Entelligence.

ENGLAND.-AFRICAN AND ASIATIC SOCIETY.

THE Annual General Meeting of this Society was held at Free-Masons' Hall, on Friday, June the 29th, W. Wilberforce, Esq, M. P. President, in the chair. Previous to the business of the meeting being entered upon, upwards of 200 of the sable tribe were regaled in an adjoining room with a good plain dinner, and were then introduced to the company. The report was read by the Rev. C. Beuthin. It stated the vast increase of objects, and adverted to the success which had attended the Society's efforts, in the happy deaths of several of the poor creatures who had been brought to a knowledge of the truth by their means, as also of the many children who have been usefully employed in reading the Bible to their parents. The motions were moved and seconded by the Hon. and Rev. Gerard Noel, Rev. W. Gurney, Rev. Messrs. Faulkner, J. Thomas, J. K. Foster; and by Capt. Gordon, R. N. Lieut. Gordon, R. N.; Z. Macaulay, W. H. Trant, Geo. Brooks, Gordon Forbes, Esqrs. &c. Mr. Wilberforce introduced Sir Charles M'Carthey to the meeting, who warmly commended its object. We lament that the Report stated the Society to be in debt 2007. without any funds whatever to rely upon. It was resolved, with a view to render the object of the Society more generally understood, that for the future it be denominated, "The Society for the Relief and Instruction of Poor Africans and Asiatics, resident in London and its Vicinity." The benevolent objects of this Society may be forwarded, by transmitting subscriptions to the Treasurers, Z. Macaulay and G. Brookes, Esqrs. or their bankers.

SCOTLAND.—Jews' SOCIETY.

IN our last we noticed the Domestic Proceedings of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, as detailed in the thirteenth Report. We now proceed to their exertions in Scotland, Ireland, &c.

"The Rev. L. Richmond kindly renewed his visit to several parts of the North of England; and proceeded into Scotland-affording your committee an opportunity of once more testifying their grateful sense of the liberality and kindness which has uniformly been shown to the Society by their Northern friends. Mr. Richmond extended his tour into many parts of the Highlands, and into some of the Islands; and was every where gladdened with the demonstrations of true Christian feeling in behalf of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He was made the medium of communicating several liberal contributions to the funds of the Society (chiefly those for Jewish Schools and for the Hebrew Testament) from various religious Associations, and from schools, in different parts of Scotland. The very mention of these carries with it so honourable a testimony to Scottish benevolence and liberality that it is with reluctance we omit particularizing some of the contributions thus imparted."

IRELAND.-JEWS' SOCIETY.

"To the zealous exertions of the Society's friends in Ireland, it has on former occasions been the pleasing duty of your committee to advert. And to what they have before said they cannot now add more, than that the sanguine anticipations of effectual co-operation, which they formed, from the revival of the cause in that island, in behalf of the Jews, have been abundantly realized by the event. The warmest sensibilities of that generous people seem to have been called forth in full exercise towards the scattered descendants of Abraham—whilst their vigorous understandings appear to have embraced, as if by an intuitive perception, the magnitude and interest of the Jewish cause, in its bearings not only on that unhappy race itself, but on the whole Gentile world."

RELIGIOUS TRACT AND BOOK SOCIETY.

Seventh Annual Report.

THERE is a remark in the Fourteenth Report of the "Commissioners of Education in Ireland," appointed by parliament, which will not inaptly be incorporated in our notice of the proceedings of the Seventh year. With reference to the poverty of the people, they truly and forcibly say, that it "produces effects, if possible, still worse, by incapacitating them from purchasing such books as are fit for children to read; whence it frequently happens, that, instead of being improved by religious and moral instruction, their minds are corrupted by books calculated to incite to lawless and profligate adventure, to cherish superstition, or to lead to dissention." The people wILL read and WILL think the only question that now remains for their Governors is, how to lead them to read such books as shall accustom them to think justly." If it is now ascertained that the Irish people" will read, and will think,” and that it should be the business of their Rulers to place in their hands moral and religious books, it is intelligence which will most assuredly rejoice the hearts of American Freemen and more especially American Christians. We shall now give a brief summary of the Report before us; and first of the

State of the Funds.

