The annual meeting of this Society was held on Monday evening, 14 April 1851 at the Masonic Hall, which was completely filled by an audience that seemed to take the deepest interest in the proceedings.

The Rev. Ebenezer Collins was called to the Chair, and after a suitable prayer addressed those assembled to the following effect: - They were assembled to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the society. They ought to be thankful for the progress they had made, although it was not so satisfactory as it could have been wished. His intention was not to inflict a long speech upon them, but he could not pass by without notice of the events transpiring in their native land.

The present was the time for marshalling the Protestant forces in London, it was the period of the May meetings, doubly interesting at the present time, in connection with the momentous movements transpiring. At a late meeting in Melbourne, our Bishop wished that nothing should drop that might give offence to Catholicity. But there were times when every Protestant ought to speak out and show their colours, and Bible societies more especially, which have done so much to stop the progress of error and Popery. It was said in England that the Pope had issued his bull, and could not recall it, and the reply made was that he should not be allowed to go forward, and then he would be in what Jonathan would call 'a fix.'

Every corner of England was now in commotion, and those who had never thought of the subject before were pouring in loyal addresses to her Majesty. They say, "give a man a rope, and he will hang himself." Now the Pope had not hung himself, but he was in a state of suspension; his whole efforts in England were suspended.

He had marked the last five years, when there were but few persons in Geelong, - the Roman Catholics would go about saying, "we are all of one faith," and the Protestants had contributed to her chapels and churches. But the Protestants had been doing what? They had been what Mr. Bickersteth called 'bamboozled.' How can they, as Protestants, any longer support Roman Catholics, - how could Protestants subscribe to that which they protested against? He would not detain the Meeting, except to call upon it to show their brethren in England the feelings with which they as colonists regarded them.

The Rev. Andrew Love then read the Report of the Society, which he recommended, from its imperfect state, should not be submitted to the public.

The Rev. Speaker remarked, that in every portion of the world where Bible Societies had been placed, there was a gratifying increase. In France more especially the results were highly encouraging. In that country great opposition existed to the spread of the gospel, and especially to that class of men called 'colporteurs' who carried the bible and testament from door to door to sell them at every threshold. There was a variety of opposition too from other causes, France was overrun with infidelity, she had been so from that period which was emphatically called the revolution. To the spirit of infidelity had been added communism, and rationalism, and a variety of other "isms" all rising up in opposition to the word of God, but against all, the truth had advanced and error had succumbed.

But beyond all there was an opposition from those to whom allusion had been made by the last speaker. Amid all this infidelity, France felt that there was something wanting, she was in a state of confusion, and coldness reigned every where, and the . . (paper torn) . . forward and said you will . . never have an end to this confusion and discomfort except you throw yourself into the arms of the Church and of her priesthood. But despite of all, Bible Societies were progressing in France, especially among the soldiery who displayed considerable anxiety to obtain a knowledge of the word of God. He would conclude by recommending that the Report which he had just read should be received.

Moved by the Archdeacon of Geelong - "That the Report now read be adopted."

Seconded by Mr. John Myles.

The Rev. Archdeacon - Fully concurred with a preceding speaker, in thinking that there were times for Protestants to raise their voices against Rome and popery - and more that there were times when they were constrained to do so as they valued the positive truths of the Gospel, and were bound to maintain the principles which had been raised against the pretences of Rome.

It had been said by one, holding a very high position, that he felt more indignation than fear at the papal aggressions - he felt no indignation at all against the Bishop of Rome or his agent, but he entertained a great apprehension of Rome, which was emphatically and peculiarly wise in a worldly sense, and hence he would ask who and what were they who had enabled Rome to put herself in her present position in Great Britain? - there were two causes operating.

If the Bishop of Rome were a Christian Bishop faithful to his ministry, he was acting worthily in endeavouring to recover from error those who to him seemed to have gone astray - and if he be as some maintain the enemy of God, then he is only acting in that vocation as every reader of the Bible must expect to find him. No! - his indignation would turn from the wolf to the shepherd, who had slept whilst the fold was ravaged - he would turn from the ocean to the man who had broken down the ramparts and let the waters in - and so would he turn to those false friends of the English Church who had opened the door and beckoned Popery to enter, and then profess themselves unwilling to turn it out.

They had been told that the Pope had been led to take his present course through the Tractarian movement - it might have had something to do with it, but it never could have prepared the way. It was not Tractarianism that put down the scriptures in Ireland, and that had attempted it in the colonies. No! - there had been another leaven working in a 'so-called' liberality which held that there was so little difference between the truths professed by different religionists that no man could say where the truth lay. They seemed to be actuated by the same feeling as 'the man who told his master that he was going to be married to Jenny, but afterwards married Peggy, and then assigned, as a reason, that she had a cow more than Jenny, and there was not a cow of difference between any two women in the world.' (Laughter).

That feeling had characterised the enactments of the last twenty years, and Rome had been induced to come in, because of such latitudinarianism that had induced her to elevate her standard to gain England and rank her under her empire. England had fallen into the kindred errors of Tractarianism and latitudinarianism, and that had induced Rome to put forward claims that she never preferred in popish times, powers that the Norman refused - the Plantagenets defied, and which the Tudors wrung from the Papacy. Did Luther, Zuinglius, Calvin, Latimer - did they simply maintain the right to think for themselves? No! - they maintained the great doctrine of justification by faith in Christ, and not as in popery by good works and externals - that was the faith that was echoed by the champions of the reformation, and the oblivion into which those principles had fallen was blotting out the reformation, and was bringing Christian England to bow her neck to the yoke of Rome.

Moved by the Rev. Frederick Lewis - 2nd. "That this meeting regarding the Bible as the Word of life and the power of God unto sinners to Salvation, expresses its thankfulness to the Father of Mercies, for the greatly increased circulation of the Scriptures in so many different languages, throughout the world, during the past year."

Seconded by Mr. George Wright.

Moved by the Rev. Andrew Love - 3rd. "That it is the duty of the Christian world to send the Bible to the heathen, who are perishing for lack of knowledge, and this meeting accordingly pledges itself, to give a portion of its funds towards that end."

Seconded by the Rev. Ingham Moody. Messrs. Foster, Lloyd, McMillan and Myles to collect.

Moved by Mr. Lloyd - 4th. "That the Committee of Management for the ensuing year be composed of the following gentlemen, viz. -

Patron: The Lord Bishop of Melbourne.
President: The Rev. Andrew Love.
Treasurer: John Matheson, Esq.
Depositary: The Rev. Ebenezer Collins.
Committee: The Mayor of Geelong, Messrs. Champion, McMillan, Lloyd, Forster, Parker, Myles, Moody, Adams, Wright, T. Bray, J. Howell and Dr. Shaw.
Joint Secretaries: The Rev. Frederick Lewis, James G. Carr."

Seconded by Mr. Forster.

Moved by the Rev. Andrew Love - 5th. "Thanks to the President, &c., &c.," and the meeting dissolved.