translator, informed us last week that the entire manuscript of the Old and New Testaments is in readiness at Newton, Mass.

No books of Scripture are reported to have been printed last year. The issues were, prior to Sept. 80, 1854:

It only remains for us to notice, in this survey, the so-called Celestial Empire— the oldest as it is by far the largest dominion on our globe, where more than onehalf of the unevangelized of that world to which the Saviour more than eighteen centuries since required that His Gospel should be published, are found, reading a common language. The magnitude of the interests here involved, and the urgency which ought to be felt by every one of us to fulfil the Saviour's great commission to this immense multitude, hurrying with us to meet Him at the judgment, may well awaken the most profound concern.

Our Board have not been unmindful of these obligations. Again and again have they brought before their own minds, and by the publications at their command, before our churches and the public, the immensity of these claims.

We need not here repeat what was given in outline, at least, in our last Report,
in regard to the revolution in progress as to the dynasty and government of the
hundreds of millions of the Chinese. It could not be reasonably expected that
such a work, on so broad and magnificent a scale, should be finished at once.
Several years have already elapsed since its progress began, and it will probably
require as many more to complete it, whether success or failure be the ultimate
result. The same diversity of views, as to its probable bearing on the free diffusion
of the Scriptures, and Christianity, still prevails, as was noticed in our last Report.
In the meantime Brother Goddard, raised up and preeminently qualified for the
work of Scripture translation for this people, has finished his course. After com-
pleting his New Testament version, with the first three books of the Old, and
having his arrangements in great forwardness for the consummation of his pious
and enterprising purposes for the completion of the remainder, ["I hope," said he,
"in July, to finish the Pentateuch this year,"] the Saviour whom he loved and
served so well, was graciously pleased to grant him a not unwelcome respite, and
say to him,
"Well done, good and faithful, enter into my joy, and sit down at my

right hand."
It remains for us to take up the work where he left it, and to give that revised
New Testament-so successfully completed-with perhaps a condensed epitome of

the Old Testament, the widest practicable circulation among that reading, thinking, shrewd, and more than half-civilized people. How this shall be done, is the question of this age, and emphatically the matter of chieftest concern for our Society in the present generation. As shedding light upon it, we are happy to present in this connection, as we have already in our last periodical paper at fuller length, the independent, and volunteered, and apparently matured views of one of our oldest and most experienced Missionaries now in China. He was a native of the City of New York, the Sunday-school scholar of one of the principal officers of this Society, a member of one of our churches, and should something like the plan of a special agency for Bible distribution in China, which he advocates, be successfully and vigorously entered upon, we cannot doubt that this chief commercial city of our western hemisphere would cheerfully furnish, to any desirable extent, the requisite extra funds required.

In his own words, and with his own arguments in illustration and enforcement of the plan he has proposed, we finish this part of our survey.

Do you inquire, in view of this truthful representation, Can nothing be done? Must the field of our operations be restricted to the infinitesimal regions occupied by Missionary Boards? I answer affirmatively, with the agency now available. To distribute the Bible throughout the length and breadth of this half of Asia, you require a special agent, a foreigner conversant with the language and customs of the people, having the assistance of native colporteurs. By such means, and such only, you may send the Word of God from the Pacific to Thibet, from the farthest regions of Manchuism to the coast of Cochin-China; or, if you would embrace all the peoples capable of reading this translation, Corea, Japan, Loo-choo, and Formosa are to be included. An agent, making Shanghai his starting-point, could reach any of these points, printing as he goes, and scattering the sacred volume where it would sooner or later be prized, and to a greater extent than the richest treasury could supply. Were no more cities accessible than at present, a travelling agent could find a year's employment in the distribution of the sacred Scriptures. But the country will wholly or partially be further opened very soon. The foreign ambassadors are now steaming to Peking for that purpose. It is impossible for it to be long delayed. By the time this reaches you, it is likely the Yangty will be opened, if not Pekin also. Should the rebellion, which at one time promised so much, be crushed, the inquiry it will have awakened regarding Christianity will render the Bible more than ever called for. Should success attend the movement, how important that every reading man should possess a copy. Great efforts will be (in fact are) made to get the version which represents the initiatory rite of admission into the Christian Church, a "washing ceremony," the Textus receptus of the land. You need an agent to do something towards counteracting this, which missions and missionaries cannot well do. You need, then, it seems to me, some one specially in your own service.

