SECOND ANNUAL REPORT.

THE Executive Committee meet the American Temperance Society on its second anniversary, with an offering of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, for the continued smiles of his Providence on the great and good cause in which we are engaged.

Agents and Agencies.

In continuation of the measures described in their former Report, your Committee, on the 14th of Nov. 1827, appointed the REV. NATHANIEL HEWIT, the General Agent of the Society, for the term of three years. With the consent and approbation of the Church and Society in Fairfield, Ct. of which he was the Pastor, he was on the 18th of December following, regularly dismissed from that office by the Consociation of the Western District of Fairfield County; and he commenced his labours in our service on the 1st of January, 1828. From the Report of his agency made to your committee, it appears that during the last year he travelled 3813 miles and preached 120 times; he also prepared the first annual report for publication, conducted the correspondence, and superintended the general concerns of the Society. The amount of donations and subscriptions which he obtained is, in cash $1584,93, and $328, which remain unpaid;-total $1782,93. The salary and travelling expenses of the General Agent are $1169,30. The printing and stitching of 3000 copies of the First Annual Report, Stationary, blank-books, postage, counterfeit money, and contingencies connected with the office of the General Agent amount to $415,66.

In the early part of the month of May, the REV. Joshua LeaVITT of Stratford, Ct. was appointed an Agent for the period of four months. From his report, it appears that he visited thirteen towns in Connecticut and eight in Massachusetts; preached twenty four times, and obtained donations and subscriptions in cash to the amount of $307,84, and $50,00 not yet paid ;total $357,84. Owing to sickness in his family, Mr. Leavitt was prevented in the summer, from completing the term of his

engagement, having been but fifty four days actively employed; and when he was about to resume his services in the autumn, he was called to the office of Secretary of the Seaman's Friend Society, located in the city of New York. On account of the exigencies of that benevolent and important institution, whose interests Mr L. is eminently qualified to advance, it was deemed to be his duty to resign the commission which he had received from your Committee, before he had completed his engagement.

No other agencies for the collection of funds have been performed during the last year. The Treasurer's Report shews that the permanent fund for the support of a Secretary is not completed. Your Committee regret that distrust of permanent funds indiscriminately is entertained by benevolent men in great numbers, and this too by persons of intelligence and wisdom. To this cause is to be attributed the failure of our attempts to fill up the fund the past year; as we confidently hoped would have been done without difficulty. Our time and limits will not permit us to investigate the subject involved in the question. We cheerfully concede to our brethren the liberty of bestowing their bounty in their own way. Moreover, in an enterprise like that of this Society, where the attainment of its objects requires the approbation and support of every moral and pious man, we ought to yield our own judgement on smaller points, to the opinion and choice of the benevolent public. This course we would now recommend to the Society, if we were not fully persuaded that the benefits arising from a permanent fund in this case, will be found by experience to be such, as will reconcile our friends to the plan we have adopted.

The state of the fund on the 31st of December, 1828, according to the Treasurer's Report, is as follows:

Note. There are several subscriptions received by the Agent in his late tour, which were not received in season to insert in this

account.

The REV. HENRY DWIGHT of Geneva, N. Y. applied to your

Committee, in May last, for a commission to Mr. DANIEL C. AXTELL, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Ontario; which was granted accordingly. The field of labour assigned him, was the Western Counties of the State of New York. His salary and travelling expenses were paid by a benevolent individual in the village of Geneva. Mr. Axtell's report of his agency, extending to four months, is recieved; from which it is evident that he has performed his mission with great ability, diligence, and success. His commission was renewed in October; and he is now prosecuting his labours in that region, and at the expense of the Gentleman above mentioned.

The Auxiliary Temperance Society of Hampshire county, Mass. which was formed at Northampton in May last, requested the REV. Dr. Woodbridge of Hadley, to visit the towns in that county in their behalf, and wherever practicable to organize Branch-Societies. This service he cheerfully performed, and with the most encouraging success. In compliance with our request he has furnished us with an account of his mission. Extracts from which and from the reports of our agents are embodied in the subsequent statements of the progress and present state of the Temperance Reformation.

Temperance Societies.

