The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-06-22
Annual State Convection Of the Univer


ANIMAL State Convention Of the Univer.
ssiiss sOca.sy.
The annual State Convention of the Unver-
salist Society held at Westbrook, commenced
yesterday, with auspicious omens as regards
members and the day.
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.
The Conference was called to order by the
Secretary and the roll read.
rev. N. Gunnison of Dexter, was chosen
President pro tenn Prayer was then offered
by Rev. G. r. Moor Of Augusta
The chair then offered the following Com
mittees of the Convention:
Committee on Delegates-Revs. j. O. Skin
ner and D. 7. Stevens
Committee on Order of Exercses-Revs. G.
Weston, Il. A. Pnilbrook and - Hewey.
Committee on Public Services Rev. j. G.
snow, j. b. Skinner and A. G. Dennison.
COMMITTEE on Business-HOn. N G. HIGH
born, Revs. e. r. Moor and j. o. Skinner.
After the acceptance of the reports of the
Committees on Credentials, Public Services
were elected for the year:
President-Hon. S F. Hersey. Bangor
Vice President = Hon. E f. PiIlsbury.
Recording Secretary-Rev. Costello Weston.
Corresponding Secretary-Rev. Almon Gun
nison.
Sunday School secretary-Rev j. c. Snow.
Treasurer-Hop E. F. Beal
Committee on Fellowship and Discipline-
Revs w. E Gibbs, S. II. Tabor, G. II. Moor.
Messrs X. Dresser and Z s Fobes
r, Iru-tees-C p. K'mball, B. Yong, j. A,
ham mans, e. y. SKINNER aud N. Gunuison
Substitute, Rev. A. J. Weaver.
The Council then adjourned till IL o'clock
At 10 IL clock the Religious ceremonies of
ha hoe III @
and prayer by Rev. w. r. French of Bruins
wick, followed by congregational singing of
the 319th hymn; then Rev. j. o. Skinner OF
Watervlle, delivered a sermon, taking for his
text, Hebrews, XII. SO; Wherefore We receiv-
ing kingdom which cannot be moved, let us
have grace whereby we may serve God accept
ably, with reverence and and Cody fear.''
He said the terms of our allegiance to God
are those of change. He contrasled the law
tagonisn between them. that all is adapted to
the human condition. He spoke of the doc
trine OF endless punishment, that it was law
not revealed, that if that was to be, and if
there was no other end of Gods teaching how
can the Withholding of that law be made to
coincide with the mercy of God. That endless
punishment was an assumption unsupported
by the New Testament and by the Old Tesla
ment only in a limited sense
He said that the tendency of the literature,
art and science of the day is toward Univer-
salism. He cited the works and beliefs of
Tennyson. Longfelow breathed the spirit of
Universalsm. That what is peculiarly Meth
odIsm, Calvinism, Catholicism is passing
away. but on the contrary what is peculiar to
Universalism is gaining ground. Distinct
Unlversalism is about one hundred years old,
but the germs of it had long been expanding in
Europe. The doctrine tends towards abolish.
ing the belief Oh interminable Woe; that free
thought has SO curbed the empire of Roman
ism that it is but shell; that the doctrines of
endless misery, of the Trinity and infant dam
nation are getting obsolete; that there is cause
to fear for Uuiversalism from its very prosper
lty, for its obligations increase does its pro-
gress; that Universalism, too, could cite Apos-
tOlic origin, and claimed that it was Catholic,
Evangelical, Orthodoxical in the proper sig
nificance of the terms. As Paganism is inca.
pable of perpetuating itself, so is Romansm
on account of the liberty of literature and SCI
ence. He closed by expanding the idea that
no faith was genuine and of real value till
translated into our lite.
Prayer by Mr.. Moor, of Augusta.
345th Hsmn read by Rev. Mr.. French. of
Brunswick.
Benediction.
AFTERNOON.
At halfpast o'clock the Council met, Hon.
Sidney Perham taking the chair on account of
the absence of MIR. Hersey. After concluding
some details of business, adjourned to meet at
8 IL o'clock to dsy
Sunday School meeting followed immediate
ly. First in the exercises was singing by the
Sunday School, "Happy greeting to ALL" Then
Rev. Mr.. Snow made some remarks on the
subject of education of Sunday Schools He
thought that there should be but one lesson for
the school, and that there should be Sunday
School institutes like our common school in
stitutes in the different countries; that they
should be in different districts of the State. He
also advanced the opinion that through the
children and by the means OF the Sunday
School the church is in the most powerful
fnrtifad-------
Rev. Mr.. ARMS, of Lewiston, next said that
work is a necessity, not love; that you can
not teach children SO; therefore you must
make an interest in the Sunday School.
Mr. G. S. Fobes, of Portland, took issues on
some of the antecedent remarks, and thought
lack OF method one of the faults; that the
Bible should be the only text book in the
school; that question books prevent a spirit of
discovery, and he doubted the feasibility of the
Institutes.
Singing by the Sunday School.
MT. Ara Cnshman, of Auburn, Superin-
lendent of Sunday Schools, then rose. He
a'o we over-estimate the work we spend in
Tue sunday School, and we expect too much
from them. We trust onr cb;idren 70 ,ho
teachers OF the Sunday School and rbi,k orr
responsibility for their RELIGIONS edno,t;on
'"us 'uere' Ouf superintendents and teachers
ire In many cases unequal to the position. The
luties of heads of families goes furtbor .hor,
merely sending the children to SUNDAY School
Singing by the Sunday School.
Rev. Mr.. Beal said we should teach our
children to 90 to church and go ourselves, and
some thoughts on the means of do
ng SO.
Rev. Mr.. Gibbs, of Portl and, said that the
ented, and thought that it was doing much
more than we had right to expect; that the
eachers and children should be praised: that
ne parents rather are to be stimulated, He
h'nks the methods adopted in the Portland
sunday Schools is that which will ultimately
ONE into use, viz, having one lesson for the |
cho0, which the classes and teachers eluci |
ate to the depths, and that of having meet.
ngs of the teachers in order to discover as
,uch as possible of the subject matter among
themselves.
Hon. Sidney Perham thinks that we have
ONE to the conclusion that it is good insti-
ntlon, but that we are not developing it so
'uch as is possible He thought favorably of
unday School institutes and of the free dis
uss'on OF the best methods of teaching. He
ai'' IN reference to the uniform system of
'ssons' that be has been attempting it at his