DOMESTIC. STATE OF RELIGION WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE SYNOD OF NEW-YORK, AND NEW-JERSEY, OCTOBER, 1809. The Synod, having heard from each of their members a detailed account of the state of religion within their bounds, find, that although there are some things that give just cause for mutual congratulations and unfeigned gratitude to Almighty God, yet there are others that call for mourning and deep humiliation. Throughout our bounds there appears to be an increasing attention to that important part of ministerial duty, the catechetical instruction of children. The ordinances of the gospel have been in general well attended during the past year; and some of our congregations have experienced times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. A pleasing revival of religion has taken place in the county of Suffolk, on Long-Island. The revival here has progressed with great silence, and generally free from every appearance of extravagance. Although this revival has not been confined to persons of any particular age or condition in life, yet it is worthy of remark, that a more than usual number of aged persons have become the subjects of it;-in some instances, persons between eighty and ninety years of age, have been awakened and hopefully converted. Many of the black people also, have been made the subjects of this work; and it appears, that more than three hundred persons have been added to the church in the year past, in congregations under the jurisdiction of the Presbytery of Long-Island, in the county of Suffolk. The effects of this revival have been ap parent in checking the progress of vice and immorality, and in a more strict and conscientious observation of the Sabbath day. The revival of religion that heretofore has taken place within the bounds of the Presbytery of New-York, ap pears to have been on the decline in the year past. The Synod, however, are happy in having it in their power to state, that there have been very few instances of apostasy among those who were the subjects of this revival, and that the young people who have been received into the church, are in general zealously engaged in the duties of religion. Many Praying Societies still exist, and in general are well attended. And the happy effects of these revivals, on the religious and moral character of society, appear to be abiding. The Synod, however, have reason to lament, that in many places within their bounds, immorality and vice appear to be rising to an alarming height. Profane swear ing, intemperance, and an awful profanation of the Sabbath day, by worldly labour, visiting from place to place, going on parties of pleasure, travelling on journies, and the driving of stages, in violation of both the divine and human laws, are such great and growing evils, that the Synod feel themselves imperiously called upon to lament them; and to urge the members of their churches to exert themselves by all prudent means to prevent their continuance. How lamentable! that in places where the light of the gospel shines with peculiar brightness, any should be found hardy enough to despise the goodness of God, and by a wilful violation of his holy laws, expose themselves to his just displeasure, both here and hereafter. The Synod recommend to all the members of their churches, diligence and perseverance in the discharge of all religious duties. Let them stand clothed with the gospel armour, opposing with fortitude every evil work; let them be diligent in redeeming the time, because the days are evil; and let them shine as lights in the world, that others, seeing their good works, may glorify their heavenly Father. We have only to add our fervent prayer, that the Spizit of the Lord may lift up a standard against the enemy; that the great Head of the Church would revive his own work; and that the knowledge of a crucified Saviour may soon spread through every kindred and tongue, until the whole earth be filled with his glory. AMEN. BIBLE SOCIETIES. We have observed with much pleasure, that the attention of some parts of the religious community in this country, has, of late, been employed in the establishment of Bible Societies. Within the last thirteen months, three societies of this kind have been instituted in three different States. We would do all in our power to cherish and promote a spirit which promises to extend to the hearts of the poor, the Gospel of Life. On this account we omit our Missionary intelligence for this number, to make room for a short sketch of what progress Bible So⚫cieties have made in this country, and also for abstracts of the fourth and fifth Reports of the British and Foreign Bible Society. We are sorry that our own country furnishes us with so few materials. But we hope no one will despise the day of small things. Our commencement is certainly promis ing; and we hope that the steady and faithful perseverance of those who have already entered this path of duty, will soon command the assistance of many followers. In the month of December, 1808, a Bible Society was instituted in Philadelphia, and at its meeting on the 1st May, 1809, reported-That, at that time, the managers had purchased 1300 English Bibles, 300 English New Testaments, 500 German New Testaments, and had distributed nearly the whole of them that on account of the difficulty of executing an edition of the German Bible in this country, they had directed that 300 copies, and as many of the New Testament, should be imported from Germany, as soon as intercourse with Europe should be restored; and that 100 French, 100 Welsh, and 50 Gaelic Bibles, together with 50 English N. Testaments, of a large type, should be imported from London as soon as possible. In May, 1809, a Bible Society was formed in Connecticut; but we have not yet heard what progress it has made. In December, 1809, The New-York Bible Society was instituted; of which the following is the Constitution : 1. All copies of the Scriptures, distributed or published by this Society, shall be without notes, and of the version in common use among Protestants, in whose languages, respectively, it may be deemed useful to distribute or publish them. 2. Persons of every denomination may become members. 3. Every member shall pay five dollars at the time of subscribing the Constitution, and three dollars every year afterwards. Every person who shall pay fifty dollars in any single payment, shall be a member during life, without any further contribution. 4. The business of the Society shall be conducted by twenty-four Managers, viz. a President, two Vice Presidents, two Secretaries, a Treasurer, and eighteen others, who shall, after the first election, be chosen annually by ballot, by the members present, on the first Monday in December. Seven of the managers shall be a quorum for the transaction of all business, except the appropriation of money above the sum of two hundred dollars, when thirteen shall be necessary : in either case, the president, or one of the vice-presidents and one of the secretaries, shall be of the quorum. They shall make by-laws for regulating the business of the Society; carry on its necessary correspondence; and lay before the Society, at the annual meeting, an account of their transactions during the preceding year. 5. A special meeting may be called at any time by the President, at his own pleasure, or at the request of any three members. 6. No alteration of this Constitution shall be made without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. JNO. STOUTENBURGH, Officers and Managers for the present year. Rev. Dr. MILLER, Rev. Dr. Mc LEOD, S Secretaries, J. I. MARGARUM, ZACHARIAH LEWIS, D. L. DODGE, Treasurer. LEONARD BLEECKER, ANDREW GIFFORD, HENRY RUTGERS, JOHN MILLS. IN the last report, the committee noticed the pleasing effects produced on the continent by this society, notwithstanding the war. They have since been gratified with information, that the Bible Society at Basle was labouring with assiduity in the printing, both of the Old and New Testament. They have also learnt that a considerable addition to the funds of that society was expected. At Berlin, notwithstanding the prevalence of general distress, and the pressure of extreme poverty, the fifty-sixth sheet of the Bohemian Bible was printed in May, 1807. The total interruption of all correspondence with the continent, since that time, has deprived the committee of any further information either from Basle or Berlin, or from Petersburgh or Esthonia. Nearly the whole edition of the Icelandic version of the New Testament, consisting of 5000 copies, of which 2000 were printed at the Society's expense, was dispatched to Iceland in the spring of last year, and consigned to persons who would feel themselves deeply interested in the proper distribution of it. The state of Iceland renders this intelligence particularly interesting; the Scriptures are highly esteemed by the common people there, and are read whenever they can be obtained, in their domestic worship, in preference to all other books; but copies had become so scarce, that they could not be purchased at any price. The 500 copies of the New Testament, intended for the bishop of that island, were detained for a vessel destined for the place of his residence, and were in Copenhagen during the bombardment, but escaped the flames which destroyed the greatest part of the building in which they were deposited. The intention of the committee to promote an edition of the entire Scriptures in Icelandic, has been suspended by the war be |