Two hundred and twenty two Temperance Societies are already formed, whose titles and locations are known. Five of these are State Societies (exclusive of that in Massachusetts, which was formed many years since, and of which mention was made in our first Report,) viz. New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Illinois. There was also one formed in Montreal, in June last, for Lower Canada. The remainder are either County or Town societies, chiefly the latter. Of these thirteen are in Maine; twenty three in New Hampshire; seven in Vermont; thirty nine in Massachusetts; two in Rhode Island; thirty three in Connecticut ; seventy eight in New York; six in New Jersey; seven in Pennsylvania; one in Delaware; one in Maryland; five in Virginia; two in North Carolina; one in South Carolina; one in Kentucky; one in Ohio; two in Indiana.

Besides these, there are as many more, if not a larger number, concerning which we know no more than the fact, that they exist, and the parts of the country where they are located. The numbers of the members of these societies, range from ten to four hun

dred. Most of them are of recent origin, and of course have made no other report than that of simply announcing their formation. Those which are of older date, and have passed their first or second anniversaries, evince a rapid and unexpected increase in their numbers; and are able, almost uniformly, to state, that the influence of their example and efforts has effected nearly a complete reformation in the places where they are established. The documents of these Societies, although but few of them have transmitted to us their publications, are already voluminous; and we can do no more than refer to the annexed schedule, for more particular information. As examples of the progress and present state of the reformation, in the places where Temperance Societies have been instituted, we adduce the following extracts from the reports of a small number of them.

East Machias, Me.--This Society went into operation on the 17th of Feb. 1827. At that time there were not less than ten grogshops in that village, at one of which twelve hogsheads of rum were annually drank. "The success attendant on our exertions," says the Secretary of the Society, "has vastly exceeded the expectations of any of its friends. The whole number now belonging to this Society, and who wholly abstain from the use of ardent spirits at all times, and under all circumstances, except for medicinal uses, is about ninety; the number brought under the influence of the Society, in town and out of it, is much greater; the number of drunkards wholly reclaimed is ten. There are now but two grog-shops in the place, and after September next, there will not be a single licensed retailer in the town. It is already unfashionable to keep any kind of spirits in the house, to drink, or invite any friend to drink, even among those who do not belong to the Society. All the principal traders have pledged themselves not to import any more ardent spirits. The lumbering business is now carried on, in all its branches by night and by day, connected with the principal mills, without the aid of spirits. One fine saw mill was built last spring; the foundation was laid when the weather and the water were extremely cold, and the mill completed, without the use of any ardent spirits. The number of men employed was from ten to twenty, headed by two carpenters and mill wrights, who had been reclaimed from intemperance by means of this Society. Two masters of vessels, belonging to this place, have set a noble example this summer. They have ventured to sea without providing any kind of spirits.

They have the best employment and make decidedly the shortest and most profitable trips."*

Prospect T. S. Me.-This Society was formed April 1827, with five members only. In the first Annual Report of the Society, under date of April 3, 1828, it is stated that "the number of members is one hundred and one; fifty five males and forty six females; twenty nine males and thirteen females are heads of families; and fifty four youth. In estimating the amount of good, which has been done, we must look beyond the limits of the Society. A goodly number who have not yet joined the Society, have embraced its vital principles, and no longer consume the liquid fire. Many others who do not entirely abstain, have nevertheless greatly abridged their former allowance, and begin to doubt whether any be necessary. One of our retailers has struck ardent spirits from the list of his articles of merchandize, and two others will do it as soon as they have sold their present stock. In one of our ship yards it is no longer found. Several mechanics have banished it from their shops. Some of our ship masters have made the important discovery, that rum is no longer necessary to navigate their vessels. In some instances the Society have been instrumental in accomplishing what they did not anticipate. Some who had sunk almost to the level of the brute creation, and had reduced their families to want and misery, have burst their fetters and are free. Their countenances bespeak the happy influence of this society, and their wives and children bless God and you for its existence.

Belchertown, Mass.-The REV. LYMAN COLEMAN, Pastor of the

Since the above was written, we have received the Second Annual Report of that Society, and extract from it the following particulars. "There is not at this time a licensed grog-shop in this town. One of the carpenters employed in building the saw mill above mentioned, (the name of which is Temperance, and which they say has been "kept a-going ever since by water only") has built another mill in the country, and has also raised a meetinghouse and partly finished it, and in both instances without using spirits himself, or suffering any to be used by his workmen.

"An aged mechanic, who for nearly one half a century had spent a large part of his earnings for ardent spirits, and thereby reduced himself to want, and destroyed the happiness of a respectable family, signed our constitution nearly two years ago. He has since wholly abstained from spirituous liquors, and with no other means of support than those he before possessed, has provided well for his family, and within the last year has built for himself a comfortable house at the expense of about $400, and for which he owes not more than $50.”