when the parents, influenced by the priest, had forbidden their attendance. A boy was told by his father, that if he persisted in going to the Society's School, he would severely beat him. "Well, father," said he, " you may, "but I still will go." Finding that beating would not prevent his going, the father threatened to turn the boy out of doors. "Well, father," replied he, "if you do, still I shall go; and in that case, I shall attend school four days in the week, and beg the other two." The boy's decision overcame the father, and he continued at school. He behaved so well, that he attracted the notice of the clergyman of the parish, who was the visitor of the school; and he afterwards took him into his service, where he now conducts himself with propriety. On the first Sunday after he came into the house, his master asked what religion he was of? He took his Testament out of his pocket, and said, "I am of the religion of this book." A num In one place the priest stands at the corner of the street, with a whip in his hand, to chastise the children belonging to his flock, whom he finds going to the Society's school. It is curious to see these dear creatures walking down with cautious steps towards the dreaded corner. ber thus are collected, and then a general burst takes place, and a race also between the priest and them. In this way, but few are caught. Where is the magistrate who 1 can suffer such things? Were such a course to be followed by a Protestant Minister, in case any of the children of his flock were going to a Catholic school, what an uproar would there be! and the whole country would presently ring with the illiberality of the proceeding. And there are not a few Protestants who can quietly suffer the priest to take his course, who would join in the cry against the Protestant Minister, were he to imitate him. It is surprising to mark the success of the children in committing their Scripture tasks to memory. In one school, a Bible was proposed as a prize to the child who should commit the largest portion of Scripture to memory, within a given time. Three of them, in ONE quarter, were able to repeat the whole of the Gospels, not a portion of which they had committed to memory before, except two chapters. Their diligence was so equal and exemplary, that a Bible was awarded to each of them. Since this took place, two of the three have died, giving good ground for hope, that they died in the Lord! The Bibles they had received were their companions during their illness. They would often speak to their parents and others about the Saviour revealed there, urging them to attend to the salvation of their souls. One of them, a girl, left her Bible to her mother, on condition that she would read it to her father. The other, a boy, had been a monitor in the school, where he discovered a considerable acquaintance with the Scriptures, by the very pertinent questions he used to ask the children, when hearing them in class read the Testament. I was exceedingly delighted by the remark made by some children, in another school, from whom the priest had threatened to take their Testaments; "He may," said they, "take away our books, but he cannot take them out of our memories." It is also encouraging to the friends of Bible education, to hear the very correct answers returned by the children to questions arising out of the Scriptures which are read in the school. In putting these, great care is taken that they relate to nothing controversial; but such as the fall of man-the new birth-the end for which Christ came into the world, &c. By way of example, I shall give an account of what passed in one of the schools, when the 2d Epistle to Timothy had been read by the children.-Why did Paul call Timothy his son? Answer: Because converted under his ministry.-What did Paul commit to Timothy, which he commanded him to commit to faithful men? The Gospel.-Who was it, who from a child knew the Holy Scripture? Timothy.-What change did they make upon him? They made him wise unto salvation.-What was all Scripture given by? By inspiration of God. What is it profitable for? trine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.-Pp. 43-46. Doc Lately, two women and a man called in the evening at the cabin of one of our masters, requesting lodging for the night. The good man had just assembled his family for evening worship, having the Bible open before him. He courteously desired the strangers to walk in and sit down, when he began to read the 2d chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians. This he did slowly, and with emphasis, in order to secure the attention of his visitors to the important matter with which it abounds. They all appeared to pay attention, particularly the young man, whose countenance indicated the inward agitation of his mind. When the chapter was ended, he inquired what book that was out of which he had been reading. His host replied, it was the Word of God. His agitation immediately increased; and after remarking, that he never before knew there was such a book, he began to inquire the meaning of some of the passages, which had particularly arrested his attention, viz. "Dead in trespasses and sins”—“Walking after the course of this world"-" By nature the children of wrath," &c. To all these, the good man, in his plain and simple way, gave answers. The young man heard with the greatest attention, and could not suppress the sigh which indicated what was passing within. He was referred to those parts of Scripture which throw light on the chapter which had been read, and especially on the parts he wished to be explained. He then, looking at his host with earnestness and agitation, exclaimed, "It is indeed the word of God; it is all true, and my state is fully that which it describes. In this way I