of skeletons have been discovered in a subterraneous apartment, supposed to be a prison. Several new houses have been opened out, decorated with paintings quite as elegant as any of the former most admired works; but what is most curious, is a fountain, in a taste quite different from any of the other structures or ornaments of the city; it is dressed up in mosaic and shell-work, and resembles most of any thing the grottos that used to be found in English gardens. It is about on a level, in truth, with similar structures at WhiteConduit House and Bagnigge Wells. The novelty and oddity of the thing puzzles every body. There are indeed few modern things that have not their type in this ancient city. The public laundry has been lately found, and the pictures on the walls represent Scotch washing in all its glory; the linen is put in tubs, and the women are pumping on it. I thank you for your information about the Bible Society. You do me a real service by these simple statements of public Occurrences. I could not get at the truth from the French and Italian papers, though they have found it a rich subject for animadversion. I knew of old; I always thought he had a crack in his brain ; and has never yet been persuaded that it is FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE Extract from a Letter lately received. "I eagerly seize this opportunity of presenting to you my own thanks in particular, for the christian interest which you have taken in your persecuted brethren of the Canton of Vaud; both on account of the frank and brotherly declaration of the Dissenting ministers of London and its environs, and on account of the collections made in your churches for our relief. We have received the sums given to us in singleness of heart, as a sacrifice which God hath accepted as agreeable to him through Jesus Christ, and for which he will recompense you at the resurrection of the just. The persecution still continues. Two suits are now in progress before the tribunals, against Dissenting Christians, for holding religious meetings. Nevertheless, the kingdom of our Lord makes a constant and sensible progress, both among the Dissenters in the national church, especially among the younger part of the clergy." From another of these noble-minded men, (who has declined the acceptance of any present, and whose losses and sacrifices have amounted to several thousand pounds,) we have received a most interesting letter. It does infinite honour to his feelings of christian delicacy and candour. Its chief topic is caution; lest we should think or speak too severely against the authors and instruments of the persecution, and should too highly commend the persecuted. We shall select some passages, premising that our accounts of the illness and death of M. Juvet, were sent to Paris from the neighbourhood of the Canton, and that they were also corroborated by statements from other parts. We think it probable that if the circumstances could be fully searched into, there would be found no discrepancy between our statements and that of our highly respected correspondent. "With respect to our departed brother Juvet, of blessed memory, I find allegations which tend to cast upon our unhappy persecutors an aggravation of their criminality, by opinions too strongly hazarded. We saw that dear brother in apparently good health, after the cruel treatment which he endured. Doubtless it is possible that those sufferings might, without its being immediately perceived, have been the determining cause of the return of the pulmonary disease which proved fatal; and 1 should not have found fault, had this possibility only been suggested, as a subject of serious reflection for the consciences of those who excited the populace, when they ought to have restrained them. I am convinced that I might, on good grounds, say to our government, examine seriously, in the presence of God, whether, by your measures, you have not, perhaps, been the cause of the death of several persons; whether you are not, perhaps, guilty of their blood.' But neither truth nor charity would permit me to bring a formal accusation. God only knows how the case really stood. God forbid that I should seem to cast any doubt upon the various sufferings which our now happy friend endured for his Redeemer's sake. I would state, in the strongest manner, that he suffered the most of us all, from the populace. My heart delights to reflect how greatly his zeal and faithfulness shone forth; and it is no humility in me to say, that I should be happy, could I imitate them. But, as disciples of Christ, we ought to fear going beyond the truth; particularly when the matter turns upon the aggravations of the blame of any of our fellow men, whose guilt is already too awfully great. I think, also, that the Magazines exalt too highly both our sufferings and our patience under them. With the exception of a few uncommon perpetrations, which might, in deed, stand in the same picture with the infuriated paganism of the early centuries, our sufferings, compared with those of the first martyrs for Christ, have been a very small matter. With regard to the manner in which we have borne them, we will say, to the praise of the glory of the grace of God, that he has not forsaken his poor servants; that he has even enabled us to suffer joyfully for his sake the little that we have suffered; but placed by the side of the Christians, who were tortured in the primitive times, for the testimony of Jesus, we are little indeed. If such praises of us should be read in the Canton of Vaud, instead of their being ascribed to the generous sympathy of our English brethren, I fear that they will be attributed to the ridiculous vanity of sectaries, always prompt to exaggerate their sufferings, and to laud one another as if they were saints." For the Committee, SPEECH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD BEXLEY, At the Anniversary of the Kent Auxiliary Bible Society, held at Maidstone, on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 1826. We are happy to present our readers with the sentiments of an upright and exemplary nobleman, who, by his long and close connection with the British and Foreign Bible Society, is quite competent to judge of the merits of the accusations which have been brought against its Committee, and whose elevated rank, and ample fortune, may, at least, screen him from the cruel insinuations of those who are so ready to assign mercenary motives to all who do not join in their war cry, which to their shame is re-echoed by all the Papists, Infidels, Antinomians, and Libertines of the age. