Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888. King of Great Britain Edward VII

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СКАЧАТЬ German and English—were both, in their origin, connected with my family. The translation of Martin Luther was executed under the protection of the Elector of Saxony, the collateral ancestor of my lamented father; whilst that of William Tyndale, the foundation of the present authorized English version, was introduced with the sanction of the Royal predecessor of my mother the Queen, who first desired that the Bible 'should have free course through all Christendom, but especially in his own realm.'

      "It is my hope and trust, that, under the Divine guidance, the wider diffusion and the deeper study of the Scriptures will, in this as in every age, be at once the surest guarantee of the progress and liberty of mankind, and the means of multiplying in the purest form the consolations of our holy religion."

      The Archbishop of York then invoked the Divine Blessing on the work. The Bishop of Winchester, as one of the oldest living members of the Society, expressed the grateful acknowledgments of the Committee to the Prince, for his presence among them, and for the act performed at their request. Two verses of the National Anthem having been sung, and the benediction pronounced, the meeting dispersed.

      The Lord Mayor, with true civic hospitality, invited the Prince of Wales, the officers of the Society, and all who had taken any part in the ceremony to luncheon at the Mansion House. On the health of the Prince and the Princess of Wales being proposed, the Prince acknowledged the compliment in the following words:—

"I am, indeed, deeply touched and gratified by the toast which has just been proposed by the Lord Mayor, and by the very kind and feeling manner in which you have drunk to the health of the Princess and myself. It is to me a source of sincere gratification to receive again the hospitality of the Chief Magistrate of the City. I can never forget, nor can the Princess ever forget, the manner in which she was received on her first entry into London; and although she is not here to-day—a fact which I most deeply regret—I can bear testimony that she has never forgotten, and never will forget, the reception given to her three years ago. The occasion which has brought me here to-day has given me sincere gratification. I shall be happy on all occasions to do any thing that may tend, as the Lord Bishop of Winchester said this morning, 'to alleviate the sufferings of man.' But I feel sure that the work I have been enabled to perform, small as it may be, will bear testimony to the great good done to the poorer classes by a Society which has existed for so many years. Sincerely I thank you for the opportunity you have given me in coming forward on this interesting occasion, and I shall always be happy to render every assistance in my power to an institution which is calculated to render such important benefits to the world. I return my best thanks for the greeting I received this morning at the ceremony, and also for the kind manner in which I have been received on this occasion."

      Her Majesty the Queen signified her interest in the proceedings of the day by sending £100 to the Building Fund, and £100 was also contributed by the Prince of Wales.

      The Bible Society has, since its establishment in 1804, issued about 113 millions of Bibles, Testaments, or portions thereof. Its issues yearly are now about four million copies. The full income in 1887 amounted to £116,761; and the sum received for Scriptures sold was £104,880. The Society has aided the translation of the Bible into 280 languages or dialects.

FRIEND OF THE CLERGY CORPORATION.

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      June 13th, 1866.

      The sixteenth anniversary festival of this institution was celebrated at Willis's Rooms on the 13th of June, 1866. Among the guests were the Archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Armagh, and numerous dignitaries in Church and State, the Marquis of Salisbury presiding. The Prince of Wales honoured the company with his presence, and on his health being proposed by the chairman, he said:—

      "My Lord Chairman, my Lords and Gentlemen—I feel, indeed, deeply flattered and gratified by the kind terms in which you have spoken of me, and by the kind manner in which my health has been received by the company, and I have earnestly to thank you in my own name and in the name of the Princess of Wales and of the other members of the Royal family. Among the many charities in this country, I believe there are few which demand our sympathy and support more than the Friend of the Clergy Corporation. Its object is to assist the orphans and unmarried daughters of clergymen of the Church of England, and to afford temporary aid to their necessitous parents. We have met here this evening to advocate the cause of the institution, and I believe that at the present moment the pensions which it distributes amount to the large sum of £4000 per annum, and that it helps to maintain 106 pensioners, while there are 60 more persons applying for its bounty. One remarkable characteristic of the institution is that its pensions, which never exceed £40 a year, are granted for life, and another is that these pensions are bestowed on members of the Church not only in England, but also in Ireland and the colonies. Young though I am, I think I may state that I am aware from my own personal knowledge how low are the stipends received by many of our clergymen, and I can, therefore, support most cordially this institution. I feel, however, some diffidence in alluding to that subject, because I know I shall thereby be trenching on the special province of our noble chairman. But I believe he will forgive me for saying that I think we ought upon this occasion to show the greatest possible liberality, and, if I may use the expression, that we ought freely to open our purses. I can again assure you that the Princess of Wales and the other members of the Royal family are most ready to participate with me in the feeling of sincere gratitude with which I now acknowledge the compliment you have just paid us. I now thank you, too, for the kind manner in which you have just listened to me, however imperfectly I have expressed myself."

      In giving the toast of "Prosperity to the Institution," the noble chairman said, that after the speech which they had just heard in its favour from His Royal Highness it was scarcely necessary for him to say another word. He could fully confirm everything which had been said by His Royal Highness as to its value, and the urgent need of such an institution was proved by the fact that there were in this kingdom no less than 10,000 clergymen who occupied benefices of less value than £150 a year. How was it possible for men with such incomes, who had to move in a respectable sphere of life, to lay by anything for a period of distress or to make a provision for their widows and orphans? He therefore cordially concurred in the eloquent appeal made to them by His Royal Highness.

      The result of the appeal was a subscription list amounting to £1200, including 100 guineas from the Prince of Wales.

      It may be added that now (1888) there are about 100 pensioners, besides special grants for urgent cases. Last year's receipts were £6,000, and the invested funds are about £18,500.

WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS' SCHOOL.

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      June 18th, 1866.

      One of the earliest public functions undertaken by the Prince (July, 1863) was laying the foundation stone of the School, near Croydon, for children of warehousemen, clerks, and agents of wholesale houses and manufactories, so employed in any part of the United Kingdom. The building was not completed till the spring of 1866, and on the 18th of June of that year, the Prince, on being applied to, at once and cordially agreed to preside at the inauguration or formal opening of the Asylum.

      The Prince was received by Earl Russell, President of the Charity, the Bishop of Winchester, the Lord Mayor of London, the High Sheriff of Surrey, and other official and distinguished persons interested in the Institution. Having thoroughly inspected the building, the arrangements of which are admirable, and having heard an address explaining the origin and purposes of the Institution, briefly replied СКАЧАТЬ