Societies throughout his dominions appears to have made a deep impression on the mind of his Prussian Majesty. Sympathizing with his subjects in the joy expressed on occasion of this triumphant completion of the sixth year of the National Bible Society, his Majesty thus emphatically declares his continued attachment to the cause, and his unalterable determination to support it :

"The recollection of the epoch of the commencement of this good work will always remain as dear to my mind, as the sublime object of distributing the Holy Scriptures, which that Society has in view; an object which may depend upon my continued sanction and support."

In closing the article of Germany and Prussia, your Committee will annex the remarks of the Rev. T. Blumhardt, of Basle, (who accompanied Dr. Steinkopff in his tour,) on the state of those countries, as it respects the Holy Scrip

tures:

"Within these few years, the Bible cause appears to have taken deep root in the hearts of our German brethren; the circle of its influence has been greatly extended, and more firmly established than it was on my accompanying Dr. Pinkerton on his tour, two years ago.

"In many places this improvement is very visible; and by the blessing of God, such fruits have appeared as have filled our hearts with joy and gratitude: and we trust, that the Continental Bible Societies will be the means of raising up many friends to the Scriptures, and of opening new channels for the communication of the Gospel of God our Saviour to the hearts of those among our brethren, who have a name to live but are dead.

"No less obvious and alarming are the rapid strides of infidelity towards its final object. The lovers of light and darkness have arrived much nearer that crisis of the contest which shall separate the adherents of the one from those of the other. The effects of the

prevailing spirit of the times, unbelief and superstition, have increased in equal proportion with those of the humble exertions of the followers of Jesus Christ, who love His appearing, and join hand in hand to promote the coming of His kingdom."

DENMARK.

The two leading Bible Societies, the one at COPENHAGEN for the Danish, and the other at SLESWIG for the German population of the kingdom, have not only maintained their ground during the past year, without foreign aid, but also made very considerable progress in the acquisition of support, and in the extension of their useful labours. In no part of the vast Biblical field does the eye of the Christian philanthropist repose with more grateful satisfaction than in the circle of the Danish dominions. Denmark, though coming much later than the contiguous countries into the confederacy for dispersing the oracles of truth, is at this moment, not exceeded, in point of activity, and effective organization, by any of the most advanced of the Continental Bible Societies. "Six years," said the King's Chaplain, in his address at the Anniversary of the Danish Bible Society, "six years have now elapsed since the first stone was laid of the fabric of the Danish Bible Society. We all knew the object we had in view. To all of us here assembled, Christian faith and the knowledge of Christian truth are subjects of the highest, and the most sacred concern. We saw with mournful apprehension the danger which threatened to deprive us of that treasure. We consider it a mercy from God, that means had been discovered and employed to recover, maintain, and secure it. We have thus reason greatly to rejoice in the arrival of this day, which in a solemn manner recalls to our mind the institution of Bible Societies in general, and of the Danish Bible Society in particular."

In the course of its sixth year, the Danish Bible Society has issued 11,320

present a Bible to every new married couple; and, on the baptism of every child, they give the parents one for its future use. One parish alone has already distributed 600 Bibles. Their ministers take the utmost pains to uphold and direct this awakened desire for the Scriptures: there seems, indeed, to be a promise of harvest upon harvest for the kingdom of God in that diocese."

The Society at Westeras has supplied. 4848 families out of 10,000, which had appeared to be destitute of a Bible or Testament.

The Carlstadt Society has a large sphere of operation: it appearing that there are, in that diocese, 14,000 families without a Bible, of which nearly one third are unable to pay any thing whatever for a copy.

The Hernosand, Wisby, Nericke, Shepsholm, and Carlscrona Societies are going on well. The committees in the different dioceses have "had the consolation to find that the people's minds were powerfully led to desire the precious word of God. The poor come in large numbers with their pence, and offer to become purchasers of the sacred treasure."

Your committee have remarked with peculiar satisfaction the increased attention excited by the Marine, and the Ladies' Bible Associations. Of the latter, that at Stockholm (of which the Countess of Lowenhielm is President, and the Countess of Schwerin Secretary) has been already productive of very beneficial effects.

