want much to be accomplished in a short space of time, to employ the Reading Missionaries chiefly, instead of the preachers: though, if possible, superintendants of districts should be ordained and well-educated preachers. We can procure tens of thousands of silent Missionaries, or short Tracts full of the Gospel, which may be sent, in its own tongue, to every country under heaven." To prepare and distribute such Tracts, and to provide for the reading of them and of the Scriptures in the hearing of all people, is to be the great object of the Society. The author proposes to accomplish this object by the following means. 1. The division of countries into suitable Districts, over each of which shall be placed a Preaching Missionary, who has been regularly ordained: who shall establish schools throughout his district, preach the Gospel from the pulpit, and by himself and his assistants circulate the Scriptures and Tracts, and read them to the people whenever they can attend to hear them; or, in default of ordained missionaries, such districts may be placed under Reading Superintendants, who might supply their lack of service in every respect except that of preaching. 2. Teaching and Reading Missionaries, to conduct the Schools and to read the Scriptures and Tracts throughout each District, are to act under the superintendance of the Preaching Missionary. 3. Distributors of Tracts and Assistant Teachers might be appointed, after having proved themselves qualified by their services, as Teachers and Readers new stations. in The author makes the following remarks on his plan: Where the people can read, the distribution of Tracts might immediately be begun and a fe missionary readers would soon teach them the Gospel by their means. And if by the reading of them the people become enlightened and convinced of the necessity of religious instruction, they will probably desire more Tracts and Teachers, and some Bibles; and will no doubt contribute to the funds of the Society. But as, in each district, by far the greater number will be unable to read the, Tracts, readers and teachers must be provided in proportion to their wants; which may soon be found in every district, and multiplied to any number. And these readers could read the Tracts to the people on the Sabbath-day and when opportunity offered, until the Holy Scriptures could be sent and proper preachers from the pulpit could be procured. And in all places free-schools should be opened throughout the district for teaching all the natives to read the Scriptures in their own proper tongues. And as soon as they can read, a circulation of Tracts, either gratuitously or at a cheap rate, may be begun and continued in successive variety, until they can procure the Scriptures themselves. It has been observed by the Missionaries in Africa, that their teaching the children of the natives has been the means of greatly removing that distrust from the native mind which was opposed to their efforts.-13th Report Church Missionary Society. If free-schools are opened, the people will immediately send their children, and, at a different time of the day, persons of more years, even of advanced age, will attend: even all will attend, without force or constraint, and will rather be jealous that their neighbours be not preferred and receive this advantage before them. A similar plan has been lately adopted in the Highlands of Scotland; where an attempt to teach the natives to read the Scriptures in their own tongue, by the institution of circulating free-schools, has been successfully tried, most gratefully received by the people, and accompanied with the most gratifying success. And people of both sexes, and of all ages, flock to the school to learn to read, and have assembled with the greatest eagerness, to hear the Scriptures read to them on the Sabbath day, by the schoolmaster, as no preacher was at hand and have been so desirous of instruction, and to hear the Sacred Word, that, as the school was not sufficiently large, (though a large one) to contain them, they ascended upon the top of it, and listened to the reading within by the schoolmaster. The excellent writer closes in glowing language: Seeing, then, that the objects of this Society will evidently promote the cause and glory of God, the good of our country, the glory of Britain, and the civilization and good of the whole world; let it be formed without delay, and the BRITISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY added to the List of her benevolent institutions: and then, let the full tide of British benevolence flow, in continued streams, to the most distant shores. Noble Britons! Go on. March forward: and cease not your endeavours, until every individual upon earth acknowledge and adore the God of Britain. For, the God of the whole earth shall He be called. And, to Britain the dignified and important task seems to have been assigned, in these latter days, of dispersing abroad, into all lands, the glorious light of Divine Revelation. Let her then proceed; not doubting of success. And let not any difference of opinion, which may be entertained by even the most learned, most excellent, and exalted characters, deter the members of her benevolent Societies from their purpose. They will soon be satisfied that you are in the line of your duty; and will, in time, subscribe to your opinions: they will see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And, as Great Britain has been blessed beyond example, and not only raised to the highest pitch of prosperity and greatness, but in that state preserved, amidst the wreck of surrounding nations; let her shew her gratitude, by endeavouring to promote the glory of God, and to extend the knowledge of his great name to the most distant regions of the earth. And while her wooden walls, her royal batteries, sail in magnificent and majestic grandeur around her sea-girt isles, and protect her commerce to the remotest shores, let her thus confess, that her tower, her fortress, her bulwark, is the LORD OF HOSTS; and that, in HIM alone is her trust and that her desire is thus to magnify his NAME. O Britain! renowned in arms and in arts, famed for thy commerce, whose ships ride triumphant in every sea, and waft thy manufactures to the most distant shores; let those ships become the carriers of the glorious news of good-will to man, to every land to which the British name extends! Happy art thou, O Britain, thus saved by the Lord; who is the shield of thy help, and the sword of thy excellency! CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. KENDAL ASSOCIATION: Collectors of Penny Societies: Second Quarter: beside Subscriptions and Donations ...... (This sum was printed last month, by mistake, as the Contributions of the Portsea Juvenile As*sociation, which were 11l. 7s. 6d.) ELY CHAPEL ASSOCIATION: Third Quarter. L. M. by the Secretary. ..... L.10 12 10% BELCHAMP AND YELDHAM ASSOCIATION (Essex): 27 Ο 10 10.0 6 15 70 4 5.15 6 by C. Holehouse, Esq.Treasurer: First Contribution 250 00 GLASBURY ASSOCIATION (Brecon): Third Quarter 12 13 0 Friend, by Rev. John Clayton, Highbury ........ 50 0 0 ·· 0 8 ·0 By Mr. Wm. Burnett and Friends: First Quarter ....... 13 9 Mrs. W. Watson and Friends, North Brink, near ... 15 7 6 Long Sutton Church (Lincolnshire): Collection by ........... ....... 134 7 7 ST. CLEMENT DANES SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIA- By Mrs. Pratt: Third Quarter By Pupils of Rev. W. M. Johnson, M. A.: First Quarter. NEWLAND ASSOCIATION (Gloucestershire): Second Collected by H. G. M. C. ....... KNARESBOROUGH ASSOCIATION: by Rev. Andrew 1 2 6 $23.6 40 0 ... 5 0 3 2 ......... Bidenham Church (Beds.): ditto by ditto By Miss Dickisson, Nottingham: First Quarter By Rev. T. Sheppard, M. A. Pentonville: Third .. 11.17 0 Quarter LIDDINGTON AND STORE ASSOCIATION, near Uppingham: by Rev. H. Barfoot: First Half Year 14 0 0 Donnington Wood Chapel, and Wombridge Church (Shropshire): Collections on the Thanksgiving Day, by Rev. C. R. Cameron CHURCH LAWFORD ASSOCIATION, near Rugby: Bonsall Church, near Wirksworth: Collection by Rev. 5 13 7 04-15 Ya the last Number, p. 28, line:26, for educated, reach liberated. p. 39, line 18, in a few copies, for Restora tion, tend Reformation. |