of this kingdom; and, stranger still, the answer, in more than five thousand, has been "No!" The inquiry has been made by persons earnestly desirous of ascertaining the fact, in order that proper measures might be adopted for supplying so serious a want, wherever it is discovered. They have gone from house to house, and from room to room; and they have found one half of their neighbours destitute of that sacred Book, which would "make them wise unto salvation, through faith in CHRIST JESUS!" If such be the case in London, what must be the condition of the people in the more neglected parts of the kingdom? It is now made certain, that multitudes, in every direction, are longing for the treasure which, hitherto, they have been unable to obtain.-And why is it that you are told these awful facts? It is, that you may assist in supplying yourself, your neighbours, your countrymen, and the world, with this guide through life, this teacher of the way to heaven.-Reader! look around you: consider the conduct of those of your friends and acquaintance who read the Bible, and endeavour to obey its holy precepts.-Are they bad fathers, husbands, or neighbours? Are they drunkards, liars, or pilferers? Are they violent and quarrelsome?— Are they not honest, industrious, and peaceable; domestic in their manners, sober in their conduct, and friendly in their dispositions? Reader! observe them closely, and answer these questions for yourself. : If you possess a Bible, and read it with serious attention, you know its value if you do not possess it, you may have one for a trifle, which the generality, even of the poorest, may contrive to spare. Your neighbours, whom Divine Providence has blessed with affluence, are willing to bear the greater part of the expense; they are cheerfully coming forward, to enable you to possess this cheap, but invaluable treasure. But you must do something yourselves;-you are not asked for the full price of a Bible. Those who now address you, can feel for your temporal wants; they know that many of you cannot afford to pay what a Bible costs; and therefore they contribute what you cannot spare, in order that you may be supplied with, and that every family in Great Britain may possess, a Bible. You are now, for the first time since the creation of the world, invited, as a body, to be partakers in the privileges of the rich: you are invited "to taste the luxury of doing good,”—to assist in a great and glorious design, that of hastening the happy period, when peace, mercy, and love, shall reign throughout the universe, and "the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our LORD and of his CHRIST." And how, you say, can I contribute to the support of this great and good work? By joining one of the Bible Associations which are establishing all around you. One penny a-week constitutes you a member of such a society, whose only object is to distribute the Bible. Reader! to be a member of such a society is an honour indeed. If you have not a Bible, you may speedily possess it: if you have one, you will speedily be the means of supplying a neighbour; and may, under the blessing of GOD, be an instrument of leading a family to heaven. Before you enter on the labours of the day, and when those labourse concluded, and you retire to your homes, if you take up the Volume of Truth, and read a portion of it to your assembled family, delightful consequences may be expected to flow from the practice, as it regards both yourself and your children; and among those consequences, we anticipate a readiness, or rather an eager desire, to promote all around, what you and your children enjoy. No. X. ADDRESS TO SERVANTS. (WRITTEN BY MR. DUDLEY.) "Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the LORD, whether he be bond or free."-Eph. vi. 8. SUCH was the encouraging language addressed by the great apostle St. Paul to that numerous and useful class of society denominated Servants; and the promise remains in full force unto this day. To you, then, who occupy this station, the present appeal is made; and your attention is earnestly solicited to a few observations, peculiarly interesting to your present and eternal welfare. Had you an opportunity of comparing your situation with that of servants in other countries, you would be convinced that you have abundant cause for gratitude: you enjoy comforts and privileges to which they are strangers; and you derive those blessings from a source which can never fail of being effectual, if it be not your own fault. The religion of Great Britain is the religion of the Bible: its promises, its consolations, and its privileges are extended alike to all-to the rich and to the poor, to the master and to the servant: the religion of JESUS CHRIST knows no distinction of persons; and it is to the Bible you owe the many blessings which you enjoy. This sacred volume, coming forth from God, is designed to lead us to Him: it contains the purest and the best rules for every rank in life:-while it commands obedience on the part of servants, it says unto their employers, Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven."-But above all, it is designed, through faith in Him who " took upon himself the form of a servant," to conduct you to everlasting happiness. 