FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY was held in the meeting house of the First Baptist Church in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, May 13, 1852, at 10 o'clock, A. M. In the absence of the President, Vice President E. LATHROP took the chair, and opened the meeting by reading the 19th Psalm. Prayer was offered by Rev. S. W. ADAMS, of Ohio. The Annual Sermon was then preached by Rev. R. H. NEALE, D. D., of Mass. After the sermon, on motion J. W. TAGGART, of New York, J. M. LINNARD, of Pa., J. L. MOORE. of Ohio, SILAS TUCKER, of Ill., H. SEAVER, of Mass., J. G. JOHNSON, of Iowa, and B. Rouss, of Ohio, were appointed a Committee to nominate Officers and Managers for the ensuing year. Resolved, That the Society meet at 2 o'clock, P. M., for business, and at 3 o'clock for public services. Adjourned till 2 o'clock, with prayer by Rev. ELISHA TUCKER, D. D., of Ill. The Society met. Prayer by Rev. Mr. BRONSON, of Mich. Two O'CLOCK, P. M. The minutes of the special meeting of the Society, held April 14, 1852, at New York, were read and approved. The Committee to nominate Officers and Managers for the ensuing year, reported the following names, who were duly elected. On motion, the newly elected Board of Managers was directed to hold its first meeting for organization, on Thursday, June 3, 1852, at 4 o'clock, P. M., in the Bible Rooms, No. 16 Park Place, New York. The time, place, and arrangements for the next Anniversary of the Society, were referred to the Board of Managers. The Committee on procuring premises for the Society reported progress, and was continued. A communication from the Trustees of the First Baptist Church of New York, was presented, and on motion of Rev. E. TUCKER, was received and referred to a Committee of seven. Rev. E. TUCKER, of Ill., A. D. GILLETTE, of Pa., E. PHELPS, of Ct., J. STEVENS, of Ohio, D. ROBINSON, of Ia., G. J. JOHNSON, of Iowa, and M. ALLEN, of Mich., were appointed the Committee. At 3 o'clock the Society removed its session to the body of the house for public services, which were introduced with prayer by Rev. J. M. COURTNEY, of Ohio. The Vice President in the chair, (Rev. E. LATHROP,) then addressed the Society, giving an outline of the operations of the past year. The Treasurer, N. C. PLATT, Esq., presented and read an abstract of his Annual Report; which, on motion of C. W. HOUGHTON, Esq., seconded by Rev. S. White, was accepted and ordered to be printed. The Corresponding Secretary, Rev. RUFUS BABCOCK, D. D., read the Annual Report of the Board of Managers. On motion of Rev. D. B. CHENEY, of Ohio, and seconded by Rev. A. D. GILETTE, of Pa., accompanied with addresses, the Report was accepted and ordered to be printed. On motion of Rev. H. G. WESTON, of Ill., the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That through the German Mission Society of the West, and similar organizations, it is both the duty and the privilege of this Society, to accomplish for the millions of Germans in this country a similar work to that now being performed by our missionaries and colporteurs in Germany itself. The Committee, to which was referred the paper from the Trustees of the First Baptist Church of New York, reported as follows: Your Committee, to which was referred a paper addressed " To the members and friends of the American and Foreign Bible Society," by the First Baptist Church in New York, purporting to be explanatory of their having required said Society to vacate the rooms in their church, was found to be a printed circular, general in its character and aims, and therefore requiring no definite action on the part of this Committee. The Report was adopted. Adjourned till 7 P. M., with the benediction. HALF-PAST 7 O'CLOCK, P. M. The Society met. Prayer by Rev. H. DALE, of Ohio. Rev. E. D. LORD, missionary from China, offered and advocated in an address the following resolution: Resolved, That the existing state of things in China, in relation to the translation and distribution of the Sacred Scriptures, is such as to encourage this Society both to continue and increase its efforts among that numerous and interesting people. The resolution was adopted Rev. E. L. MAGOON, of New York, and Rev. J. M. HASWELL, of Burmah, addressed the Society. Resolved, That the thanks of this Society be presented to the First Baptist Church, and other brethren and friends in Cleveland, for the cordial welcome and cheerful hospitality tendered to the Society during its present session. The minutes and proceedings of the meeting were referred to the Board of Managers for publication. Adjourned with benediction. M. J. RHEES, Recording Secretary. THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, In Account with Nathan C. Platt, Treasurer. 66 66 66 66 66 46 " France, 500; Assam, 1250; Telogoo, 750 To Rev. Amos Sutton, D.D., for Scripture operations in Orissa,.. "Grand Ligne Mission, Canada,. Total foreign appropriations,. 66 66 Paid for Scriptures purchased,.. 333 ""Paper for Annual Report,. แ 66 "Periodical Papers, Printing, Binding, and mailing the same. Paid for depository expenses, such as fuel, stationery, cartage, freight, 46 to Rev. J. H. Teasdale, having sent through mistake.. Returned to Am. Bapt. Missionary Union. per Rev. J. M. Graves, sent to us through mistake. Rev. Gibbon Williams's draft returned. Total.. April 9, 1852. To balance in the Treasury. 