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Testimonies of the Parent Society in favour of Associations.

light, and kings to the brightness of her rising. The consoling declarations of the prophets appear, even in these days of conflict, to be fast approaching their completion; the brightest visions of our poets seem on the point of being realised, when,

'One song employs all nations, and all cry,
Worthy the LAMB, for He was slain for us!
The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each other, and the mountain tops
From distant mountains catch the flying joy,
Till, nation after nation taught the strain,
Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.'

"As sure as the voice of prophecy has foretold them, these glorious times will arrive; and we in our generation are called to the distinguished honour of acting as instruments in the Divine Hand to hasten their approach. We are invited to the privilege of humbly combining our efforts as workers together with God.' Let us then work, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work: the opportunity is now in our hands: we soon shall go hence, and be no more seen."

10. This chapter cannot be more appropriately closed, than in the language of the Committee of the Parent Society, in their Twelfth and Thirteenth Annual Reports :

"Your Committee think it unnecessary to repeat what has been said on former occasions respecting Bible Associations, farther than to certify, that their experience has again confirmed all that has been asserted in their favour in former reports. They acknowledge, with gratitude, the great efficiency which the Parent Institution has derived from their assistance, while they contemplate with admiration and delight the moral effects which have resulted from them, in the encouragement of religious habits, and in the increase of kind affections and brotherly love: and they are persuaded, that nothing is better calculated to extend the influence of the holy scriptures, to excite a personal interest in the knowledge of revealed truth, and (what is the natural consequence of such knowledge) an anxious desire to make others partakers of it, than these most laudable and efficacious Associations.....The very principle of those Associations is calculated to operate as a monitory and restraining influence on the members of them. They see and feel the inconsistency of a life devoted to licentious indulgences and immoral habits, with the open and reiterated profession of a veneration for that Book which so forcibly and explicitly condemns them; while their regulated orderly meet. ings, and their monthly and weekly contributions, for promoting the circulation of it, tend to invigorate those feelings, and render them habitual. And when this influence is considered as extending (as, from the active participation of females, and the young, in this service of love, it will naturally do) to the families of the members of these Associations, the consideration opens a new source of exhilarating hope, with respect to the rising and future generations."

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CHAP. IV.

ASSOCIATIONS OF MECHANICS.

TO SET FORWARD THE WORKMEN IN THE HOUSE OF GOD."

EZRA, III. 9.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

It is impossible to enter on this part of the system, without mingled emotions of pleasure and regret. To behold those useful and intelligent men, from whose industry and skill so much of the wealth and comforts of our country are derived, associating for such a purpose, affords the most lively satisfaction; while we cannot but feel desirous, that the example so nobly set by a few, had been followed by the many. The subject is one of peculiar importance; and were it only taken up with that interest, which it merits, by those who conduct and superintend our manufactories, the most happy results might be anticipated. It was the observation of a celebrated statesman, "When the bad combine, the good must associate;"-and if the same industry were manifested by the latter in circulating moral and religious information, which characterizes the former in distributing publications of the most pernicious tendency, there is every reason to believe that the consequences would have surpassed the most sanguine expectations. Instead of Combinations for bad purposes, we should behold Associations for the best: instead of lamenting over the progress of infidelity and disloyalty, we should witness the extension of scripture principles, and rejoice in their blessed effects;-for those who had learned to "fear God," would also "honour the King:" instead of indulging improvident and profligate habits, our Mechanics would more generally feel the value of character and the blessings of independence. If those who possess the means of giving a right direction to the minds of their workmen, would only make trial of the experiment now recommended, the seeds of good order, subordination, and virtue would be scattered throughout the land; and we might safely leave the

First Association of Mechanics formed in Dean Street, Soho, London.

increase to HIM, who hath said, "My word shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

SECTION I

ORIGIN AND Progress of meCHANICS' ASSOCIATIONS.

1. The first Bible Association of Mechanics, of which any account can be procured, was that of the workmen employed by Messrs. Storr and Co. in Dean Street, Soho, London, in the year 1812. As this was not only the model on which every existing institution of a similar kind has been formed, but that which furnished the incitement to kindred exertion, no apology will be requisite for introducing their own Report of the origin and progress of this interesting society.

REPORT of the DEAN-STREET ASSOCIATION OF MECHANICS, presented at the Conference of the Westminster Auxiliary Bible Society and Associations : January 10, 1815.

WITH regard to the origin of a Bible Association among us, this, under GOD, is to be attributed to the introduction of the Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the year 1812. It was the first report that any of us had seen; it was handed about from one to another, and read with great interest. The effect was, that four of us became subscribers to that society, each of a guinea a-year, which subscriptions have still continued to be paid. Not only so, but we became advocates for the institution: and as the idea of an Association had not then been formed, we solicited donations from our friends; and we had the pleasure of procuring, under the head of donations, the sum of six pounds sixteen shillings, which we paid, part to the Parent Society, and the rest to the Westminster Auxiliary Bible Society.

Our next step was, to try if a small Association could be formed among the men. In order to make the subject understood, we procured from the depository several of the "Brief Views of the Proceedings of the Society," which were put into the hands of the men; and rules were drawn up, containing the project of an Association: to which the following article was prefixed :

"We, the undersigned mechanics and others, in the employ of Messrs. Storr and Co. Dean Street, Soho, approving as we do of the designs and proceedings of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have resolved to contribute weekly the sums subjoined to our respective names, for the purpose of raising a fund, which, as soon as it shall at any time amount to £.-—, Mr. shall be requested to pay into the hands of the Collector of the Westminster Auxiliary Bible Society."

