The annual meeting of the General Council was held January 25, 1959 at 533 Diversey Parkway. Attached is a revised roster of the General Council, officers, and Brotherhood committees. You will note only certain members of departmental committees have been changed. Also attached is the annual statement of the Treasurer.

Each departmental committee Chairman and the officers made reports on their activities in 1958, most of which have already been reported in prior news letters. Those of outstanding significance and interest will be discussed in other items in this letter.

Although President Warren Kulieke's report summarized the material accomplishments of the Brotherhood, its most significant feature was its spiritual import. He said: "...The progress we have made dureing the past year is not sensational...but we have received no adverse or undesirable publicity. ... Slowly, quietly, day by day, through personal contact the truths of the Urantia Book are reaching scores of individuals...it is our way of living that will compel them to examine that which has idealized, ennobled, and spiritualized us...important is it that they should see in our lives that we have found the God whom they seek."

Also at the General Council meeting, under Article XIII, Section 13, 3, Recognition of Distringuished Service, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, and by the unanimous approval of the General council, THE VAN AWARD was presented to Dr. William S. Sadler, in the form of a beautiful plaque headed with the three concentric circles; lettered in blue, gold, and black; sealed and signed by Warren H. Kulieke, President, and Anna Rawson, Secretary. The substance of the award is as follows:

"The spiritual insight and moral steadfastness which enabled Van to maintain such an unshakable attitude of loyalty to the universe government was the product of clear thinking, wise reaosning, logical judgment, sincere motivation, unselfish purpose, intelligent loyalty, experiential memory, disciplined character, and the unquestioning dedication of his personality to the doing of the will of the Father in Paradise."

"For the exhibition of these qualities of character the General Council of the Urantia Brotherhood presents to Dr. William S. Sadler THE VAN AWARD in honor of is many years of devoted and distinguished service in behalf of the Urantia movement."

The Urantia Brotherhood School has completed its first semester's work. The second semester will start on February 18 with a new course entitled "Religions of the World" to be conduction by Thomas Wideroe. The Theology of the Urantia Book, Doctrine IV, will be resumed by Dr. Sadler. Please be reminded that Doctrine I, II, III, and IV, at $5.00 each, and "The Teachings of Jesus", at $5.50 are available and will be mailed to anyone upon request.

The Committee on Education is considering starting correspondence courses for the benefit of those who cannot be present to attend the Wednesday evening school in Chicago. It would help them a great deal in their planning to know how many people would be interested in such courses and what subjects you feel would be most helpful. It would, of course, be necessary to charge a fee for each course, but until the plans are farther advanced, it is impossible to set a figure. If you are interested in such a plan, please write to Dr. William S. Saler, 5333 Diversey Parkway, Chicago 14, Illinois.

Several new members have joined the four Urantia Societies: The First Urantia Society (Chicago) now has 148 members; Urantia Society of Glenview 17, West Coast Urantia Society 18, First Urantia Society of Oklahoma 28, making a total of 211 members in the various Societies. We are also pleased to report we now have three Members-at-Large, two in Indiana and one in Wisconsin. You may be an isolated individual who would like to become a Member-at-Large, and you may do so in accord with Section 4. 5 of the Constitution of the Urantia Brotherhood, which reads as follows:

"In exceptional cases, the Executive Committee shall have authority to accept individuals who are so situated that they cannot conveniently become members of an organized Urantia Society. Such persons hold their membership at the option of the Executive Committee, and such membership may be at any time terminated by the Executive Committee for reasons of its own determination, or because such an individual has become a regular member of some duly chartered Urantia Socieity."

We keep hearing of new study groups. Although there are probably several that we don't know about, the groups that we do know are located in Albany, N.Y., Springfield, Illinois, and Culver, Indiana. (There are several groups there.) Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Evanston, Wichita, Ft. Lauderdale, Bensonville, Western Springs, Winnetka, Los Angeles, Darion, Connecticut, and Chicago.

Pins and lapel buttons are now available at $3.50 and may b e ordered through the Secretary of your local Society. If you are not a member of a Society, you may write direct to the Secretary-General at Chicago.

The joint custodians of the Urantia Book report that 388 books were sold and delivered during 1958 -- this makes 3,316 sold and delivered since publication.

Many of you are interested in income tax deduction on contributions to the Urantia Brotherhood, but we still have no ruling thereon by the Federal Tax Department. We are still hoping to have approval.

James C. Mills Vice-President LMS