66 For the sole purpose of placing this blessed book in the hands of every individual upon earth, a society has been established, called the British and Foreign Bible Society. It must be evident to you, that, in the execution of this grand design, the assistance of every friend to religion and virtue will be required: already numerous societies have been formed for the purpose of promoting this noble work; Auxiliary Societies and Bible Associations are establishing throughout the kingdom; and it is to these latter institutions that your attention is particularly requested. The design of a Bible Association is plain and simple: it is, first, to supply every inhabitant, who may be desirous of possessing this treasure, with a Bible or Testament, at the cost, or a reduced price, or gratuitously, according to the nature of the case; and, secondly, to assist in extending the same blessing to every nation upon earth. Every subseriber of even One Penny a-week becomes a member of the Bible Association, and consequently of the great Bible Society: and who is there amongst you that cannot afford this trifle? Only consider the great, the glorious object for which it is required-To supply you with the scriptures of truth, and to assist in their publication, in every language, and among every people under heaven! And by whom are those societies conducted ?-by persons of every religious persuasion: for this is a design which knows no sect nor party. Surely, if ever a cause was worthy of unqualified support-this is that cause! And to whom is this appeal made ?-to you, who, while many, even of your employers, find it difficult to answer the numerous calls on their means, are exempt from those claims-your daily meals are provided for you; you have neither rent nor taxes to discharge; the only debt you have to pay is the debt of gratitude. And how can you prove your sense of the many benefits conferred upon you by Almighty GoD, better than by a life devoted to His service, and by contributing to the universal circulation of His law? Ask yourselves whether those duties are fulfilled: ask yourselves how your superfluous money is disposed of: if it be in the purchase of extravagant and ornamental dress, in dissipation, vanity, and folly, look at the reward!-Behold our public streets, crowded with wretched and unhappy outcasts, many of whom lately occupied your stations; but who now, cut off from friends, connexions, and virtuous society, frequently sink to an early grave, unnoticed, unpitied, and unlamented! Had those miserable victims of sin been governed by the divine precepts of the Gospel, and felt an interest in its universal diffusion, how different would have been their lives, how far different their end! They would have lived respected and beloved; the bed of death would have been a scene of peace; and their last moments cheered by the smile of reconciled GOD! Come then, join heart and hand in this blessed work. This is a privilege which you may enjoy in common with the rich; and, while you experience the truth of that saying of the REDEEMER, "it is more blessed to give than to receive," be assured that you will never be the poorer for having thus contributed to the promotion of His glory, and the eternal salvation of your fellow-creatures. No. XI. ADDRESS TO MARINERS. (WRITTEN BY MR. DUDLEY.) They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in grent waters ; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep." Psalm cvii. 23, 24. HAVE you a Bible on board? If you have, and read it with attention, you may know its value: if you have not, you little know what a treasure you are without. The Bible is the best gift which man can bestow on man: it came forth from GOD, and it is designed to lead us to Him-to point out the only mode by which we may be saved from sin and misery, and conducted to heaven and happiness. If there be any body of men to whom this blessed book should appear to be of greater value than to others, it is to Sailors. When in harbour, and even while prosecuting a voyage, they have ample time for reading those lessons of sacred wisdom, and those deeply interesting and instructive narratives, with which the holy scriptures abound; while they have constant opportunities, in the different countries they visit, of being convinced that they are indeed the Scriptures of Truth; for " they that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep." But, when you consider the perils which surround you, the frequent dangers to which you are exposed; and reflect, that another and an eternal world commences when this passes away, you must feel the boundless importance of possessing that which points to Him who can deprive those dangers of all their terrors, and can render that future world the haven of eternal security and happiness! You call yourselves Christians; but do you possess that knowledge of the Scriptures, and that faith in them, which would make you Christians indeed-which would shine forth in your actions, and render you examples and patterns on distant shores? To acquire this knowledge and this faith, C 66 "search the Scriptures,' 66 When you possess a Bible, and, reading it with serious attention, find that it leads to that hope which is "an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast," § a sacred joy will fill your hearts; you will feel desirous of imparting to others the happiness which you enjoy; and, while you are engaged in conveying to foreign nations the necessaries and the comforts of life, you will meet with many an unenlightened Heathen, and many an ignorant professing Christian, to whom you may be the messenger of glad tidings, and the happy instrument of eternal salvation. You live in an age of the world which may well be called an age of wonders. Among those wonders, the Bible Society is a noble First-Rate : she has hoisted the colours of the Prince of Peace: she has visited with favouring gales the most distant shores, and found a friendly harbour on every coast;-she has conveyed Three Millions of Copies of the holy scriptures to the various nations of the earth: