REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN

THE Librarian submits the following report:

The Association library during the past eighteen months has been overhauled and enlarged. It is our purpose to place in the library a copy of every book relating directly or indirectly to the history and character of the Unitarian movement, and to equip it with a reasonable number of works of reference. To this end gifts of books and manuscripts have been solicited, and a considerable number of volumes have been received. To this end also an attempt has been made to place in the library a history of every Unitarian society in this country and in Canada. At least one letter asking for such a history has been addressed to each of our societies, and to some societies as many as a dozen letters have been sent. As a result of this solicitation the library now contains the records of 233 parishes, located in 190 towns and represented by some 450 different works, of which 52 are bound volumes, 344 are pamphlets, and 66 are manuscript histories prepared especially for this collection. A detailed statement accompanying this report gives the complete list of the recently added books and pamphlets. The library has been partly recatalogued, there being now in our index 2,400 cards.

The Librarian laments the entire inadequacy of these figures to represent the interest and importance of this work. The histories submitted show the devotion and self-sacrifice, the saintly purpose and long, patient endeavor, which

stone, but of consecrated lives. The Librarian carnestly believes that the preparation of these parish histories and the encouragement to accurate historical records throughout all our societies are of importance. Not only do these records chronicle the chief events of the passing years and save for future students of our history valuable statements which otherwise would be lost, but they stimulate in our churches a consciousness that they are not isolated and lonely groups of people widely scattered over the continent, but that they are parts of a great movement which earnestly strives to be worthy the name of a catholic church. The considerable result already attained has been due to the very hearty co-operation of many earnest Unitarian workers, too numerous to be mentioned by name, but to whom the Association library and the whole body of Unitarians owe a debt of gratitude. With their co-operation the first step has been taken toward the collection of a library worthy of our national Unitarian Association. Without funds, with only a very small appropriation to pay the cost of cataloguing, we have begun a sufficient reference library of Unitarian literature and a historical library which ultimately will include a complete history of every Unitarian church in this country, in England, and it may be in the world.

To the end that this work may be furthered as rapidly and as far as possible, your Librarian recommends that an appropriation be given each year to meet the expense of cataloguing the books and manuscripts sent in, and that every effort be made to arouse throughout our whole Unitarian body a hearty response to the needs of the Association library.

LOUIS C. CORNISH,

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE
CHURCH BUILDING LOAN FUND

THE Trustees of the Church Building Loan Fund submit the following report for the year ending April 30,

1902:

The capital of the fund now amounts to more than $140,000.

Loans have been voted as follows during the year:

The Trustees were asked by the Directors of the American Unitarian Association "to consider what modifications, if any, in the rules governing the administration of the fund are possible or desirable"; and they have given the subject careful consideration, but have not as yet reached any decision as to a recommendation.

file applications for loans which have been approved by the Standing Committee, but which could not be granted on account of lack of funds in the treasury. By far the greater number of societies are prompt in paying instalments as they become due. If all instalments were so paid, applications could be acted upon with less delay, and the purpose of the fund would be more completely carried out. Societies should remember that tardiness in repayment causes hardship to others, and really amounts to a forced loan from some other society which could use the money to advantage.

An important question which has occupied the attention. of the board this year has been the unbusinesslike view of their obligations taken by several of the borrowers and especially by the guarantors of the notes. Under the rules prescribed for the administration of the fund every loan must be secured by a first mortgage on the church property, and must also be guaranteed by several, usually six, persons of means who are interested in the society; and the Trustees are enjoined in every case to take legal measures to enforce the payment of the loan as it falls due. Probably owing to the fact that the principal is payable in instalments and that no interest is charged, except on overdue payments, some of the borrowers seem to regard the loan more or less as a missionary grant; and if when more than one instalment is in arrears, or the balance of the note is overdue, any serious pressure is brought to bear on the society or on the guarantors to recover the just debt, letters are written to the officers of the American Unitarian Association and others, crying out against the hardship of compelling the society and the guarantors to act in accordance with their explicit written

have been such as to offer to the Trustees the alternative of losing the amount due or breaking up the society.

The only improvement we can suggest is that in future, before signing the agreement, borrowers and guarantors alike should consider more carefully what obligations they are incurring, and should expect to observe their engagements to the Loan Fund as to any other creditors.

WILLIAM TAGGARD PIPER,

Secretary of the Trustees of the Church Building Loan Fund.