The following directions are taken from that sacred volume which we wish to circulate:

1st. As to the motive which ought to influence us in this and every good work that we do, read 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20: "Ye are not your own; ye are

* This establishment now belongs to Messrs. Rundell and Co.

Motives that influenced the Founders of the Society.

bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are GOD's."

2d. As to the amount of your subscription, see 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7: "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly nor of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

3d. If any man should say, The trifle I can afford to give is so small that I may as well not give, see Luke xxi. 1. 4: “And JESUS looking up, saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury: and he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:"-so that the Searcher of hearts sees and esteems your penny, given from a just motive, more than the wealthier man's guinea, if his motive be corrupt.

4th. As to reward, see Matthew x. 42: "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

A book, containing these rules, with some blank paper, was left for the signature of such of the men as were disposed to become members, who also put the sum, whether a penny or more per week, that they intended to give, against their names :-and-we had the pleasure of seeing, in a short time, the names of more than one half of the people employed in the manufactory.

Our Association, at present, comprises one subscriber of fivepence per week; eleven of threepence per week; eighteen of twopence per week; seventeen of three-halfpence per week; and twenty-one of one-penny per week. We have now nearly accomplished our object of supplying ourselves with Bibles. Whether, when that object is rendered complete, our Association will continue to exist, may be doubtful: but, should it dissolve, we shall have the satisfaction of knowing, that, while we have been serving ourselves, we have not neglected others.

The whole amount paid to the support of the Bible-cause from persons in the employ of Messrs. Storr and Co., in little more than two years, is, sixty-four pounds seventeen shillings. We mention this, in the first place, to shew the great utility of circulating printed intelligence concerning the grand and benign operations of the Parent Society. It has been already stated, that one of their Reports was the instrument to kindle the flame with us; and this flame has since been fed with "Summaries, Brief Views, Extracts of Intelligence," &c. which (on declaring the purpose for which they were requested) we found no difficulty in obtaining from the depository.

We mention it, secondly, to shew what great aid may be obtained from manufactories. There are many advantages to be found in a manufactory which do not exist elsewhere; for instance, we can instantly circulate intelligence. Men, it is well known, will do that cheerfully in conjunction with their fellow-workmen, which they will not do at all in other connexions. The labour of collecting is reduced to almost nothing, for we have our subscribers all before us; and (which is no small advantage) we stand at little if any expense; indeed we have never yet incurred any.

We hear great things said of the magnitude of the funds of the Bible Society; and it is to be feared that this style of talking induces many to suppose that those funds are rich enough without any assistance from them. We are far from thinking that what has been done is an adequate expression of gratitude to God from a nation so deeply indebted for its prosperity, and from so numerous a population. One farting a month, or threepence

Desire to assist in promoting the Foreign objects.

a-year, from every individual in the United Kingdom, would produce a much larger revenue than the funds of the Bible Society and all the dif ferent Missionary Societies together. It is evident, therefore, that, while a small portion of the community has taken a becoming interest in this truly honourable and glorious cause, the great mass has hitherto been unmoved. A considerable portion, we know, of that mass is employed in manufactories; and we have proved, (not by logical deductions, but by the fact,) that a manufactory, possessed of no peculiar local facilities above others, can furnish a Bible Association. What more likely to draw down the blessing of GOD upon our manufactories and commerce, than to have Bible Associations established in them? In every institution where business unites and associates a number of men, the subject might be introduced with advantage. The Bible, we know, is the germ from which our greatness and that rank of pre-eminence which we hold among the nations have arisen. GOD has communicated it to us as a precious talent, of which he will require an account. It is by communicating, that we shall enjoy; by scattering, that we shall increase our store. There is now an open door set before us: we have the means of enlightening the nations: it is no small honour that God has conferred upon us. If we use our means, it is well; but if we callously and from narrow selfishness refuse, GOD will raise up deliverance for the nations from some other quarter; for his time seems to be approaching, and we shall lose the reward."

2. When this report of their proceedings was printed, by desire of the Conference, and read to the subscribers, the only part of it with which they found fault, was, the paragraph in which a doubt is intimated as to the continuance of their subscriptions after they should be supplied with Bibles. The general feeling was thus expressed: "No, we will not give it up; we will continue it; and we hope our example will be followed by other manufacturers." The following extracts, from the subsequent reports of this remarkable Association, will sufficiently illustrate the motives that influenced the members, and cannot fail to interest the reader.

"Under the divine blessing, we owe the credit we have gained to the exercise of these three virtues-liberality, moderation, and patience :—liberality, exercised towards foreign objects;-moderation, in that we have always taken the Brevier Bible, that we might be able to be liberal: in every case where the Small-Pica Bible has been taken, the individual has paid the difference of the price ;-and patience, each man having waited patiently until he could be supplied; and that was not before double money had been paid to the Auxiliary. Now, if these three virtues can be made to predominate more in the respective associations, we shall soon lose our distinction; and we do most devoutly wish this to be the case: for, though it would argue insensibility to be unaffected with the applause of good and discerning men; yet, feeling as we do, that before God we are unprofitable servants, and that before men we have done no more than it was our duty to do,-feeling also the importance of the great cause in which we are all engaged,-we say, that we had rather be obscured by the great crowd of vigorous associations, each of which should come up to or exceed our standard, than continue to merit any peculiar distinction among them.

"We have never witnessed upon any other subject so much unanimity and concord, kept up for so long a time (now three years), as we have on

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