Swiss, Germans, and others, who attend our church. I have also found many Italians very desirous of becoming acquainted with the doctrines and discipline of our church; and many of the priests have expressed great astonishment on reading a Latin copy of our Prayer-book, which I happened to have with me. The extreme ignorance which prevails here respecting the religion of the English, is astonishing. Since many of them have seen me in my official dress, regularly performing Divine service, and have observed the numbers and the decorum of my congregation, I can perceive that they treat us with more respect; and even some of the priests acknowledge that, though they never heard it before, they now believe we are Christians. You will see, therefore, that some copies of our Prayer-book in Latin, and Italian also, would be of use." A third clergyman, resident on the coast of Asia, requests that some Greek Prayer-books may be sent to him. He says that he had visited both the Greek and Armenian Patriarchs of -; and that they were both disposed to promote the views of religious Societies in England, by permitting the books printed in their respective languages to be circulated among their people. "Now, I imagine," he adds, "that a knowledge of our excellent Liturgy would still more dispose them to this, by enabling them to judge of the simple purity of our devotional services, of which at present they have little or no conception." It is, however, by no means proposed, that the proceedings of this Society abroad should be confined to the circulation of the Liturgy. Five years have now elapsed, since the First Homily, "On reading Holy Scripture," was translated into several languages, and, in France, Germany, and other parts of the continent, much approbation has been expressed by many to whom copies have been presented. From Holland, a clergyman who has circulated large editions of the first three Homilies, and who gives away, on suitable occasions, copies of the Burial Service in Dutch, writes thus: "Many pious persons in this country look upon the Church of England with increasing interest and respect; so that they are prepared to pay serious attention to whatever your Society may publish in Dutch; and thus a field is opened for real usefulness, and which is likely to become every year more extensive. I am acquainted with some persons in this country, who are even ardent admirers of our forms; and I doubt not the number will increase." From Germany, where more than one edition of the First Homily, in the language of that country, has been circulated, the reports have always been highly favourable: "Germany," says a clerical correspondent, "is an immense field, fruitful in heresy and false philosophy: the good seed has as yet, compararatively at least, been but thinly scattered; while much that is tainted and mingled up with mystical philosophy, is disseminated in its stead. I know not what is calculated to be more useful, in such a state of things, than the plain, unsophisticated, scriptural statements of our Homilies. I decidedly think that your Society has a great work to perform; and may be instrumental in doing good, where the labours of no other would avail; and that you will find your foreign operations becoming more and more important every day. I hope this letter will reach you before your anniversary, that you may call very loudly and earnestly upon your friends to redouble their efforts, on account of the increasing extent and importance of your objects abroad." Previously to this communication, the Committee had caused the Second and Third Homilies to be printed in German; and others were in a course of preparation. Several Homilies have been rendered into French, Italian, and 66 Spanish; and one, namely, the Ninth, Against the Fear of Death," into modern Greek. Some of these, after very careful revision, were at press, and others were undergoing examination. No translation is adopted by the Society till it has been submitted to a scrutiny of the strictest kind. A friend, lately returned from Gibraltar, assured the Committee, that the Spanish translations of the First Homily, "On Reading Holy Scripture," but more especially of the Twenty-fifth, "On the Passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" as having our Saviour's name in the title-were, when offered by him to Spaniards, most thankfully received. Even in the interior of that country, the inquiry for religious publications, the Committee were assured, was great and increasing. Let us hope that the good effect of the seed thus sown will not be wholly lost by means of the late changes in that unsettled country. The Committee have paid as much attention as circumstances would allow to reiterated calls which they have received from persons connected with South America; and they earnestly hope that an enlargement of their means will enable them more effectually to meet these demands. Previously to their knowledge of the death of Dr. Milne, the Committee had written to that respected individual, and to Dr. Morrison, authorising them to print, at this Society's expense, fresh editions of the Morning and Evening Services, the Psalter, and the First Homily, in Chinese; and recommending a similar translation of the Second Homily, on the "Misery of Man by Sin." Dr. Morrison had, after the death of his colleague, proceeded to Malacca, where it was probable he would go on with the undertaking. Fresh fields of usefulness seem to be presented to the Society in this quarter of the world. The Rev. C. H. Thompsen, a Missionary among the Malays, in connexion with the London Missionary Society, has expressed his readiness to translate into the Malay language the same portions of the Book of Common Prayer which Dr. Morrison had previously rendered into Chinese, should this Society