Miscellaneous points respecting the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, for Home and Abroad, with reference to the period from May 20, 1854, to May 26, 1855.
1. During this year four Day Schools in Bristol, with 184 children in them, were entirely supported by the funds of the Institution; and several other Day Schools in Devonshire, Cornwall, Suffolk, Ireland, and Scotland were assisted with copies of the Holy Scriptures. Further, one Sunday School in Bristol, with 158 children, was entirely supported, and seven others, in Cornwall, Devonshire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire, with about 400 children in them, were assisted. Lastly, one Adult School, with 183 Adults, was entirely supported during this year.—The amount expended, during this year, on these various Schools, was 338l. 2s. 5d.
In connexion with all these Schools, I would suggest the following important matter for prayer. From March, 1884, to May, 26, 1855, there were 5,956 children in the Day Schools. In the Adult School there were 2,459 persons. The number of the Sunday School children amounted to 2,817. Thus, without reckoning the Orphans, 11,232 souls were brought under habitual instruction in the things of God in these Schools; besides the many thousands in the Schools in various parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, British Guiana, the West Indies, the East Indies, &c., which were to a greater or less degree assisted. Now, what I would especially request is, that all the disciples of the Lord Jesus, who take an interest in this work, would help me and my fellow-labourers with their prayers, that not only those who are at present under our instruction may be spiritually benefited, but particularly also, that God would be pleased to work mightily in the hearts of those who were once under our care, in bringing to their remembrance the truth which was then set before them. I am the more induced to make this request, as we frequently meet with young men or young women, who many years ago were under our care and instruction, who thankfully own the benefit they received when with us, and who are now believers in the Lord Jesus, though at the time they had given us little or no hope. Thus has the Lord afterwards been pleased to cause the seed to spring up and to bear fruit to His praise. During this year also we had again and again most encouraging instances of this kind brought before us.
The total sum expended during the 21 years, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, in connexion with the Schools, which were either entirely, or in part supported by the funds of this Institution, amounted to 7,204l. 12s. 8 ¼ d.
2. Great have been the efforts, made of late years, to spread error; therefore the disciples of the Lord Jesus should be especially active in seeking to spread the truth. Fearfully great, in particular, have been the efforts to rob the Church of Christ of the Word of God; on this account, all who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity, should seek, according to their ability, to spread the Holy Scriptures. On account, therefore, of the especial attempts made, of late years, once more to deprive the Church of Christ of God's unerring Holy Word, I have had it particularly laid upon my mind, in every way to embrace opportunities for circulating it, and especially to place it in the hands of the very poorest of the poor. In this way, not only in England, Wales and Scotland, but particularly in Ireland, we have sought to circulate the Holy Scriptures. And not only there, but also in Canada, British Guiana, the East Indies, Australia and China. Every open door, which the Lord was pleased to set before us, I have endeavoured to press into; and, in this service have been helped by many servants of Christ, who have sought out the most destitute persons, desirous of possessing a copy of the Holy Scriptures. With this we have also particularly sought to combine the supplying of aged persons, who are poor, with copies printed in large type. Our efforts have not been in vain. We have had instances brought before us of direct conversion, simply through reading the Holy Scriptures. Again, during this year also, our labours were owned in this part of the work. But though we have seen some fruit, we believe that the greater part by far will be manifested in the Day of the Lord. It has been given to us, by the help of the Lord, day by day to seek His blessing upon the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and therefore we believe that our labour will not be in vain. We expect results.
The number of Bibles, New Testaments, and Portions of the Holy Scriptures, circulated from May 20, 1854, to May 26, 1855, is as follows:
693 Bibles were sold.
890 Bibles were given away.
950 New Testaments were sold.
748 New Testaments were given away.