150 THREE KINGDOMS. 



organizing societies, joining their influence to our As- 

 sociation, and receiving in return the benefits coming 

 from united endeavor and from enthusiastic devotion 

 to a common cause. But, excellent as the work of all 

 these chapters is, we have found some needed work 

 beyond their individual attainment. A general con- 

 vention, for example, could hardly be received and 

 cared for by a single chapter ; nor could a wide 

 range of local observations be properly collated and 

 discussed by the inhabitants of a single town. It has 

 therefore been deemed wise to bring about the union 

 of all the chapters of a city or a state into more extend- 

 ed organizations than the single chapter. These con- 

 federations of chapters are called ' assemblies ; ' the 

 most prominent at present, January, 1888, being the 

 State Assemblies of Massachusetts, Iowa and New 

 Jersey, and the City Assemblies of Philadelphia, Bos- 

 ton, Brooklyn, Chicago, and New York. 



Embracing all the chapters, binding into one the 

 larger and more powerful assemblies, and making 

 room also for individuals when chapters cannot well 

 be formed, is our Agassiz Association. And the influ- 

 ence and prosperity of each chapter and assembly can 

 be increased and perpetuated by spreading everywhere 

 we go a knowledge of our local work not only, and of 

 our local organization, but also, and even with more 

 emphasis, a knowledge of our entire Association, with 

 its broader membership and its farther-reaching aims. 



Our Association is not by any means great or power- 

 ful. As yet it is young, it is ignorant, it is weak. We 

 have no occasion for vain-glory. Yet, on the other 

 hand, while we have no excuse for vanity, neither need 

 we feel vexation of spirit. Our purposes are good, 

 our methods right. In spite of our feebleness, in the 

 face of our ignorance, critics have been indulgent, 

 and we have been more encouraged and praised for 



