compassion and disgust, at the wretchedness which must inhabit it. But the scene that was transacting within, where faith and patience were serenely waiting the summons of death, and religious friendship was kneeling around the couch as an altar, and presenting supplications in the name of him who died for man-this was a scene, at which it was a privilege to be present, and which more than changed the cottage to a palace. The whole soul of the dying believer seemed collected in her countenance. It seized upon and responded to every expression of faith, penitence, gratitude, and hope. And when the service was closed, and she sunk back exhausted, we gazed upon it, as it had been the face of an angel. She said with a faint smile,-"Now I can depart in peace;" and before the smile bad faded from her cheek, death set its seal there for ever. THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER. GLASGOW, August 1, 1831. THE following Report was read at the Twenty-second Anniversary of the Christian Tract Society, held in London, 5th May: "The Committee have great satisfaction in stating, that your Institution appears to be attracting more of the public attention; and this circumstance, as well as an increased conviction of the utility of the objects which they have in view, has induced them to make an outlay of capital, in the printing of old and new Tracts, and the binding of volumes, which in other circumstances would not have been justifiable. 66 Knowing the wish entertained by many of the Subscribers to have new Tracts put into their hands, the Committee have this year printed three new ones, viz. No. 58, The Harvestman's Feast; No. 59, The Genius of Christianity (reprinted from the American edition), by the Rev. W. H. Furness; and No. 60, The History of William Rogers; or, Attention to the Fifth Commandment recommended. All these Tracts the Committee consider to be well suited to the purposes of the Society. Nos. 58 and 60, both from the pen of the same lady, contain excellent lessons for the poor and for the young; and No. 59, The Genius of Christianity, breathes throughout the spirit of practical piety, of gentleness, and of peace. It is not indeed of so plain a character as most other Tracts in the Society's series; yet the Committee are of opinion that none can peruse it without benefit; and the rapid sale which it has obtained, assures them that they did right in printing off a thousand copies in a superior style at 3d. in addition to two thousand at 2d. "No. 60 forms the conclusion of Volume VI. and several Subscribers having expressed a wish to receive their volumes in half-binding, the Committee have had a number of sets done up in that style, as well as in cloth boards. Those in roan half-binding, at 15s. to Societies, they beg to recommend as peculiarly suitable to Vestry and Sunday-school Libraries. "Being authorised, by a vote of the Annual Meeting of May 1830, to omit the reprinting of certain of the old Tracts, should they deem it advisable, the Committee accordingly reserved for Volumes the remaining copies of Nos. 4, 12, and 38, and stated in the last year's Catalogue that these numbers were not to be had as separate Tracts. They have since, however, reprinted No. 38, considering it to be a valuable Tract, and that it forms part of a series from the pen of the Rev. Richard Wright. They have also thought it right to send again to the press, No. 9, A Dialogue between a Minister and his Parishioner; No. 10, The Orphan Sisters; Nos. 22, 24, 25, Three Parts of The Village Dialogues; No. 26, A Week in a Cottage; No. 27, Edward Allen; No. 29, The Widow; and No. 53, The Village Philanthropists;-in all ten Tracts. During the last year there have been issued from the store 23,000 Tracts a result which the Committee feel themselves justified in attributing, not merely to the circumstance that the Catalogues for 1830 were delayed till after the Annual Meeting, while those of the current year have been already sent out, but to an increased demand for their publications on the part of the public. "Impressed with a conviction that their Tracts are calculated to do much good, they have made grants of them, in quarters where they apprehend them to be peculiarly needed, and likely also to be well received. In England they have granted Tracts for distribution to friends residing at Lutton, Ditchling, Newbury, Banbury, Northampton, Tunstall, and to the Rev. Heathcote, -- who is forming a Library for the use of the labouring classes at Dornal, near Dudley. In the autumn a set was forwarded to the Rev. Fletcher Blakely of Moneyrea, near Belfast, who says he is persuaded that the dissemination of your Publications in the North of Ireland would better the morals of the multitude, recommends that a few sets should be sent to Mr. Archer of Belfast, and promises to bring them into notice by every exertion in his power. Accordingly, the Committee sent a large parcel of Tracts and Volumes to Mr. Archer, on sale or return, and they indulge the pleasing hope, that these, along with those ordered by the Rev. J. Martineau of Dublin, will be the means of introducing a few more rays of Christian light into that most interesting part of the British Empire. "Nor have your Committee confined their attention either to England or to the Sister Island. Through Mr. Bischoff, acting Director of the Van Diemen's Land Company, they have transmitted a set of their Tracts to be placed in the library at Circular Head, the chief town in that flourishing settlement: and they have added £2 worth of Tracts to be distributed among the convicts who have lately been transported to the same colony on account of the disturbances in the Southern counties. Through Dr. Bowring they have presented