in a population of 678. Average audience, about 60. Church members: male, 19; female, 30; total, 49; of whom 19 are absent, leaving but thirty resident members. Scholars in Sabbath school, 55. Mr. LeBosquet states: "Two were received to the church last Sabbath, one of them my youngest son." This is a hard field. Great opposition to evangelical truth prevails in it. "Spiritualism" is rife. The Sabbath greatly desecrated.

23. Merrimack, South.-A year ago Mr. C. M. DesIslets, student in the Princeton Seminary, was ministering to this church. During most of the winter it was supplied by the Secretary, who, in consequence of the sickness of his wife, who died in April, could not be for a long time away from his home. Since the last of April, Mr. D. K. Campbell, from the above named Seminary, has been our missionary here, serving the little church faithfully and acceptably. It is greatly reduced in numbers; only 2 male members remaining, and but 12 female. The meeting-house is situated in the corner of four towns, Amherst, Hollis, Nashua, and Merrimack, amidst a population that can be much better convened here than in the centers of their respective towns. Average congregation, 65. Sabbath school numbers 40. One hopeful conversion. Two dismissions from the church.

24. Meredith Village.-Rev. C. Burnham, our missionary here for some fifteen years, was dismissed from his pastoral relation to the church at his own request, May 1st. Since then, no preaching. Church and Society are about to enlarge their house of worship and make other extensive repairs. This church has been aided in the support of the gospel since 1815, fifty-six years. It is to be hoped they will henceforth sustain their own gospel ministry.

25. Milton Mills.-Rev. C. F. Page, our missionary in this place four years, left at the expiration of his commission in September last. As there is no Congregational church there, it is doubtful whether further aid will be solicited by the few Congregationalists remaining, in support of preaching of our order. Baptists-Calvanistic and Free-will-are the prevailing denominations in the village.

26. Newmarket, South.-This has been, and will be, in coming

time, the "Memorial Year" to this church. After much anxious thought and long continued consultation, in regard to enlargement of their house of worship, they have engaged in earnest in the enterprise to be shortly completed. In various ways they have raised more than $1,500 for the object, and will need to obtain $500 more for its completion. Mr. Bartlett writes: "The house has been raised so as to admit a vestry under it; moved back from the street and enlarged by the addition of more than half its former number of pews. We hope to get back into our house in the course of three or four weeks."

27. Newington. Mr. Davis reports; "The N. H. Missionary Society has aided in doing a good work in this place. The progress has been slow, scarcely perceptible, from one year to another, yet steady, and during the almost nine years I have occupied the field, marked, if we compare the present state of things with that existing at my coming here. On the whole, I think Congregationalism is growing in favor with this people, and the house of the Lord and ordinances of religion are more and more respected." Proof of this is seen in the resuscitation of the church formed in 1715-twice reduced to only two members, and these females-by aid of a council, Sept. 7, 1870. At this time 14 were added to the remaining members, making 16, with the addition of one since. "Occasional visits of members of the Young Men's Christian Association, of Portsmouth, have increased the interest in our prayer meetings and resulted in good."

28. Ossipee Center.-Rev. Mr. Hibbard closed his labors here the last of December, and has become our missionary at Wentworth. Mr. Jotham Sewall, of Fryeburg, Me., great grandson of "Father Jotham Sewall," the "Apostle of Maine," member of Union Theological Seminary, is now performing a mission of three months at Ossipee. Death and emigration have greatly reduced this church and society. With the latter only 25 families are connected, and 18 ratable polls. The church contains 19 males and 41 females, one third of whom are absentees, leaving but 40 resident members. Ossipee has a population of 2000. Beside the Congregational, there are three other evangelical churches in the town; in all of which attendance on

public worship is small. Our church there, though few in number and means, is sound in the faith, and still exerts, as it has done for nearly fifty years, a very salutary moral and religious influence on the surrounding community, and should be sustained.

29. Plainfield. Mr. J. W. Boal, of Princeton Seminary, was our missionary here a year since. Present incumbent, Mr. James B. Tyler, of the Theological Seminary, New-Haven, Conn. This church has become greatly reduced, having at this time but 5 male members, and 23 female; total, 28; of whom nine are non-resident. In a population of 1589 in the town, only 20 families are represented in the Congregational Society, and but 15 ratable polls. Great indifference to public worship prevails in the town, in which are three other religious societies, but thinly attended.

