Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-12
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THE DAILY SPY.

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To news agents per hundred. ............'.'' W
For the WEEKLY SPY, ~ a wear
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Meeting of the WnchUsett Baptist Assoc
citation.
The Wachusett Baptist Association COM
menced its thirty-frst annual session in Fitch
burg on Wednesday, Sept. 9th. The associa-
ton is composed of fifteen churches, comprs-
ed within the limits of the northern half of
Worcester county. After the organization of
the body by the choice of Rev. w. IL. Watson
of Leominster as moderator, and Rev. X.
Brooks Of Fitchburg as clerk, the opening ser
mon was preached by Rev. w. II. Walker of
South Gardner from the words, "Who is she
that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the
moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an
army with banners" Assuming that the
passage had reference to the christian church
on earth, the proposition was announced and.
discussed, as follows What must be the
character of the church in order to conform
to the description given of it here? 1t was
maintained that it should be pure, sound in
doctrine, progressive, and aggressive.
The reading OF the letters from the various
churches revealed but little of the aggressive,
overcoming power Of the divine word in their
hands upon the world. But few were the con-
versions reported by any church, and from
many none as the result of the past years
prayer and preaching. The lamentations over
this came up, but how unavaling to change
without ren9wed kindling of the flame of
love upon the sacred altar of more entire
conservation to God and his truth
During the afternoon session discourse
was presented, interesting and impressive in
NATTER by Rev. L. Moss of Worcester. The
sermon was founded upon the words in Ma
hum l:3-''The Lord is slow to anger and
great in power" &c. Gods patience was
evolved as the topic OF the discourse. A won
derful and divine moderation, Il self restraint
as it were, is manifested on the part of God
His patience, however, is not to be attributed
to his want Of sensitiveness to mans demerit
nor because He is unable to do otherwise, nor
because there is no provocaton to His wrath.
Gods patience exhibits His power over His
creatures, angels, men, and devils. His slow
ness to anger illustrates his power over the re-
sources Of His grace. The blessed, sinners,
and the lost, know much of the patience OF
God. The lesson of patience is. taught US.
What are onr provocations compared with
Gods? We should not abuse His patience.
The session of Thursday morning was
mainly occupied in conference arising from
the report the state of religion in the
churches. The report, derived from tile
statements of the letters, was painful to con-
slider. The query, why, with the whole gos-
pei of Christ ordained for the salvation of
men, with all the means at hand which God
has to bestow to this end, there should be
found such barrenness of results, dwelt with
sad solcmde in every mind. The free ex-
preston of thought that followed, seemed to
Inspire with holier aspirations tor a better and
more fruitful life in the future.
The meetings closed in the afternoon with
a sermon by Rev. C. NJ. Bowers of Clinton.
Text, james, IG. The frrvent ellectual
prayer OF the righteous man availeth much"
The value and the duty of availing prayer was
illustrated and enforced with effective ear
nestness.
Notice ought not to be omitted of the mis-
sionary meeting of Wednesday evening. The
session was opened by an address upon for
elgn missions by the corresponding secretary
of the NJ W., Rev. DIR. Warren OF Boston.
He made a compendious and eloquent pre-
sentation Of the achievements of Baptist mis-
sions during the past half century, in the for
eign fold. Taking the results as whole,
the unihistakable seal OF the divine approval
is clearly found in the wonderful success that
has followed this enterprise. The large ex-
penditure of money and OF life, covering the
space Of fifty years, is amply justified upon
reckoning up the harvests garnered, and the
splendid fruits that are seen to-day. The
three hundred churches that are counted
among the Asiatic missions, with their more
than thirty three thousand membership, con-
stitute the existing army, rapidly augmentng
that is marching On to The overthrow of super
stition and idolatry in.those densely populat-
ed heather lands.
Rev NJ. &. Hodge, district secretary of the
home missionary society, supported this ap-
peal in advocating the enlarged and pressing
claims of our own land to the contributions
and prayers of christian hearts everywhere.
That the field is the world. and that the cause
is one, is more positively felt than ever be-
fore. S.