The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-19
RELIGIOUS.

Rev. S. G. Fletcher, of Skowhegan, grad
uate of Newton Theological Institution. and
formerly an officer of the 7th Maine Regiment.
was ordained pastor of the Baptist church in
Wilton, N. h., recently.
The Advocate says over fifty members
have just been added to the two Baptist church.
es in Manchester, II.
The Ellsworth American learns that quitea
revival of religion is going on at Reeds Brook
1.-THE north of Elsworth) at this time. Rev. L.
Batchelder is laboring with the people there.
He baptized three persons last Sunday.
REV. DIR. Ossood says of the two Unitarian
churches in New York city: "The first church
was formed in 1919, DIR. Charming preaching
the first sermon and Edward Everett preach
ing at the dedication The Second Church
was established by Rev. William Ware in
Prince street, in 1925"
The Unitarian Society in Haverhill. in
taking to themselves minister, had the ordi-
nation services performed by laymen. This is
primitive congregationalism.
bishop Whipple of Minnesota has direct
ed That the communion be administered every
Sunday in the churches of his diocese.
The Montreal Moniteur SAYS: eve learn
with pleasure that the gospel makes nrogross
among the Acadians of Nova Scotia An
awakening has manifested itself in the nar;sb
OF st. Mary's Bay, near Digby, and twenty
converts, for the most part Acadians. have
been recently baptized by the missionary, Mr..
Normandin. A mission-house is in course of
construction at Saulnierville, at the center of
the Acadian parishes of the Canton de Clare
and nrDb1hlv L.
fore long"
Rev. Mr.. Steere of the Bates Street Uni
versalst Church in Lewiston, baptized five
persons Sunday afternoon, just before COM
munion services.
The statement that Rev. Dr. Pond has alb
jured Orthodoxy and embraced Spirit1alism.
having become a travelling Medium" and lec-
turer, is authoritatively denied by the Bangor
Times
The annual convention of Progressive
Spiritualists of Massachusetts,, was held in
Boston last week. The most important busi-
ness transacted was the raising of fund of
Several hundred dollars for the purpose of send
ing missionary throughout the State to pro-
mugate their faith. Various matters pertain
ing to Splritualism, directly and Indirectly.
were discussed.
Rev. o. b. rockingham of New York
has preached and printed two sermons that are
making sensation among liberal Christians.
He takes the position of coneouter. from
Unitarianism as well as the other forms of
Christianity. He says that UnitaEanism does
not flourish, and he doubts whether it can ever
obtain any wide growth on American soil
his view is thus expressed: "The principle ia
TINS: that the organ of the Divine Spirit is the
consecrated reason of the present time The
consecrated reason, 1 say; by which mean
the reasan directed toward the personal and
social Improvement of man. The Romanist
says, the Divine. Spirit is in the ordinances of
the church. The Protestant says, the Divine
Spirit is in the letter of the Scripture. The
Unitarian of the elder school says, the Divine
Spirit is not in the ordinances of the church
or in the letter of the Scripture, but in the
whole reason of the Christian past, uttering
its word through the fundamental beliefs of
Christendom. We say, the Divine Spirit is in
the reason of the present time as it turns itself
honestly, seriously, Delievingly, reverently to-
ward the study of truth and good"
"A new low church paper has been estab-
lished in New York, called "The Protestant
Churchman," its special mission being to resist
the inroads of ritualism' already showing itself
in this country There is tempest brewing
in Trinity church New York, on this question.
The rector has lately introduced the process
sional hymn, with bowings and crossings before
the altar and the souls of the aati-ritualists are
stirred within them at what they deem man
ifest turning to Rome.
Rev. Dr. Mcleod, pastor of the First Re-
formed Presbyterian Church in New York on
Sunday last. delivered sermon, commemora-
tive of the thrty-fourth anniversary of his pas
torate, and the SEVENTEEN anniversary of the
organization of the church. His father. the
late DIR. Alexander Mcleod was pastor of the
same church for "a years.
The American Unitarian Association.
Boston, have issued "The Year Book Of the
Unitarian Congregational Churches for 1867"
1t is a neatly printed and valuable pamphlet,
containing, besides all that is wanted in cal
endar proper, a large amount of Statistics of
Liberal Christianity" both with reference to
the past and the present, and much denomina-
tional information. Among the useful intelli-
gence are lists of ministers and parishes, vari-
ous societies, periodicals, and select catalogue
ofliberal religious books. We are glad to see
its publication revived,