The Portland daily press., 1871-10-11

Q There was a large attendance of clergy AID
rair number of laymen and women from al
| parts of the State. esq ---' 4 -.oa.lssa
Ae 9 a. M, the convention was caiied 10 OF
der. Hiram Ruggles, Esq, OF oarmei' wa'
chosen temporary chairman, and Kew. farkel
JACQUES of Reaafield, temporary Secretary.
After an hour spent in devotional exercises
a committee on permanent Eorganization was
appointed. consisting of Revs. l. Luce, ID. b.
Randall, E. A. Helmershausen and g. f. Al.
len. This committee reported the following
list of officers: sa frE q TeEEEss
| President Hiram Ruggles.
| Vice PresiGentS-Hon j. j. Perry, Charles
| Beal, Dr. Fl. p. Torsev, Rev. A. Sanderson
Alexander Yates, Hon. ii. X. Baker, Rev. S.
| f. Wetherbee, Rev L. l. Hanscom, Horace
Mussey, W. L. Brown and f. A. Smith.
| Secretaries Revs Parker JACQUES, A.
Church, A. s. Ladd and W. W. Marsh.
Comm ttee on Resolutons-Rev. George
Wehber, d. d A. Prince, E Clark, M d.
Hon. William Deering and s. R. Leavitt.
| Committee on Order of Exercises Revs. I
and Stephen Allen.
Mr. RuggIes thanked the convention for the
honor conferred, and referred generally to the
object of the meeting, and pledged himself to
| discharge the duties devolyed upon him to the
best of his ability. 't
The Committee ON Resolutions then announe
ed that the first subject in order was, "Maine
as Missionary Field"
Rev. L. d. Wardwell Of Rockland, presented
an interesting essay upon the subject. He re-
terred to the large population which was likely
to flow in Aroostook county from our own
| State, and foreign countries, and the mission
i ary work which should be done there. He
| thought the Methodist did not contribute
| enough, and that enough was not appropriat-
| ed to the home mission. f4sE s.la
After the reading of the essay, the subject
was discussed by DR.. Webber, Revs. Messrs
Helmershausen, A. Sanderson, John Allen
and Benjamin Lufkin. rqA. rsaga
Rev. c. F. Allen of Orono, President of the
Agricultural College, read very elaborate
and interesting essay on the Introduction of
Methodism into Maine." The convention
then adjoutned till afternoon f
AFTERNOON.
AT two p. m, the convention re-assembled
aud the attendance was larger than in the
morning. President Ruggles presided. After
religious exercises the business of the session
was resumed. wa asa
The next topic announced by the Committee
on Resolutions was Comparative Statistical
view Of Methodism in Maine.''
Rev. j. B. Randall of Kendalls Mills, then
presented lengthy but interesting paper,
giving many important figures and facts rela-
tive to the growth of Methodism in this State.
The essay opens with the remark that stats
tics are always dry, but convenient subjects
for reference. After alluding to the difficulty
of collecting exact religious statistics he pro-
ceeds to the main point of the paper, disclaim-
ing vain glorying in the strength of his de-
nomination.
The growth of Methodism is given since its
introduction here, tracing it year by year to
1900, the nee by decades to the present time /
Jesse Lee first visited the then Province OF
Maine in 1898, this district being nearly the
whole OF New England. ss..-,.ss -
At the conference held at Lynn, Mass. j uly
25, 1874, Phillip Wager was appointed to his
large circuit, including all the Province OF
Maine. Jesse Lee accompanied HIM. and in
November of that year the first class in Maine
was formed at Monmouth, CONSISTING,
\ we believe, of eight members. That class
paper is lost as well the records of that earIy
society.
Phillip Wager travelled his large circuit
called "Readfeld circuit and at the confer.
ence of 1875 made the first statistical return
from Maine. As the result of his labors he re-
turned to the conference at New London.
