pel of 60 to 100 pages, to the large octavo or quarto Bible of more than 1100 pages. "Distributed into languages, the following is the proportion in each: "Of these, 88,585 consisted of single gospels, or the Book of Proverbs, bound in a similar manner, and 31,517 were volumes bound either in cloth or leather. Cost of Printing. The cost incurred in printing these Scriptures in six different lan guages and as many distinct characters, has been Towards this sum we received at different times Leaving a balance due, at date of the Report, of Rs.70,259 9 2 67,476 1 8 2,783 7 6 "The above you will find agrees exactly with the abstract account appended to the Report, but I must candidly inform you that that account does not comprehend all the items we had placed to the account of your Society. In the fond hope, and, I might say, confident expectation that one, if not two, appropriations had been made, and would shortly be remitted, we had ventured to place the following items to the account of your Society: One-third cost of printing 3000 copies of the Epistles in Bengali, to Rs.920 3 6 1,913 9 6 1,753 10 9 One-third cost of 4500 copies of the Testament, with ref., in Bengali, 1,941 6 9 Co's Rupees 6,529 14 6 66 These items, added to the foregoing, will make the number of books printed 130,102, of which upwards of 36,000 are volumes of considerable size; and the entire cost Rs.76,788 7 8, leaving a balance against your Society of Rs.9312 6 0. This sum is so large that we did not consider it prudent to bring forward the items in the printed report, lest we should subject ourselves to blame for having so largely calculated on the liberality of our friends and supporters in America. 66 Moneys Received. As already intimated, it was in the firm persuasion that renewed appropriations for our assistance would be made by your Society, and be probably here by the time the works were executed at press, that we ventured to proceed with our work and endeavor to provide for the increasing demands for the word of life; but we have been disappointed in our expectations-the hoped for remittances have not come to hand, and we have felt at some loss what to do. We, however, are encouraged by your last kind letters to hope on. "I must entreat that you will not attribute my writing so seldom to any want of due consideration of your kindness, but to the overwhelming nature of my duties. We need, greatly need, all the aid you can give. Our distributions during the present year have been upwards of fifty thousand. Our stores are getting low, so that we must immediately put to press editions of 15,000 or 20,000 of the single gospels in Bengali, and we must have new editions of the entire Testament in that language, as the stock on hand will hardly suffice for the demands on our depository while another edition can be got through the press. "We have now in the press the Bible in Sanskrit; the New Testament in Sanskrit; the Bible in Bengali; the New Testament in Hindi Debnagri character, and the Gospels and Acts in Hindi Kaithi character. The New Testament Scriptures in Hindustani and Persian, inust be put to press as soon as we can make the necessary arrangements. All these are in addition to the large editions of the New Testament Scriptures in Bengali, already mentioned. From this you will see that we really need all the assistance you can possibly render. If we do not write many letters, it is because we are so occupied in doing the work that we cannot find time for writing letters. Hoping soon to hear from you, and to receive many proofs of our being remembered by the A. & F. B. Society, I remain, yours truly, J. THOMAS. P. S. I had almost forgotten to thank you for the grant of English Scriptures, and to say that a new supply will be acceptable. We are entirely out of the Testaments, which have been extensively used in schools. A few of the large and well bound Bibles, with references, will be acceptable. These we have sold at about the prices entered in your list. A few of the inferior kinds and Testaments have also been sold, but for the most part they have been supplied gratuitously to schools, or for any sums however small, the teachers could obtain. Many native youths are anxious to get the English Scriptures-and the small sized Testaments are very convenient, as they can readily conceal them from their bigoted and suspicious relatives. I think we cannot too widely circulate the incorruptible seed among the rising generation. In view of such facts and appeals your Board feel that they have fallen far short of the necessities of the case, in appropriating only $2500 for the use of the Calcutta missionaries. But they have proceeded in this to the extent of their ability, and even beyond their ability, for they have overdrawn your Treasurer in making this appropriation. If this is contrary to the usual policy of the Society, our friends must bear in mind that nearly two years had elapsed since the last appropriation to the Calcutta missionaries, and we could not endure that the versions of Carey, and Yates, and Wenger, should be kept from circulation for want of pecuniary aid. It must not be forgotten, however, that the aid rendered is exceedingly small compared with the need, and that duty seems to require an early and liberal appropriation for the same purpose. ORISSA, In our last Periodical appeared a stirring extract from a letter, addressed to the Corresponding Secretary by our esteemed brother, Amos Sutton, under date of Cuttack, March 29th, 1847. We have space to repeat only two or three expressive sentences. Speaking of the invaluable benefits of Bible distribution in heathen lands, he says, "All other means of doing good may be compared to stars and moons which derive all their light and power from this. The real value of it can be only properly appreciated by supposing this sun of the system to be obscured, and then contemplating the unavoidable results. "Our sub-station at Rhunditta, from which three persons, while I write, are asking for baptism, and which has furnished three native preachers, received its first holy light from the gospel of Mark." One remark of the letter will affect every reader with sadness : "I write with difficulty, owing to an affection of the chest." We have subsequently been informed through Bro. Pike, Secretary of the General Baptist Missionary Society, that Bro. Sutton is expected to leave the field of his arduous labors in search of health, and will probably again visit this country. His welcome among christians will be universal. Bro. S. states that, since September, 1842, they have published in separate editions, These have all been published at the expense of the American and Foreign Bible Society, besides other portions of scripture which have been charged to our appropriations, but of the specific number of which an account has not been rendered to us. Your Board have appropriated one thousand dollars to the General Baptist Missionary Society, at least one half of which is designated for their mission in China, and the remainder for the use of Bro. Sutton and his fellow missionaries in publishing Oriya scriptures. BURMAH.-MAULMAIN From the very full statistical tables, for 1846, furnished by Bro. Ranney who has charge of the mission press at Maulmain, we make extracts on the next page. Bro. Ranney mentions among works in press, but not completed during that year, 3000 copies of the Peguan N. Testament, for the expense of which appropriations have been made since the last anniversary, amounting to $2000. In a letter to the Secretary dated August, 20th 1847, he states, "I am happy to inform you that the printing of the Peguan New Testament is completed. I am now printing an edition of 500 copies of the Acts of the Apostles." He estimates the expense of the latter at $50, and the expense of scriptures in Sgau Karen and in Pgho Karen-both of which they are preparing for the press, at $4,319 34. Brother Vinton is now in this country, engaged in revising the Sgau Karen New Testament, and making a Pgho translation simultaneously. A letter received a day or two since, says that he has begun Acts. As fast as he completes a book, copied by the assistants in both dialects, it is dispatched overland, in order that, after being again revised by brethren Mason and Binney, it may be put immediately to press, it being in great demand. C |