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DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP
Philadelphia National Bank Building
1345 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3496
Telephone: (215) 988-2700
Fax: (215) 988-2757
August 7, 1998
VIA EDGAR TRANSMISSION
Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20549
Re: NORTHERN FUNDS
(1933 ACT REGISTRATION NO. 33-73404)
(1940 ACT REGISTRATION NO. 811-08236)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of Northern Funds (the "Trust") and pursuant to Rule
497(j) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), I hereby
certify that (i) the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information listed
below that would have been filed under paragraph (c) of Rule 497 under the 1933
Act would not have differed from the Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information contained in the Trust's most recent Post-Effective Amendment to its
Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the 1933 Act and the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, ("PEA #20"), which was filed on July 31, 1998;
and (ii) the text of PEA #20 has been filed electronically.
The Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information
referenced above, which would otherwise have been filed pursuant to Rule 497(c),
are:
(1) Prospectus dated July 31, 1998 for all of the Trust's
investment portfolios; and
(2) Statement of Additional Information dated July 31, 1998
for all of the Trust's investment portfolios.
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Securities and Exchange Commission
August 7, 1998
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Questions and comments concerning this letter may be directed
to the undersigned at (215) 988-1982.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Douglas J. Brady
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Douglas J. Brady