The Receipts of the year have been 26621. 5s. 3 1-2d.; of which 655l. 14s. 2d. was on account of Books and Tracts, the remainder consisting of Contributions and Legacies. These Legacies were two-one of 7001. being part of a bequest of the late Sir G. King, by Archdeacon Digby; and the other, of 100l. from the late Secretary of the Society, Richard E. Digby, Esq. Of the Contributions, the London Auxiliary supplied 5607. 12s. 3d. and friends in Scotland 2227. 13s. 5 1-2d.

The Expenditure has amounted to 26817. 9s. 8d. of which somewhat more than half has been occasioned by the purchase and printing of an extensive stock of Books and Tracts.

The sums here stated are all in Irish Currency.

Issues of Tracts and Books.

The number of Books issued has been 8244, and that of Tracts 103,427.

The retail sale is carried on by an Auxiliary Society formed in Dublin; which has opened, for that purpose, eight Depositories, in different parts of the city.

Importance of Depositories and Lending Libraries.

Your Committee feel authorized to indulge the persuasion, that, wherever Schools for religious instruction, especially Sunday Schools, are adopted, the estabfishment of Lending Libraries and Depositories for the sale of Books will be found most useful auxiliaries. They would here take the opportunity of recommending what appears to them an admirable Institution, the "Itinerating Village Library," which has been established in East Lothian, in Scotland, with much success. In the detail of this measure, which has been communicated to your Committee, they' find that in Haddington there is one Library of 200 volumes; and in eight adjoining Village Libraries, 400 volumes. Thus the Books are brought into full circula. tion; and, visiting village after village in succession, they are the more generally and eagerly perused. They would earnestly recommend the trial of this simple but apparently admirable institution.

What might not be expected from the system of religious education, now spreading so rapidly among us, if it were thus followed up by an extensive collection of well-chosen Books and Tracts; furnishing the lower classes of society with a continued succession of interesting and instructive reading, calculated to lead them to an acquaintance with Scripture Truth, and to impress on their minds its great importance. It is surely the duty of every advocate for education, to endeavour thus to secure and perpetuate its blessings; by providing an ample supply of the materials for useful reading, and by displacing as much as possible those pernicious publications which now tend to pervert the public miud.

"In fact," to use the words of your committee of the former year, "whilst the means of this AFTER-instruction, through the medium of reading and studying religious books, is wanting, the long and much agitated question, of the expediency of educating the lower orders of the people, can never be set at rest. For your committee would plainly and expressly avow their persuasion, that education, unless it be founded upon a knowledge of the Word and Will of God, must be defective, and may be dangerous."

Conclusion.

The Bible Society provides the Bread of Life for all who desire it-the Sunday School Society prepares the youthful mind to digest its important truths-the present Institution follows up the design of these Societies, and endeavours to furnish varied sources of RELIGIOUS improvement and instruction for the population of the land, and especially for the children who are educated in the Schools arising in all directions, and who may well be regarded as the adopted ones of their country. Convinced, as your committee feel, of the indispensable necessity existing for an establishment of this description, they would urge its claims on your attention; trusting that the support which it has hitherto received, may prove but the harbinger of that general support which it solicits from the public at large.

CONTINENT.-JEWS' SOCIETY.

Amsterdam.-On account of certain prejudices existing among some of the inhabitants, it has been judged more expedient to establish a General Tract Society, than a Society for the Jews expressly, as was contemplated at the time of your committee's last Report. Mr. Thelwall, however, (who, your committee are happy to say, fully justifies the high character with which he entered the service of the Society,) employs himself with great activity in circulating its publications among the numerous Jewish inhabitants of that populous city, and in such other measures for their spiritual improvement as circumstances admit. It is proposed that Mr. Solomon shall spend a couple of months in Amsterdam, on his way to Poland, in order to preach to his countrymen there.

