BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3059, 16 May 1867, Page 6

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The annual public mwting of the Auckland »uxihary of the above excellent Society was held last evening, m the rooms of the Young Men's Chmtian AssoH a. Lawry, A. Macdondd, T. Hanier and Dr. WJlis Thomas Macfarlane, Esq., presided. The Su WM opened with reUgious excises con323** flu Key. T. Hamer and Rev. A. Mac rose and addressed.the asaembly as follow : My Christian friends, I consider it a vervfireat honour to be called upon to preside o*er » meetine of a Society whose object is to circulate the word of God j and I deem it a great privilege to be allowed to take a part, however small, in a wdrk ■o glorious and God-like. But I trust that we shall always remember that along with honours and privileges of this kind comes corresponding responsibility, and that it is incumbent on v* all as follower! of Jems Christ to work more earnestly and peraeveringly in the great cause; and not to cease our labours till every man on the face of the globe shall be able to i«ad the word of God in his own language. (Hear.) The Bible has never been without its opponents, and many hard things have been said both openly and covertly against it j and I am not aure but at present its tnemies are more active than at any former time ; and adopting a more subtle mode of attack than at any previous period, they are more likely to entrap the careless and thoughtless among us ; but, however this may be, I think there can be no doubt but that most blessed Book has done more to civilise the world, and ameliorate the condition of man, than all the other agencies in existence for that end. Indeed,' had*it not been for the presence of that Book in our midst, we might all have atill been in gross darkness. This Society has now been at work for sixty-three years, and its records furnish most conclusive evidence on this point, for in every nation on the face of the globe where the Bible has gone it , has found ignorance, idolatry, and superstition prevailing ; and those have gradually disappeared on the approach of Gospel light and truth, and been replaced by knowledge, righteousness, and peace. The Bible has certainly produced these effects on every man who has its truths in his heart ; and it only requires that a nation of men should follow the same course to secure the same results. If all this be true, what encouragement do those things afford to those who take an interest in the circulation of the word of God ! The Bible now occupies a very different position from what it did in the dark ages, when its enemies fondly thought they had destroyed the last copy of it in existence. But they were sadly disconcerted when it was afterwards discovered that a perfect copy of it was in careful preservation m the very citadel of its enemies, to be again brought forth to dazzle and illumine the world, and dispel the gloom that then hung over it. It was at the aame time thought that all the true worshippers ef the Cross had been entirely exterminated, but it was afterwards discovered that in the valleys of Piedmont a people was sheltered who worshipped God in all the simplicity and purity of Gospel times— a people which the marshalled hosts of France, backed by the power of the Popedom, could not conquer. (Hear.) Dr. Taylor, of America, has since then discovered in the interior of Africa whole tribes of men who worship God in the same way as Abraham did j and the same author has subsequently written a work to prove that these are the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. It is in ways like these that God frustrates the designs of his enemie?, and makes the wrath of man to praise him. It is in this way, too, that the influences that have been brought into operation, with the view of extinguishing the light of the Bible, and destroying its supporters, have been made the means of diffusing that light over a wider and even a widening area, and of infusing new zeal and energy in its friends. And thus it is that the light of the Gospel never shone with a purer lustre, nor was extended over a wider space, than at the present time. Those who have received the truth in their hearts feel assured that this light will increase in brilliancy and power, and will never again cease to shine till the last child of God shall be gathered into the fold of Christ, and time should be swallowed up in the still more glorious light of eternity. Yea, the Bible is the appointed means, for briqging about these most blessed and glorious results, and God has been graciously pleased to allow man, fallen and redeemed,, to co-operate with Him in this, work, one of the means «o being the British and Foreign Bible Society. ""'Do you ask what has that Society done to forward so glorious a cause ? Or, rather I should say, what has it not done ? Just listenjmd wonder ! ,It