be willing to defray the expense of such editions as they might afterwards find it convenient to print. This proposal extended also to such Homilies as should be selected. "These," says Mr.Thompsen, "will prove an acceptable present to the Malays in general; and we shall have the writings of those eminent men, the English Reformers, in two extensive languages of this Eastern part of the world, Chinese and Malay." After due inquiry, the Committee cheerfully agreed to the proposal made by Mr. Thompsen. The Rev. Daniel Corrie, at Calcutta, states, that the copies of the Hindoostanee Prayer-book printed by this Society and sent to India, had nearly all been distributed. They had been especially sought for by the class of Christians called Country-born. Mr. Corrie says, that he is frequently receiving applications for copies from such persons; most of the native regiments being supplied with drummers and fifers from that class; and some pious officers are in the habit of assembling these neglected persons for instruction, on which occasions the Hindoostanee translation of the church prayers is used. With regard to the domestic transactions of the Society, in no one period of equal duration since the close of the second year after the Society's establishment have so many English Homily Tracts been issued from its depository as during the last year; while Sunday-schools, and parishes which are poor and populous, as well as ships and colonial stations, have been supplied according to the measure of the Society's means. Paths little contemplated at first by the friends of the institution, have in the course of its proceedings been opened to it and pursued. In the year 1817, the Society undertook an edition of the Book of Common Prayer in the Irish tongue and character. The very pleasing manner in which copies of this book, when cautiously and judiciously bestowed or lent, were received in different parts of Ireland, was stated in the Ninth Report. During the last year, the few copies which had not been transmitted to Ireland, have been put into the hands of persons acting as Readers under the Irish Society instituted in London : and the result has been, as the following extracts from the diary of an Irish Teacher will shew, of a description truly gratifying. 66 Monday, December 16th. Read to an elderly man at the point of death, who confessed that he had been a vicious character from his youth. Oh,' said he, how do I wish the Scriptures had been read to me long before now, to convert me from my bad habits!' He is now earnestly imploring mercy. I read to him from the Book of Common Prayer; and he begged of me to call on him daily, that I might teach him how to pray." "Dec. 29.-At a house where they were waking a dead body *, one of my pupils stood up and said, It is a general custom among the Irish to wake their corpses five or six nights; and their friends and acquaintance come to spend a part of the night with them, when they amuse themselves by telling stories and old romances till day-light. that, if it was agreeable to the company, instead of the fables they were accustomed to make use of, and telling what never had been, and never would be, I should read to them books in the Irish language, which would draw us to repentance, and lead us to seek the end for which we were created.' To this they all consented, in number about forty people. I then read to them many passages from the Bible, together with a great part of the Book of Common Prayer; which so highly delighted them, that I was obliged to leave my two books with the woman of the house, that if any of my pupils should come in, while they kept the corpse unburied, they might read, instead of any other amusement, which she said she would not suffer to be carried on in future." The result of these circumstances is thus stated in another extract from the same diary, dated Tuesday, Dec. 31st: "In the evening I called for my books, but was refused them, unless I would stop and read to the friends who came to pass that night at the house. Though I had been up all Sunday night, I consented to remain, and read the books as before, at the company's pleasure. There were about thirty people present; and not so much as one word was said in opposition. Fourteen out of the thirty desired to become pupils. On Wednesday morning I left them and came home, but without my books." The circumstances just mentioned occurred in Southwark. In Ireland, more than 100 copies of these Prayerbooks have been distributed, or used by readers such as the person whose diary has been quoted, during the last year; and the friend who superintends the distribution of them had written to the Committee, earnestly requesting a fresh supply. Under the care of this gentleman, the Second Homily, On the Misery of Man by Sin, and the Third, On his Salvation by Jesus Christ, have been lately translated and printed in Irish. "The Second Homily," he says, "I think will be popular; but I fear that the Third"-of which, however, not half the number has been printed"will be rather difficult for the people. But this difficulty is greatly counterbalanced by its excellent tendency to shake the great popish foundation of human merit." In the course of the last three years, several Homilies, as well as the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, have been translated and circulated, at the Society's expense, in Manks. Some pleasing accounts of the reception which these have met with were published in the last Re-, port; to which are added the following in the present::-"I have distributed the Homilies largely among the cottagers who are able to read; and wherever a Manks Bible is found in my parish, a Manks Homily is seen by the side of it. I have had several copies of the first three Homilies made up into books, and used