SCRIPTURE READERS' ASSOCIATION. INSTITUTED 1844. Patrons. HIS GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Messrs. HERRIES, FARQUHAR & Co. 16, St. James's-street; Messrs. WILLIAMS, DEACON, LABOUCHERF & Co. 20, Birchin-lane; By whom Subscriptions will be thankfully received; as well as by the Lay Secretary, at the 9, SPRING GARDENS, CHARING CROSS. A LADY, feeling deep interest in this Association and its present and pressing exigencies, has kindly proposed to give TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS, "on condition that nineteen additional Donations, of the same amount, be procured within a limited time." Funds are at this moment most urgently needed to maintain the existing Grants of the Society, amounting to one hundred and sixteen in number. These Grants incur an average monthly responsibility of 7501. Donations and New Annual Subscriptions, and especially Contributions to meet the above-mentioned Challenge, will be thankfully received by any Member of the Committee; by the Secretaries; by the Society's Bankers, viz. Messrs. HERRIES, FARQUHAR & Co. 16, St. James's-street; Messrs. WILLIAMS, DEACON & Co. 20, Birchin-lane; Messrs. GLYN, MILLS & Co. 67, Lombardstreet; and at the Office of the "Record." THE SCRIPTURE READERS' JOURNAL, &c. JANUARY, 1853. THE following letter, which was, with the sanction of the Board, addressed by the Hon. Clerical Secretary of THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCRIPTURE READERS' ASSOCIATION to the Incumbents of the several Parishes or Districts employing Scripture Readers, will concisely explain the object of the SCRIPTURE READERS' JOURNAL:"December 2, 1852. "REV. AND DEAR SIR,-It has been determined by the Board to publish quarterly a Scripture Readers' Journal, in which the principles and operations of this Association, and the duty of the Church of England in regard to our overgrown, and by ordinary means unmanageable parishes, may be advocated, and currency given to testimony and experience in its behalf, somewhat more fully and systematically than in the Oecasional Papers here. tofore put forth. "Should the cost of the Journal not be defrayed by its sale, as is probable, especially at first, it is confidently hoped that, whilst by its means more extended publication will be given to the great principle of ORDERLY LAY AGENCY in the reading the Holy Scriptures to the poor, under the superintendence of the Parochial Clergyman, the outlay will be returned in the shape of pecuniary contributions to our treasury. "It is felt that the Association is known to a very limited extent in the middle ranks of society, and that if they could be reached, and interested in its operations, and impressed with the paramount importance and pressing obligation of bringing THE WORD OF GOD to the homes and hearts of the masses of our poorer neighbours, both a great end would be gained, and largely increased contributions might reasonably be expected to follow. "The responsibility of this undertaking will, I fear, mainly rest upon the Clerical Secretary, who painfully feels no less his own incompetency for the work, than his want of adequate time; still, deeply interested as he is in the principle of the Association, and more and more convinced that it just supplies that wanting link needed to give efficacy to the parochial system, he will not shrink from the attempt, relying, as he trusts he may do, on the aid which those who are practically experiencing its benefits are so well qualified to afford. "I would therefore respectfully entreat you to furnish me from time to time, and especially in reference to the forthcoming number, with such communications in the shape of testimony, suggestions, and arguments, as the B |