For reasons similar to those just adverted to, it has been judged adviseable, for the present, to postpone the establishment of a public Society at Berlin. It is thought that more good, under existing circumstances, will be done by the silent diffusion of religious information amongst the Jews, than by efforts of a more public kind.

From Mr. Friedenberg, of Berlin, who, though not now in the immediate service of the Society, is pursuing his studies at that university, with a hope of being ultimately useful to the cause, your committee have received a good deal of interesting information, throwing light on the state and dispositions of the Jews towards Christianity.

In connexion with Berlin, your committee cannot forbear mentioning a circum

Jews' Society.

stance communicated to them from thence, calculated at once to excite and to encourage compassionate exertions in behalf of our Jewish brethren :

A young Polish Jew, destined to be a Rabbi, having repaired to a Protestant university, at a distance from his own country, in search of a more rational religion than that which he learned from the Talmud, became convinced of the truth of Christianity, through the instrumentality of a member of the Society. By a remarkable coincidence, his wife and sister, whom he had left behind him, were about the same period led to the same conviction; and, on being inforined of the change that had taken place in his views, they joined him at the place of his studies, where, with his two children, they were all baptized together.

The father of these two Jewesses, who was an opulent Jewish merchant in their native town, on hearing of their apostacy, sent a cousin of theirs, a young Rabbi, with offers of forgiveness and a kind reception, if they would return to his house, and to the faith of their ancestors. Notwithstanding the most pressing solicitations and arguments employed by their relative, both sisters expressed their unalterable determination to adhere to the faith of Christ; and the young Rabbi declared to one of his friends, "that these sisters were wholly unintelligible to him; he had known them in the preceding year, dirty, listless, ignorant, and inactive, equally unqualified for, and indisposed to any exertion; he saw them now, cleanly, industrious, possessed of the means of gaining their livelihood, and actually so gaining it; humble, but enlightened, and firm in the purpose they had announced to him, one of singular sacrifice and devotion to the cause they had embraced;" and he added, "that he must fly from them, lest he should also become a Christian."

The sequel of the story will be heard with peculiar interest. The married sister declined returning to her father, on the ground that she could not leave her children, who, through the kindness of friends, were receiving Christian instruction in the city in which they had been baptized. The unmarried sister, not being restrained by any such obligation, obeyed the call of her parent, having first received his solemn promise that she should not be persecuted on account of her religious faith. Notwithstanding this assurance, on her arrival at home, she was unmercifully beat by her father and chief relations, to make her renounce her faith. Being, however, by God's blessing, enabled to withstand their efforts, she was turned out into the streets; and having no refuge, but in the habitation of some poor relations, unable to maintain her, she is now, with the assistance of some christian friends at a distance, endeavouring to support herself by work. Her example, in a town full of Jews, may be productive of great benefit; and your committee concur in the hope, expressed by the pious author of the above communication, that the conduct of the two sisters, whose sincerity has hitherto stood the test of trial and of observation, will redound to the honour of our crucified Saviour."

From Berlin your committee will turn your attention for the present to Leipsic, where the providence of God has opened to the Society an access to the Jews, which is likely to lead to important results. It having been proposed to a pious young printer, in that city, Mr. Tauchnitz, to circulate the Society's publications amongst the Jews who live there, or who resort to it for the purpose of merchandise, he thus writes to your Foreign Society, under date of March 17, 1820.

"The pleasure I felt on receiving a letter from you, was much increased by the prospect it opened to me, to have a share in a work, which takes so honourable a place among the exertions of our day, to promote the knowledge of the Gospel, and to which you now devote a great part of your time. But, if I may say the truth, our wishes have met one another. For I also have, a long time since, felt a strong desire to avail myself of the good opportunities which our fairs bring in my way, to put the word of everlasting life, in the Hebrew language, into the hands of the great number of Israelites, who flock here together from all parts of the earth. I therefore most joyfully accept the invitation, to disseminate the Hebrew New Testament and other useful works among the Jews; and I request an interest in your prayers, that the Lord may grant me his assistance, in the faithful discharge of the new duties in his service, in which I am ready both to work and to suffer, though not building upon my own, but only upon the strength of the Lord.

