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"afforded more ample remuneration, but none have gone farther with equal means.

"I would, likewise, never wish to lose sight of its "gratuitous distribution of the Sacred Scriptures among "the poor, which, I am well assured, will prove not to "have been in vain at that great day when the secrets "of all hearts will be revealed. It affords me cause of "abundant consolation in having been the medium of "conveying copies of them to individuals of every reli66 gious denomination without distinction, as I have "always considered it among the most promising of my "ministerial labours. I felt that each, according to "their respective ages, received from my hand, this "spiritual guide of their youth-the companion of their "matured life-and the stay of their declining years; "and, when accompanied with the teaching of the "Spirit of All Truth, may we not, on Scriptural grounds, "anticipate that that blessed book will serve to restrain "their natural waywardness, direct their erring footsteps into the path of righteousness, and cause them to

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press forward therein, in sure and certain hope of ever"lasting life."

The following interesting communication, under date of 22nd February, 1833, has been received from an excellent Clergyman, in a very remote district in the south of Ireland.

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"I have the sincerest pleasure in stating, that this "School is a striking instance of the success of the plan of Education pursued by the Society, and its "adaptation to the wants and wishes of the peasantry of "this country.

"The following is a short, but accurate account of "the present and increasing prosperity of this School.

"The number of children on the books is 149, Seventy "of whom are Roman Catholics; and the Master told 66 me, a short time since, that Scholars were flocking in so "fast, that he must soon dismiss them for want of 66 room; the progress of the children, particularly in the "Holy Scriptures, is most remarkable, though labour

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ing under great local disadvantages; for their parents "being extremely poor, employ their children chiefly in tending sheep, and such like rural occupations; and it may not be uninteresting to remark, that they may " often be seen on their wild hills with their Testaments "in their hands, diligently perusing them; indeed, I (6 never knew a School where the children had a greater "desire for religious knowledge; and more than one "instance I could mention where these holy truths have "taken such deep root in their hearts, and produced "such fruits in their lives, as have given me, and their " parents and friends, the liveliest emotions of gratitude "and joy. But not only the children testify the good "done by this important School, but many adults, of "whom there have been, and still are, many educated "in it, will have cause to bless for ever its establish"ment amongst them, as a means of leading them, not " merely to read, but also savingly to know Him, whom "to know is life everlasting. From the intimate know"ledge I have of these interesting individuals, as their "Minister and friend, and daily witnessing their growth "in knowledge and grace, I can speak with a confi"dence which experience can alone give, that this "School has exercised a most beneficial influence in this "neighbourhood.

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"Perhaps it may not be uninteresting to the friends "of Scriptural Education to hear an ancedote like the "following.

"In one of my parochial visits, I entered the cottage

"of a poor woman, one of my most thoughtless

parishioners. In the course of conversation, she said "incidentally, that never before did she think so much

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on the subject of her soul's salvation, as during the past "night; for, said she, when I was in my bed, to whichi "I went without one prayer, I heard that child (point"ing to her little daughter, a child about nine years old, " and one of the most promising children in the School) "praying for a very long time at my bed side, and sighing as if her heart would break. Upon which she expressed her astonishment, how so young a child "could have so many sins to confess, which caused her "to feel so deeply; and which she, now an old woman, "could not feel. After stating to her the simple truth, "I left her, I trust, so impressed with the contrast "between her own careless conduct, and her little "child's piety, as I hope will prove a happy means of "6 awakening her mind. This little anecdote tells much "in favour of Scriptural Education; and I know 66 numerous instances, where children, educated in this "School, have been blessings indeed to their happy homes, where they have been the instruments of "enlightening, and comforting inquiring parents; and "there are few cottages in the neighbourhood, where "the Holy Scriptures are not read in the evening, "around the fire-side. I have reason to know that hardly a night passes, but they hold little meetings for "the purpose of prayer, singing, and reading the Scrip66 tures; and such is the desire for possessing Bibles, "that I can, with difficulty, supply the constant "demand for them: and when it is considered that this "religious excitement has chiefly prevailed since the "establishment of the School, the Society will perceive "how extremely useful it has been. Indeed, nothing "could exceed the gross ignorance of the grown up, "and aged, and they now openly say that their children

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"are far wiser, and better than themselves. The "Sunday School, which is held regularly in the School"House, is in a very flourishing state, and there is a "large collection of children, both Roman Catholic "and Protestant; and the manifest importance of this "School will be best known, when it is considered that "the village where it is situated is over six miles from "the Parish Church."

AUXILIARIES.

Most of the Auxiliaries connected with your Institution have been visited in the course of the year; and your Committee are happy in being able to say that, generally, there has been no defalcation in the amount of cash transmitted by them; and, in some instances, in addition to the towns particularly noticed in the last Report, the usual contributions. have been much augmented

A Deputation, consisting of their valued friend, the Rev. H. W. Gardiner, and the Rev. John Macdonald, (of the Scotch Church, Chadwell Street, in this Metropolis) travelled through a considerable portion of Scotland during the last Summer; and, although the collections did not amount to those of former years, your Committee are most willing to attribute the diminution to the prevalence of the "Cholera Morbus," and to the agitation of the public mind on political subjects, rather than to any decrease of interest on the part of their Northern brethren, who, for many years, have been the warm and liberal supporters of Scriptural Education in Ireland, as promoted by this Society.

In the Autumn of last year, your Lay Secretary visited the North and West of Ireland, receiving very high gratification, not only from the state of the Schools,

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several of which he examined, but also in the warm manifestation of attachment to the Institution by the friends of Bible Education,

In addition to some interesting Meetings, held at Monaghan, Armagh, Newry, Longford, and Carrick-onShannon, Sermons were preached in aid of the Funds of the Society in Dublin, and several other places, chiefly by the Clergy of the neighbourhood, with the promise that additional exertion should be made another year. In these various services on the behalf of your Institution, your Committee are much indebted for assistance, from the Rev. Messrs. R. C. Dillon, G. Scott, A. Ross, J. C. Minchen, J. D. Hastings, W. Smyley, J. Harvey, J. C. Tatem, and J. H. Thomas. In England, and Scotland, the interests. of the Society have been kindly advocated by the Rev. Messrs. H. Townsend, R. B. Shaw, and R. Parkinson, from Ireland; the Rev. John Murray, of Aberdeen; the Rev. Messrs. R. W. Sibthorpe, S. J. Allen, H. W. M'Grath, and your late Clerical Secretary. Additional Auxiliaries have been formed, or Meetings held, at Canterbury, Maidstone, Long Sutton, Lymington (Hants,) and at Portarlington in Ireland.

CLERICAL SECRETARY.

In adverting to the announcement, made last year, of the retirement of the Rev. Thomas Webster from the Clerical Secretaryship of the Society, your Committee have to state, that, although they have used their best endeavours to prosecute the objects of the Institution, more particularly with regard to its Depu tations, by the kind assistance they could occasionally obtain, they deem it right to bring to the notice of the

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