has. printed of the Old and NeWTestaments no less than 50,285,709 copies, and it has done so in 'nb fewer than 173 different languages. Last year alone— one year— it has printed, in various languages, ar>many as 2.296,130 copies. And where, do you ask agaiD, have all these copies gone ? Well, this Society has centres of operation in every country of Europe (except Spain and the territorial possessions of the Pope), India, China, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Mexico; and it has 5,000 auxiliaries planted in every quarter of the globe over which the Queen's authority extends. Do you ask still farther, what are the means by which these mighty and marvellous effects have been accomplished ? Well, listen again — during the first year of the Society's existence its income from donations, subscriptions, &c, was only £5,592, , but last year its income amounted to , the extraordinary sum of. £x 71,375; and during its' existence' the Society has expended £6,000,000 of money, and while doing so it has steadily kept in view the 'propriety of reducing the price of the Bible ; and its appliances are such that it can sell its Bibles for a few pence .each, .thereby, enabling the poorest of the poor to purchase a copy of his crown grant to his heavenly inheritance. (Applause.) Such, my friends, is the Parent Society, of which the Auckland branch is a sickly child. I say sickly, for it is really distressing to think how little, we have done in; forwarding the great and good work in which that Society is engaged. lamat a loss to account for our ■neglect of duty in thi* matter. The commercial depression existing at present here might partly account lor this, but not wholly. And I would , be slow to attribute our neglect to lukewarmness, for jthat would imply waut of true love to Jesus and his word. Whatever may be the cause, there can be no doubt Of the fact that we have not done our duty to j this Society, and I sincerely trust that when we next hold our annual meeting my successor in the chair will have a more flattering tale to tell, and the next report be more favourable for us than the present. My Presbyterian friends, with the exception of t^hose at Waipu, have withheld their active support from this Society, on the ground of its declining to'support the Scottish Bible Society, which! circulates along with the Bible the metrical version of I the Psalms of David, and the hymns usually sung in the Presbyterian Churches, and committed to mepiory by^ all children' at school. Though Ido not entirely coincide with this objection, yet I candidly confess that there is considerable force in it— especially 'as it has been found that the Presbyterians, as a rule, I will not purchase a Bible unless 'it has the Psalms along with it. This being the case, it is worthy of [consideration whether we in Auckland should not follow the course adopted in Otago and Canterbury, and form a society of our own, not in direct connection with any' of the Home Societies, but supporting both, and receiving, books from both according as* our necessities may require. Unless some step is taken in this direction, our Presbyterian friends mast form a society of their own, or allow their adherents to go without the Bibles they prefer ; for the offer to keep their Bibles in our store does not meet the case. Such a step I should regard as a serious calamity, for a second Society would be regarded as a rival, and would undoubtedly suggest unfavourable notions in the minds of those who would not understand the difference between the two, and who might make the ' difference a reason for rejecting the Bible altogether, I, therefore, think the judicious course in the circumstances of this province will be to form an independent society, which would command the united support of all denominations, lamaware of the argument against printing anything else than the pure word of God. But the Scottish Psalms have so long been regarded as just a part of the Bible, and have become so familiar to all Presbyterians, that the objection has no force with them at all ; and the paraphrases and hymns are io limited in number as to be unworthy of consideration when compared with the great advantage of having a society which would secure the support of all partiea. And it does not follow, were such a society formed, that support would be drawn from the present Society ; because all who approve of the Bible without the Psalms would still give their 'rapport to the London Society, and those who prefer the Scottish Bible would support that Society,— the funds remitted to each Society corresponding to the .support given to that Society by its friends here. I have thought it proper to throw-out these views for the consideration of the friends of this Society,' and shall leave them for future decision. Haringmade those remarks, Ifehall now call on our hon. secretary to ' read the annual report. (Applause.) ?