and she still pursues her course, and will pursue it, until every port is blessed by her entrance. The crew of this noble ship is composed of all nations and of all classes-the Emperor of Russia, and the Princes of the House of Brunswick—the Kings of Prussia, Sweden, Denmark, Saxony, and Würtemberg-the admirals of our fleets, and the generals of our armies-the prelates of the church, and the members of the senate-tradesmen, mechanics, and servants-all meet on her deck, and cordially lend a hand in spreading her canvas to the winds of heaven. While the rich and the poor, the high and the low, are thus coming forward to assist in the glorious design of distributing the Bible to all the nations of the earth, will you be the last in supplying yourselves with this teacher of the way to heaven, and in sharing the happy privilege of conveying it to foreign lands? There was a time when a Bible cost a sum which few of you could afford to pay: but, thanks be to God! it may now be purchased for that which any of you can spare: and, in order that every one may possess this inestimable treasure, you may be supplied with any number of copies of the holy scriptures, in different languages, at the cheapest rates. Annexed are a list of the Society's cost prices; and a code of rules, by the adoption of which you may assist in enabling every sailor, and every landsman, to read, in his own longue, "the wonderful works of GOD!"|| To this paper, if printed for general circulation, a copy of the Society's Catalogue (No. II. of this Appendix), and the rules recommended for Marine Bible Associations, should be appended. And, if the following Address be prefixed, or printed on an envelope, and circulated among those for whom it is intended, it may contribute very materially to promote the design. ADDRESS TO OWNERS AND COMMANDERS. (WRITTEN BY MR. PHILLIPS.) THE Owners and Commanders of vessels must be aware of the great advantages derived from a sober and orderly crew; for they know, by See John, chap. 5. See Mark, chap. 4. + See the Second Epistle to Timothy, chap. 3. observation and lamentable experience, that numerous ships have been wrecked, many valuable lives lost, and a ruinous waste of property occa sioned, in consequence of the inattention, drunkenness, or disobedience of sailors. It cannot, therefore, be doubted, that any measure which has a tendency to promote sobriety and good order, and to improve the morals of seamen, will meet with the warm approbation of the proprietors and masters of ships, and obtain their immediate and hearty support. And such, it is confidently expected, will be the effects produced by the formation of Marine Bible Associations; by means of which the sailors may procure the holy scriptures on the easiest terms, not only for themselves and families, but even for disposal in foreign countries. Deriving inestimable advantage from this invaluable book, they may become the instruments of conveying it to millions of their fellow-creatures; and thus greatly promote the glorious Christian object of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to extend the knowledge of the Gospel of peace and salvation to all the nations of the earth. For eleven years, the inhabitants of the British Isles have manifested their zeal and liberality by assisting in this great cause. It is surely, then, full time that an opportunity be afforded for the well-known generosity of British sailors to manifest itself, in aid of this noble undertaking. And, if the pure and simple object be explained to them, it would be unjust to suppose, either that their characteristic zeal, liberality, and activity, will be unemployed in forwarding this benevolent design, or that they will not equal, in every respect, the hitherto unexampled exertions of their brethren on shore. The plan has been already adopted, not only on board King's ships, but merchant vessels; and the effects on the morals and behaviour of the men have been such as to encourage every true friend to his country, and to mankind, to assist in the general establishment of similar Associations. To accomplish this object, it is proposed that the Captain or Master of any ship should, by his example and recommendation, encourage his crew to subscribe, either monthly or weekly, at the rate of one penny a-week, or upwards, from each person; and the Captain or Master may be authorised by the subscribers to stop it out of their wages, if more agreeable to them;— the whole amount received to be expended, from time to time, in the purchase, at prime cost, of such descriptions of Bibles and Testaments, published by the British and Foreign Bible Society, as the subscribers shall require and direct: and, as Bible Societies are formed at all the principal ports in Great Britain and Ireland, application may be easily made to any one of their Secretaries for the requisite supply of the holy scriptures, at prime cost; specifying, that the application comes from a Marine Bible Association; and stating the name of the ship and her commander. Any number of Bibles and Testaments may thus be obtained, not only for the supply of the crew, but in different languages, for sale in foreign lands. To facilitate the establishment of these Associations, a few hints for their regulation are subjoined, together with an Address to Mariners, the prices and Specimens of different editions of the Scriptures, and the proper Forms for keeping the accounts of the Association. No. XII. ADDRESS ON BIBLE ASSOCIATIONS. WRITTEN BY THE REV. W. DEALTRY.) TO a good man, there is nothing more delightful than to do good; and those who possess the opportunity, and neglect to improve it, omit a positive |