1. That all of the patriotic and historical organizations of the State, including local historical societies; the Daughters of the Revolution; the department of Mississippi United Confederate Veterans, and the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy may, by a resolution duly passed and filed with the Secretary of the State Historical Society, become affiliated with said society and entitled to all the benefits accruing therefrom. 2. That any such auxiliary society may, by the first of December annually, make a report of its work to the Secretary of the State Historical Society, which, or portions, or a synopsis thereof, may be included in the publications of the State Society, and upon application of an auxiliary society the State Society may become custodian of the records of such auxiliary society. 3. That a copy of the publication of the State Historical Society be sent, free of charge, to such auxiliary societies as make annual reports as provided above. PURPOSE OF AFFILIATION. 1. _Encouragement of Research._--It is the purpose of the State Society to encourage investigation by giving proper recognition to all worthy contributions that may be made to our history. This will be done both by the public presentation of papers from local societies at the annual meetings and by their publication and distribution by the State Society. 2. _Unification of Work and Preservation of Results._--This is the day of co-operation in historical work. A great and noble task lies before us. We cannot afford to duplicate work or to lose any worthy contributions that may be made to our history. Let us not repeat the experience of 1876. Again some of our most important subjects can be worked only by local aid in various parts of the state. This aid can be furnished by the members of organizations in the locality from which information is desired. SUGGESTIONS. _Character of Work Needed._--The historian should above all things keep himself free from prejudice. It will be impossible to stop investigation and the historian must ever keep in mind the fact that sooner or later his work will be tested by others and his errors brought to light. The value and permanence of all historical work, therefore, is quite in proportion to the amount of truth it contains. "Particularly must he," says one, "guard against careless or incorrect statements about the dead who cannot defend themselves." Every assertion should be susceptible of proof and exact references should be made in foot-notes to the authority upon which a statement is based. If this be neglected, says the writer quoted above, the work stands in danger either of neglect by future historians, or of being discredited as a mass of unsubstantial statements.