Francis Cunningham

“ Now every thing is seen by them in its proper colour and dimensions; now every object is merged in the one great object of the prevalence of truth. The triumphs of the gospel fills, if we may so speak, their whole field of vision. Let the opponents, then, of the Bible Society, learn a lesson from this. For with them, soon, all the hopes and fears of this world will have passed away; they will see every object in the light of the sanctuary, and measure every institution upon its sacred scale: the world will be nothing, and Christ will be all in all. ”

“ Nor is the universality of that Society its only peculiar property—it is peculiar to that institution to be incorruptible. Its object is so simple, that it needs no other safeguards than its own principles. With the Old Society that is not the case. It is entrusted to human agents; and how can a person who lives at too great distance to attend the Committees of this Society, know what Tracts may be admitted, or what may be suppressed; what security has he for the consistency of the proceedings? But the object and proceedings of the Bible Society are always the same. ”

“ Such I am persuaded is the state of many of the poor, and their language in giving to these Associations is not the pang which cruelty extorts, but of this kind—“I am not rich myself, but I will give my money, because I know that he who giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord; because the souls of multitudes are perishing for lack of that knowledge, which I am able, in a degree, to impart to them.” ”

“ Nor have those a sufficient plea for themselves, that undervalue a design because it is new, and because it hath been little attempted by protestants. Truly, this should rather be an inducement (not to stifle the work in its infancy, but) to inflame that little of the spirit of power and love, which is left among us. Should we be also willing to die, because we see so many dead about us? I mean, so many who are supine and negligent in the greatest concerns of life and happiness. ”

“ It was necessary that something more should be attempted, and, accordingly, the New Society was constructed—a Society, erected on the widest possible basis, and comprehending all the means and energies of all the worshippers of Christ. The Old Society was left to pursue its domestic career; and the New Society, beginning at home, extended itself over the whole world. ”

“ I look to fact, which our author will at least allow to be as good a weapon as hypothesis, and having used in vain all my faculties to discover any ground for the assertion, I venture to conclude, either that the author has in his study dreamt of enemies whom he cannot have seen, or that he has inserted this passage for the purpose of concluding his work with a flourish, even at the expence of truth. ”

“ But now look at the fact, as to the distribution of the Scriptures. They are distributed to all classes, to heathens even, if they wish to possess them; and they are distributed not merely in the languages of this country, but in fifty-three languages or dialects, of almost every kindred and people over the world. Whatever comes short of a completely general distribution of the Scriptures by the Bible Society, is occasioned by the want of funds. ”

“ The Society for the relief of the Poor, in Spitalfields, are now selling rice at three-pence per pound. Why, it might be asked, is the rice not sold cheaper than this? It would be answered, because the object is to do the greatest possible good. Three-pence per pound is a price which the poor can afford to pay, and, by receiving this instead of a less price, the Society may perhaps be able to encounter the continued pressure of the times. ”

“ That of churchmen, it can only be said as of churchmen and dissenters, they agree in the authority of the Bible; but there is no complete agreement as to the interpretations of the Bible. If churchmen, who are members of the Old Society, widely disagree upon essential points in the interpretation of the Bible, even the Old Society is no guarantee for unity. A person, to be quite right, on the principle of the author, should subscribe exclusively to a Society, where each person would agree to promulgate only the same interpretation of scripture ”

“ It is obvious, that the attendance at church in these times is considerably increased, and certainly not the least increased where a Bible Society spirit most abounds. In many places, also, great efforts have been made to build new churches, to accommodate an overgrown population; and, moreover, a most extraordinary increase in the circulation of the Liturgy has taken place. A new Society also has arisen, whose only object is to distribute the Formularies of the Established Church. ”

“ One reason why the Old Society originally made its prices so low, was, that it did not allow its subscribers to sell their Bibles, even at reduced prices, but constrained them to give them away. The New Society first discovered the error of this proceeding, and concluding that a poor man would be likely more to value the Bible which was bought, than the Bible which was given, recommended its subscribers as a general rule, rather to sell than to give. ”

“ And this inquiry, all that love truth, must most earnestly desire. The friends of the Bible Society wish to lay open every fact, to offer every plan for investigation, conscious of the simplicity and purity of their object and conduct. ”

“ It is admitted on all hands, that the best remedy for national distress would be to create in the poor a spirit of independence; to raise them above a state, in which they would stoop to receive from the public, that support which ought to be procured by their own industry and foresight. ”

“ Those who subscribe to Bible Associations have no feeling of the cruelty which they are said to endure. The best delight which can animate a human breast, is afforded to them by the means of the Bible Society, in the easiest manner, as well as in the highest degree. ”

“ Bible Associations have, then, a direct tendency to teach and to set at work this very principle. They teach the poor economy, a habit p. 19of foresight, the benefit of order and christian co-operation. They raise the poor from the rank of beggars to that of benefactors; and, whilst in common with clubs, they cherish a habit of prudence, they root out the habit of selfishness, which clubs have, perhaps, a tendency to produce. ”

