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Heligious Intelligence,

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. Ja A number of the speeches delivered at Abe Anniversary of this society, on May 11th, have been published. Our limits will not permit us to print all of them. In our next, we shall give the speeches of the Rev. Mr. Stansbury, and of the Hon. Mr. Sherman.

The Hon. John Cotton Smith, of Connecticut, on moying the adoption of the Report, spoke as follows:→

MR. PRESIDENT, 101, 19

Before I submit the resolution which it is my intention to offer, I must be permitted to express the grateful sense which I trust we all entertain of the distinguished services rendered by the Board of Managers, as detailed in this highly interesting and eloquent Report; and to congratalate you, sir, and every friend of the Institution, on its increasing prosperity. It is, in truth, a subject of humble and devout acknowledgment, that whilst the illustrious model of all Bible Associations has encountered, from the first, (with glorious success indeed,) an opposition as virulent in spirit as it was unprovoked in its origin; this Society has been permitted, by a gracious Providence, to move on free and undisturbed. The cavils of enemies and the fears of friends have been alike subdued, and the American Bible Society presents to the world the cheering spectacle of harmony and christian fellowship amongst its members of various communions, and of perfect unanimity in the execution of its plans. That the Society has a strong hold upon the affections and confidence of the religious public, could not be shown more decisively than in the liberal contributions to its funds during the past year a year of almost unexampled pecuniary embarrassment thro' out the country. It will be seen, sir, that no inconsiderable portion of these offerings were made by female hands. The fact may well awaken our gratitude, but not our surprise. Munificence like this comes from a quarter where it will ever be found, from that sex who were the early and tred friends of the blessed Redeemer; who not only beheld with extacy the triumphs of his mercy, but who adhered to him with unshaken constancy in his deepest humiliation, and who have been at once the ornament and support of his Church to the present hour. The same benevolent spirit in the community at large, I doubt not, will continue, and from the same cause, a thorough couvic

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tion of the immense utility of the Institu-
tion, whether regard be had to the sacred-
Dess of its design, or the wide extent of its
operations. These, sir, let it be remember-
ed, are not limited to a few districts, states,
or territories, nor even to our own vast re-
public, which at length has oceans for its
'boundaries. No, sir, from the table which
is here spread, the bread of life is to
be dispensed to the destitute of the whole
American continent; and surely a more
diversified and interesting population can-
not be found upon the globe. Whatever
may be the destiny of the people of South
America, whether they are to reach the
dignified rank of freemen, or, after a few
more struggles, to relapse into colonial
degradation, the bible will be equally ne-
cessary to them. It is its divine excel-
lence that, besides bringing life and im-
mortality to light, it adapts itself with
wonderful pliancy to every condition in
which man can be placed. Is he free?---
it restrains his strong tendency to licen-
tiousness. Is he a slave?-it may not in-
deed break the fetters of bondage, but it
will assuredly lighten their pressure. In
a word, it teaches him, to use its own
touching language, in whatever state he is,
therewith to be content-the great end of
all human pursuits! the sum of human
happiness!

But the field of enterprize which I own to you, sir, I am most anxious to see fully occupied by the Board, one on which they have already most happily entered, is the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures amongst the Aborigines of our whole western hemisphere. I rejoice that light and hope begin to dawn upon a subject which has been so long involved in darkness and despondency. We have heard of the early exertions of our pious ancestors to reclaim the savage tribes, and of their great confidence in the success of those exertions; and although enough was done to demonstrate the practicability of the undertaking, yet we know that in the sequel their fond expectations were defeated. Similar attempts successively renewed were equally unavailing; until at last the revered names of Elliot and Brainerd were rarely mentioned unaccompanied with a sigh, that piety so exalted should have been employed in a cause so utterly hopeless. Despairing, finally, of ever making our red brethren Christians, we seemed to have forgotten they were men; and Indian warfare, in the estimation of too many of our countrymen, was but another nine for the chase of the wolfe