30. Roxbury.-Rev. H. H. Colburn closed his labors here April 1st, and has gone to Washington. At present the church has no regular preaching. Like many others, it has become greatly weakened by death and removals, embracing at the present time only 17 members, only 5 of whom are males. Entire population of the town but 174, a decrease of 32 since 1860. Two young men belonging to the church are in course of education for the ministry. The church edifice has been painted outside the past year. During Mr. Colburn's ministry of three years, the Sabbath audience averaged about 50, a much larger proportion to the whole population than resort to the sanctuary in most of our towns.

31. Seabrook, South.-Our missionary in this very hard, difficult field, Rev. William A. Rand, continues his energetic course in faith and hope, amid many and great discouragements. He says: "The past year has been full of results, and prospects were never better. We are hoping great things from the children who are now growing up. One very discouraging fact is the indifference of the people to improving the facilities for education. Not more than half the children of the place, containing some 500 people, attend school. We are now looking forward to agitation on the subject, and shall leave no method untried to secure our desires. A spirit of progress and im

provement is manifesting itself in many ways, giving great satisfaction to those who have the welfare of the place at heart. But the adversary is constantly exerting his power, and we meet constant opposition. We trust only in His strong arm whose right it is to rule." Average congregation, 150. Members of church, 28, of whom 16 are male. Sabbath school, 150.

32. Shelburne.-Mr. J. R. Atkins commenced his services in this town July 15, 1870. Months of labor performed, 1. Average attendance, 1.

33. Stoddard.-Mr. Rickett commenced his ministry in this town July 30, 1870. This is another of our decaying churches; greatly reduced in numbers and strength within a few years. Not strange, for the population of the town has diminished in the last decade from 944 to 667-difference 277. Missionary's salary, $500, of which $200 is from our Missionary Society. It is doubtful whether the church will long be able to have continuous preaching, even with missionary aid.

34. Washington.-Rev. Wm. Claggett, our missionary in this place in 1870, died early in August of that year. The church, after his decease, had but little preaching till May last, when Rev. H. H. Colburn, our missionary at Roxbury, several years, commenced service here. This church has become very feeble; only 3 male members, 17 female. But for one man it is very doubtful whether preaching would be maintained at all, as he gives about one third of all raised in the place for this purpose. In the town are 889 inhabitants. In the east part of it there is a small Baptist church. The Congregational church is the only one in the center, around which is a large portion of the people of the town, making it very desirable that the ordinances of the gospel be constantly maintained. Mr. Colburn writes: "We have got our Sabbath school and prayer meetings started. Religion is low here. I have begun to preach at one out place four miles off; been there once; had 50 hearers, most of whom go no where else. If I find encouragement, shall preach there once in two or three Sabbaths, at 5 o'clock P. M.

35. Wentworth. This church, after having sustained gospel ordinances several years, has come back again to our Missionary Society for aid in their support. Rev. D. S. Hibbard, three

years our missionary at Center Ossipee, under commission, began to labor at Wentworth January 1st, under favorable auspices. The church here, though small in numbers and means, is devoted, energetic, efficient; want to maintain public religious services on the Sabbath, when no preacher is present. Their semi-weekly prayer-meetings are well attended, not only by members of the church but by many others. Their interest and zeal in the cause of Christ is highly commendable and encouraging. The missionary writes: "Our Sabbath audiences average 81. Sabbath school in a flourishing condition."

36. Wilmot.-Mr. Tracy continues to work here in faith and patience. He reports: "There is nothing of special interest to report. Things are quiet and pleasant. I sow the good seed as well and as faithfully as I can, and hope it will spring up and bear fruit in abundance in due time. The congregation on the Sabbath give good attention to the preached word, and seem to be deeply interested."

The closest at

37. Wolfeborough, North.-Our missionary here is Mr. B. C. Henry, from the Princeton Seminary. His commission is for four months from May 1st. He states: "There is much more than usual interest among the people here. Meetings, I am told, are better attended than for many years. tention is paid to the preaching of the word, and not a little feeling manifested. Professing Christians seem to be awakening to new life, and quite a number of non-professors give evidence of the Spirit's influence on their hearts. Our prayermeetings are well attended. The Spirit of God has evidently been with us in the past weeks. There have been several cases of hopeful conversions during the past few months, which seem to be the prelude of a more abundant shower." Mr. Henry's communications show he is earnestly, prayerfully engaged in his mission work. Good must result. He has a congregation of about 90; a Sabbath school of 40. The church contains 2 males and 10 females.

38. West Stewartstown.-Rev. Munroe Allen, a Presbyterian minister from Canada, was commissioned to serve this church six months from April 1st. He, as all his predecessors found, finds this town and vicinity in which he labors a station hard of cultivation, from the great feebleness of the church in num