Before however I go to the main line of argument which I shall endeavour to pursue, I will mention a fact which occurred in my own parish, not a hundred yards from this spot, the truth of which a person present is prepared to substantiate on oath. One of my Scripture Readers, in the course of his visits among the poor Irish, found a considerable number of them almost or entirely unable to read. He came to me (though teaching them to read was no part of his duty, but merely to read to them) to ask whether I should have any objection to his teaching them to read as they seemed willing to learn. I allowed him to purchase a few elementary reading Books; not Testaments or Bibles. He went three or four Sundays, and some of his scholars seemed willing and thankful to avail themselves of the privilege. At last he found they began to look somewhat shy on him. He told them to show the Priest the books from which they were learning to read. The books were produced, and the priest said there was no harm in the books themselves but _they would lead to the Bible_. And, as if to form a complete counterpart to the case in St. Peter’s district, as if scurrility and insult were to be added to the burning of God’s Word, my Scripture Reader was actually kicked, not by a Priest, but by an Irishman, as he went out of the Court, who used the strongest language, and exclaimed “Break his neck!” “IT WOULD LEAD TO THE BIBLE!” And these poor Irish are doubtless still unable to read, though had my Scripture Reader been permitted to pursue his labours, there is no doubt that by this time they would have been fully able to do so. Before I pass on to the views and conduct of the Church of Rome in reference to her own versions, I would bring before you the language in which Rome speaks of _our_ endeavours to circulate our Scriptures. You are invited to-night by a seasonable coincidence, to attend a Bible Meeting in the School Room of the very District in which the circumstance which gives rise to this discourse occurred; and I trust if any of you are lukewarm about the Bible Society, you will feel that it is high time for us to meet to circulate the Word of truth, when Priests are burning it. Now what is the language of Rome towards the Bible Society? Pius VIIth calls the Bible Society “a most crafty device by which the very foundations of religion are undermined—a pestilence—a defilement of the faith most imminently dangerous to souls.”