Of the Gothenburg Bible Society, your Committee have had the satisfaction to learn from the Bishop, its President, that neither its zeal nor its usefulness has in any measure declined. The following extract from a letter of that pious and learned prelate will confirm what your committee have thus generally stated:

"The word of God, which is now translated, sold, or given away, is likewise, we trust, very diligently read. I have myself seen, in one of our church

es, a table placed near to the altar, around which, after divine] service, young people take their stand, in order to read, in the presence of the whole congregation, a chapter from the Bible, with a loud and distinct voice. In other places, the parishioners attend their pastor, to hear a portion of the Scriptures read, and afterwards explained; but what may be considered the chief point is, that the oracles of God are consulted in the domestic circle. Even the dark cells of the prison, rarely visited by the rays of the sun, are illumined by a bright light from above. Not without admiring that God, who is wonderful in council and mighty in working, have I heard the aged prisoners instructing their younger companions to read: the latter thus learn the sacred precepts of the Bible, and wean themselves from their former course of life. When they go out to labour on the public works, the sacred book is often their companion, with which they most profitably and pleasantly beguile the leisure hours conceded to them. Thus while their bodies, pressed down under the weight of heavy chains, are allowed some refreshment, their minds aspire to things above, even to that blessed Redeemer who alone can make them free indeed."

NORWAY.

The Norwegian Bible Society, originally combining the circulation of the Scriptures, with other religious objects, has been re-organized so as to make the circulation of the Scriptures its exclusive object. A copy of its printed rules, together with a specimen of an edition of the New Testament, printed under its direction at Christiania, has been transmitted to your Committee; and the condition on which your grant of 500l. was tendered, having thus been fulfilled, the money has accordingly been paid. The Stavanger Society has found in the 500 Bibles furnished by your society, as mentioned in the last

Report, a stock for very seasonable distribution in the parts of Norway to which its operations are confined. The greater number of the copies were paid for at a considerable price by the willing purchasers in the town of Stavanger, with a view to a greater reduction of it in favour of the more needy inhabitants of the surrounding country. In this manner a fund of 350 specie dollars was collected from the produce of 316 Bibles and the sum thus providently raised was invested in the purchase of fresh supplies.

An extract from the affectionate letter of the Committee of the Norwegian Society may properly conclude this

article:

"The end which our Society has in view, is so important, that we cannot allow ourselves to relax in our exertions, or to cast away our confidence. By the Divine assistance we shall cheerfully go on, though we should be left to labour alone, and unsupported. It is, however, a source of real pleasure, to find that other Societies give us the right hand of fellowship, and joining in closer connexion with us, add their efforts to our's for the promotion of the common cause. Considered in this light, the gift of the honoured Parent Society is doubly valuable; and, we can truly say, it has been received in the same spirit of brotherly affection in which it was bestowed.

"May the Most High still condescend to bless our united endeavours! May he grant that His word be preserved among us pure and unadulterated to the end of time; and may the unwearied activity of your Society, of which the happy fruits become daily more evident, be attended with His Divine benediction!"

RUSSIA.

In tracing the progress of the Holy Scriptures, through the medium of Bible Societies, over the Russian empire, your Committee find occasion for renewed gratitude to God on account of

the energy and perseverance increasingly manifested by their Russian brethren, and the triumph granted through their instrumentality to the course and the influence of the word of God.

The emperor continues not only to patronise the Russian Bible Society, but also to co-operate by his personal exertions with those who have the practical administrations of its concerns. Of this a splendid instance may be cited, in his having purchased a large stock, more than 9000 Slavonian pocket Testaments, from his own private funds, in order to distribute them among the army. Nor does it redound less to the credit of his wisdom, and his solicitude for the diffusion among his people of Scriptural truth, that his Imperial Majesty issued an order to the Holy Synod, to supply all the monasteries, churches, and priests, throughout his dominions, with copies of the Holy Scriptures.

His Excellency Prince Galitzin, also, the active President of the Russian Society, assisted by the Metropolitans of the different religious communions, and other personages of the first consideration in the empire, follows up with indefatigable diligence those labours of superintendence and direction, from which the institution has reaped such important advantages.

In the Central Society at St. Petersburg, its principal Auxiliary at Moscow, and its Auxiliaries and Associates in general, throughout the several governments, provinces, and dependencies of the empire, the work appears to be going forward, having been stimulated, in the course of the last year, by the infusion of a new energy, and by improved arrangements for its execution and accomplishment.

The anniversaries of both the Central Society at St. Petersburg and of its Moscow Auxiliary were celebrated with the customary solemnities, and with even more than their usual effect. On the occasion of that at Moscow, more than 1200 persons were present; among