The Portland daily press., 1873-12-19
Portland senmen's Friend Society.

A business meeting of the Directors of this
society was held Wednesday evening, Capt
Washington Ryan in the chair The Secreta-
ry, Mr.. Southworth, Pastor of the Bethel
church, reported concerning the work of the
year in behalf of seamen, $204 were expended
in his department, chiefly for libraries and
other reading for distribution, care OF destitute
seamen, &c. AS to the attendance upon the
meetings of the Bethel, an encouraging in
crease has been noticed during the past few
months. In the afternoon the experiment has
been made of merging the Sabbath School with
the regular service. The plan has worked adj
mirably 1t is deemed important to educate
the young as far as possible to feel an interest
in the ppblc worship of the Sabbath, and to
form the habit of constant attendance, and to
mlngle their voices in the songs of the sanctu
ary-The greatest interest is in the Sabbath
evening meetings. when the attendance is
largest, The themes at these meetings arc in
tended to be of the most ipractical kind-the
marrow of the Gospel-applied to the wants of
living men-and the close attendance often Oh
served, is very cheering There may not be so
much excitement on these occasions as in some,
but it is believed there is not less depth and
pcImducuCy VI lIupTtSSlOu. LIE report uWelU
upon the importance of having the talent now
comparatively Inactive in our larger churches,
brought into these Bethel meetings, which are
social in character. Should men from other
churches come freely in, double gain would
accrue. 1t was also urged that the Bethel is the
offspring of the older and larger churches, in
constant dependence, not only for material aid,
but moral and mental.
1t was suggested that there are two criterons
for judging the value of a religious enterprise.
The usual one estimates by the numbers who
atteod, and the interest of meetings. The 9th
er, with not less cogency, notes the work done
outside. Let the Bethel work be tried by this
criterion, ana its friends will have still more
ground for encouragement; the vlsitations
Sunday mornings in all weathers, by several
men from the CHI plains room, with excellent
reading, and Invitations to meetings,-most of
the vessels accessible, and the sailor boarding
houses, are thus reached week by week. More
than 1000 vessels are annuity visited by the
chaplain, distributing, besides tracts and single
papers, some 700 packages of reading, and uold-
ing personal intercourse with great number of
men. Onr marine hospital is not overlooked
Frequent visits are made there; when from sew
en- to % suffering men are always to be found in
need of sympathy, and the good words of the
Gospel. Nearly thirty libraries have been put
up and sent abroad in vessels, making 100 dur
ing the last four years; going where reading
will do the greatest amount of good Such work
going on outside of the meetings held at the
Bethel, are worthy of notice in estimating the
value of this christian enterprise by the sea. 1t
may be wise occasionally, 10 remember the
more silent and unobserved method of doing
good.
The treasurer, Mr.. J. H. Trne, reported the
want of some $500 to meet present liabilities,
and mentioned as reason the financial diff
culties of the season, which has hindered collec-
ton; but he expressed the intention of entering
upon this worklbefore the close of the year, with
the hope that the friends of the cause would be
the better able to respond for the delay.
During the evening, The broad platform of
christian fellowship in the Mariners church,
was alluded to, and the form of invitation to
the Lords table "All who love our Lord Jesus
Christ in sincerity of what ever christian de-
nomination, and whatever country on the
earth"