In closing please allow the Library Committee to recommend that the congregation support and use the library and at the same time urge congregation members, who own books and periodicals which they feel they can part with, to send them to the library and thus contribute to the enrichment of the congregation.                                                           The Library Committee,                                                           C.F. Huch, H.H. Kunze, J.J. Will, B. Stüfft. _____ List of Books added to the library since January 1, 1874.   49. L. Uhlich. The History of Human Civilization.   50. E. Baltzer. Universal History of Religion.   51. A. Schwegler. History of Philosophy (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  127. L. Uhlich. His Life as He describes it.  128. _____ The Races of Humanity.  210. _____ Land and People.  211. W. Rapp. Illustrated Geography of North and South America.  212. J.C. Haas. Geography of America.  329. L. Uhlich. Occupation and Spirit.  435. _____ Sunday Book.  436. _____ Faith and Reason.  437. _____ Concerning Superstition.  438. _____ Evening Hours devoted to Education.  439. W. Fricke. Moral Philosophy for Confession-Free Schools.  440-442. Proceedings of the Free Religious Association, 1867-1873. (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  443. L. Feuerbach. The Essence of Religious (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  444. L. Büchner. Materialism. (gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  446. D.F. Strauss. The Old and the New Faith.  447. _____ An Epilogue as Preface.  448. E. Baltzer. An Old and New World View (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  449. D.F. Strauss. The Life of Jesus.  624. L. Uhlich. Contemplation on Nature.  625. _____ Man: Body and Soul.  626. C.Lyell. The Age of the Human Race.  627-629. O. Ule. The Whole World (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.)  934. A. Schnabel. First German Reader for Schools and Home.  935. K. Petermann. First Reader of the German-American School.  936. G. Erlenkötter. Reader for Upper Classes of the Elementary School.  937. German and English Translator.  938. Toilette Studies for Ladies and Gentlemen.  939. G. Erlenkötter. Reader for Lower Classes of the Elementary School. 1172. C. Spindler. The Jesuit. (Gift from Mrs. Hotz.) 1173. _____ The Invalid. (Gift from Mrs. Hotz.) 1174. F. von Sallet. The Poet's Development. (Gift from Mr. A. Loos.) 1175. F. Falkson. Giodano Bruno. 1176. J.V. Widmann. Buddha.

Financial Report of the German Free Congregation from March 1, 1873 to March 1, 1874. __________ Income
Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Entrance fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$773.95   48.00   31.26 _______             $853.21
Expenditures
Lectures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Library and Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bookkeeping and Miscellanea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administrative Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Singing Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                              Excess Expenditures                                              Surplus on March 1, 1873                                              Deficit on March 1, 1874	$817.49  109.14  152.00  138.20  170.00   60.00             1446.83             $593.62              223.46             $370.16
_____ Financial Report of the Congregation School from March 1, 1873 to March 1, 1874 _____ Income
Tuition, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Book Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L. Büchner's Lecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                              Surplus                                              Deficit on March 1, 1873                                              Deficit on March 1, 1874	$2665.32      98.08    155.45             2948.90               $40.05               166.06              $126.01
_____ Financial Report of the Publication Committee from March 1, 1873 to March 1, 1874 _____
Balance on March 1, 1873. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Income through Book Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                              Balance on March 1, 1874	$186.44     24.25   $210.69

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Financial Report of the Administrative Board from March 1, 1873 to March 1, 1874. __________ Income
Beverages, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dance School, Rent, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$2232.08    140.73              $2372.51
Expenditures
Beverages,etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salaries and wages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coal, Gas and Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repairs and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                              Surplus from Hall Management Profits from the School Festival and Trip to Atlantic City Contributions from the Congregation Interest Payments                                              Surplus Deficit on March 1,'73 with $100 loan from Publ.Fund                                              Deficit on March 1, 1874	$1402.88   513.19   230.42   215.52             2362.01             $10.50             336.59             170.00            $517.09             496.00             $21.09             130.64            $409.55
Congregation Holdings On March 1, 1874 ______ Assets
Congregation Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall Furnishings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Library (232 Volumes). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Plates for the Elementary Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$21,500.00    2,800.00       200.00       125.00               $24,625.00
Liabilities
Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$6,000.00    3,600.00
Carryover Debts:    Congregation Deficit . . .        $370.??    School Deficit . . . . . .            126.??    Administrative Board Deficit      109.55                                             $605.72    Publication Fund Surplus          210.69                                                         $395.03	9,995.03                $14,629.97