have walked from my childhood: and in the service of the God of this world I undertook the journey which has brought me, my wife, and sister, to your house. O that our souls may be raised from that death in trespasses and sins, in which I have been involved to this moment! I have long followed no other employment but defrauding the ignorant poor at fairs and markets, by passing base money which I have coined; and for this purpose are we come here, on our way to attend the fair which is to be held to-morrow at-.' He again exclaimed, "O that we may turn to God, and hope for mercy for the sin of this, and all the wicked course of our lives!" After this, as he looked earnestly at his instructor, the good man referred him to the Scriptures, which give great encouragement to returning repenting sinners. He then inquired whether he could give him one of those books he called the Testament, the Word of God. "I can read, and sure I need it much. I will buy it with all my heart." He then told him he should have one without money and without price. Next morning they prepared for their departure; but not to the fair. They manifested a desire to attend to the Apostle's exhortation-" Let him that stole, steal no more"-by bringing forth their whole store of base coin, to the amount of three guineas, which they begged their host to cast into the fire, determining to seek an honest livelihood for the future.Pp. 54, 55. of His Majesty's Speech most difficult and painful to dwell upon, in which the graciousness of the Monarch led to an expression of the deepest concern, that a spirit of outrage had arisen, and prevailed, in some parts of the sister kingdom. Attached as he (Earl of Roden) was to that country, he lamented the outrages that had taken place; but he should not enter on their complexion now, as an opportunity more suitable would soon offer for stating his opinions, both as to the evils complained of, and the remedies to be applied to them. But it would even at present be a great dereliction of his duty if he abstained from stating that the fatal causes of Ireland's disasters, were her non-resident gentry and absentee landlords, and a general want of knowledge and communication. Had he the power to affect them, he would implore the highest individual of her children not hastily and unkindly to turn his back upon the country whence were derived his property and his rank; and he would depict the benefits most likely to arise from the presence of persons who, if their absence did not occasion their evils, might relieve them. Thus much he had troubled their Lordships in regard to the south of Ireland. But it was proper to state, on the other hand, that Ireland had derived some benefits from extended knowledge, and from sound religious and moral instruction, which had changed the face of the country,, by the operation of that angel of salvation, the Bible Society, an institution to which many of their Lordships had given their support, and which claimed the affection and veneration of such numbers of good and wise men*. To hear such sentiments expressed in the maiden speech of a to know that his Lordship is himdistinguished young Nobleman; self exemplifying the advice he has given to others, and that he has already returned to the sister country to improve the influence which his rank and property afford, and to exercise his talent in his country's service; deserves to be highly commended and diligently imitated. We take our leave of Mr. Steven with the earnest hope that his pamphlet may meet with extensive circulation, that his zealous exertions may be crowned with great and abundant success, and that New Times, Feb. 6. he may see the work of God, in which he has long been actively engaged, prospering on every side; but especially in that country in whose cause he is so deeply interested. Sea Sermons; or, twelve short and plain Discourses for the Use of Seamen: which may be read by Individuals in private, or by the Master of the Vessel to his Crew. To which are added, a Prayer adapted to each Sermon, and other Prayers for ordinary and extraordinary Occasions; with Hymns suited to various Occurrences. By the Rev. George Burder, Author of the Village Sermons. Pp. 168. AMONG those striking signs of the present times which demand our admiration and our thankfulness, must be reckoned the great work, for great it certainly is, which the Lord is carrying on among the seamen of our land. These long-neglected and extraordinary men have at length caught the attention of a religious public, and many pious efforts have of late been made, and are now carrying into effect, for their present and eternal happiness. It was but a short time ago we had to notice and recommend to our readers the Anniversary Sermon of the "Seaman's Friend Society," preached at Saint Bride's Church, by the Reverend Richard Marks, Vicar of Great Missenden, Bucks, as descriptive of the rise and progress of religion among those who have defended our land. We have now the equally pleasing task of announcing the appearance of a neat little volume of Sermons for the use of Seamen, by the author of the wellknown and popular Village SerThe discourses are twelve in number, on the following subjects; 1." The Wonders of God in the mons. Deep," Ps. xcv. 5.—2. “Seasonable Considerations on the Commencement of a Voyage," Haggai, i. 5.-3. "Repentance and Conversion," Acts, iii. 19.-4. “The Way of Salvation," Acts, xvi. 17. -5." Noah's Ark," Heb. xi. 7.6. "The Anchor of Hope," Heb. vi. 19.-7. "The Compass," Ps. Ixxiii. 24.-8. “The Storm," Ps. cvii. 23-28.-9. "Thanksgiving for Deliverance," Ps. cvii. 31.10. "On the Death of a Shipmate." -11. "On seeking the Lord," Is. lv. 8.