The British and Foreign Bible Society sent one to China when Canton was the only accessible point. It is probable they will send several ere long. Indeed, I hope this, whether our Churches bo represented or not, for the work is urgent. A character like Barrow-a bachelor, who could keep perpe tually on the wing, is a desideratum. You cannot raise up a man, nor can you find one to your hand without applying to the Missionary Board. If you want an agent, and if you think me a suitable person for the agency, you are at liberty to communicate with the Union on the subject. There are others, perhaps, more capable, but whether there be any equally willing to itinerate is very uncertain. I am, as you know, a layman and a physician. I should expect to spend some time in distributing tracts for the Am. T. Society, and in healing the sick, on behalf of the Medical Missionary Society, and also, by way of relaxation, to make scientific investigations, as I now do. Being blessed with a precious family, whose claims occupy no subordinate place, I may not be able to accomplish in the way of travel all that the friends of Bible-distribution could desire; but if you like to send me, here I am.

I should wish to have the approbation of Dr. Williams, and of the Boston brethren, to any plan you may propose. I have hinted the subject to the Rooms with more readiness, as they have been ap-prized that so far as this port is concerned, my health is broken down. My petition to be allowed to proceed to Peking, for sanitary as much as for missionary purposes, as soon as that capital may be opened, has been refused. Not that these esteemed brethren feel less interest in the subject than I

do, but on account of their inability to extend their operations in China, for an indefinitely long period. Missions are conducted here at considerable cost, and it is not strange that they are slow to enlarge them. This is for you to consider. Apart from travelling expenses, and the like, a larger sum would be required by a Bible agent than by a missionary. What with his salary and assistants, not less than $2,000 per annum would probably be called for. A small sum, however, to a Society contemplating such a gigantic enterprise as the circulation of the Chinese Scriptures among the people for whom they are adapted. The British and Foreign Bible Society would gladly engage several such, at double the expense. No competent Baptist, however, could take any part in such a work.

Believe me, dear brother, in the bonds of Christian love, very faithfully yours,

In Hong Kong, China, of the New Testament complete five hundred copies have been distributed, and eight thousand portions, chiefly the Gospels and Acts.

At Ningpo, Mr. Goddard had proceeded with the translation of the Old Testament, at the time of his death, as far as the close of Leviticus. Many New Testaments complete have been sold to the Missionaries of the Southern Baptist Board; one thousand copies are sent to California. The following is an exhibition in full of the Bible operations at this station :

It will gratify the enlarged benevolence of all the friends of this Society, to know that in this and the last year we have paid the Missionary Union 6,000 dollars for the Scripture's diffusion in China.

The summary recapitulation of our appropriations for the foreign fields and languages the last year, including $1,258 worth of Bibles and Testaments sent, and also the $1,500 transmitted to aid in the publication and distribution of the Bengalee and Sanscrit Scriptures, as explained in the Report, is $23,500, viz. : in America $3,096; in Europe $14,859; and in Asia $5,544.

IN CONCLUSION.

The Board of Managers, at the end of the first dozen and a half years of the Society's existence, may naturally crave the indulgence of a brief review of its history-pleasant and encouraging as are some of its aspects; humbling and admonitory as are others; while all, if rightly improved, may minister to us salutary instruction.

The circumstances in which the Society originated, the necessity which seemed to call it into being, the promptness and generosity with which most of our churches rallied around it, and gave to it a healthful, vigorous maturity, even in its infancy, very naturally awakened our self-complacency. There may have been wanting a

J

due measure of humble gratitude to God, for His having enabled us, in so short a time, to collect for the noble purposes of our organization, nearly $650,000, and so to dispense it as to make appropriations for publishing the Word of God in thirty or forty different languages and dialects in the four quarters of the globe, and actually to send forth at our expense, not less than a million and a quarter of volumes of this life-giving Word. At least our gratitude has not been at all commensurate with the extent of His beneficence towards us. Then as the perversion of the best things is always the most guilty and reprehensible, our pride and vaingloriousness may have been specially offensive in His sight, whose complacency can only be extended to the humble and self-renouncing. While engaged in the blessed work of circulating that Word which teaches so fully the way of life, we would, with holy jealousy and scrupulous carefulness, watch over our hearts and lives, that we may ever be imbued with the Spirit which the Scriptures commend, and thus by our example as well as our offerings, help to reflect abroad the beams of Gospel truth.

DIRECTORS FOR LIFE,

BY A CONTRIBUTION OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS EACH.

THOSE MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (*) ARE DECEASED.