From the above financial reports one can see that in each branch of administration (school, administrative board, and publishing) income exceeds expenditure. There is only a significant deficit in the congregation's accounts due at least in part to the interruption in the regularly scheduled collection of contributions. We can only hope that finances will be in better shap in the coming year especially with the money saved by ceasing expenditures for lecturers. _____ Historical Information In January 1852 Eduard Graf, former orator for the Free Congregation in Wiesbaden, gave two lectures in Bleakley's Hall. On February 4, 1852 an assembly was held in the company brewery. Messers C.F. Kiefer, Aug. Vollmer, Jacob Steiner, Jos. Diesinger, A.H. Rosenheim, W. Gelbert, J. Eckhard, N. Schmitt, and A.H. Reitz were invited for the purpose of establishing a free-religious society. 29 signatures were gathered towards this goal and the number grew to 94 by June 28th. On February 22nd the society drafted a constitution under the name, "Society for Graf's Lectures." The administrative committee consisted of Messers N. Schmitt, chairman; A.H. Rosenheim, A. Vollmer, M. Stern, Ph. Rapp, Thos. Leitinger, and A. Blittersdorf. On August 8th decisions were made to guarantee the continued existence of the society and firm up the organization. New signatures were gathered, 36 at the time, which rose to 81 by September 17th. On August 30th the by-laws drafted by E. Graf, N. Schmitt, and G. Seidensticker were adopted and Graf was chosen as speaker. The society now called itself the "German Free Congregation of Philadelphia." On September 17th the following board members were elected: G. Seidensticker, chairman; N. Schmitt, A.H. Rosenheim, L. Ackermann, M. Stern, A. Vollmer, and C.F. Kiefer. In March 1853 the congregation had 102 members, who chose the following board: G. Seidensticker, chairman; N. Schmitt, A.H. Rosenheim, C. Everts, Ph. Rapp, C. Benkert, A. Blittersdorf, A. Vollmer, F. Fromhagen, E. Hessenbruch, B.G. Stephan, and C. Vallender. On June 1st the congregation decided to incorporate. The guiding principles were altered whereby all empty ceremonies were banned from use. In March 1854 there were 95 members in the congregation, which elected the following board: G. Seidensticker, chairman; A.H. Rosenheim, A. Vollmer, B.G. Stephan, A Brückner, Ph. Rapp, E. Hessenbruch, M. Stern, F. Lautenbach, J. Serz, C. Benkert, and A. Blittersdorf. On September 3rd Mr. E. Graf resigned his post as speaker. For quite some time there had been disagreements between him and the board. On November 12th the congregation elected Mr. F. Schünemann-Pott speaker. On January 7, 1855 Mr. F. Schünemann-Pott took up his post. On January 17th the board established a singing society with W. Fischer as music director.

On January 28th the Singing Society of the German Free Congregation sang for the first time before the congregational assembly. It regularly performed every Sunday for a number of years. On March 4th the congregation had 110 members, who elected the following board: G. Seidensticker, chairman; A.H. Rosenheim, E. Hessenbruch, A. Brückner, B.G. Stephan, A. Vollmer, F. Lautenbach, G. Rosenthal, H.J. Meyer, W. Fischer, J. Serz, and R. Ackermann. On June 10th the congregation library opened with 64 volumes. On October 1st the newly established Congregational Aid Society, consisting of 65 members, completed its organization with the election of officers. On March 2, 1856 the congregation had 190 members, who elected the following board: A.H. Rosenheim, chairman; B.G. Stephan, A. Brückner, C.F. Huch, F. Lautenbach, A. Vollmer, E. Hessenbruch, L. Ackermann, C. Hofmann, G. Rosenthal, C.L. Götz, and C.D. Schmidt. On May 21st the speaker of the congregation suggested the publication of a monthly periodical. In July the first number of Newsletter for Free-Religious Life was issued. On December 1st the congregation incorporated under revised congregational by-laws. On March 3, 1857 the congregation had 196 members, who elected the following board: B.G. Stephan, chairman; F. Lautenbach, A. Brückner, C.F. Huch, C. Hofmann, A.H. Rosenheim, E. Hessenbruch, R. Schleicher, F.A. Behr, G. Siegmann, C. Tschirch, and Chr. Koch. On the same day it was decided the congregation should acquire its own hall, which would serve for the school it would establish. The congregation also decided to set up a building fund and appoint a building committee. On March 6, 1858 the congregation had 211 members, who elected the following board: B.G. Stephan, chairman; A.H. Rosenheim, F.A. Behr, C.F. Huch, C. Scharringhausen, C. Hofmann, H.W. Karsten, C.D. Schmidt, H. Flügel, G. Siegmann, E. Hessenbruch, and C. Dings. For the first time the chairman presented an annual report to the congregation, a practice which has continued every year since. On June 6th the resolution was passed to establish a school. On October 25, 1858 the congregational school opened with Mr. C. Backmann as teacher and 27 students. _____ School of the German Free Congregation First Grade -- Teachers: Miss Rauscher, Mr. Wieland. Curriculum: Reading, writing, spelling, writing numbers, arithmetic, etiquette, visualization instruction, recitation, singing, gymnastics, women's needlework. Tuition: $2.00 monthly. Second Grade -- Teachers: Mr. Wieland, Mrs. Ackley, Miss Rauscher, Mr. Backmann. Curriculum: Reading, penmanship, transcription, spelling, writing numbers, arithmetic, etiquette, language, recitation, nature history, singing; [in English] reading, spelling and tables; gymnastics, women's needlework. Tuition: $2.50 monthly. Third Grade -- Teachers: Mr. Backmann, Miss Rauscher, Mrs. Ackley. Curriculum: Reading, penmanship, spelling, language, composition, recitation, geography, history, natural history, singing; [in English] reading and dictation, recitation and spelling, grammar and tables, principles of arithmetic, examples of arithmetic and geography; gymnastics, women's needlework. Tuition: $3.00 monthly. Fourth Grade -- Teachers: Mr. Backmann, Mrs. Ackley, Mr. Will. Curriculum: Reading, penmanship, spelling, language, composition, recitation, geography, history, natural history, geometry, singing; [in English] spelling, reading, dictation, recitation, grammar, composition, parsing, examples in arithmetic, geography; drawing, gymnastics, women's needlework. Tuition: $3.00 monthly Siblings receive a reduced tuition rate.