"From all the information I have received, I have not the least doubt, that the New Testament will be received by many Jews with great interest; and I shall not avoid coming into contact even with the more learned among them, as some young scholars, well skilled in the Hebrew language, have promised me their assist

ance.

Your committee did not delay to transmit to so valuable a correspondent, an ample supply of Hebrew New Testaments and Tracts and resolved on sending Mr. Smith, who had been spending a year in Berlin as the Society's agent, to assist in cultivating the promising field of labour thus unexpectedly opened to them.

Of the utility of their first efforts in Leipsic, the following extract from a subse quent letter of Mr. Tauchnitz contains evidence which is highly encouraging :"On September 18, when the great day of atonement is celebrated, my friends made their first attempt to procure for the tracts entrance among the Jews. They went with a small number of them into the Polish synagogue; and Mr. Sander showed to the first Jew who stood near him one of the small cards. He accepted it politely, read it attentively, and handed it silently to his neighbour, and so it proceeded farther and farther. Like an electrical stroke, the introduction of that little stranger was felt in the spacious and crowded hall; all the Jews from every corner crowded about Mr. S., and in their eagerness almost tore the few tracts he had out of his hands. Full of the glad tidings, the two gentlemen returned to my house, and I furnished them with as large a store as they could carry with them. They now visited the former and some other synagogues, met every where with the same favourable reception, and in one of them they excited so great a sensation, that the Cantor requested them not to disturb their devotion, which however could not prevent the eager exertions of the Jews for obtaining tracts. As the house of my father is situated in that part of the city where, during the fair, the foreign Jews reside, I could easily observe their behaviour; and it would be difficult to describe my satisfaction, when in the following days I saw, almost before every house, small parties of Jews, with tracts in their hands, or listening to one who publicly read it, or engaged in conversation about that they had heard."

(To be continued.)

GENEVA.-ORDINATION OF GENEVESE MINISTERS.

MESSIEURS EMILE GUERS and JEAN GUILLAUME GONTHIER lately visited London to receive ordination as pastors of a church, which has been founded on Congregational principles at Geneva. They were ordained on the 25th of June, at Rev. John Clayton's Jun. Meeting-house in the Poultry, London. The services were conducted by Mr. Innes, Mr. John Townsend, Dr. John Pye Smith, Dr. Waugh, Mr. George Clayton, Dr. Collyer, and Mr. Hooper.

This separate church at Geneva was formed about four years ago, by a number of pious persons, who not only were unable to receive the Arian and Socinian doctrines, preached by the majority of the pastors in the Established Church of Geneva, but who also conceived that its constitution, as a civil establishment, founded on and intermingled with state authority, is inconsistent with the principles of the New Testament. They had at first to undergo most opprobrious treatment, and many painful sufferings, from dissolute mobs, and from profane scoffers in the higher classes; but their prudent and exemplary conduct has raised them higher and higher in the esteem of the better part of their fellow citizens, and liberated them in a great measure from cruel mockeries. While they regard the choice of pastors as the imprescriptible right of the people over whom they are to preside, they conceive that the ordination of chosen pastors ought, according to the New Testament, to be solemnized by two or more other pastors, with the imposition of hands and prayer. In sending their pastors to England for this purpose, they had also,besides other reasons, the motive of a strong desire to testify their fellowship in faith and order, with the Evangelical Dissenters of this country. These two estimable young ministers had been long known by name and character, to friends of the gospel in London; and the most gratifying testimonies have been borne to them in writing, by some of the ministers most distinguished for learning, piety, and decided attachment to the gospel, in Switzerland and France. They had studied in the College of Geneva, one of them eight years, and the other nine, as the honourable attestations of the Dean and other professors (who in the same do