558 NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 



NEW MEXICO. 



Publication Society, were commended in the 

 same document, and it was asserted that more 

 work had been done during the past year in 

 the dissemination of the doctrines of the New 

 Church than ever before in the same time. Re- 

 ports were heard from the various State asso- 

 ciations, of which the following is a summary : 



Canada Association, 5 societies, 4 ministers. 



Illinois Association, 1 new minister, 1 new society 

 organized in Chicago, meetings held at Peoria. 



Massachusetts Association, 21 societies, 14 of which 

 reported 1,397 members, 21 ministers, 2 licentiates. 

 The work of the New Church Union had involved an 

 expenditure of $4,162.68. The rooms and library of 

 the union in Boston were well maintained, and the 

 publication of the New Jerusalem Magazine had been 

 revived. 



Minnesota Association, 2 societies, 1 pastor, 78 

 members in the whole State. 



Ohio Association, 12 societies, 7 ministers, and 3 

 licentiates. There were also 3 societies in the State 

 not connected with the association. Missionary work 

 was vigorously carried on. The Urbana University 

 had graduated its first class of students since its re- 

 organization. 



Maryland Association, 3 societies, 5 ministers. An 

 agent of the association had visited Norfolk, and 

 would visit other places in Virginia at an early day. 



Maine Association, 1 ordained minister. The ac- 

 ceptance of the New Church doctrines by a clergy- 

 man of another denomination was reported. 



Missouri Association : The missionary of the as- 

 sociation had visited 25 different places, and preached 

 88 times. 



Pennsylvania Association, 7 societies, about 250 

 members. Reports were also read from societies in 

 San Francisco, Cal., and Detroit, Mich. 



The Committee on Foreign Correspondence 

 presented a report of the progress of the Church 

 in other countries, which showed that it had a 

 permanent hold in Germany, Switzerland, and 

 Austria, as well as in France, Italy, and the 

 three Scandinavian countries. The trustees 

 of the Rice legacy reported that the fund 

 amounted to about $7,000 ; that the income 

 from it had been $419.12, and the expenditures, 

 chiefly in distributing Swedenborg's works, had 

 been about $273.90. The present amount of 

 unexpended income of this fund was $937.15. 

 The Rotch legacy fund amounted to $20,234.20. 

 The income had been $1,057.46, and the ex- 

 penditures, chiefly in revising and stereotyping 

 the works " The Divine Providence," and " The 

 True Christian Religion," had been $1,274. 

 The trustees of the Theological School report- 

 ed that the receipts of the institution had been 

 $563.25, and the expenditures $607.20. The 

 amount of $32,844.94 was due from the former 

 treasurer of the board, for the recovery of 

 which legal proceedings would be instituted. 

 Four students had attended the school. The 

 convention ordered a subscription to be taken 

 for the assistance of the seminary. The ques- 

 tion of a new translation of the Bible had 

 been referred by the previous convention to 

 the Committee on Ecclesiastical Affairs. The 

 committee presented two carefully prepared re- 

 ports, which were read and ordered to be pub- 

 lished under the title, "A Discussion of the 

 Principles which should govern a New Trans- 



lation of the Word of God for the Use of the 

 New Church." The annual conference of the 

 New Chnrch in England was held in Birming- 

 ham. Twenty-three ministers were in attend- 

 ance, who represented 64 societies, with an 

 aggregate of 4,765 registered members. A new 

 rite, analogous to that of confirmation, was pro- 

 posed and discussed, and reports were received 

 of the organization of the Church in Germany, 

 Austria, and Italy. 



NEW MEXICO. Governor Axtell, in his 

 message submitted to the Legislature on Janu- 

 ary 7, 1878, uses the following language : 



The general condition of the Territory is far more 

 prosperous and promising now than it has ever been 

 before. Kailroads are rapidly approaching us from 

 the north and the west: the telegraphic wire has 

 been extended the entire length of the Territory, and 

 connects us with Colorado, Texas, Mexico, Arizona, 

 and California. Improved wagon-roads have given 

 us cheaper freights and quicker communication with 

 our neighbors. Postal service has been extended 

 to every important town in the Territory, and daily 

 mails increase the intelligence and stimulate the de- 

 sire for knowledge among our people. With the ex- 

 ception of Taos and a portion of Rio Arriba County, 

 our crops have been abundant ; and in all parts of 

 the Territory the increase of our flocks and herds, 

 both in quality and quantity, has been everything 

 we could desire. Our mines have yielded fair re- 

 turns for the labor expended, and our citizens are 

 generally prosperous and contented. 



With the exception of some difficulties attendant 

 upon the removal of the Hot Spring Indians to Ari- 

 zona, which inflicted severe injuries upon Grant 

 County, we are at peace with all the tribes, and have 

 suffered but very little at the hands of Indians 

 during the past two years. We are constantly re- 

 ceiving valuable additions to our population by im- 

 migration. 



The Territory is nearly free of debt, and our 

 rate of taxation, about 1 per cent., is exceedingly low 

 compared with other States and Territories. The 

 New Mexican people are conservative ; their age 

 and traditions make them so. They are old-fash- 

 ioned enough to desire to keep out of debt, and do 

 not consider that change is necessarily improve- 

 ment ; yet when fully convinced that progress de- 

 mands radical changes they will make them with 

 alacrity. 



The counties are largely in debt, and have 

 little public property to show for it. 

 On the subject of education, he says: 



Parents who have the means can and ought to 

 select their own schools and adopt their own methods 

 of education ; but it is the duty of your honorable 

 body to provide schools for the poor. Former legis- 

 lative assemblies have already generously set apart 

 one-fourth of all the taxes for the support of public 

 schools. You are to consider if this fund is properly 

 expended and whether or not the laws in relation to 

 it need any amendments. 



I respectfully suggest that you appoint a com- 

 mittee to compile all the laws relating to this subject, 

 and that you diligently consider wnether any im- 

 provements can be suggested to existing laws, or any 

 new laws passed to render the system more efficient. 

 Most, if not all, of our States and Territories have an 

 officer known as Superintendent of Education, whose 

 duty it is to visit all the counties and inspectperson- 

 ally the condition of the public schools. Would it 

 not be wise for us to follow their example in this 

 respect ? 



I also recommend that you abolish the county 

 boards of school commissioners and impose the duties 