them at the adult school, where they have been particularly serviceable; and I trust have taught many of their readers the value of the holy Scriptures, the corruption of human nature, and the blessings of redemption by a Saviour's blood. Nothing could be more appropriate than the First Homily to an institution designed to teach the poor to read the Scriptures. When travelling through the island, I have introduced many of these silent messengers to travellers whom I have met with; and they have been in all instances thankfully received. We have reason to believe that the Divine blessing has accompanied these harbingers of good in many instances; and that the labour of the excellent Society, which has so liberally enriched us with this valuable gift, has not been in vain." "When I visit the sick," says another clergyman, "I generally leave the Second Homily, on the Misery of Man by Sin; and at my next visit, I leave the Third, on the Salvation of Man by Christ. Thus I think that I enforce most powerfully, in the first instance, the necessity of salvation; and then shew most plainly, in the next place, the way to obtain it." Another correspondent writes :"Two copies of the Ninth Homily, against the Fear of Death,' in Manks, were placed in the cells of two criminals under sentence of death. Neither of them understood the English language. The tract was read to them, and then left with them. They heard it a second time with deep attention; the female having twice selected it out of other Homilies and Tracts, which had been left in her cell, to be again read to her. She was also observed to be engaged often in very earnest ejaculatory prayer whilst hearing it. The man said, on the night before his execution, in Manks words, I received a wonderfully deep impression from the last tract which you left with me.'" The number of books issued by the Society during the year was as follows:-Bound books, that is, Prayer-books, Psalters, and Homilies in the volume, 9,260; Tracts, that is, Homilies, Articles of Religion, and Ordination Services, 101,922;-printed at Montpellier, No. 1, in French, 10,000; at Amsterdam, No. 3, in Dutch, 5,000; at the same place, the Burial Service in Dutch, 5,000:-making the whole number of Tracts, circulated at this Society's expense during the year, 121,922. To which may be added, reprints of some of these translations abroad by friends of the Society, 14,000. Since the beginning of its operations, in 1812, the Society has been the means of circulating 92,537 Prayer-books, 10,509 Psalters, and 705,199 Homily Tracts. The objects of the Society seem to be greatly approved by Episcopalians in the United States of America. We have before mentioned the Prayer-book and Homily Society in Maryland. The following passage is from the printed ac count of a kindred society lately formed at Philadelphia: -- "As churchmen, we feel the value of our Homilies. Prepared as they were by the reformers for the instruction of the great body of the people, they form a rich sunmmary of the most important doctrines and duties of our holy religion. Though destitute of the polish of modern style, they are like gold seven times purified: they are the counsel of men who sealed their belief with their blood. Sincerely attached to the principles of our beloved communion, and desirous of promoting, to the utmost of our power, the extension of those principles, we have entered upon a plan calculated to place the Homilies within the reach of all." The president of this institution writes to the Prayer-book and Homily Society in London; The ocean divides us; but I trust we are one in heart. We, on this side of the water, feel that the formularies of the Church are a faithful exposition of the Bible, and as such ought to be read by all. The exertions of your Society are contemplated by us with the deepest interest. May the Lord speed you on your way, and crown you with abundant success, is the prayer of one who desires for his country, for his people, and himself, the intercessions of all who are faithful to their sacred engagements and walk worthy the vocation wherewith they are called.”. PRISON DISCIPLINE We have already laid before our From the epoch in which the inquisition refined upon and perfected all the horrors of imprison ment, the state of the gaols in the peninsula had until lately been most dreadful. During the French invasion (Bonaparte's), though the immediate melioration of the prisons was frequently discussed, the whole nation was too incessantly occupied by the terrible struggle in which it was engaged, to give any efficient attention to this, or indeed any other subject unconnected with that de SOCIETY. vastating war. Something, however, was done; and the abolition of the holy office' released many victims from that 'awful thrall' which placed them beyond the reach even of benevolent curiosity, and left them to the arbitrary decrees of secret tribunals, and to the unseen vengeance of irresponsible and unknown judges. Many of the leading characters of Spain have at one period or another learned, by sad and severe experience, the miseries of the former prison system; they have been taught to sympathize with the wretched prisoner,-for they have been the witnesses of, and the sharers in, the horrors of his imprisonment. "At Madrid, I have seen cells from which prisoners have come forth in utter and incurable blindness: there were others in which the body could rest in no one natural position, neither sitting, nor standing, nor kneeling, nor lying down. "Though numberless instances of cruelty rush upon my mind, their recital might be ill-placed here; but it may be well, for the sake of illustration, to refer to the sufferings of two individuals, well known in this country, who have since occupied high and important offices in the state, |