The need of this work is emphasized by the fact that there are still 3,500,000 over ten years of age in the South who cannot read, over 1,135,000 of whom are legal voters. The need of permanent endowments and of student aid are also dwelt upon. A depiction of the influence of these institutions in the homes, the common schools, the churches, and upon the sentiment of the people of the South, and especially of the positiveness of their religious influence, concludes this part of the Report. The report of church work adds five new churches organized during the year to its list. Judged by the measure of accessions to membership by profession of faith, these sixty-four churches have not been dead nor fruitless. Fifteen of them report from eleven to fifty such additions each, making an average of over twenty-four, and amounting to 368 in all. Indications of growth are also found in increased efforts for self-support and for systematic giving. The Sunday-schools of the churches not only are well sustained, but the teachers go out into churches of other orders, and into mission work, thus reaching many thousands of youth and children. The cause of temperance has been advancing in these churches. The six local conferences have, by their annual meetings, shown progress and done good. The difficulties of a rapid extension of church work in the South are referred to, and the hope expressed, of surmounting such of them as may be overcome under the field-superintendence of Rev. Dr. Roy, who will very soon be in his headquarters at Atlanta. In summing up the work among the Freedmen, encouragement is drawn from the fact that some of the best pastors and teachers now in the field were taken from the streets by the missionary teachers of the Association, and have developed under its care to be its fellow-helpers; also, that results appear to be more permanent and substantial. Africa. Four missionaries were sent, Feb. 8, to the reinforcement of the five who sailed the September before. The outlook was discouraging in both its material and spiritual aspects. But they went to work practically and hopefully, and have labored with good success. Twenty-two new members have been received into the church at Good Hope. Preaching services and Sunday and day-schools have also been opened at Avery and Debia. The missionaries desire increased facilities for taking the children into their homes under their constant care, a work which they have begun already. The industrial work at Avery has been revived. These missionary families, numbering fifteen souls in all, have endured the trying climate, and that through its sickly season, as well as could have been hoped. All of them have been sick; one of their number has died; none of them are in impaired health, so far as can be learned.