Exclusively of which, the following Books were sold at reduced prices to the Conductors of Sunday Schools, who had either received gratuitous assistance during the year, or were unwilling to draw on the funds of your Society:

The following Books have been granted gratuitously, and sold at reduced prices since the formation of the Society, (after deducting Books granted and subsequently returned to the Society,) viz:

28,871 Bibles,

234,939 Testaments,

112 Scripture Extracts, 580,242 Spelling-Books, No. 1, and No. 2,

163,755 Alphabets,

39,885 Freeman's Card for Adults,

2,899 of the Book of Hints for Conducting Sunday Schools; and the sum of £427 10s. 6d. Irish currency, has been expended in grants of money to the Schools, since the formation of the Society.*

From the foregoing statement it appears, that the total number of books granted and sold at your depository during the past year, amounts to SO,516-a number which exceeds the issue of any former year since the establishment of your Society. The number of Bibles sold within the last twelve months, exceeds the number sold during the year 1827 by 8022 copies, while your issues of Testaments, during the same period, as contrasted with those of the preceding year, present an increase of 2161 copies. Your Committee would observe, that after making ample allowance for the effect of the reduction which their predecessors made in the price of Bibles, from 1s. 8d. to 1s. as stated in your last Report, the increased demand for them is such, as to furnish abundant evidence of a growing desire on the part of Sunday scholars, to be possessed of the Sacred Volume entire. It also confirms the opinion expressed in the same Report, that the Schools connected with your Society were inadequately supplied with Bibles, and justifies the encouragement to purchase them, which a former Committee held out to Sunday scholars, by the abovementioned reduction in their price.

The increasing importance of your Society, as a medium for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, naturally leads your Committee to consider its peculiar adaptation to that purpose. The conductors of Sunday Schools are enabled by their local knowledge, to exercise a judicious discrimination in the distribution of

*The Society, in April, 1823, resolved to discontinue all grants of money to Schools.

NINETEENTH REPORT.

the books they receive from your Society, and as the scholars have the privilege of taking them to their respective homes, the treasures of divine truth are thus placed, during the week, within the reach of whole families.

STATE OF THE SCHOOLS.

At the commencement of the past year, the number of Schools in connexion with your Society, was

The number of Schools assisted during the past year, and not previously in connexion with your Society, was

The number of Schools reported as having been revived, during the past year, was

...

2117

263

17

2397

...

114

The number of Schools which have failed, or merged into other
Schools, was

...

2283

Making the total number of Schools in connexion with your Society, on 1st January, 1829 which are reported by the latest Returns, to be attended by 16,837 Gratuitous Teachers, and 185,490 Scholars.

The increase during the past year, (after deducting the Schools which have been discontinued,) is as follows:

In addition to the 2283 Schools above mentioned, there are about 80 Schools, the Conductors of which having funds sufficient to defray their own expenses, are only indebted to your Society for permission to purchase Books at reduced prices.

The following statement shows the number of Schools connected with your Society each year, (after deducting the Schools which have been discontinued) from its establishment in November,

The following enumeration of the dates at which the Schools were first established, taken from the Reports, and Memorials sent by their Conductors, proves the encouragement which the existence and influence of the Society have given to the establishment of new Schools:

5 Schools, (date of Establishment not returned to the Society.)

By which it appears, that since 1809, the year in which your Society commenced its operations, (and at which period not more than 73 Sunday Schools, as far as your Committee can learn, were in existence throughout Ireland,) three thousand and eighteen Schools have been established in connexion with your Society. It must, however, be remarked, that this number includes those Schools, which since their establishment have either been discontinued, or have merged into other Schools.

The increase of Schools, Scholars and Gratuitous Teachers in connexion with your Society in the several Provinces, having already been stated, your Committee will now proceed to lay before the Society a statement of the Schools, as it regards the several Counties in Ireland.

PROVINCE OF ULSTER.

The following statement exhibits the number of Schools, Scholars and Gratuitous Teachers in this Province in connexion with your Society, up to 1st January, 1829.

Your Committee are happy to observe, that the cause of Sunday School instruction in this Province, has generally advanced during the past year. In the Counties of Antrim and Down, there has been an increase, in the former, of 3,759, and in the latter, of 2,845 Scholars: each of the remaining Counties with the exception of Tyrone, where there is a small diminution in Scholars and Teachers, also presents some increase.

Your Committee have to announce the opening of a Depository in BELFAST, under the superintendence of Mr. M'COMB, Bookseller, for the sale and distribution of your Society's Books. The difficulties which many of the Conductors of Sunday Schools in this part of the country, experienced in procuring your Books from Dublin, suggested the expediency of this measure, which your Committee trust, will afford facility to the numerous Schools connected with your Society in Ulster, in procuring Books gratuitously and at reduced prices.

Your Committee have to report the increase of Sunday School Unions in this Province-a circumstance which, considering the tendency of these Institutions to animate the zeal, and to give efficiency to the exertions of the friends of your cause, your Committee have regarded with much satisfaction.

The increase in this Province during the last year, as it regards your Society, has been 118 Schools, 9089 Scholars and 815 Teachers.

PROVINCE OF LEINSTER.

The following statement exhibits the number of Schools, Scholars and Gratuitous Teachers in this Province, in connexion with your Society, up to 1st January, 1829.

Your Committee have to observe, that the general state of this Province with respect to Sunday School Instruction, has remained almost stationary during the past year. Wicklow still continues to hold the highest place-Dublin and the Queen's County present the largest increase during the past year. The

progress of your cause in most of the remaining Counties has been inconsiderable, while in some of them, your Committee have to regret a small diminution.

Your Committee have to report their appointment of a Local Agent for the City and County of Dublin, by whose exertions they anticipate the general establishment of Parochial Associations, the excellent effects of which have been already experienced in the City of Cork. Although but two months have elapsed since this appointment, an Association has been formed in St. Mary's Parish, with the zealous co-operation of the Clergymen of the Parish, and many of the respectable Parishioners. The Committee of this Association have divided the Parish into Districts, under the charge of separate Visiters, whose duty it is to go through their respective Districts, and to encourage the Poor to avail themselves of the advantages of Sunday School Instruction. The Visiters are furnished with Returns which they are requested to fill up, and which are calculated to afford such information, as will enable the Association to form a correct estimate of the wants of the Poor in regard to Scriptural Education-and your Committee with pleasure report, that already 5 Schools have been opened within this Parish, and 150 Adults have been brought under the influence of Sunday School Instruction. Your Committee cannot pass from the consideration of this Province, without expressing their earnest hope, that at no distant period, well organized Sunday School Associations will be found in general operation throughout the Metropolis.

The increase in this Province as it regards your Society, has been 13 Schools, 1177 Scholars, and 190 Teachers.

PROVINCE OF CONNAUGHT.

The following statement exhibits the number of Schools, Scholars and Gratuitous Teachers in this Province, in connexion with your Society, up to 1st January, 1829.

The cause of your Society has made but little progress in this Province during the past year-only 5 Schools and 171 Scholars have been added to those previously on your lists, while there has been a diminution of 5 in the number of Gratuitous Teachers.