REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SOUTHERN

STATES

J. M. LITTLE, J. W. DAY, P. R. FROTHINGHAM, EMILY P. MORTON, EMMA N. DELANO, COMMITTEE.

The work of church extension in the South has proceeded for a number of years upon a well-defined and established policy. The limited resources of the Association do not permit of extensive field-work. The Çommittee has endeavored to hold certain strategic points of centres of influence, and to work out from these centres into the outlying districts. The points thus held are Richmond, Va., Charleston, S.C., Atlanta, Ga., Chattanooga, Tenn., Louisville, Ky., New Orleans, La., and Dallas, Tex. Of these societies those in Louisville and Charleston are self-supporting, that in Charleston through the aid derived from the noble endowment given the church by Alvah Gage, a former Vice-President of the Association. Each one of these societies enjoys the services of an able and self-forgetting minister.

It has been the policy of the Committee to encourage the settlement of young men of Southern birth and training; and the number of such men offering themselves for this service has increased of recent years. Each of the Southern churches maintains an associate membership by which persons living in the State, but too far away from the church for active membership, may associate themselves with the society.

The State Secretary for Louisiana has been active

in field-work, and has gathered groups of Unitarians in several towns and cities of the State. The State Secretary for Georgia has similarly visited neighboring cities, and keeps in touch with like-minded friends in Georgia and Alabama. In Texas the State Secretary is now engaged in planting a new society at Fort North. In Virginia the State Secretary, besides ministering to the society in Richmond, preaches in the afternoon for the little church at Highland Springs.

The Southern Missionary Council, consisting of all these State Secretaries, has met now for two consecutive years, and has proved its value in giving advice to this Committee in regard to the disposition of the small funds at their disposal. These funds have gone to help the payment of the salaries of the ministers at Atlanta, Chattanooga, New Orleans, and Dallas, to pay the salary of the minister at Richmond, and in a small measure to help the good work of the Alliance in North Carolina and Florida.

All of the enterprises under the charge of the Committee are in a fairly healthy condition. The church in New Orleans has, in particular, shown steady growth and renewed courage. The new church building, dedicated a year ago, has proved adequate and attractive. The society this year voluntarily decreased its subsidy, and next year expects to become entirely self-supporting, an example which other of our churches would do well to emulate.

The churches in Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Dallas, are all in better condition than ever before, and grow slowly, but steadily in numbers and resources. They gather a devoted and reliable band of people, and the patience, pluck, and persevering zeal of ministers and people is beyond praise. Special mention should be

made of the fact that the society in Chattanooga-a society which, even with the aid of the Association, can pay its minister only $800-gives the national work a larger contribution than many of the strong churches of the North.

The chief enterprise at present under the care of this Committee is at Richmond, Va., and nearly half of the money at the command of the Committee is devoted to this important mission. During the last year Rev. John L. Robinson, formerly of Brooklyn, Conn., has been commissioned to this field. Mr. Robinson is a Kentuckian by birth, and is deeply interested in the progress of the cause at the South. Richmond is the gateway of the Southland. We cannot expect that our cause will flourish in the South unless we are strong in Richmond. For a number of years our little society there has maintained a feeble existence, never quite dying, but always living at a dying rate. Mr. Robinson in his services the past winter has succeeded in adding to the numbers, developing resources, awakening courage, establishing confidence; and the time appears to have come at last when the Committee is justified in calling upon the churches of the Unitarian. fellowship to rally strongly to the support of this work. It is of no use to enter Richmond in too modest a fashion. It is a capital city, and contains many strong and beautiful churches. Our society must be handsomely housed, and must give evidence of stability and permanence, if it is to succeed. The Committee is doing all in its power by sustaining Mr. Robinson. It must look to the gifts of churches and individuals to provide the lot and building which it needs. It is to be hoped that in the course of the coming year enough money will be subscribed to buy a suitable lot and erect upon it