Previously to Oct. 9, 1816, a hundred and forty six members had paid their annual subscription, amounting to To which are to be added 12 life subscribers, of whom Nine subscribed $100 each, amounting to 900 00 One $898 00 One One 200 00 300 00 1000 00 $2400 00 DONATIONS by Public Contribution in Second Education Cent Society in Newbury Port 34 53 16 77 Female Aux. Educ. & Miss. Soc. Newbury Port 102 00 By several Gentlemen, not exceeding $10 each 127 00 155 50 637 50 Aggregate of sums, subscribed and given for immediate use pre viously to Oct. 9, 1816. By one hundred and forty six annual subscriptions By one life subscription By seven Public contributions By two Auxiliary Societies of men By nine Female Societies By individual Gentlemen, known and unknown 898 00 100 00 326 66 386 00 285 22 637 50 436 26 Amounting to $3069 64 Relying on this sum, at different times received, the Directors have placed on the funds of the Society several indigent young men, to whom have been granted the following sums, viz. 1816. March 5 To 4 Students in the 2d stage of education } 350 00 April 10. July 10. To the preceding account it seems proper to add a brief statement of the success of the Rev. John Keep, who has been employed eight weeks of the last summer, as an Agent, to solicit subscriptions &c. in Berkshire, Hampshire, and Hampden; during which time he visited more than half the towns in those counties. "Good people," he says, "when the object has been explained to them, have generally felt prepared to act ;" and, notwithstanding the extreme scarcity of money in that region, he collected by public contribution and personal donation the sums following, viz, Mr. Keep adds, "Berkshire county, if the auxiliary Societies maintain the zeal, with which they have commenced, will raise annually $1200, and it is hoped more." In the county of Norfolk has been formed and organized a Society by the name of the "Norfolk Auxiliary Society" &c. of which the Hon. Edward H. Robbins is President. This Society has already collected and paid into the treasury of the Parent Society $355, and it is expected this sum will be doubled in a short time. County Societies, auxiliary to the Parent Society, it is expected, will soon be established in Essex and Middlesex.* From the communications, made by Mr. Kingsbury, our Agent of Inquiry for a few weeks in the middle States, it is evident, that the literary, moral, and religious condition of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia is more deplorable, than has been as yet imagined; and that the want of good schoolmasters and mistresses is as great, as that of ministers and missionaries. From these important communications both the necessity and utility of thoroughly exploring every part of our country in a literary and religious view are confirmed. For, it is taken for granted, that nothing is necessary to excite the attention and action of the * Since this report was made this expectation has been realized; and, at the organization of the "Essex Auxiliary Society," after sermon by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Dana, eighty six dollars and forty four cents were collected for the use of the Parent Society. + To instance only in Maryland, which in 1810 contained 380,546 souls. From Mr. Kingsbury's communications it appears, that instead of 145 regularly educated ministers, which in a recent public estimate it was supposed there might be in that State, Maryland does not contain, exclusively of catholics, more than 35 such ministers.—With respect to schools, he says there is no provision made by law for their support in Maryland. There are in this State a few subscription schools from five to twelve, and in some places fifteen or twenty miles asunder. "As might be expected," he adds "the result is, one fourth part of the white families in the country have not an indivdual belonging to them, that can read, and probably not one in fifty of the blacks."-"Schoolmasters of common education would be extremely useful, and receive a decent support. I daily see more and more the importance of early education, and the great want of it in this country. Hundreds of pious school teachers might be employed in this part of the country. With many piety would be a recommendation. It is a great complaint here, that school teachers are drunkards." Christian public, but a conviction, founded on well authenticated facts, of the real condition of almost every section in this vastly extended country, in which for fifty years past the population has so far outstripped all means of instruction, literary and religious. In this connexion your Committee feel themselves compelled to give it, as their sober and decided opinion, that, as no species of knowledge is so necessary and interesting to the American Philosopher, Statesman, Patriot, and Christian, as a knowledge of the real condition of the inhabitants of this country with reference to the means of mental and moral culture; so a few thousand dollars could in no other way be so usefully expended, as in supporting a competent number of qualified Agents in collecting materials, necessary to form statistical tables, exhibiting a just view of the literary and moral state of our country; a view, which could not fail to affect every heart, that is not made of adamant, and to open every hand, that is not clenched by avarice, the most baleful, Till such a view is exhibited, it is doubted, whether it be possible to procure an adequate remedy for an evil, at once so radical and universal, and yet so latent. The disease must be believed to exist, before a physician, or a cure will be sought. But to return from this digression, if it be one. Though so much has not been effected by this infant Society, as pious benevolence might wish, or as sanguine zeal might expect; yet, when it is recollected, that eleven months have not elapsed, since its organization; and that, in addition to the permanent fund, more than $4000 have been collected for immediate use; by which 40 young men of hopeful piety, belonging to different States between Nova Scotia and the Missisippi Territory, have already been assisted, and are now, in different stages and seats of learning, prosecuting their studies with a sole view to the gospel ministry; the friends of Zion and of this Society, so far from being discouraged, must feel that they have great cause to give thanks and rejoice, that so much has been done in this holy cause, and that God has put it into the hearts of so many to subscribe with their hands, and to offer so willingly and liberally to this work of the Lord; and especially, that so many of those, whom |