The Chicago Society has purchased a lot for the North Mission, which, with the temple upon it, cost about seven thousand dollars. It has also purchased another lot for the South Mission, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The Free Church, or South Mission Temple, heretofore owned by Mr. Scammon, has been presented by him to the society. The society has also fitted up the lecture-room in the basement of the Temple on Adams Street, as library and reading-room, and New Church book-store, and, for the present, Mr. C. E. Tuerk is in charge of it, under the direction of a Board of three directors appointed by the Society. The stock of books for the last two years kept for sale by Mr. Scammon, has been purchased, and removed to the room in the basement of the temple. This room is kept open day and evening, free to all who choose to make use of it.

All the ministers of the Association have performed some ministerial work, though several of them have no regular charge, and derive their support mainly from secular business.

Rev. Mr. Hibbard has preached at the temple in Chicago alternate Sabbath mornings, when his duties as Superintendent of the Association, or of the general missionary work, has not called him from the city. Intervening Sabbath mornings he has preached at Hyde Park, or Norwood, in the suburbs, and occasionally in the afternoon or evening, at the North or South Mission.

Rev. Mr. Noble, since October last, has been engaged as minister, and has preached alternately at the temple and Hyde Park on Sabbath mornings, and at the South mission Sabbath evenings, with the exception of a visit to Batavia; and during Mr. Hibbard's absence from Chicago, he has preached at the temple instead of Hyde Park.

Rev. Mr. Ragatz has withdrawn his services from the Chicago German Society, but preaches and administers the sacraments to the Germans, quarterly, at the South Mission. Rev. Mr. Herrick preaches, or holds religious services and conversation, on most Sabbaths, or Sabbath evenings, at the House of Refuge, sometimes at the Bridewell. His services there seem to be very acceptable and useful. Rev. Mr. Goodner, though still residing in Chicago, preaches every third Sabbath at Wilmington, Ill., and during the year has visited Laporte, Indiana, and Joliet, Mt. Carroll, and Batavia, Ill., as missionary.

Rev. Geo. N. Smith, since September last, has been preaching for the Peoria Society. Rev. J. H. Williams preaches to the society in Homer, Iowa, but derives his support mostly from secular business.

Rev. G. Busmann preaches at Blairstown, Iowa, and in surrounding places, on the Sabbath, deriving his support mainly from his farm.

Rev. Mr. Edmiston still resides at Henry, Ill., and is engaged wholly in the work of the ministry, dividing his time between Henry, Canton, Prairie City, and Elmore, and occasionally visiting other places.

Rev. Cyrus Scammon preaches regularly to the Society at Janesville,

Wis., and visits Jefferson once a quarter, to administer the Sacraments. He also preaches occasionally in neighboring localities.

Rev. H. N. Strong has withdrawn from the Church, and declares that he is a Universalist.

The Association contributes two hundred dollars to the uses of the Convention.

CHICAGO, June, 1871.

JOHN R. HIBBARD, Superintendent.

REPORT OF THE MAINE ASSOCIATION.

This Association now consists only of the societies in the State of Maine, those in New Hampshire having formally withdrawn at the last meeting of our Association, and become connected with the Massachusetts Association. There are only four (4) societies3-one in Portland, one in Bath, one in Gardiner, and one in Bangor. No public services are held in Bangor, and only a portion of the time in Gardiner. Mr. Stearns, the missionary of the Association, has preached in Gardiner several weeks the past year, in the proportion of their contribution to his support. They are also at present considering the question of building a new temple in Gardiner, and probably will soon build one, though possibly not the coming season. There are, of late, more signs of interest and activity in the Church in Gardiner than for some time previously.

In Portland the Church has been laboring with increasing activity the past year. The society maintains the weekly Tuesday evening meeting, the regular worship on Sabbath morning, and the Sacraments quarterly, and the Sabbath-school at the close of the morning worship. There have been no Sabbath evening lectures the past year except in the vestry, by Dr. Sylvester. The Society in Portland has been gradually decreasing its debt. The last year it has reduced it one thousand dollars. In 1868 the debt was $18,000; it is now reduced to $12,500. And general good feeling and animation are reported to exist in the congregation.

Since the last meeting of the Convention, the society in Bath has enlarged, altered, and greatly improved their Temple. In fact, as to the interior, it has been entirely made new; it is now a beautiful house. It contains sixty-six pews and six front seats, making the equivalent of seventy-two pews. A very large portion of these are rented. On the first of January last, this society began to adopt the practice of collecting weekly offerings for the support of public worship. These offerings are received immediately before the sermon, at the close of the morning worship. So far, this plan is proving very satisfactory to the society.

A course of Sabbath evening lectures has been given the past winter and spring, in the Temple. The audiences were constantly large and attentive. A consecutive series of subjects on the resurrection, judgment, spiritual world, second advent, etc., was discussed; far the larger portion of the audience was made up of strangers. Rev. George F. Stearns, living

now in Richmond, and at present preaching there, has been actively employed during the whole year in performing missionary work in different parts of the State. He has everywhere been well received, and been greatly encouraged with his success. He has visited nearly every section of the State, and preached a large number of discourses, to good audiences always frequently to large audiences.