Conn.,, on July 15, 1895, that there were 318
members in the sOciety-PortlaPd Sc. .Readfit Id
232, Passsmaquoddy 80. At the close OF that
year, 1896, there were returned 357, not large
increase (only 25) but they broke up much
new ground. These members were reported
from the following places:-Portland so; Read
field 240, Penobscot 73. The number of mem
bers returned to the conference of 1897 was
GIG, gain of72 per cent. Joshua Tay lor was
made Presiding Elder and stationed at Read :
field. - I'D.
From 1910 to 1850 thore was decrease of
1859, owing to the reaction from the Miller ex-
citement connected with the diversion of the
church 10 1874. The Congregationalists gain
ed during this time 518 and the Baptist lost |
$40. From 1850 to 1860 the Methodsts gained /
364l From 1860 to 1870 there was decrease /
of 4o0, occasioned by the war exctemepts of |
1861-5. The Congregationalists report in 1870 |
oue minister less than in 1860 and a gain of |
4S9 members The Baptist, during this de- |
2O29 members The F.sW. Baptsts report |
decrease of "a ministers and 112 members.
Daring the last year the Methodists gained 13
travelling preachers and 316 members. The
CongreRationalists report during last year
loss of les members and the E. W. Baptist
gain OF IL ministers and 270 members.
The educational interests have also prosper
ed.
The increase per cent. in the cities and
towns Of 5000 inhabitants and upwards, 1850 to
1870, has been viz:-Methodist S. Cosgrega-
tionalist 54, Baptist 80, f. w. Baptist M4; in
crease 10 whole State, Methodist IA 10, Con-
gregationalist IL 4, Baptist 2; decrease OF f,
". Baptist g.. The loss in rural places is viz:
Methodist 2, Congregationalists 81, Baptists 8,
f. W. Baptists6: By the same computation
the loss in the whole State is a much less per
cent, showing that the large towns and cities
are the strongholds and gaieing places of Meth
odism.
The church property in Maine, in 1870. was
valued at $3.50 9S5, representing 324 churches
and Ill parsonages There were 285 Sunday
schools, 20 SOB scholars, 1886 officers and teach
ers, 81 ,147 volumes in libraries; proportion
church members to Sabbath School scholars
119. -
The benevolent contributions, including
missionary money IN the Maine Conference
have been, viz: 1850, $2490; 1860, $3597 76 1870,
$7395 %; not embracing home charities or leg
acies upon educational purposes. Increase
1850 to 1860 was A IA per cent; from 1860 to
1870, / OBJ per cent. In the East Maine Con-
ference, 1850, $1167; 1860, $3.50; 1871, $546O,
showing large increase. 11a-lf
Figures are given to show The meagre sala-
ries given TO ministers compared with other
States, especially the West, and an appeal is
made for more liberal condition of things, as
the cost of living has proportionately been
larger. sIr
Average salaries in the Maine Conference in
1850 was 1913; 1850, 1894; 1870, $613; East
Maine Conference, 1850, $285; 1860, $3.50; 1871,
$500.
Ministers, says Mr.. Randall, have some hu-
man nature, and they will not consent to serve
for small pay in Maine, while others, and in
their estimation, equally interesting fields are
open to them at double the salary. There is
no class of men of the same talent SO poorly
paid as the ministers of Maine. The church
must absolutely awake to this matter if she ex-
poets to retain her men of talent.
In conclusion he commends these facts and
| figures to the candid consideration of the con-
| vention. May they teach us humility and in
| spire zeal. May the Lord God make us and
all our sister churches Thousand times as
many more as we are, and bless us as He has
promised to do ........l
The discussion of the essay followed and was
participated in by Rev. L. P. French and Rev.
d. B. Randall. Ths subject was then referred
to the Committee on Resolutions.
The next subject was "The Church and
State
Rev. E. A. Helmenhaus eo, of Ca e,den, PIE
sented an interesting essay on tie above sub
ect What is the relation between the two?
What mutual duties towards them?
The laws af God are higher than those of the
State. No nation has prospered which has not
| recognised the sovereignty Of God. Sincere
devotion is not antagonistic to patriotism. 1t
| is the mission of the church not to create revo
luton, but reformation and improvement
The patriotic position of the Methodist church
4 in fhn IN l.. r. -