-12. "The Seaman's happy Return," Ps. cvii. 30. In these discourses the author has brought forward the great fundamental doctrines of the Gospel in a clear and simple manner well calculated to inform the seaman's mind, and, through grace, to correct his heart. .We think he has introduced his nautical illustrations and references very judiciously, neither multiplying them too far nor overstraining them beyond the landsman's comprehension; at the same time, we have the authority of a professional gentleman for saying, that these maritime illustrations are nautically correct. A difficulty this, which few landsmen ever accomplish. The author has occasionally introduced some appropriate passages from the Liturgy of our Church; yet these discourses are what they ought to be to answer their intended purpose, namely, Christian discourses divested of every thing of a party cast or questionable nature. Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, are set before the seaman's mind, and faithfully and affectionately applied to his heart. We cannot but wish them as wide a circulation among the seamen of our ships as his Village Sermons have obtained among the inhabitants of our cottages. BIBLE SOCIETIES. OWEN'S LETTERS-CHRISTIAN REMEM- THE Rev. Mr. Owen has published, in the course of this month, his two Letters on the subject of the French Bible published by the British and Foreign Bible Society; with a Postscript containing remarks on the concluding observations of the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer on the whole correspondence. We have read this pamphlet with great interest; and had we not already quoted the principal part of the first Letter in our last month's Religious Intelligence, and were we not straitened by the limited nature of our publication, we should endeavour to present a copious abstract of the whole controversy to the attention of our readers. As the case now stands, however, we can only advert to the second Letter and the concluding Postscript. The object of the second Letter is to correct some mistakes which had been pointed out in the date assigned by Mr. Owen, in his former Letter, to the first edition of Ostervald's Bible; to show that, notwithstanding this error, Ostervald himself must have three years before his death accredited that very reading which had been attacked in the Christian Remembrancer, and to point out that the very same passage to which the Remembrancer's correspondent (who appears to be Dr. Luscombe) objects, and a still more serious omission in 1 John, v. 20, are to be found in the only copies of the French Testament which now are and have been for many years issued by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. Upon this Letter, the Christian Remembrancer of last month made several remarks in its usual strain; and, in answer to the observation concerning the French Testaments issued by the Bartlett's Buildings Society, says, "These corruptions were not unknown to us; and the following circumstances will explain our reasons for taking no notice of the fact. We were sufficiently acquainted with the practice of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, to be certain that it did not publish the work in question. It is accustomed merely to select books of which it approves, purchase them of a bookseller, and distribute them at reduced prices. This is a matter of notoriety to its members and the public; and we presume that the errors which have been pointed out by Mr. Owen, got admittance through this channel. The version originally selected was that of Martin, and the Society's booksellers were directed to procure and circulate that book. The Testament now sent out by them purports to be that book. It is published, not by or MARCH 1822. . for the Society, but by respectable private individuals. The truth therefore appears to be this. The Society, or rather its booksellers, have been misled by a deceitful title-page; and, intending to circulate Martin's text, have been trepanned into the use of a corrupted edition of it. The discussion in which we are now engaged, led to the discovery of the imposition; and, as it evidently was an imposition, and such an imposition as might mislead any man, or any society of men, there appeared no necessity for bringing it before the public uncalled for." On this statement, Mr. Owen justly ob serves: "1. That the distinction between pur chasing a book for circulation, and printing it for that purpose, is merely formal and technical. In the language of Dr. Luscombe (as directed against the Bible Society), it may be fairly said of the other institution; They have made this vicious translation their own by circulating it?' "2. If the Bible Society were thought worthy of so much blame, because a passage deemed favourable to Socinianism had crept into their French Testament without their knowledge, ought another Institution (which has confessedly so much less work on its hands) to be pronounced blameless, after being convicted of circulating a Testament in the same language, defaced with the most palpable corruptions in favour of that heresy? "3. That the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer should have known, when he was publicly accusing the Bible Society of a particular fault, that the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge was engaged at that very time in the commission of a similar one, but of a still more aggravated character, is an admission, which must, I think, give pain to every friend to truth and fair dealing. Nor is it immaterial to observe, that the Bible Society lost no time in removing what was considered the mote in their eye; whereas, for aught that appears to the contrary, the beam in the eye of the other Society has been suffered to remain where it was. "4. The serious attention with which the Bible Society's offence was treated, has been seen the dark shades