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,-I beg you to believe, that I feel very sincerely obliged to you for the kind manner in which you have accepted my services this day. I felt it my duty, not only from the respect justly due to the gentlemen who addressed me, but from a hope, in however small a degree, to do sonic service to the cause of God, not to decline the invitation I received to attend here. Drawing towards the close of life, I consider scenes like these, and opportunities similar to the present, as affording an employment very congenial to my declining years. After N. S. No. 24. having devoted a considerable portion of my life to the service of my country, and having occupied one of the most important public offices in the State, I feel it due to God humbly to endeavour to devote my remaining years to his glory: it was from Him that I received health and strength to discharge the duties of my former station; and, while any portion of that health and strength remains, I am bound to dedicate to his glory all the powers I may still continue to possess through his mercy. "Before I take my leave of you, I feel myself called upon to say a few words respecting a subject which has already been brought under your notice by my Honourable and Reverend Friend, Mr. Gerard Noel--I mean, the divisions of opinion which have unfortunately arisen in our Society, and the accusations that have been made against it. In his very able and satisfactory statement, my Hon. Friend divided the questions at issue into four points and I shall follow his arrangement, as embracing all that appears to be material on the subject. These were, 1st. The Apocryphal question. "2dly. The charge of having promoted or circulated, in certain cases, erroneous translations of the Scriptures. "3dly. The character of Foreign So-cieties connected with ours: and, "4thly. The charge of misapplication of the funds of the Society, especially with regard to the salaries allowed to the Secretaries and other officers. With respect to the Apocryphal question, as I consider that point finally settled by the resolution of the General Meeting in May, I shall not add a word to what was said by my Honourable Friend; excepting, that the Committee, with the most anxious labour and indefatigable perseverance, endeavoured to go to the bottom of the question; and that the discussions which ensued, though often tedious and painful, were conducted with Christian charity and with mutual kindness and respect those who absolutely condemned the circulation of the Apocrypha in all cases, and those who contended for the propriety of admitting it to a certain extent and for certain purposes, giving each other credit for sincerity and good intentions towards the great object which the Society had in view; and only differing as to the interpretation of one of its fundamental rules, and as to the most efficacious mode of distributing the word of life. "As respects the alleged inaccuracy of some of our foreign translations, I shall add only a few words to what has been said by Mr. Noel. It is not to be expected that the learned will be all agreed as to the critical accuracy of any translation neither our own excellent autho 4 Q - rised version, nor any other that I am acquainted with, has escaped - abundant criticism. With respect to the new ver sions published by the Society, they have been, in all cases, prepared by men who appeared most competent to the task; they have been carefully revised before they went to the press; and if any doubt was afterwards suggested of their correct. ness, it has been referred to the consideration of the ablest scholars in the respective languages which this or other countries could furnish-and their opinion has decided the proceedings of the Committee. I know not what more prudent precautions could be taken, nor to what higher tribunal we could appeal. "Under this head of charge may be included the allegation of a breach of one of our fundamental rules, by the publication of editions of the Scriptures with notes or other additions. Nothing of this kind has ever been done by the Parent Society; unless it can be so called, that a few copies of one edition of the English Bible were issued with the translator's preface prefixed, as had been usual in the larger editions published by the authorised printers--this, however, was discontinued, as soon as discovered. But it is true, that, in a very few instances, the Foreign Societies have been guilty of a breach of this rule, either from adherence to the customs of their countries, or from misapprehensions as to its extent and importance; and this has been done even in the case of editions printed partly at our expense :--but this practice has, in every instance, been repressed, as soon as it came to the knowledge of the Society, and as far as circumstances rendered it practicable. With respect to the Foreign Societies, I must first observe, that much misapprehension prevails as to the nature of their constitution and connection with our Society. It appears to be thought that the Parent Society is in all cases answerable for the acts of those Societies, and even for the individual characters of their members. Nothing can be more erroneous. They are distinct and independent bodies; formed, indeed, in most cases, at the instigation and by the assistance of our agents, and assisted by our funds in the great work which, in co-operation with us, they are carrying on; but regulated by their own laws: and their members are subjects of different Governments and States, by some of which the formation of Associations and Societies is viewed with peculiar jealousy, and in which the same liberty of thought and action is not allowed, which, by the blessing of Providence, we enjoy in this country. Still less can we be answerable. for the individual characters of their members. Neither abroad nor at home is any test imposed upon those who may be willing to become subscribers to the Society, nor can any scrutiny take place into their sentiments and conduct. "In the foreign societies are generally comprehended the most distinguished and important members of the church and state; and they have been formed under the immediate patronage of every sovereign in Continental Europe, excepting those professing the Roman Catholic religion. 