a set of their publications to the Tot Nut van't Algemeen (or Common Welfare) Society at Amsterdam, and they are happy to state, that they have lately received a packet of books in return, as well as a letter from the Secretary, of which the following is a translation: "To Mr. S. Wood, London. "Reverend Sir, "The parcel of publications by the Christian Tract Society, which you did us the honour to send, together with a letter of the 9th of August last, by Dr. Bowring, we put into the hands of a Committee of those of our members who, by their knowledge of the English language, are the most competent to judge of their value. This, however, has required time; and we request that you will attribute to this circumstance the delay of our answer. "The report of this Committee enables us to inform you of the pleasure with which we received your present, particularly as it appears to us that the object which you propose, as well as the means which you employ to accomplish it, are, in a great measure, the same as our own. We say, in a great measure, because, as you are rightly informed, our attention is directed not only to the religious, but to the temporal interests of the lower class of people. As far as the publications which you have sent are in accordance with the former part of our design, we will gladly make use of them. In compliance with your request, we have the honour to send herewith some of the pamphlets which we distribute of that kind, and such as we suppose will be the best suited to the object which you have in view. We add a list of all the works published by us, and shall be most happy to forward to you any of them that you may wish for. "We beg you accept in return the assurance of our cordial esteem, and the expression of our joy, that, in the midst of national troubles, there are in every country, persons who are ready to lend their zealous endeavours to build up and to adorn the temples of religion and virtue. "By order of the Society for the General Welfare, "Amsterdam, March 23, 1831." Secretary. "Another set of the Tracts was presented to the Count Arrivabene, who visited England about a year ago, for the special purpose of making himself acquainted with our best institutions for the instruction of the ignorant and the relief of the destitute. Sets have also been presented to Messieurs Paul de Balog and Alexander Farkas, two gentlemen of different communions, from Clausenburgh, in Transylvania, who are now making the tour of England and America, and who evince a most laudable desire to establish in their own country, institutions similar to those which constitute the pride and ornament of other nations more highly favoured. The Rev. Henry Ware, Jun. had a selection of the Tracts given to him, previously to his return to America, where the first four volumes of the Society's series have been reprinted. The Committee have also not overlooked those excellent and zealous labourers in the vineyard of Christ, William Roberts of Madras, and Chiniah of Secunderabad; and they are happy to conclude this enumeration by stating, that they have availed themselves of the arrival of Rammohun Roy in this country, to place their Tracts in the hands of one whose enlightened mind and truly philanthropic spirit render him so well able to appreciate the purposes for which your institution was founded. Finding that the stock of Tracts which was entrusted to various agents in the country, did not obtain much sale, the Committee have thought fit to recall it; and they take this opportunity of expressing their opinion, that they will in general be much more effectually promoting the interests of the Society by concentrating their stock in London, than by having portions of it distributed in different provincial towns. The situation of their own depôt affords considerable facilities for forwarding parcels to various parts of the kingdom; and the arrangements which have been made will prevent the recurrence of those delays which have formerly been complained of. "Although great exertions have this year been made to collect outstanding debts, and to increase the List of Subscribers and Donors, the expenses which the Committee have been led to incur, in order to carry into effect the purposes of the Institution, have been more than usually heavy; and they are sorry to state that at the present time they owe £70, and have not more than £40 available towards its discharge. Some of the expenses above alluded to, are indeed such as will not occur again, having been occasioned by the fitting up of the office in Walbrook Buildings; yet the Committee are deeply sensible, that the ordinary proceeds of subscriptions and of Tracts sold, are not sufficient to defray their current expenses, and to enable them both to make the grants which are desirable, and to meet the wishes of the Subscribers for a frequent supply of new publications. In these circumstances they venture to appeal to the generous consideration of the public. They are persuaded, that such little works as William's Return,' ‹ The Twin Brothers,' 'Henry Goodwin,' and 'James Talbot,' need only to be known, to have their value acknowledged; and they refer with confidence to what they have this year done in the printing and distributing of Tracts, as some pledge that the Society is in an effective state, and that the money which is contributed will be well bestowed. There had been printed up to the last Anniversary, 483,500 copies. There have been reprinted since, of Old Tracts, 10 Nos. 19,250 Overplas copies for two years, 8,000 511,781 There had been circulated, or sent out from the Store in May, 1830,memer 421,233 Total number printed to this time,mamaraan There have been sent out during the last year, 22,965 |