Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1817-09-30

lHf. LutngtOOu cCfWO
MEssKs. sHIRLEYs,
BY notice in your last 6 azette as well AZ by
communication 10 the last Eastern Argus. ii ap-
pears that the statement of tie Rev. Mr.. Filing
wood, which you quoted from his Missionary Ser
mon. is considered incorrect. Any representation
which Is calculated to make an improper impress
zion. asst respects our religious advantages GER
tainy ought to be corrected. Onthe other hand,
we surely ought 10 endeavour to ascertain the ex-
tent Tour religious Deficiencies, and to call the at
tention Of the public to trs subject, that those
deficiencies may he supplied. That there are very
many places in this District, deplorably destitute
of Gospel advantages, cannot be dcnied by any but
those, who are ignorant Of its religious state. At
the same time, there can be no doubt, that the
moral and religious condition Of Maine, is incom-
parably better than any part of the western count
ry, 10 which so many of our neighbours have been
foolishiy emigratng, In most Of our larger towns,
the Gospel ssettIed, either in the congregational
or baptist form. Those places, which destitute
Of stated religious instruction must Of course be
very small according to Mr.. Els. statement, for he
reckons /" zoo towns and plantations to have but
: one hundred and eighteen thousand souls.n
The writer Of the communication in the Argus,
above alluded to, sneeringy observes !: !" This Mr.
EIiingwood. II seems, does not consider any person
regular settled minister but congregationalistn
A charge which, so far as appears frem his Sermon
is altogether unfounded. The estimate in Mr. Els
sermon, so far from excluding all baptist ministers,
evidently includes the settled ministers in the Dis
t-:et of all denominations Whoever will read with
candor The sermon under consideration, will,
think, be satisfied that ii contains not the least i'm
proper reflection on any denomination of christians
whatever But the sermon is before the public and
Will speak for ITSELF Mr.. E's object in making. the
statement which he did, appears to be, to excite
attention to the real state Of Maine in order 10 in
duce exerton for the reIieof the destitute III the
present discussion, should call up the attention of
the public to our reel wants. and excite the benev-
olent to appropriate acts Of charity Mr. Els object
viii probably be effected, and great good be DONE
That part Of the sermon, the correctness Of which
appearsto be doubted is the following = In the
District OF Maine for whose benefit our Missionary
Society was formed there are two hundred towns
and plantations destitute OF regular settled minis
ters' In these places are one hundred and egh-
teen thousand SOULS without stated and suitable
religious instruction" That part of this statement
objected to. is marked as quotation, and is taken
verbatim, although little trsnsposed. from mis-.
sionary sermon, delivered and published in 1915
by the Rev. Mr. Bailey, Of New Castle. a gentle
ran, who stands at the head Of the Maine Mission.
airy Society; and who probably knows more of the
religious state of this District than any other man
IN il. Mr. Bailey's words are these. and they ap-
pear to be the result of minute calculation Speak
ing Of Maine, page 2, he says" Here is a popula-
ton oftwo huadrea twenty eight thousand seven
hundred souls settled in two hundred seventy towns
and plantations. Tue hundred founs and plonta-
comprising population ofons hundred eighteen
thoassand two hundred ninety FIVE souls are destitute
Of regular settled miaisfersr The words without
stated aud suitable religious Instruction. in Mr.. f..
sermon seem TO be an inference from Mr.. Bss state
ment, Tor Il 50 many are destitute of regular set
tied ministers they are certainly without stated
and suitable religious Instruction Now. con.;d-
erng Mr.. Bailey's standing as gospel min ;sser in
this District, and the pains which be Is known 10
have taken. 10 obtain knowledge of lis religious
state thnk there are few ministers in this neigh
boFhood who wonla hesitate to take Mr.. RS Il ate
nents n general as authority, respecting the re-
gioss condition q Maine, especially on a question
concerning which he had made minute cnlcula-
ton. Mr.. B's sermon has beer publi.bsa four
years, and although have repeatedly read his
statement, and heard Il quoted, yet never heard
is sceasy called In question TN since 1t was pub
'nhed In the Gazette. a. an extract fron Mr.. Ess