66 Among such bodies, difference in moral character, as well as in religious tenets, must be expected to prevail: but I can venture to assert, that the cause of the Gospel has been incredibly promoted by such a union of patronage; and that without it, the circulation of the Scriptures would, in many cases, have been wholly suppressed, or confined within very narrow limits. "I will also assert, that our agents have, to the best of their knowledge, endeavoured to associate themselves with the purest and most unexceptionable characters in the countries which they visited: and indeed it is only reasonable to suppose that such would be the persons who would most warmly hail the formation of a Bible Society, and labour most ardently in its operations. "It is incredible, however, to what a height of absurdity the exaggerations and misrepresentations respecting the foreign societies have been carried. In an Edinburgh paper, which I hold in my hand, under the head The British and Foreign Bible Society,' is contained the following passage: "In our last, we gave a short account of the article in the Christian Instructor on this subject, and alluded, also, to a pamphlet which has just been published by Mr. Haldane, whose views are still more comprehensive, and whose details are still more revolting. By this pamphlet it appears, that almost all the infidels in Europe are the chosen correspondents and active agents of the British Bible Society, and that the word and name of the Most High are made engines and weapons to further the basest political intrigues; to fill the pockets of individuals, whose god is gain; and to fleece the poor of their earnings, in order to circulate the labour of atheists, and to support, in ease and affluence, the profligate infidel and incorrigible hypocrite.' The editor states, as you observe, that almost all the infidels in Europe were in the pay of the British and Foreign Bible Society; that is to say, in other words, that all the infidels in Europe are actively em * The Edinburgh Observer, Tuesday, July 25, 1826. ployed in disseminating the Scriptures. He who can believe this, can believe any absurdity, however gross. Is it probable, is it conceivable, that infidels could be exerting themselves in promoting the circulation of the Gospel of Christ? Oh, no! the infidels of Europe are too wise in their generation; the kingdom of Satan is not so divided against itself. The infidels of Europe do not sow the pure seed of the Gospel to produce the fruit of their own poisonous tares. "It is wonderful that any men, still more that men of learning and understand ing, should suffer themselves to be imposed upon by trash like this! But let us consider the injury it does. These Edinburgh statements, and such as these, are triumphantly copied, and commented upon, in the Roman Catholic publications, of which I have one in my hand.* And here they are in their place; because the Pope has said that the Bible Society ought no longer to be suffered to exist. But let those who sanction them reflect on the evil they occasion: let them reflect, that they are making themselves the tools of jesuitical artifices, and instruments of carrying into execution the Bull of the Pope for the suppression of the circulation of the Scriptures. "Let me now say a few words respecting the misapplication of the funds of the Society: and, in the first place, with respect to the payment of the Secretaries. And for once I feel some consolation for the absence of all those gentlemen, in the liberty which it gives me to speak with greater freedom of their situation and characters. "The first Secretaries of the Society were, the Rev. John Owen, a man whom it is impossible to mention without sentiments of admiration and regret; the Rev. Joseph Hughes, a minister of the Baptist denomination, and perhaps the earliest proposer of the formation of such a Society; and the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff, minister of the German Lutheran Church, a man whose primitive and simple piety, and overflowing benevolence, render him the delight of all who know him. These persons were chosen in accordance with the rules of the Institution-that all denominations of Christians should be invited to co-operate in the work, and that it should extend its operations abroad as well as at home. At the commencement of the Society, their labours were not considerable; but from year to year they increased in a most astonishing manner, till at last they called for nearly the whole of the time and talents of the Secretaries, and left them little opportunity of attending to any other pursuit. On Mr. Owen especially they fell with particular weight; Vide Catholic Miscellany. and, in the ardour of his devotion to the cause, he sacrificed to it every prospect of professional promotion and beneficial employment, which talents like his might be expected to command. He sacrificed (as I have heard, and believe) an income of £1200. a-year to the cause of the Society-to say nothing of his prospects of rising in the Church; and, during the whole of his life, refused to accept any salary from the Society. What was the result? Having worn out a healthy constitution in its service, and dying in the prime of life, a victim to his labours, he would have left his family in a state of absolute penury, if they had not been rescued from distress by the kindness, and, I may say, the gratitude, of some of the more affluent members of our body! Could it be expected that another Secretary would undertake the service on such terms? Would it have been just or reasonable to permit him to do so? Surely not! It was accordingly decided by the Committee, and unanimously approved by a general meeting, that a salary of £300. per annum should be given to the new Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Brandram; and that the other two Secretaries, who for nineteen years together had performed their laborious duties without any remuneration, should be requested to accept of the same sum-a sum, which I think no one will call too great, and which indeed must be considered an inadequate compensation for the talents required and the sacrifices occasioned by such a situation. "With respect to the sums allowed to the foreign agents, (of whom, I know only four,) it could hardly be expected, that, in