[6] The sentiments of the late venerable Dr. Porteus, Lord Bishop of London, are thus delivered to the world, in great part as recorded by the bishop himself, in his life written by his relative, the Dean of Chester.

“A limitation thus absolute and unequivocal,” viz. “that the sole and exclusive object of the society should be the circulation of the Scriptures, and the Scriptures only, without note or comment,” removed from the Bishop’s mind all doubt and hesitation. He saw instantly that a design of such magnitude, which aimed at nothing less than the dispersion of the Bible over every accessible part of the world, could only be accomplished by the association of men of all religious persuations. He looked forward to great results from such a combination of effort. He entertained the hope that it might operate as a bond of union between contending parties; and that by bringing them together in one point of vast moment, about which there could hardly be a diversity of opinion, it might gradually allay that bitterness of dispute, and put an end to those unhappy divisions which have so long tarnished the credit of the Christian world. Whilst, therefore, he remained firmly attached to the original society, (for promoting Christian knowledge) whose exertions, as far as its limited sphere allowed, no one ever held in higher estimation, he gave at the same time the sanction of his name without scruple to the new one: and the more he considered its object, and the longer experience he had of the spirit ant principles on which it was conducted, the more deeply he was convinced that it merited all the support which the Church of England could give.

“It is now,” he observes in a passage which strongly marks his sentiments; “it is now well known and firmly established, and has completely triumphed over all the attempts made to destroy it. None of those secret dark designs, none of those plots and conspiracies to subvert the establishment, and devour both the shepherds and their flocks, which were so confidently predicted by a certain set of men as the inevitable effect of this society, have yet been discovered in it. It is in fact much better employed. It goes on quietly and steadily, in the prosecution of its great object, and pays no sort of regard to the sneers and cavils of its intemperate opponents.”—In another passage, written at a still later date, he says, “that he cannot but add, in justice to this society, which has been so much opposed, misrepresented, and traduced, that all the important works in which it has been engaged have been carried on with the utmost harmony and unanimity; without any difference of opinion; without the slightest symptom of any hostile or treacherous design against the church; and without any other idea upon their minds but that of extending as widely as possible, the knowledge of the Christian Scriptures.” The bishops of Durham and Salisbury attended several of their meetings, and were delighted with the decorum, calmness, and good temper with which their proceedings were conducted. In short, all the apprehensions to which this society has given rise are now found to be but vain terrors; and all the prophecies of the mischief and evil, that would result from it, are falsified by facts. It is rising uniformly in reputation and credit; gaining new accessions of strength and revenues and attaching to itself more and more the approbation and support of every real friend to the church and to religion.[10] Extract of a speech made by the earl of Liverpool, on accepting the office of president, of the Cinque Ports’ Bible Society, Dec. 5th. 1815.

As a member of the Established Church, from education and habit, but much more so from consideration and conviction, he was particularly desirous of promoting its interests, to the utmost of his ability, under this impression he had recently appeared, on a public occasion, as a supporter of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. He was anxious to extend the influences and advantages of that institution; but he saw no reason why he should not, at the same time, afford to the British and Foreign Bible Society every assistance in his power, and evince an equal anxiety to promote its success. The objects of the two Societies were one—that of dispersing the uncorrupted word of God; and, as the means in each were pure, he should always consider it an honour to aid them, or any other society which had the same object in view, and was labouring to effect the same end—the dissemination of Christianity over the habitable globe. His lordship was a friend to the Bible Society, because it would operate where, from national custom, or prevalence of different sentiments, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge would not obtain admission. The universality of the object proposed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and its tendency to unite all Christians (however divided on subjects of minor concern) in the bonds of Christian sympathy and benevolence, gave it, in his lordship’s mind, a powerful claim to universal support.