Mr. S. Hague Smith (for Rev. H. H. Lawry, Hon. Secretory) read the following *s the " TWEHTT-FIBST REPORT OP THE ATTOKLA.XD AUXILTART BIBLH SOOIETT, 1867. " Your committee, in presenting their twenty-first report to the subscribers, would record their gratitude to God for hi* blessing upon their efforts during the past year— a year of commercial distress, extensive pecuniary losses, and severe sufferings. '« The pressure of the times having very greatly reduced the resources of our friends generally, the income of the Auxiliary has not been sufficient to | warrant the employment of a colporteur ; nevertheless the number of volumes of the sacred Scriptures disposed of from the depdt, between the Ist of May, 1866, and the 31st of March, 1867, has been 1,087. Of this number 949 have been sold at full price, viz., 684 Bibles, Testaments, and parts in the English language, and 265 in foreign languages, as follows :—: — Danish B 1 Hebrew 3 Danish T. 2 Spanish 3 Swedish 3 Dutch 2 German J J&P» _ J Gaelic 2 Samoanß 1 Italian. 6 Maori Old Testament Portuguese 1 in parts 109 French ' 12' M * ori New TeBta - Latin l 4 ment nl "b{"thel3B Bibles and Testaments distributed gratuitously, ,110 were in tne Eng l * 80 * aad 28 in foreign language*, thus disposed of :— •'To the Rev. B. Y. Ashwell, for Hamilton military settlers, 5 Danish, 1 Swedish, 14 German. "To the Rev. C. Baker, for Stockade prisoners, one copy of the Old Testament, in Maori, complete in 3 vols. "To the Freeman's Bay Primitive Methodist Sab" bath-school, 24 nonpareil Bibles, and 24 Testaments, bound in sheep. "To the Auckland City Mission, 30 brevier Testaments, bound in sheep. "To the Auckland Sunday-school Union, for a Sunday-school on the Matakohe Block, Albertland, 12 Bibles and 20 Testaments. "No. of volumes in stock March 3i; 1867, 3,730. Value of ditto, £282 19s. 3d. "It will be necessary to order a fresh supply of books very soon to keep up a geod general assortment. , " Strenuous efforts have been made to obtain the services of an efficient band of lady collectors, and, notwithstanding the extremely depressed state of the times, these efforts have been partially successful. To the zeal and energy of these ladies the Auxiliary ia indebted for a very large proportion of the funds which have been raised. t ] "At the request of the settlers at Waipu, the the amount of contributions paid by them to this Auxiliary lust year has been forwarded to the Parent Society in London, as a free contribution, instead of on purchase account, amounting to £62 oa. lid. The sum received this year from the same place has also been duly forwarded, by request, as a free grant, amounting to £43 15s 6d., less expenses of the remittance. " During the year now ending this Auxiliary has, by the removal of Dr. Bennett to another part of the colony, been deprived of the counsel and aid of a highly valued member of the committee. The following resolution, unanimously adopted, has been forwarded to him :— " 'That the Committee of the Auckland Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in grateful appreciation of the frequent and efficient services rendered to this Auxiliary by John B. Bennett, Esq., M.D., Registrar-General, during his long connection of nearly seventeen years with this committee, desire to place on record art expression of the regret they feel at the loss they are about to sustain by his removal from this neighbourhood, and they earnestly pray that the Gre»t Head of the Church will enable their highly-esteemed fellow-labourer to be as useful in promoting the interests of this, and kindred societies, in Wellington, as be has been in Auckland.' " The Parent Society rejoices on its onward course. Its issues ' from J;he dep6ts at home and abroad have amounted to 2,296,130 ,copies,' so that 'the total issues of the Society now amount to 50,285,709 copies.' Its receipts during the year from ordinary sources have amounted to £161,828 153. 3d. ; for special purposes the sum of £9,546 14s. lid. has been contributed, making a total of £171,375 10 a. 2d. ; of this sum £81,303 2s. sd. has been received in payment for Scriptures sold. " The total disbursements of the Parent Sooiefcy have amounted to £1,82,402 3s. 5d., being £12,638 9a. 7d. more than those of the previous year, the expenditure of which had been £18,386 19a. lid. more than that of the preceding one. "In .its mournful memento of long-tried friends is recorded, among others, the death of that ' unflinching champion of the truth,' the Rev. Hugh Stowell, late Honorary Canon of Chester, who, for little short of h*lf a century, had shown himself an attached friend to the Society, and an eloquent advocate of its principles. "Among the tokens for good observable on the Continent of Europe, is specified the good will of the French Government, ' who, having found that the work of your colporteurs has decidedly improved the morals of the people among whom they labour, no longer throw the same impediments in their way which once they did.' The Commission on Colportage, appointed by the Minister of the Interior, • has not only