CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCRIPTURE READERS ASSOCIATION.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 792, 16 November 1853, Page 3

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCRIPTURE READERS ASSOCIATION.

The ninth annual meeting of this society was held on the ‘2Bth April, at llanover-square Rooms, the Bishop of Winchester presiding. The report stated the number of families visitable in the districts aided, as nearly as ascertained, 137,020; visits or calls accepted, 289,141 ; refused, 10,887 ; number of persons »o whom the Scriptures have been read, 278,612; number of persons actually visited, Professing to {belong to tbo Church of England, 219,559 ; professing to belong to other Protestant denominations, 38,320; belonging to the Church of Rome, 32,816; belonging to no religious communion, 80,138; professing to attend Divine worship regularly, 99,802; sometimes, 151,514; never, 101,335. . Instances are not tew in which individuals have been “ turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Goi!,’’ from the vi-its of the reader and the reading of the Word ; and that during the year that has closed, many a p or sinner has passed into the presence of his Saviour, who had before know n nothing of the Saviour’s love. An increased disposition, moreover, has been evinced amongst the. poor to listen to the Word of God Many are the cases wherein houses that had been long closed to them have been opened ; and oppose rs, who once rejected them with disdain, have since hailed their visits as a privilege. In not a tew instances the men, through the judicious timing of the reader’s visits, have been reached and spoken with by the reader, whom, before, the clergy acknowledge with deep regret, they never had an opportunity of seeing. The sick and dying have been extensively and regularly visited. Drunkards and profligates have, in many cases, been reformed, and infidels and Sabbath-breakers induced to attend the means of grace. From the Treasurer’s report it appeared that the receipts during the present year have amounted to 9,329/. Is. 6d. (including a balance of 71 If. Os. id., brought from the last account), and the expenditure to 8,213/. 19s. 5d., leaving a balance in hand of 1,115/. 2s. Id. BIBLE TRANSLATION SOCIETY. The Thirt enth Annual Meeting of the subscribers and friends of this institution was held on Thursday the. 28th of April, at Bloomsbury Chapel, T. 11. Wfceatly, Esq., in the chair. The report was read by the Rev. Dr. Steane. It stated that the translators were still applying themselves rather to carry on towards greater degrees of faithfulness translations already made, than to undertake new ones ; while they were, at the same time, habitually occupied in conducting through the press the large editions which from year to year are put into circulation. The distributions during the year had amounted to 34.036 copies, and the printing to 39,000 copies. Mr. Wenger stated in a letter: —“ The distribution of the Scriptures at present time is of incalculable importance. A desire for reading is beginning to awaken among the masses. There are about thirty native presses at work in Calcutta alone.” The treasurer’s cash account showed the receipts of the year to have amounted to 1,452/. 6s. 4d., being 400/. less than last year. The diminution was attributable to one cause, — exactly 400/. having been received from the representatives of deceased friends, and from a gentleman who acted as his own executor.

The meeting was addressed by the following gentlemen Rev. W. Brock, Rev. William Robinson, of Cambridge, Rev. S. Manning, Rev, Mr, Lewis, of Bayswater, Rev. Mr. Jones, of Carmarthen, and the Rev. Dr. Angus.