CHAP. 1810-11. flecting no little credit on the parties to whom PART II. their production may be instrumentally ascribed. Debarred this satisfaction, the author must content himself with expressing, in general terms, how much the cause was indebted to many individuals, whose services will not be known till they are recompensed in the great day of final and universal retribution. The spirited exertions made by the Cornwall Society cannot, indeed, with propriety be passed over. This Society, of which an amiable young Nobleman, Viscount Falmouth, very readily accepted the Presidency, remitted, as its first year's contribution, the sum of 9157. Such a return from a part of the country in which the mass of the population is composed of the laborious and dependent classes, argues a degree of vigor and liberality, which claims for the Cornwall Bible Society no ordinary distinction. It may be worthy of observation, that "the Swansea Auxiliary Bible Society" was the first Establishment of that description, which was formed in Wales; and "the Uxbridge," in the county of Middlesex. The formation of the "Liverpool Auxiliary Bible Society" was not accomplished without efforts, in which judgment and perseverance were put to no ordinary exercise. When the fact is stated, that the author was engaged in an occasional correspondence of nearly two years, with a view to PART II. spondence, he addressed not only the leading CHAP. Clergy, but also every Member of the Council, individually, the reader will have little difficulty 1810-11. in conceiving, what must have been the duties of those who had to organize the local measures, and to bring about the establishment of the Society. It may not be irrelevant to observe, that those measures were concerted with great discretion; and with a proper regard to the rank of Liverpool, and the character of the Institution with which it was about to be connected. This remark applies to the proceedings in general; and it may be illustrated by observing, that the Mayor and the two Rectors subscribed the address, requesting the attendance of the Secretaries of the Parent Institution, and that such marks of respect were shown them, as nothing could have prompted but a strong attachment to the cause in which their services were required. The establishment of a Bible Society at Liverpool was, under all the circumstances, an event of considerable importance. Liverpool had been dishonored in the eyes of the British nation, and of the world, for the share it had taken in the slave-trade, and for the pertinacious adherence of many of its inhabitants to the principles of that odious traffic, when persons the most interested in its continuance had been driven, either by conviction or by shame, to renounce it. Apart, therefore, from every consideration of the CHAP. II. rank, wealth, and commercial influence of this PART II. city and port, the record of its past occupation gave to the establishment of a Bible Society, under the auspices of the Mayor, Clergy, and 1810-11. principal inhabitants of the place, no common interest and effect. It ought to be stated, as reflecting great credit on the active benevolence of Liverpool, that, though the Society in that place was formed only on the 25th of March, 1811, and under circumstances of great commercial distress, it was enabled to present to the Parent Society, at its seventh anniversary, on the 1st of May, the very liberal contribution of 1,8007. It is deserving attention, also, that the Auxiliary Societies previously in existence gave, as has been intimated, substantial proofs, by their contributions and their Reports, of vigorous and progressive exertions in favor of the general cause. An inspection of the returns as exhibited in the Annual Reports of the Parent Society, and of the Reports as issued by the Auxiliary Societies themselves, will amply justify this assertion. It would, however, be injustice to the Manchester and the Bristol Societies, to omit recording their eminent services, in promoting the formation of other Auxiliary Societies. The measures which terminated so successfully at Liverpool were considerably advanced by the Manchester Society; which, with a zeal truly meritorious, sent a depu CHAP. II. PART II. pool, in order to endeavour to excite the cooperation of the clergy, and civil authorities of that place, in the great and glorious cause of 1810-11. divine truth. To the Bristol Society the cause is indebted, in a great degree, for the production of the Cornwall, and altogether, for that of the Swansea Society. On the effect of their exertions, as they respect Swansea, the Committee of the Bristol Society express their hope, that it may prove "but the dawning of a light, which will gradually diffuse its rays over the whole Principality;" and it is a pleasing consideration to reflect, that the object of that hope, conceived under circumstances of very faint encouragement, has been since, through the blessing of God, substantially realized. Before dismissing the Auxiliary Societies, it will be proper to remark, that, in addition to the advantage derived from their contributions, they began already to manifest their practical utility, by active co-operation with the Parent Society in the home-distribution of the Sacred Scriptures. It is scarcely necessary to say, how much better qualified they were, both to ascertain the wants of the poor, and to apportion the degree of supply in their several districts, than those would have been, who must depend for their information in these matters upon merely written and transmitted statements. In this view, as well as in CHAP. II. 1810-11. others which have been described, the Auxiliary PART II. Societies showed themselves competent to render essential service to the object of the Parent Institution; and it appeared very early after their formation, that they were not lightly attentive to this part of their duty. The Bristol Society was able to report, at the expiration of its first year, a local distribution of Bibles and Testaments to the amount of 4,210; and the Manchester and Salford Society, of 7,034. On this subject, the Committee of the latter Society make the following just and encouraging remarks: "In announcing this fact, for the information of the subscribers, your Committee hail it with welcome feelings, as an evidence of the early prosperity of the Society, and as an auspicious intimation of the final improvement which may justly be expected in the morals of this great and populous town;-when the vast extent of religious knowledge which promises to be thus circulated, shall have become ripened, under the divine influence, into a source of efficacious Christian virtue." The close of the Report from which this extract is made, breathes so generous a spirit of philanthropy, and evinces so lively an interest in the welfare of the British and Foreign Bible Society, that it may properly terminate this ac count. 66 It now only remains for your Committee, |