Rev. W. B. Hayden gave three lectures lately in Brunswick, where Bowdoin College is located. Last summer the pastor of the Bath Society visited North Monmouth, Rockland, Ellsworth, and other places, giving two or three discourses in each place.

On the whole, it is believed that there has been a good degree of activity and growth in the Church, and the operations of the Church, the past year, within the limits of the Maine Association. We have good reason to be thankful to the Lord for what He has enabled us to accomplish. We pray for more zeal, more grace, and more strength, that through our Lord we may do more, and better, in future.

There are three ministers in the Association, Rev. S. F. Dike, Bath, Ordaining Minister and President; Rev. W. B. Hayden, Pastor in Portland; Rev. George F. Stearns, Richmond, Missionary, and Dr. S. E. Sylvester, Woodsford's Corner, near Portland, Licentiate.

Report of the Ordaining Minister of the Maine Association.—I have licensed Dr. S. E. Sylvester, during the past year, to preach the doctrines of the Church, for a period of one year.

SAMUEL F. DIKE.

THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION.

We have no change to report in the number of societies in connection with this Association. Their condition is shown by the annexed table:

Report of the Maryland Association for the Year ending May 1, 1871.

The ministers of the Association are, Jabez Fox, Arthur O. Brickman, Willard G. Day, Willard H. Hinkley, John Ward Hunt, and Edward P. Walton. The last named was ordained by the Rev. Chauncey Giles, on the recommendation of the Association, at its meeting in the City of Washington on Sunday, October 30, 1870. The only Licentiate is Mr. Philip B. Cabell, of Warminster, Va. The ministers have occupied nearly the same fields of labor as reported last year. The Rev. Jabez Fox has been engaged almost exclusively in Washington. The Rev. Mr. Brickman has labored among the Germans and Americans, spending about three months, in the winter, preaching to the Society in Ludlow Street, New York. He has also preached in several places in the West, and within the last three months and a half has been engaged in Texas and Louisiana. His ministerial connection with the First German Society of Baltimore ceased in November last, but he ministers at stated periods to the First Society. He has, during last year, also edited the "Bote," now in its sixteenth year, and also composed and printed two important works in the German language, which have been favorably mentioned in the New Jerusalem Messenger. The Rev. Mr. Day has been engaged by the Third Society of Baltimore for about nine months in the year, and has performed some missionary labor. The Rev. Mr. Hinkley has attended to his duties as pastor of the Wilmington Society, and has edited and conducted the Little Messenger. On the first of March, he accepted the position of manager of a New Church Book-room in Philadelphia, which was opened shortly after that date. This engagement will not affect his relations to this Association, or to the Wilmington Society. The Rev. Mr. Hunt has preached in Anne Arundel County, at his own house, and once a month to the First Society of Baltimore. Nearly all the missionary work of the Association has been performed by the Rev. Mr. Walton, who has preached in Nelson County, Lewisburg, Abingdon, Va., and one or two other places. On the first of

February last he entered upon an engagement to perform missionary labor for five months, for the Georgia Association. After the thirtieth of June he expects to return to Virginia, and will probably renew his efforts in Abingdon. We regret our inability to afford Mr. Walton a support for the whole time he is able to devote to missionary labor. Our societies are small, and unable to fully support their own pastors, but they all contribute to the funds of the Association, and we shall continue to do all we can for the missionary cause. Some New Church friends in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville, subscribed $300 last winter to aid the Rev. Mr. Walton in his work in Virginia. Mr. Philip B. Cabell has continued to act as Leader in worship for the Warminister Society, but has preached only a few times. As one of the signs of progress in an Association, we may mention that a New Church Union has been formed in Washington, the object of which is to sustain a book-room for the sale of New Church books, a readingroom, and a public library. A room has been opened on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the enterprise promises to be successful. In connection therewith, and to further the interests of the Union and the Church generally in Washington, a small folio newspaper, called "Good Tidings," has been issued monthly since the first of March. The subscription price is 25 cents per annum. Mr. John Hitz is President of the Union, and Dr. C. E. Prentiss Secretary. Steps have been taken in Baltimore to establish a book-room in that city upon a similar plan. In April last a meeting of Sunday-school teachers was held in Baltimore, and a Sunday-school Association was formed, to be composed of teachers and others belonging to the society, in connection with the Maryland Association. It is hoped that this new body will be the means of strengthening our Sunday-schools, and aiding the teachers in acquiring a correct knowledge of the doctrines of the New Church, and of the proper methods of instruction. All of our societies are fully alive to the importance of Sunday-school work, and the schools are increasing in numbers, and the teachers growing more proficient, and more earnest and faithful every year.

WILLARD H. HINKLEY, Presiding Minister.

C. A. E. SPAMER, Recording Secretary.

WILMINGTON, May 29, 1871.