“ As the Society whose cause the author exclusively advocates, is a society of churchmen, he maintains that, by its extension and prevalence, no variety of interpretation in essential points would prevail, and therefore no confusion be introduced amongst the unlearned. All churchmen would, he conceives, teach the same truths in the same manner. ”

“ Will the author allow me to add this observation, that if danger to the establishment need not be apprehended from the p. 16distribution of the Bible, it is very much to be feared from the conduct of those who oppose this Society. In the first place, there is something very awful and ominous, in seeing those who are the appointed stewards of the Word of God, rising up to oppose any means by which its circulation is promoted; magnifying mole hills into mountains, if only they can throw them into the course of this Society. ”

“ The poor (as is evident from their free purchase of them) can afford to pay what they now pay for Bibles, and which is about one half of what they would pay in the shops; whilst the Society is by this return enabled to supply Bibles gratuitously to the destitute, and continue its operations through the world. ”

“ It was heartily to be wished, that these two Societies should never have been brought into invidious comparison, for, in a comparison, one of them must fail; and, which ever suffers, Christianity suffers with it, because the promotion of Christianity is the object of both. ”

“ That when, from the introduction of schools at home, an additional demand was created for the Scriptures, and when abroad the multiplication of missionaries created a new demand for the Bible, in all the languages of the earth, it was not sufficient that a Society existed which had proved itself insufficient for the supply of the Scriptures, even under less trying circumstances. ”

“ Thus the clean cottage, the small, but decorated garden of a poor man, is passed by with indifference by the rich; yet the poor man has, perhaps, more exquisite pleasure in his enjoyments, than another, pampered with all the superfluities of life. So may it be with these small subscriptions to Bible Associations. Although poor, a man is equally a man ”

“ The Bibles cannot be at once cheaper, and cost a price which excludes them from general circulation. But, further, it may be said, that every argument which assumes the importance of the commentary to the Society, assumes the accuracy and value of the commentary itself.—Are all commentaries then valuable?—Are there none which might be very dear at fifty shillings?
But a fourth reason, it is said, for the superiority of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, is, that it provides p. 8Prayer Books and Religious Tracts. ”

“ Opposition, such as this, is well calculated to shake “opinion,” upon which every establishment must mainly, under the blessing of God, depend. May not the enemies of the church, at least plausibly urge, that the church cannot be built upon the Scriptures, when so many churchmen oppose their distribution without their own commentary? ”

“ For if we take a survey of the most considerable transactions, both under the law and the gospel, it will plainly appear, that, generally, the best of works have been carried on in the worst of times, and that they have triumphed at last (though after much toil and labour) over all the clamours and oppositions that wicked men and devils could raise against them. ”

“ In physics, when a larger body meets a less, as in the case of the heavenly bodies, the smaller never fails to follow the motion of the larger. Why in the case of the church and dissenters alone, is this law to be reversed? ”

“ It arises, in the first place, from a wrong estimate of the character of the poor, and especially of the religious poor. The sympathy which is professed by the author of these Reasons, is for suffering which only exists in his own conception. ”

“ On this ground, we establish clubs to provide against sickness; banks to deposit savings; and there is reason to conclude, from the example of Scotland, that if the principle of honest independence were duly cultivated, and means supplied for its full operation, an almost total subduction of our Poor Rate might take place. ”

“ Should we not rather strengthen the more the things which remain, but are ready to die, except they be supported betimes? Which consideration should make us shake off that natural drowsiness, which confineth the mind to narrow ends and purposes, and indisposeth it for any generous enterprise. Nothing is more common, even among those who call themselves christians, than to frame new ways and new methods for increasing their p. ”

“ Others are displeased with the heathen themselves, who, for the sake of a little gain, will conform to the christian name, but, at the approach of danger, quit it again, and relapse into their former ways. ”

“ Others have been startled at the newness of the thing p. 21and are shy to venture into a road so little beaten in this age, and so much exposed to danger and difficulty. Others have been bare spectators in this matter, unwilling to judge of a work, which, like a tender blade, did but just appear above ground, not discovering as yet what its fruit might prove. ”

“ And, speaking of the churches of England and of Rome, he says, (cap, 5.) “not to mention all the differences, because they are almost infinite; we have turned the Holy Scriptures into all languages, and they will scarce allow them to be extant in any tongue; we invite the people to hear and read the Word of God, they drive them away from it; we desire the cause in controversy should be understood by all, but they fly from judgment; we trust to knowledge, they to ignorance; we bring truth to light, they to darkness; we venerate, as it is fit that we p. ”

“ Others again, have taken a transient view of the scheme, but declared their unwillingness to be farther concerned, till they should see some eminent men espouse it, and by their example encourage others to engage in the same. ”

“ Its object is threefold: To distribute Bibles; also, Prayer Books and Tracts; and to send p. 5Missionaries. Every member of this Society is obliged to give good security that he is a churchman, and there is no way in which, by its means, any other denomination of christians can be benefited, but by the hands of churchmen.
The advantages of this institution over the Bible Society which the author endeavours to establish are four. First, It is a Society which consists entirely of churchmen ”

“ Some, who do not suppose an enterprize of this nature to be altogether impracticable, do, however, think it now very improper, when every one complains of hard tines, and is called upon by other expences nearer at home ”