and the tiger. Sir, I bless God that these unworthy sentiments are now practically disavowed; that higher and nobler views are entertained, not by private Christians alone, but by the first authorities in our country; and particularly that he whom these children of the forest have been ac customed to style their father, is disposed to prove his title to the appeilation, by extending to them, with a truly paternal hand, the blessings of civilization and religion. It is encouraging, nay sir, it is delightful to perceive on their part an increasing disposition to accept the prof fered boon. Who, theu, that regards attentively the aspects of Providence, can doubt that this great scheme of benevolence is fast approaching the period of its accomplishment? And who can describe the full tide of happiness and glory which will flow from its consummation? Then, Mr. President, in the prophetic and sublime words of this sacred volume, then, indeed, "the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose,"-" the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

The Rev. Mr. M'Ewen, of New-London, Connecticut, on seconding the motion, for a vote of thanks to the Board of Managers, spoke as follows:

Permit me, sir, to second the motion which has just been made. In doing this, I recognise that deep impression which the goodness of God has made upon the benevolent of mankind, in permitting them to promote the knowledge of his will. Entering into the scene of this day; they sensibly bear a part in that service for which the heirs of heaven are, for a while, assigned to a residence in this world. Better things than earth affords, Christians hope for, when they shall be with Christ, Why then is their pilgrimage prolonged? Why, according to the fulness of redeeming love, are they not permitted, immediately to drop this mortal, and to put on immortality? Something great is manifestly to be accomplished by their kindred to an earthly race, before these ties shall be dissolved. Some great purpose is to be derived by the associations which they

have formed here.

Were the implantation of a benevolent principle in the hearts of men a signal for their immediate transit to a better world, the pleasure would never be theirs of contemplating themselves as instruments in the hand of their Redeemer, of extending Spiritual life to dying men. But, they are appointed to a service, they are indulged in a gratification. Let them cease to reside, let them cease to act; nay, let them cease to associate and to act in this

world, and the cause of truth and salvation
must stop where it is.

Those who have already become be
nevolent through the medium of reveal-
ed truth, form those cords of Divine love
by which the mercy of Heaven holds on to
perishing sinners.

The condition of multitudes in Christian lands, ignorant, unprivileged and stupid as they are; the situation of millions in the unpenetrated regions of pagan darkness, and the dependance of all men upon the instructions of the Bible, that they may become children of God and brethren of each other, unite to tell those who have a scriptural hope of Heaven, why they linger bere

Had the immediate disciples of Jesus Christ, when they received from him the last assurance of his salvation, left the world; or, had they declined the service of extending the glad news from Heaven, it had never been heard beyond the limits of Judea.

Let living saints, who now inherit many of the obligations and privileges of these early disciples, renounce their charge, or shrink from their duty; and the poor and stupid of our cities, the forgotten of our country, the remote in our new settlements, and the pagans of our age, will find occa sion and motive to ask us, in the day of judgment, why we gave them not the law of God and the testimonies of his grace.

The early disciples made no superfluous preparation for their work by organizing their community upon the best plan for action; nor by marshalling all their force. Had they done less, they had been unfaithful to their Lord, and unkind to their fellow-men. Christians of the present age owe all their strength, and that strength combined and directed in the best possible manner, to the grand purpose of filling the earth with the knowledge of God.

The Bible, and the Bible alone, contains that instruction which furnishes man with a knowledge of his character, his duty, and his interests. Withhold from him this book and require him to be vir tuous, to have right affections, and to act from right motives, and you demand of him an impossibility. He is required to love God, to repent of sin, to reform from wickedness, to believe on the Saviour, and to observe the duties of piety and benevo lence. But no man can love God any farther than he knows what God is; co man will humble himself for an unknown transgression, or obey a hidden injunction. True religion can prevail in this world to an extent no wider than the actual cir culation of the Holy Scriptures give it a vehicle for its prevalence: it can wind its way into no more of the recesses of that

