Karaits, who, from their religious principles, as far as I am acquainted with them, might probably be convinced with less difficulty of the truths of salvation in Christ, and be less averse to embrace these truths.

"4. The orthodox Jews, as they call themselves, who steadfastly adhere to the Mosaic law and to the tradition of their elders, and who still constitute the majority of this nation, especially in Poland. They live, generally speaking, in the greatest blindness and ignorance of heart, and are hardened in unbelief: nevertheless, among them it is not improbable that the light of the gospel will first dispel the darkness of unbelief, when the Lord by his almighty fiat says, Let there be light.

"5. That not inconsiderable party among the Jews, who have no religion at all, are Atheists, and live without God in the world, maintaining themselves chiefly by usury and fraud, and manifest neither a religious nor moral disposition.

"With the Portuguese Jews, who are regarded the nobility of this nation, and with the oriental Jews, I am unacquainted; nor do I know whether any adherents of the former sect of Chasadim in Poland are still in existence.

"It may be difficult to decide, to which division of the Jews the society should chiefly direct its attention. We know not the times and seasons, which the Father has put in his own power, for restoring the kingdom to Israel; but we ought to observe the signs of the present times, as an emotion is perceptible among this nation which has not been observed at any former period.

"The spirit of the Lord must direct the undertakings of the society, and open doors for successful labour among the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and we ought frequently to unite before the throne of grace in fervent prayer and supplication for them. Deliver, O Lord, the people of Israel from their blindness, lead them to know thee and to enjoy thy salvation; that many of them may with us attain to the possession of the glorious inheritance which is promised and reserved for us in hea

ven."

IRELAND.

From the Thirteenth Report of the Hibernian Bible Society.

A correspondent in Galway thus speaks, "The scriptures, in spite of all opposition, are circulating among the poor of the county, and many of them see the iniquity and absurdity of attempting to prevent it. I am not therefore disheartened; I look forward with hope to a day in which, even here, the word of God will run and be glorified." Another correspondent, from another county in the west says, "It will, no doubt, be very gratifying to you and your Committee, to hear that a demand for the sacred scriptures has taken place in some parts of this county. This, although but very limited, and confined to some of the poorest of our fellow-countrymen, I would hail as a favourable prelude to greater things. Where there exists a desire to become possessed of the book of life, and where, for that object, some of the poorest individuals have given some 10d. some 6d. and some 5d. to be the purchasers of a Testament, and others have parted with 1s. 8d. and 2s. to obtain a Bible, it is manifest that it must proceed from a sincere feeling of the value of the book. Such circumstances have occurred within these few days. An individual, who having felt from his own experience the need of a Saviour, has disposed of seven or eight dozen copies of the Old and New Testaments, by sale, in a very few days: in one place, in the space of four hours, he sold two dozen copies, and these not in towns, but on the way side as he passed along. He has had to leave many a poor man's cabin without being able to give him a book for his ready and proffered money. He has had orders for double what he sold; he has been importuned to return, that they might get this book; for which, blessed be the Lord, as it must be of his work, such a sudden and earnest desire has been excited. I think, if I had them, I could, through the means of this individual, dispose of two or three hundred copies in a very short time, and in no large extent of country. Of course I gave him directions to get the best price he could for the books: to some very poor individuals he sold the books at a trifle less than the reduced prices, but in general he got a ready sale for them at those prices." Another correspondent, speaking of the same individual, and of a subsequent period, says, was here on Tuesday and Wednesday: he has sold, since he was here last, five dozen Bibles, and thirty-four dozen Testaments. Beyond in the mountains, he sold three dozen in three hours." A correspondent also from the county of Donegal, thus writes, "I have the honor to state, that in the two parishes of which I am the incumbent, there exists a most earnest desire to obtain copies of the scriptures-that all former difficulties as to the acceptance of them seen to have yielded to reason, and that there exists a favourable opportunity for carry,

ing into effect the wishes of the Bible Society. About 700 Testaments, and 300 Bibles, have already been distributed among the inhabitants of the above parishes; but the numerous population requires more, as the majority of the children can now read." This last remark of our correspondent leads us to observe, that the increased desire for the scriptures must, under God, be attributed, in a great measure, to the labours of the various societies which have been established for the education of the young societies, which, in a country circumstanced as this is, must be the most efficient precursors and pioneers to the beneficent march of the Bible Society.

A commencement has been made in ascertaining the state of the people with regard to the possession of the scriptures, and the results of the investigation, although they promise nothing very pleasing, will yet be highly important. Our correspondent in Banbridge writes thus on the subject, on date Feb. 19, 1819: "Our society are taking steps to enter upon the new plan, and have been investigating the country a little, to find the actual state with regard to the scriptures; the result (which you will probably hear by and by) will afford a strong evidence of the need of exertions in the Bible cause. Even in our favoured region of the north, hardly half of the people are supplied with Bibles." And again, on March 15 following, "Some of our members have, in particular districts, gone from house to house, examining the state of the different families with regard to the scriptures. Mr. examined in one town-land 44 families: 21 families were found without Bibles, and 9 without Bible or Testament. Thus nearly half the families had no Bibles. In the 44 families there were about 241 individuals, 151 could read, and 36 were at school. This town-land is about three miles from Banbridge, where an open shop, for sale of Bibles and Testaments, has been kept for about five years; from which it it is very evident, that the country is far, very far, from being supplied with Bibles. Mr. Mr. of Tandragee, examined in that town-land 178 families, containing 771 individuals, of whom 640 could read: 44 of these families were found without the scriptures. If this be the state of the province of Ulster, what must be the state of the other provinces? These facts call loudly on the friends of the society, for renewed and increased exertions.

