The Year 1716, the Circular Letters of the Society informed their Correspondents, that in December last Mr. Ziegenbalgh aforesaid, the principal Danish Missionary, who came the last Year into Europe, about Matters relating to the Protestant Mission (as was mentioned before) came to London, and received the Congratulations of the Society: To whom he made a Speech in Malabaric, such was his Proficiency in that Language. Which he afterwards spake in Latin, and was answered again by another Speech in Latin by Nicolls, in the Name of the Society. Both which were soon after printed.

The last Letters the Society received from those Parts did import, that such as were formerly most averse to encourage the Mission, were now become strenuous Promoters of it. And that a Paper Mill was set up at Tranquebar, partly to employ the Children of the Heathen, and partly to answer the Ends of the Printing Press sent thither by the Society.

As for other Parts of the East Indies, which are under the English, viz. Fort St. George, Bengal, and Bombay; the English Chaplains there exert themselves in their Stations to encourage this laudable Design. And by the Favour of the English Government a Charity School is erected at Fort St. George for teaching, cloathing and wholly maintaining thirty Children of the poor Inhabitants of that Garrison, upon such a Foundation as gave Hopes of a considerable Enlargement.

I gave a Hint before of one Part of this Society's good Custom, not a little expensive, viz. of printing and dispersing great Numbers of small useful Tracts, for the furthering of Practical Religion. Such are the Anniversary Sermons preached to the Societies; Lists of the Charity Schools in Great Britain and Ireland; Accounts of these Schools distinctly: These are printed yearly. The two last Years were printed, among others, The Practice of true Devotion; An Exercise to be used in the Charity Schools against Lying; An Exercise for these Schools, explaining the Nature of Confirmation; Orders to be observed by the Masters and Mistresses of these Schools; Prayers and Devotions to be used by the Children; The History of the Bible; An Earnest Exhortation to House-keepers, to set up the Worship of God in their Families; A Short Refutation of the principal Errors of the Church of Rome, &c.

They have also been at the Charge of printing Books in other Languages, as in the Malabaric, for the use of that People. And now at this time they are printing the Bible and Common Prayer in Welch, for the Benefit of the poor People and Children in Wales. The Proposal for doing it, having been recommended by the Society in their Circular Letter 1714, received such Encouragement, that an Impression of above 7000 Copies is now in hand with, and printing at the King's Printing-House, and wrought off as far as the Book of Job inclusive.

And together with the other Particulars of the good Progress of Religion in London, it may deserve a Place here, to mention what Reformation hath been of late made in singing of Psalms in our Churches. Which Protestants were ever exercised in, as one of the great Parts of their Publick Devotions; to extol and praise our Great Maker by the joint Voices of the whole Congregation. The Part of Service had been wont to be performed very undecently, by the Unskilfulness of some of the Common People: So that in the Assemblies there would be nothing but Discord in Singing, and instead of Harmony, Confusion; some singing in one Tune, and some in another, and some quite out of Tune; to the great Offence of the Devout Christian, and Dishonour of God. Insomuch that in some Churches, that Part of God's Service was thought convenient to be wholly laid aside, and no Psalms in Metre to be sung at all. Therefore to remedy this, Organs have been set up in many of the Churches, for directing those that sing, to keep Time and Tune. And Care hath been taken, that Masters skilled in singing have been procured in most Parishes to teach the Youth Gratis, and any others that were willing to learn, to sing tunable the several Tunes appropriated to those Psalms according to the Metre they are put into, and are printed and bound up at the End of our English Bibles. Whereby it is now come to pass, that there is a great Amendment generally in the Churches in that Respect; and much better Melody to the Glory of God.

Farther, in favour to the Clergy, whose proper Office it is to minister to, and assist the Peoples Devotions, in this City of London or Westminster, Commissioners for Augmentation of small Livings sit from time to time for the transacting this great Bounty of her late Gracious Majesty Q. Anne, granting her First-Fruits and Tenths for that good Use and Purpose. The Governours of this Noble Charity were, by the said Queen's Letters Patents, made a Corporation by the Name of The Governours of the Bounty of Queen Anne, for the Augmentation of the Maintenance of the Poor Clergy. It bore Date the 3d of November in the third Year of her Reign; and it was opened the 14th of December at the Prince's Lodgings. The Commissioners were many; and among the rest, the Lord Maior and Aldermen of London. The Lord Keeper was to issue out Writs of Enquiry, to find out the Value of the Livings in England and Wales of 80l. a Year and under; their Distances from London; and which of them were Market Towns, and which not. These Letters to be laid before the Commissioners, as capable of Augmentation.

The late Bishop of London, not long after, sent his Letters to the Rural Deans of his Diocese, (and to me among the rest, for the Deanry of Barking) to send him up the Names of such small Livings, and their true Values, within their several Deanries, and to return them in to this Commission.

What Progress is since made in this Royal Charitable Purpose, may appear by these Papers: Which were distributed to the Clergy by the present Bishop of London's Order, at the Archdeacon's Visitation at Rumford, April 27, 1714. The like, I suppose, dispersed in the other Dioceses by the respective Bishops.

1. THAT the Augmentations to be made by the said Corporation, shall be by the way of Purchase, and not by the way of Pension.

2. That the stated Sum to be allowed to each Cure which shall be augmented, be 200l. to be invested in a Purchase at the Expence of the Corporation.

3. That the Governours shall begin with augmenting those Cures that do not exceed the Value of 10l. per Annum; and shall augment no other till those have all received our Bounty of 200l. except in the Cases, and according to the Limitations hereafter named.

4. That in order to encourage Benefactions from others, and thereby the sooner to compleat the Good that was intended by our Bounty, the Governours may give the said Sum of 200l. to Cures not exceeding 35l. per Annum, where any Persons will give the same, or greater Sum, or Value in Lands or Tithes.

5. That the Governours shall every Year, between Christmas and Easter, cause the Account of