In a work so great many must be engaged to one so delightful all should be invited. It affords no trifling pleasure to a social mind on this occasion, to reflect upon the measures adopted by the managers of this Institution for enlisting in its service the wisdom, the piety, the benevolence, and the pecuniary resources of this country, Permit me, sir, to admonish those who have come together from different and distant parts of it to witness the kindness and propriety of those measures, and the zeal and friendship which here prevail: who have come themselves to catch something of that Heavenly flame which warms the bearts of this assembly, that the pleasure which they seek can be consummated only by the establishment of Auxiliary Societies in the several districts in which they reside. This parent Institution may exist, its annual meetings may be bolden, its noble designs may be displayed, its character may be exhibited as an object of national admiration; but the means of its lasting usefulness and glory must be furnished by that vast co-operation of benevolent individuals which Auxiliary lostitutions alone can engage. When residents in distant places shall have returned to the places of their abode, and in circles of their acquaintance and neighbours shall tell the story of this day, and shall read and distribute the Report to which we have now listened, the pleasure which they will feel and impart will depend almost exclusively upon that recipBrocal interest which will be felt by those only who bear a part in this national benevolence.

It is not sufficient that an invitation goes forth from this center of action to every plain, uninformed, and busy man of our Country, to become a member of this lustitution, or to send to it his occasional donation. He will seem to be taxed for the support of a distant enterprise. But let him see a branch of this Institution at his own door, his neighbours attaching themselves to it, the fair fruits of it spring ing up in the haunts of ignorance and wretchedness which fall under his own observation: let him understand that such assosiations, such exertions, and such effects pervade his country,and are ultimately to expand through the world, and be

will eagerly tax himself for the promotion of the common cause.

This cause is the cause of God, and it will prevail. So many minds, and so many hearts are already turned to the vast duty; and such multitudes of men are so fast learning the secret of distributing the burdens of the service, so as to profit by their united efforts, that we may indulge the pleasing anticipation of seeing at no very distant day, depositories of Bibles in every small section of the world. It will be no longer said in any place "this is a land of Bibles;" but, in every place, "this is a world of Bibles."

Extracts from the Journal of Mr. Nichols at Saiselle.

Tannah, Salsette, Jan. 1, 1819. HAVE succeeded in establishing a native school in this place. The man, who is engaged to teach it, is not a native of the place, and it is somewhat problematical whether he succeeds in the undertaking.The lamentable indifference of this people to learning in general, will render considerable exertion necessary for the estab lishment of a flourishing school Brambuns and others will doubtless look on it with a jealous eye.

Dismissed the bramhun, who has been my teacher for the month past, partly on account of his being engaged in other business, and partly on account of his unaptness to teach.

Jan. 5. Have had two or three conver sations with a brambun from Cullian, a large town on the continent. Have engaged him to keep a school there.

A Guzerattee bramhun returned with the Gospel of Matthew, which he receive ed a few days ago. He was very impatient at finding so many hard names in the first chapter, which he did not understand. He confessed, that it was however a good story, but objected that it was new, and therefore unworthy of his attention. He declined keeping the book to read; but said, if I would put into his hands native books, he would esteem it a favor, I told him that he was a bramhum; and seeing he prized his native books so highly, he ought to have them in his possession. He replied, that he was poor.

Jan. 11. Engaged a respectable Hindoo of the writer cast to go to C, and open a school there, having received a letter from the principal men of the place, requesting me to establish a school in their village.

The teacher of the mission school in this place brought all his scholars to our house this evening. The prospect is encouraging.

remonstrated warmly on the baseness of this conduct, and have taken the rejected boy into our house to instruct. But so strong are the prejudices of these people, that it would be in vain to insist on his having a place in the school.

We have determined on using every effort to establish a school in our own house, for the purpose of teaching boys reading, writing, arithmetic, and the principles of Christianity, in their own language. To this we now feel competent; and should we succeed in obtaining boys, it will be a means of doing immense good more directly and efficiently than any plan which has been adopted. We have already engaged four or five boys to come to us.