For the ability to make these cheering statements we thank God, and in the remembrance of His past goodness we take courage. It looked an almost impossible thing that that great debt of nearly $100,000 should have disappeared, and that in these “hard times.” But the way to know the goodness of God is to try some hard thing in His name. To Him be the praise. We would not leave the false impression, however, on the minds of any, that these years of retrenchment have been easy years for us, or that the past twelve months have been free from causes for anxiety. Twice during the year we have been $10,000 behind last year’s receipts or this year’s needs. We were greatly perplexed in our unwillingness to increase the old debt or to incur a new one, when, in one case, a large gift, and in the other a large legacy, lifted us over the shallows and enabled us to set sail again rejoicing. CONCLUSION. And now what is the significance of our present condition? We are out of debt. We have the promise of a far better equipment for our work in the way of buildings. The Mendi Mission is fairly manned, and, we trust, on the way to a new and wide usefulness. The Freedmen call for all the aid we can supply. All motives of love for self, for country and for God conspire to urge us to increase our efforts for their Christian education. Africa is stretching out its right hand now, as well as the left, which we have been trying so long to fill, and Christian England comes to help us answer the plea. It has been demonstrated at length that our Southern schools may help to solve the Indian as well as the Negro problem, and the Chinaman is yet at our western gate. Is not the voice of God to us like that He spoke through Moses to those who had just escaped the taskmasters of Egypt?—“Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.” REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the financial statement of the Association for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1879, as presented by the Treasurer, beg leave to report that, in the discharge of the duty assigned to them, your committee have carefully examined the accounts of the Treasurer, including a detailed statement of receipts and disbursements, also a statement of endowments and a full list of all the property owned by the Association, the correctness of which have been fully certified to by the Board of Auditors appointed by the Executive Committee. The total receipts of the Association for the year have been $215,431.17. The cost of collecting, including the salaries of the District Secretaries and all other expenses connected with their offices, has been 5-84/100 per cent. of the amount received. The cost of publication, including the distribution of 25,000 copies per month of the AMERICAN MISSIONARY, has been 4-13/100 per cent., and the cost of administration 4-97/100 per cent.