TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Massachusetts Temperance Society, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 27, 1836. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN FORD, AGENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, Corner of State Street and Wilson's Lane. TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Massachusetts Temperance Society, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 27, 1836. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN FORD, AGENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, Corner of State Street and Wilson's Lane. REPORT. THE Council of the Massachusetts Temperance Society, respectfully offer the following Report for the year ending May, 27, 1836. In reviewing the events of the past year, the Council have the melancholy duty to record the deaths of two members of the society, who have sustained important offices in this board. The Rev. Hosea Hildreth died suddenly the last summer, while in the office, and performing the arduous duties of Corresponding Secretary, and Agent of the society. Mr. Hildreth entered early into the public service of the temperance cause. For some time he continued his pastoral connection with his congregation in Gloucester, while engagedin the agency; but at length relinquished that connection, and devoted the most of his time to the society. Mr. Hildreth's reports testify to his zeal in the cause, and at the same time show his success. The report of the last year is particularly interesting. Mr. Hildreth collected for that report a great number of facts, which bear directly on the important question, how far the continued possession of real property may be affected by intemperance, or what changes of ownership in such property intemperance may produce. The report shows how numerous and how melancholy these changes have been in our own State. Had its author lived, he would doubtless have continued his researches, |