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY- Thirteenth Report.

At page 249, of our last volume, we noticed the 13th Anniversary of this Society, and stated the number of schools, 480, and scholars, 46, 976; being an increase, within the last year, of 88 schools and 14,460 scholars. We shall now extract some further particulars from the Report. The system which has been adopted and pursued in Ireland, relative to the instruction and discipline of the schools, the con

duct and payment of the masters, and the important duties of the Inspectors, continues in full and effective operation. The regulation which proportions the payment of the masters by a certain standard of proficiency in their pupils (which is peculiar to the Hibernian Society) produces both an economical expenditure of its funds, and the utmost possible success in its course of education.

On the advantages arising from inspection, a clergyman writes-"The appointment of Inspectors, and their manner of ascertaining progress and attendance in the classes, is most judicious; and eminently effectual, beyond any means that have been hitherto used. I most sincerely recommend to all societies. and individuals, who are anxious for the welfare of Ireland, to take a lesson of improvement from the practical energy of the London Hibernian Society."

The Report gives the following classification of the Visitors of the society's schools:-"215 schools, under clergymen of the establishment; 118 ditto, under noblemen and gentlemen resident in the vicinity of the schools; 34 ditto, under Roman Catholic priests; 9 ditto, under Protestant Dissenting ministers; 9 ditto, under Ladies; 63 ditto; no Visitors, being in situations not contiguous to the residence of clergymen or gentlemen; 32 ditto, for adults; total, 480."

6

Some remarks occur, respecting the influence of the schools, which are well worthy of notice :-" With respect to the Catholic clergy, referred to in the foregoing account, it is believed that their visitations proceed from a friendly disposition toward this society, and not merely from a passive concurrence with its measures. Their conduct, indeed, is in striking contrast with that of a majority of their brethren, who, in several counties, have manifested renewed hostility to the measures pursued by the Hibernian Society; and which gives cause to fear, that the present year may be a season of severe opposition. But,' says the Committee's correspondent in Ireland, the issue of this contest is not doubtful. The feelings of the lower orders, wherever the schools have been established, are on the side of the society. Its labours have also tended to rouse the Protestants to a sense of duty; and the society may look with confidence for that energetic co-operation on their part, of which there was not the smallest appearance at the commencement of their operations. These changes, already produced by the exertions of the society, both on the lower orders of the Catholics and on the leading men among the Protestants, are invaluable; and would, if duly considered, be esteemed a rich compensation for all the labour hitherto bestowed by the society, to benefit this country.""

Visit of Mr. Robert Steven to the Society's Schools. In the summer of last year, Mr. Steven undertook, at the request of the Committee, to visit the Society's Schools, and to endeavour to excite a more general interest in its favour. The

Report which he made on his return bears a strong testimony to the order and efficiency of the plans in operation. We shall extract a few passages:

"My feelings, on sitting down, in the midst of a hundred or more poor children, chiefly of Catholic parents, some of them almost naked, with interesting and intelligent countenances, reading and repeating portions of the sacred scriptures-were indeed more than I can express. These are destined by Divine Providence to be the fathers and mothers of the next generation: how important is it, then, that their minds be freed from the fetters of superstition; and that they be instructed in their duty to their parents and neighbours-to fear God, and honour the king!

"The regulation of the society, which obliges all the scholars in the senior spelling-class to commit to memory, in each quarter, the four pages of the scripture lessons in the Spelling-Book; those in the Spelling-Book reader's class, six pages; and in the Testament class, from four to six chapters--was not only generally complied with, but in numerous instances greatly exceeded. Many could repeat whole Gospels and Epistles. One child was able to repeat the whole of the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians; and a little girl in one of our Female Schools, in her third quarter, not in the Testament-class, and consequently not obliged to repeat more than six pages of the lessons, had, of her own accord, committed to memory 106 Psalms and chapters in the Old Testament, and 60 chapters in the New.

"The benefit resulting to the parents and neighbours, from the children carrying home their Testaments and Bibles, is incalculably great. In this way the word of God has been introduced into thousands of cabins. The necessity of the parents hearing the children repeat their tasks, brings them, it may be at first unwillingly, acquainted with a book against which they had been prejudiced. Their prejudices, by degrees, give way, and that book which they had never heard mentioned, but to be loaded with anathemas, now becomes their delight; and their cabin is soon crowded with neighbours, to hear its wonderful contents. How delightful to see the big tear stealing down the cheek of the sturdy father! to perceive his rugged temper subdued, and the lion changed into a lamb! Hence arises that personal, domestic, and social inprovement, which is obvious in those districts where our schools have been established for erable time."

FRANCE.

any

consid

From the First Report of the Paris Bible Society. Many small tribes of Protestants, scattered over the surface of France, appear worthy of the attention and care of the society. Some are without meetings, without pastors, and without public