employed to represent the one, are strikingly contrasted by the light colours in which the other is depicted. The Society, or rather its booksellers, have been misled by a deceitful title page, and, intending to circulate Martin's version, have been trepanned into the use of a corrupted edition of it.' And does that Society, then, (which has been represented again and again as sufficient for all Q the purposes of the Bible Society), do its business with so little regard to what it sends forth in a foreign tongue, as to leave to the booksellers the undivided task of ascertaining, which are proper copies to carry the stamp, and to go forth under the nominal sanction of so venerable and im portant an Institution? If the fault imputed to the Bible Society be thought to prove the wisdom and propriety' of the advice given to it, to look well to the revision and correction of their foreign versions; surely, the fault detected in another quarter ought, on every principle of equity, to be admitted to prove, that they stand in need of a similar admonition, and, as far as is so intended, of a similar reproof. "Now, that no attention whatever has been paid by the one Society to that which, in the case of the other, is represented to be a matter of such indispensable obligation, the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer unhesitatingly admits; and although the consequence of such inattention has been the issue of copies of a socinianized French Testament, for perhaps ten or twelve years, he thinks is so venial a fault-a mere imposition' on the booksellers, and through them on the Society, and through that on its subscribers; 'such an imposition as might mislead any man or any society of men ;'-that there appeared no necessity for bringing it before the public uncalled for. On such an apology for suppressing the discovery of a fact, of which candour and justice required the explicit avowal, I offer no comment." We regret that we are not able to insert the whole of Mr. Owen's reasonings on this subject. His remarks are worthy of the most serious attention by every individual who is at all interested on either side of the question, and the low price of the pamphlet (1s.), as well as its intrinsic merit, must ensure it an extensive circulation. The concluding paragraphs are, however, so excellent, that we cannot refrain from enriching our pages by their insertion. "Let, then, the Bible Society's secret friends in the Church be permitted with impunity to avow their attachment, and its open enemies be persuaded to moderate their hostility. Let the real admirers of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge disclaim those pretenders to that character, who are ever forcing it into collision with a Society, the Church members of which are among its warmest advocates and its most liberal supporters: let our English residents in France lend the benefit of their countenance and their aid to the friends of religion in that country, in order to counteract the prevalence of superstition and infidelity by the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures. Let periodical journals forbear to Se encourage rash accusation, to aggravate minor faults, and to dissemble altogether the services and the merits by which they are redeemed. Let these and similar steps be taken to heal our divisions, on a question and in an undertaking in which we ought to be united: and then, though the sphere of the Bible Society's operations should not be contracted; though it should even be indefinitely extended, none of the consequences apprehended by the writer whom I have had occasion so often to quote, and of whom I now respectfully take leave, will be actually realized. cretaries and Committees will not have corresponded and laboured; Editors will not have collated, revised, and corrected; nor will the Church of England have been divided and endangered-for nothing:' but, on the contrary, the errors and imperfections of the Bible Society's works will progressively diminish, the mighty Polyglott will in due time be accomplished, and the crown of having presided over an undertaking of unparalleled difficulty and unlimited beneficence, be placed, where it has ever been, and to my dying hour will be, my wish and endeavour to see it placed, on the head of the CHURCH of ENGLAND." JERSEY FEMALE BIBLE SOCIETY. THE following extract from the third Annual Report of this Society is worthy of consideration, by those who object to the instruction of the poor, on the ground of that corruption of morals which, as they assert, increases in proportion to all our endeavours to retard it. "Very respectable persons refuse to contribute, because, they say, the people were better forty years ago, when there existed no Bible Societies, than they are now. But those persons are requested to recollect, that forty years ago, education and learning were very rare in this island; that scarcely a servant or labourer of any description could read; that many masters were nearly as illiterate as their servants; that ladies themselves were but little instructed; that, if vice has increased with learning, it has not been with learning acquired from the Bible; for it is not an exaggeration to say, that three years ago not one family in ten of this island possessed a Bible. With the exception of a very few of Ostervald's folio edition, which had passed from hand to hand, there were scarcely any but the Bibles of John Calvin, in old French, printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and hardly legible by the present generation. A woman of St. Ouen's parish, who has purchased seven Bibles from this Society for different members of her family, all labourers or sailors, assured a member of this Committee, that she had saved more than one pound, twelve |