11,066 49 8:00 130 72 We, the subscribers, a committee appointed by the Board of Managers of the American and Foreign Bible Society, to audit the accounts of the Treasurer, do report that we have examined the accounts and vouchers of the Society for the last year, and find the same correct. The receipts from all sources have been forty-two thousand, three hundred and twelve dollars and twenty-five cents, and the payments have been, including a balance of three hundred and fifty-six dollars and forty-seven cents, due the Treasurer at the commencement of the year, forty-one thousand six hundred and eighty-two dollars and ninety-eight cents, leaving a balance in the Treasury this day of six hundred and twentynine dollars and twenty-seven cents. The Society is also in possession of a bond and mortgage on unencumbered real estate, for one thousand dollars, drawing interest for the same. New York, April 9th, 1852. SAMUEL RAYNOR, Auditing Committee. Fifteenth Annual Report. THE American and Foreign Bible Society has now been in operation about one half of the average life time of one generation. It might therefore, be deemed probable, that nearly as many of those who were active in its formation, are already numbered with the dead, as still remain with the living. This thought is solemnly suggestive. Besides its appropriate influence in quickening each one of us to greater activity and zeal, it naturally awakens the desire to renew the summary recapitulation of the facts connected with the origin and history of this institution, and the amount of its achievements. When, in the course of the years 1835 and '36, it became painfully evident, that the numerous and excellent versions made by our brethren into the languages of the heathen, would receive no farther aid from those Bible Societies, either in this country or in Great Britain and its dependencies, which we had helped to originate and sustain, except on the abandonment of the principle of full and faithful translations, on which our missionary brethren had always acted, the call for the convention in which this Society originated, was deliberately sent forth, and one year was allowed to elapse before it met. Again, when it was ascertained by the expression and comparison of views in that convention, that a decided difference of opinion prevailed, whether the Society should not be confined to foreign operations, another year was allowed to elapse before that question was settled. Unanimity was thus to a good degree secured, and "the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in all lands," became the chosen work of our organization. There was marked out a clear line of discrimination between those fields where the Scriptures were then circulated, and those where they were not. In the latter the most sedulous care was to be exercised by the Board of Managers, to patronize such versions only into the languages of the heathen, as have been, or may be faithfully made, and are approved by competent examiners:—while in the former, the English language being specified as the representative of all similar cases-" the commonly received version was to be used until otherwise directed by the Society." Guided by these plain rules, the Society has gone on with encouraging prosperity, and is now able to speak of results which may reasonably cheer every candid and Bible-loving soul. Besides all the incidental expenses of this Society of various kinds, the copies of the Sacred Scriptures circulated in our own land by its direct agency, is nearly half a million,* while the far larger part of all the available funds received into our Treasury from the beginning-amounting to $240,460—have * There is reason to believe that the estimate found in the last Annual Report, based on some inadequate returns of former years, is considerably too low. been devoted to the translation, printing, and distribution of the life-giving word in foreign lands. By this means, probably, not much less than half a million more of integral and principal portions, or entire copies of the Scriptures, have been sent forth among the benighted and destitute, who else might have perished without the light of life. The entire receipts from all sources during the whole history of the Society, falls but a little short of half a million of dollars. Can any one reasonably maintain that one-tenth part of this sum would have been collected and made available for this most worthy object, without the organization and vigorous efforts of this Society? This view we cannot but regard as a most triumphant vindication of the wisdom and necessity of the institution, just as imperatively required now, as at any former period. The labors, difficulties, and encouraging results of the last year, are now to be, in the fewest words possible, faithfully spread before you. To begin with our It should awaken special thankfulness in this dying and changing world, that all those to whom the Society last year entrusted the discharge of its management, have been enabled to meet regularly once or twice a month for the transaction of the Society's business. The Master whom we serve has graciously preserved our lives, perfected our union, and we trust, shed upon our counsels and efforts the guidance and blessing which we have fervently implored. Gratefully would we record the deep conviction impressed on us, that hitherto the Lord hath helped us ! Some slight changes have been made, the past year, in a few of the multiplex plans and the system of our operations. The General Agent and Assistant Treasurer's services have been entirely dispensed with, as a distinct office; and the work, which from the origin of the Society, had been devolved on this officer, is now shared by the Corresponding Secretary and the Depositary of the Institution. The design of this change has been the economy of saving the salary of such an officer. But it yet remains to be tested, whether in confining the Secretary so closely to the Rooms, as this arrangement will make indispensable, quite as much is not lost as gained. The experiment however, is well worth the trial, and if it shall be found on the whole, more conducive to the prosperity of the Society, all will rejoice in it. If, on the contrary, the future experience should indicate the desirableness of any approximation to a return to the former plan, it can easily be restored. The means of our regular communication with the public through the press, has been the subject of earnest consideration by the Board during the past year. From the origin of the Society, it has been customary, at irregular intervals, once or twice a year, to issue a pamphlet sheet, containing such information in regard to our operations, and the requisitions under which the providence of GOD, and the Foreign and Home demands for Biblical assistance, had laid us, as were adapted to aid in securing the adequate contributions to our treasury. In August last it was resolved that such a periodical paper should be issued |