149
  27 Nevis 79 117
  32 Saba 6 12
  33 St. Bart’s 111 65
  34 St. Eustatius 97 148
  35 St. Kitts 227 487
           St. Martins 48 37
  36 Tortola 69 136
To
1837 Trinidad 25 67
                              ____ ____
                   Total 920 1596

From the last annual report we quote the following cheering account, touching the events of 1834: 

“The next event of importance in or annals is the magnificent grant of the parent society, on occasion of the emancipation of the slaves, and the perpetual banishment of slavery from the shores of Antigua, on the first of August, 1834; by which a choice portion of the Holy Scriptures was gratuitously circulated to about one third of the inhabitants of this colony.  Nine thousand seven hundred copies of the New Testament, bound together with the book of Psalms, were thus placed at the disposal of your committee.”

* * * “Following hard upon this joyful event another gratifying circumstance occurred among us.  The attention of the people was roused, and their gratitude excited towards the Bible Society, and they who had freely received, now freely gave, and thus a considerable sum of money was presented to the parent society in acknowledgment of its beneficent grant.”

We here add an extract from the annual report for 1826.  Its sentiments contrast strongly with the congratulations of the last report upon ’the joyful event’ of emancipation.

“Another question of considerable delicacy and importance still remains to be discussed.  Is it advisable, under all the circumstances of the case, to circulate the Holy Scriptures, without note of comment, among the slave population of these islands?  Your Committee can feel no hesitation in affirming that such a measure is not merely expedient, but one of almost indispensable necessity.  The Sacred Volume is in many respects peculiarly adapted to the slave.  It enjoins upon him precepts so plain, that the most ignorant cannot fail to understand them:  ’Slaves, obey in all things your masters, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.’  It furnishes him with motives the most impressive and consoling:  ‘Ye serve,’ says the Apostle, ‘the Lord Christ.’  It promises him rewards sufficient to stimulate the most indolent to exertion:  ’Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.’  And it holds forth to him an example so glorious, that it would ennoble even angels to imitate it:  ’Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a slave!’”

“It may here be proper to observe, that the precise import of the word, which in general throughout the English Bible is translated servant, is strictly that which has been assigned it in the foregoing quotations; (!) and so understood, the Sacred Volume will be found to hold out to our slaves, both by precept and example the most persuasive and the most compelling motives to industry, obedience, and submission.”