The Portland daily press., 1873-10-02

be read. That nation is fifty years behind
Western Europe, as it has been absorbed in
keeping off the Turk and checking abomet
anism, while Weste IN Europe has been pro
crossing without destruction. Mr.. E. E. Hale
reports that the $500 per year contributed by
America, is working wonders in Hungary,
which already has $4,000 U,.itarians. Mr. Ship
pen urged the necessity of union of all the
Unitarian churches of the country for the effec-
tive work which comes of combinations
The conference then adjourned to dinner
which was spread in the large hall under the
audience room. The tables were abundantly
decorated with flowers, and very handsome
repast was afforded-the contribution of the
ladies of Kennebunk.
After dinner, Mr.. Vinal spoke in a very i'm
pressive way of the late Judge Bourne, who
had been SO long and prominently cou4ected
with this conference, and who had been full of
interest in this present meeting up to the very
moment of his death.
In the afternoon the subject of the Augusta
church was continued by Rev. Mr. Buck of
Portland, who said that year ago at Ellsworth
the conference voted to request the American
Unitarian Association to appropriate d sum not
exceeding $500 to the Augusta church, which
was good thing, but the church had not re
ceived a cent of it, which was not good thing.
He thought it best not to repeat that operation
but to vote only what will be executed He
introduced the following resolution which re-
ceived unanimous passage:
Resolved, That the conference learns with
satisfaction that pastor has been secured for
Christ Church, Augusta, and hereby extends to
Rev. Mr.. Beckwth, the fellowship of the con-
ference, and pledges to the church at Augusta,
its aid and cooperation.
Mr. Shipper and Rev. Mr. Myrick also spoke
on this question.
The following list of officers for the ensuing
year was reported from the trustees, and was
unanimously adopted by the conference viz:
President, Hon. S. E spring.
Vice President, Rev. Dr. D. N. Sheldon, Wa
terville
Cor. Secretary. Rev. DR.. A. D. Wheeler,
| Topsham.
Rec. Secretary, Rev. D, N Utter, Belfast
Treasurer, Mark z. Emery, Portland,
Executive Committee, Rev. DR.. John T.
Nichols Hon. Joseph Dane of Kennebunk, and
Hon j. D. Hopkins of Ellsworth.
Committee on Missions, Rev. A. M. Knapp
of Bangor, Rev. c. W. Buck of Portland, B L.
Hamilton, esq, of BiddefOrd.
Committee of Ways and Means, Rev. DR.. A.
d. Wheeler or Topsham. Hon. Samuel Titcomb
of Augusta, E. A. Barnard of Calais.
Mr. John Kneeland of Boston, Secretary of
the Sunday School Society, being present, was
| invited to address the conference. IAfter some
illusions to the small contributions made by
the Maine churches to the general fund and to
the condition of the enterprise at Augusta he
proceeded in very eloquent manner to advo-
cate the interests of the Sunday School cause
Had little hope of the present generation but
thought the rising generation shonld be instruct
ed in definite religious views,
Mr.. Hersey of Portland and Mr.. Nichols of
Saco spoke substantially in the same vein.
Mr.. Phelan defended the Maine churches
from the charge of niggardly giving aud said
that much work is doue in this direction,
which does not show in the receipts of the gen.
era bodies,
Mr. Buck said that when the Unitarans be-
come more definite in their Sunday school
teaching, there will be no lack of money in
their Golfers. He fully endorsed Mr.. Knee
lands Teachers Guide, land "Lesson Papers,
with the qualification that they savora little
too much of Orthodoxy. The destructive
fires at Boston and Belfast which had been al
luded to by Mr. Shipper, had been source of
misfortune to us, chiefly as serving to conceal
the real reason for the falling off of contribu-
tio1s-that real reason being lack of definite
ness in Unitarian views.
| On motion of DR.. Hill it was voted to take
contributions Immediately in all the churches
for the benefit of the churches in Augusta aud
Presque Isle.
This motion evoked very general discus
| sion of the missionary work and much Interest
was evinced.
On motion of Mr.. Nichols, vote of thanks
was passed to the railroads aud steamboats,
who have made a reduction of fare, and to the
Kennebunk society for their generous hospital
| ity.
On motion of Mr.. Buck, a committee of
three. consisting of Mr. Buck, DR.. Hill and
| M. Nichols, were appointed to propose an
amendment to the constitution fixing the
rigbtof suffrage in the conference.
Another collation. was served to the hungry
multitude at $40. We had heard it said that
Kenneblnk ladies were famous for beauty and
cookery, and these sumptuous banquets, with
remarkably pretty young ladies for walters,
justified the saying in both points.
EVENING PROCEEDINGS.
Tn the evening very large congregation as
sembled at the church, entirely filing the spa
bious audience room, Some fine music was
given, consisting of organ voluntaries and solos
| by Miss Peabody of Boston and Mrs. 7. A.
Crowell of Bangor. the latter singing "Consider
the Lilies" beautifully A sermon was then
| preached by DR., Hill.
The text was the closing part Of the sermon
| on the Mount, from ST. Matthew, beginning
with the words mot every one that saith unto
me Lord, Lord" and ending with the state
| Ia
teaching with authority. How came this pas.
sage to be written? Did the writer believe
that Jesus spoke in this manner, or did he notP
10 answering this question we might make n.y.
potheses First, that the whole was the inven-
ton of The writer. This supposilIon is. how.
| ever, absolutely forbidden by MANY copsid-
| tratons-one conclusive one is that it would
| imply superhuman genius for an unlearpeJ
1ew TO hsv' Invented such character as the
| Jesus of the first Gospel, a humble, SUFFERING
servant OF his brethren, wise, holy calm and
self-possessed, yet constantly betraying his con-
! seriousness of higher dignity than had ever
been held by man; or having invented it to
have portrayed it In such lines as to have in
splred faith in it on the Christian ages. Sec
ond, that this portrait is semi-mythical. or le-
| gendary. But this is incredible in the face of
Andrews Norton's demonstration, and other
| proofs, that the accounts in the present Cos
pels must have been accepted by the churches
long before the close of the first century The
preacher thought that we Were driven to the
/ CONVICTION that Jesus did use language similar
to that II the text implying his ever present
consciousness of a communion with God and
authority from Him such as no prophet or sage
ever claimed. And he thought that the co.
existence of this consciousness in Jesus with
his wisdom, his calm selfpossession and profoar
| knowledge of human nature could only he ex-
planned by confessing him to be the Christ. The
son If God. 'A0
After singing the doxology, the conference
/ adjourned. 1t has been an unusually agreeable
session, agreeable weather, a pleasant place of
meeting and large attendance combining to
render the session agreeable There was full
attendance OF the ministers of the State
Among the prominent laymen present were
Mr.. Kueeland of Boston, Messrs, T. C. Hersev
Mark P, Emery, George f. Talbot and Chas. r
Jose of this city, Mr.. Nichols of Saco. Mr.,
Banks of Bi"deford. Judge ,Titcomb of Ausus.
ia, Messrs. F. w. Sabine and VIM C, Crosby
of Bangor and Edward Hopkins of Ellsworth
large number of ladies from Portland, Ellis
worth and other places were 10 attendance.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO WRECK A TRAM
Monday evening while the $40 train for Essex