that there is no danger, but much advantage, connected with the free circulation of the Scriptures, and consequently no prefect can interdict their sale.' "The last thirty yeara have witnessed great changes in the condition of Belgium, both religious and political { and it is a mournful fact that in this country, as in France, the tendency of events is manifestly in the direction of infidelity. In Holland also is manifest the same tendency to what thp agent there terms * Modernism, which utterly rejects, the whole of the Bible,, repudiating prophecy and it« fulfilment in our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as His resurrection,' and which he regards as an incarnation of that 'man, of sin, the son of perdition,' who is to appear. And yet in Holland, as well as in the countries already mentioned, the labours of the colporteurs have been largely blessed, and the Bales increased. In Germany also, • their labour has not been in vain in the Lord. The King of Prussia has been pleased to become a supporter of your Society, and to order an annual subscription of £25 to be paid in his name.' In Austria and Hungary during the past year the circulation has risen from 25,298 to 58, 0'9l copies of the' sacred Scriptures. Last year the distribution by the Society's agency of Scriptures in, modern Russ , amounted to 11,291, this year to 30,896. Last year the total issues from the Russian I)ep6t numbered 31,993 copies, this year 50,875. \ "It; 'is with deep thankfulness to 1 the Author^ and Giver ' of every mercy that the Parent ; Committee state that the features of their work/ in Portugal are of the most encouraging kind. The difficulty is not how to pell the Scriptures, but hoy to provide a sufficient supply to meet the demands. A« regards Spain, the way is not yet ' open for the occupation' Qf that country by anyj special agency., [n Italy the total distribution, has amounted to 1 28,152 copies during the year, a result most satisfactory, when it is remembered that in the ,S6uth of Italy the cholera prevailed to such * fearful extent as to produce a complete panic. "A' most interesting communication has been received from the Society's fcgent at Malta, having reference to the supply of Scriptures ito' the Jews-in the interior of Africa.' The circumstances are the more remarkable as it appears that -those who .purchased them to sell again, 'merely did so as a mercantile speculation, and with a view of supplying a want whigh they knew^ existed, 'in the same w^y that they traded in. other marketable commodities. The numbers thus disposed of were 698 copies of tha Hebrew Scriptures. " From Syria we are informed ' a very fireat desire to hear the word of God 'prevails whereever you go, and Mahommedans, Druses, and Bedouins alike gather round the traveller who will take' but his Arabic Bible and read to them. Nor is this confined to the very poor : even in some Mahommedan harems the ladies listen to the Word of God from the lips of their children who attend our schools, and the teachers who occasionally visit them.' "In widely distant provinces of the Turkish Empire there has been ' traced a desire on the part of the Greek Church for union with the Christians of Britain ; and though, in one case, this movement may result from certain proceedings which have lately taken place in England, in others it is considered to be the spontaneous effect of the circulation of the Scriptures. The people are anxious to reform their Church on the model of the New Testament, and believe that those who take such pains to circulate the Scriptures must have ordered their Church in accordance with its precepts.' "In the very cursory glance thu« taken of a portion only of the ground held by the Biitish and Foreign Bible Society, your Committee are thankful to find so much cause for encouragement. When we look abroad upon the vast work yet remaining to be done, we' do well to remember that • our help is in the name of the Lord,' and to labour on with prayerful energy, anticipating that jpyful day when we hope to mingle our praise* with those «t , i ■> - . ■ . ,

of the heavenly host, ascribing ' blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might unto our God, for ever and ever. Amen."' Mr. Smith also submitted (for Mr. J. 0. Firth, Treasurer) the following STATEMENT OP ACCOUNTS. J. 0. Firth, Treasurer, in account with Auckland Auxiliary Bible Society :—: —