addition to the same sacrifices of time, and labour, and emolument, which are required of those who occupy themselves in the cause of the Society at home, they should also expose themselves without remuneration to the inconveniences, and, in many cases, the hardships and dangers of foreign residences, and of continued banishment from their country, their families, and friends. "Every one, alive to the cause of the Bible Society, must be acquainted with the name of Dr. Pinkerton, a most important and efficient agent of the Society, who has several times not only visited almost the whole continent of Europe, with no small danger to his life and injury to his health, but who has had the principal share in founding several of the most important Societies in Europe, and who, in particular, rendered material assistance in forming the Russian Bible Society--an Institution which has promoted the circulation of the Scriptures in above thirty languages spoken in that vast empire, and has printed above 500,000 copies of them in whole or in part. To Dr. Pinkerton been considered as a part of the expenses incurred by the Society for circulating the Scriptures in Germany. the Society has allowed £400. per annum. "The next I shall mention is Mr. Leeves, a Clergyman of the Church of England, who resides, as the Society's agent, at Constantinople, and has a most delicate, critical, and dangerous post; where he continues to promote the translation and circulation of the Word of Life in a country of the most absolute despotism. For such a service no one can say that £300. per annum is too large an allowance. His situation requires the greatest discretion and prudence; and I have heard the British Ambassador, Lord Strangford, express the highest opinion of his upright and amiable conduct. The like allowance of £300. per annum has been made to Mr. Barker, the brother of the British Consul, late at Aleppo, now at Alexandria; and who, in addition to the dangers of the plague and the other hazards attending a residence in that unhappy country, narrowly escaped being a victim to the terrible earthquake which desolated the city of Aleppo. "The only remaining foreign agent is Mr. Matthews, who has recently embarked for South America; having engaged in the service of the Society for the term of three years, to conduct and promote the circulation of the Scriptures in that extensive and interesting part of the globe, at a salary of £200. per annum, together with necessary expenses. "Mr. Thomson, who, for the purpose of promoting the establishment of schools, and the distribution of the Scriptures, has twice traversed nearly the whole interior of South America, has accepted a gratuity of £200., which was voted him for his services during three years, including the superintendence of a translation into the language of Peru, as well as a service of extreme labour and great personal hazard, in travelling through countries in an unsettled state of society and government, and among some of the wildest and most tremendous mountains in the world. "The Rev. Mr. Armstrong was sent out also as an agent to the Society in South America; but having, on his arrival at Buenos Ayres, been appointed Chaplain to the British residents in that State, he will be enabled to render most important service to the Society, without any expense for salary. "I must mention one person more, who has been considered as an agent to the Society, though he is not properly so I mean the pious and venerable Leander Van Ess; a man to whom the knowledge of the Scriptures on the Continent of Europe is, perhaps more indebted than to any other individual, excepting Luther only. To this man, by whose personal labours no less than 500,000 copies of the Scriptures have been distributed, £300. a year has for some time been allowed; which has always "As to the expenses incurred in the Society's establishment in Earl Street, I shall say very little. Every one must understand, that considerable expenses attend the care and superintendence, the receipt and distribution of so large a stock, and such extensive concerns; and that the persons employed, both in the direction and management, and in the mere mechanical and laborious part of the business, must receive allowances suited to their respective stations; and I believe that Mr. Tarn, the Accountant and Assistant Secretary, the Depositary, the Clerks, and other persons employed, receive remunerations which would be thought very moderate if they were engaged in situations requiring similar talents and equal labour in any other great company or establishment. If the Society's concerns were not carried on in this manner, under the immediate direction of its own officers, a commission must be paid to a bookseller for transacting the same business; while a house must still be kept for the meetings of the Committee and the correspondence of the Society; and I believe it will be found that the present management is, at the same time, more efficient and more economical than such an arrangement. "Imperfect as I am sensible this hasty sketch has been, I will not detain you by entering into further particulars; begging that you will bear in your recollection the statements of my Honourable and Rev. Friend; and trusting that the charges which have been brought against the Society, instead of injuring its cause, will only stimulate all, who feel as I do, to redouble our exertions in this great pursuit, and to act with a spirit of liberality in the consideration of those errors (if such they think they see) which may have occurred in the complicated transactions of twentytwo years, in so many novel and difficult circumstances; for where is the Society, or where is the individual, who must not, in the course of such a period, have fallen into many? Above all, may we pray to God for his blessing-not forgetting, in our supplications to the throne of grace, our Christian brethren who differ from, and even those who defame us. May we all unite our exertions for the glory of God on carth! and may they, as well as we, be found partakers of the merits of our Saviour in the realms of bliss!" UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. At a General Meeting of the Proprietors of the University of London, held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, on Monday, the 30th of October, 1826, the Right Hon. Lord Auckland in the chair, the following Report was read o |