besides raising up pastors for our starving churches. The last winter it furnished pious instructers for more than 1000 children and youth; and a very considerable number of hopeful conversions took place under their labors. About 14 Sabbath Schools are now conducted by as many students, in the vicinity of Bangor, containing from 30 to 50 scholars each.

Among the objects of special attention and effort with churches in different parts of the State, is the cause of Temperance. Never has so much been attempted to diminish the use of distilled liquors, and never with such success. We dare not say in what ratio the use of strong drink has been diminished; but it is so great, that in view of it, we cannot forbear exclaiming, "It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes!" In this work hundreds and thousands have co-operated, who are not connected with the church.

Never too has so much been felt and done in regard to the duty of supplying with the Word of God, those families who are destitute of the precious treasure. In a majority of the Counties has the resolution been adopted to provide the supply; and measures are in operation, which, with the blessing of God, will realize the accomplishment of the holy purpose.

More has been done for the circulation of religious tracts, than in any former year. Sabbath school and Bible class instruction have also received increased attention, and been followed with auspicious results. And besides those charities and efforts, which contemplate the welfare of our own community, it is believed there has been no diminution of feeling and exertion for those, who are ignorant of a Savior in the ends of the earth, and afar off upon the sea.

A Mariner's Church, a costly and spacious edifice, is now rising in our principal seaport, at which the means for sci

entific and religious instruction, will be provided for that interesting and important class of citizens; who go down to the sea in ships, and do business on the great waters.

The defective returns from our churches exhibit a little less than 8000 members; and the additions for the year, not far from 900. On the supposition that four fifths of the communicants in the Congregational churches of Maine are connected with the different County Conferences, which is probably very near the fact, our churches contain but about 10,000 members. And "what are these among so many?" What are 10,000, among a population of 300,000 or 400,000? A little band indeed-in the proportion of 1 to 30 or 40! Suppose other denominations, who hold the Head, to number collectively twice as many as ours, the proportion of professors of religion, to the whole population, will be about as 1 to 10 or 13. Or if we double the number, they are still as a grain of mustard seed—a little leaven, which needs to possess powerful and active virtue, in order to leaven the whole mass.

The smallness of our number, as well as our poverty and dispersed condition, will charitably account to our brethren in other portions of the country, for the little which we have accomplished in helping forward the benevolent operations of the day. We cannot if we would, raise our $100,000 on a pressing emergency. We are obliged from the necessity of our circumstances, to act on a humble scale. But our very poverty and weakness, furnish in themselves the strongest possible motive to exertion. They show the necessity of putting forth our utmost efforts, that the "little one may become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation." Means are in operation, which, with God's blessing, will produce this result. According to the returns which have been received, our churches, during the year, have gained more than one tenth; and the converting grace of God has pre

pared others to come within her pale, whom she will shortly welcome to her bosom and privileges, in such numbers, as to render that gain equal to at least one sixth of their whole number. If these smiles of the Great Head of the Church, on the prayers and exertions of his children, should be continued, the amazing disproportion between the church and the world will be annihilated. Our city will not sit solitary, but be full of people. Our Conference system is admirably adapted to promote "a consummation so devoutly to be wished." Let its spirit never degenerate, or its object be perverted. Let us promote it with continually growing zeal. Let us be provoked to emulation by our brethren in sister States, who, though later than us in adopting the Conference system, have equal cause to thank God for its success, and are laboring, perhaps more abundantly, in this profitable and delightful way of doing good. Let us strengthen ourselves in the Lord, and work; and thus escape the application, in reference to the Conference system, of the words, There are last which shall be first; and there are first which shall be last.

The Delegation from, the General Association of NewHampshire, brought glad tidings from that portion of the Lord's heritage. During the year previous to the last meeting of the Association, more than 40 towns had been visited with the special effusions of the Holy Spirit; more than a thousand new members added to the churches, and as many more hopefully converted to God; and many others were inquiring what they should do to be saved. The cause of the Bible, of Domestic Missions, of Sabbath Schools and Bible Classes, of Tracts, and of Temperance, are gaining rapidly, promoting the intelligence, and improving the morals of the citizens. Depositories of Tracts have been established in Portsmouth, Exeter, Concord and Keene. The first considerable effort in the cause of Temperance in this

State, was made at Lyme, January, 1827; at which time Mr. Kittredge delivered his address, copies of which have been multiplied to such an unparalleled extent, and which has done so much to affect public opinion on this subjectThis body contains 138 churches, 94 pastors, and 17 candidates and ministers without a pastoral charge.

From the General Convention of Congregational and Presbyterian ministers in Vermout, similar cheering intelligence was communicated by their Representative. Not a few of their churches are enjoying a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. God has employed various means for arresting attention to the concerns of the soul. Bible Classes have been specially blessed. Connected with this body are about 170 churches. The whole number of ministers, including licentiates who labor principally in that State, is not far from 130.

From the General Association of Massachusetts we learn that there are at the present time, or recently have been, revivals of religion more or less extensive in all the District Associations. It is believed that no year, since the days of our fathers, has been so prosperous to Zion in the land of the Pilgrims, as the last. There seems to be a resurrection of the spirit of those holy men, who prayed, and wept, and labored in the cause of truth and righteousness. In the eastern section of their bounds, not only a generation, but generations have come to the sacred altars, and entered the consecrated places, who have excluded the Saviour, and the atonement in which their fathers believed and trusted. But God, by the effusions of his Spirit, is causing the departed glory to return. These revivals are marked with increasing evidence that they are from God, both in the noiseless solemnity of their progress, and their unwithering fruits.The benevolent institutions of the day are cheerfully and systematically sustained in the churches; and by these char

ities a strong bond of union is formed among them. The revival which has been advancing in Boston for more than two years, is still in progress. The result has been the establishment of many evangelical churches in and about the city. In all the congregations, two only excepted, of Berkshire Association, a season of the special favor of God has been enjoyed; and upwards of 1700 persons have indulged hopes of reconciliation to God. The General Association of Massachusetts embraces 18 district Associations of Evangelical ministers; 207 ministers of the Gospel; 240 churchand about 44,646 communicants. There are about 40 Evangelical churches destitute of settled pastors. There are two respectable Associations of Evangelical ministers within the Commonwealth, not connected with the General Association.

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The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church is spread over most of the United States; and while it laments the existence of many evils, as gaming, profaneness, intemperance, sabbath breaking, theatrical exhibitions, and the like, which they are compelled to witness in common with their brethren belonging to other ecclesiastical bodies, they are still able to report a very encouraging progress of religion, and to specify more than 120 places, in which the gospel has been eminently clothed with a divine power, to awaken, melt and renew the hearts of sinners. Some of the mutes in the Asylum of Deaf and Dumb in Danville, are numbered among the hopeful subjects of renewing grace. At the missionary stations within the bounds of the Presbytery of Buffaloe, the Holy Spirit has in a remarkable manner stirred up the hearts of the heathen to seek the Lord, and more than 40 of these children of the forest have been united with the church. This branch of the church has made very rapid advances, the last year, in almost every benevolent work, particularly in aiding the cause of foreign