May 15, 1867. The Rev. Dr. Ma.ttnsell, in an able and energetic address, moved the first resolution : — " That the report now read be received and printed. That this meeting desires to express its devout thanks to Almighty God for the many proofs of prosperity and blessing which have been vouchsafed during the past year to ■ the operations of ,the British and Foreign Bible Society." He had to thank the Chairman for the caref ully-Qompiled statement he had made of the proceedings of the Society — OHe of the best statements he had heard in Auckland. (Hear.) He differed from him as to the suggestion to, disconnect themselves with the Parent Society j he should be sorry to see the proposition carried into effect, and should contemplate with great concern their disconnection with the British and Foreign Bible Society, which was their joy, their glory, and their strength. He rejoiced to think that it was not a local society, as they had Been so many of their local societies fail. He quite agreed with the remarks he had seen in one of the newspapers published in the city, that such associations must have, in order to prosper, as broad a basis as possible. It was their opinion that it was the Bible Society that gave them their strength. When they considered the principles on which the Society was based, how it had ■tood the test of years, and combined all Christianß into one common bond of union and field of action, it was their bounden duty to cherish aud foster that which was their strength — their union with the Society. (Hea», hear.) They had nothing to fear from modernism. Instead of extinguishing human thought, they should endeavour to lead and conduct humau thought. They Bhould not seek to check human reason. He was an enemy of the Church and the Gospel of Christ that would do so. The reason of man and the Bible came from the same hand; they were daughters of the same parent, and the man who condemned reason was damaging the cause of the Bible. The progress of reason had been of immense advantage to the Church. The speaker gave some apt and convincing illustrations in support of this statement. Any hone9t man who studied the Bible with an earnest desire to know the will of God must come back to the grand and glorious principles upon which that Society was founded, (Loud applause.) Mr. S. C, Firth seconded the resolution in a lengthtned address. He £vise agreed with the prevous speaker as to the proposal to annihilate the Auckland auxiliary of that Society. He* thought they were in that, as in other matters, a little too ambitious and impatient — anxious to run when they were able to do little more than creep. The lesson which they learned by coming to this country should tend to humble their pride. Let them have the best institutions in the world, the freest representative institutions, with all the addenda which, in this colony, they had, in the form of establishments and numerous officials, they musi;, £f thoy were to render themselves happy, united, and truly prosperous, in every sense of the word, look to Him £bore who would assist them. The work in which the Society was .engaged might be slow. Most works that were meant to .endure through all time, and most operations jbhajb were mean£ to be sure, were alovr. (Hear.) The work would never be properly appreciated until they entered eternity. A work like that was not to be reproached, because it appeared to ignorant and proud men %>t be slow. He »hould say nothing of the attacks made against the Bible, which they, all loved— a Bible that all the attacks of philosophers or infidels would not diminish their affection for. Those attacks had never disturbed him ; he did not resent them. He satisfied himself with the one observation— take the Bible from the world, and remove the Christian Church and all it had done for the world, what would they then have?— what would become of the political systems, the opinions of philosophers, or the opposition of sceptres and infidels ? So long as their foundation was laid broad and deep in the Bible, they need not despair of the attacks which every age produced,' and which every age had seen vanish away. When the people did not Bee what they considered as great results, they became careless and apathetic. He could not say much for the exertions made jn Auckland for the Society during the past year. With the exception , of the efforts of those ladies who had come forward and canvassed the town for subscriptions, very little had been done indted. That apathy was not confined to the general public, or members of the different Churches, but he thought it extended to ministers. (Hear.) They must not relax their efforts until they placed the Bible in eve>y household in the province, and into the hands of every child and grown-up person. They must not allow the Society to die out ; they must not allow the people to languish, and be deprived of God's Holy Word. He would urge upon his_ ministerial friends to treat that question afresh. If they were to reap abundantly, they must reap where the Bible has been sown. There were districts which it was highly necessary to assist with free grants of Bibles, or Bibles at a very reduced rate. Let them' sow the prec^oija Word broadcast — sow the seed which would not in their day ? or their children's day! bear the full fruit. It was 'a vpr£ whjch they should all feel proud to assist in doing : they shot^d feejl proud in circulating that book which fchey had inherited from their .fathers, and to hand it down to thejir children. It had been said, by an eminent man, that if he had the making of the ballads for the people he cared nob who made the laws. Well, let ttiem put' the Bible into the hands of the people, and he oared not who made the laws. (Applause.) The Rev. J. Bullish addressed the meeting in support of the resolution. The report commended itself to his mind by the grandeur of its aim, for all kindreds, nations, and tongues were within the sphere of its operations ; its aims and operations were coequal with £he great mission of the Lord Jesus Christ — to give the Gospel £0 every creature. The Society had adopted the well-known saying of the immortal Wesley — "The world is my parish." How; great was its parish, and how grand a work to give a copy of the Word of Life to every child of fallen man .' The time was not far distant when it might be said of that great institution that there was no speech or language where jts voice was not heard. The operations of the Society were grand ' from their simplicity. God accomplished great things in this world by very simple means.' So did that institution j it employed able men to translate the Bible faithfully and carefully', and then it sent out that Word of Truth without note or comment. He approved of the Society because of its catholic character. There was a common ground upon which they could all meet and have no dispute with respect to the great foundation of their common salvation. (Hear.) He would regret the introduction of any denominational movement into the operations of the Society. He would adopt the great saying of Chillingworth, "The Bible and the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants. 1 ' (Applause.) The report was unanimously adopted. The Rev. Dr. Willis moved the tecond resolution :— " That this meeting, believing that the Bible alone is the efficient and infallible guide to salvation, fcelf the importance of united intoroewon for the

abundant; influences of the Holy Spirit upon its circulation in this and in every land ; and recognises, in the increased desire for the Holy Scriptures apparent in various parts of the world, and in the enlarged facilities afforded for their diffusion, a loud and earnest call to renewed zeal, prayer, and liberality in the sacred cause of Bible dissemination." He expressed his approval of the dissemination of the Word of God without note or comment, and without the metrical version of the Psalms used by the Presbyterians, whioh were no more inspired than the hymns vied by other congregations. He spoke of the value of the Word of God, and the duty of the people to earnestly pray for its dissemination. The Rev. J. B. Harper seconded the resolution, whioh was unanimously carried. A collection was made in aid of the Society's funds, amounting to £5 145. 3d. The Rev. T. Booker moved the next resolution : " That the thanks of this meeting are due and hereby presented to the President and Vice President of this Auxiliary j-Jfclso to the officers, committee, and collectors, by whose zeal and energy so large an amount of contributions has been raised. ; that the collectors be requested to continue their efficient and valuable services ; and that the following be tbe officers and committee for the ensuing year :— President : His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Vice-president : The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu. Treasurer : Josiah U. Firth, Esq. Hon. Secretary : Rev. H. H. Lawry. Agent : Mr. John Edson (Bible Depot, adjoining Savings Bunk, Queenstreet). Colporteur: Vacant for the present. Committee : Yen. Archdeacon Lloyd, Rev. Dr. Maunsell, Key. Dr. Wallis ; Rev. Messrs; C. Baker, T. Booker, E. N. Bree, J. Buller, R. Butrows, G. Buttle, J.T..W. D»vies, J. Gorrie, T. Hamer, Q. S. Harper, J. Hobbs, R. Laishley, A. Macdonald, J. Maoky, J. Mandeno, J. Wallis, J. Warren ; Drs. Corbett, Day, Kenderdine ; Messrs. C. Arthur, D. Galey, J. EdsoD, T. Macfarlane, E. I. Matthews, J. Newman, G. P. Peirce, J. Rout, R. B. Shalders, J. Shorland, S. H. Smith, A. Somervjlle. Executive Committee : Revs. Dr. Maunsell, J. Buller, H. H. Lawry, A. Macdonald ; Dr. Kenderdine, Messrs. 0. Arthur, J. Edson, J. C. Firth, G., P. Pierce, S. H. Smith." Mr. J, Rout seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. C. Arthur, seconded by the Rev. H. H. Lawry, the thanks of the meeting were voted to the Chairman. The assembly waa dismissed with the doxology and benediction.

1866. Dr. £ s. d. June 19 — To balance in Treasurer 1 ! hands 48 16 9 1866-7— To sale of books 11l 3 0 To subscriptions 118 18 0 j £278 17 9 To balance in Treasurer's hands £50 17 8 1866. Ck. £ a. d. June 21 — By use of room for annual meeting .'. 110 0 By one year's rent of depOt 30 0 0 By Mr. Mason, commission for collecting 4 10 0 By Messrs Sherrard and Co., for Bibles purchased 40 11 3 ByW. O. Wilson, [ printing report 5 10 0 1867. Jan. s— By remittance to Parent So* ciety, free grant account 62 011 April 11 —By remittance to Parent Society, free grant account 43 1 4 May 14— By remittance to Parent Society, purchase account ... 24 17 5 By remittance to Sydney Auxiliary, purchase account 12 8 5 By exchange and r stamps ... 114 9 By sundry small payments... 116 0 By balance carried down ... 50 17 8 £278 17 9 J. C. Firth, Treasurer. Examined and found correct. S. Hagub Smith, ) Auditoßfl§ 0. Abthub, ) AUUtuUDO «