The Portland daily press., 1874-10-09
UNITARIAN CONFERENCE.
Hast Day.

The conference assembled in prayer meetir
at 81 o'clock a. IN. 1t was intended to begin
the business session at clock. There seem
ed so little business to transact and the remarks
and other exercises of the devotional service
were so interesting that o'clock came and
went and 10 o'clock came and WENT and the
services still went on.
At last the conference was called to order,
the Vice President, Rev. Dr. Sheldon, in the
chair.
An essay by the Rev. Mr.. Clifford was read by
the Recording Secretary, Rev. C. G. Vinal,
UPON the subject, sHow best to promote the
religi ons life of orr societies. The religious
sentiment is common and natural to man. Saw
age aud civilized alike possess it. The differ
ence is not of quality, but of more and less.
The Lew Testament is high itall lamp that
lights the highways; but the byways of igno-
rance are Illuminated only by the taper Of con-
science. Religious ministers have held out to
the spiritually sick new walls containing various
Would-be remedies, labelled ''Methodism,'
"Presbyterianism, Liberal Christianity" and
said, take this sweet or bitter pill and you will
be, cured. Napoleon founded his great civil
code by choosing from all that he could find the
best features of each, and incorporating them
into that of France. So we might attain to
the highest religious system by an electlclsm
exercised upon all the religions OF the world.
But cIeeds are not what we want. Inc syn
pathetic communication of heart with heart in
worship is of the highest use to the religious
congregation. Can Congregationalism secure
something like this as does Episcopalianism for
It's devout adherents in its liturgy. The Sunday
service book may possibly help Untarianism,
but it is likely that the minister and choir will
continue to perform the most of the service, as
now. There should be as the nearest approach
to our need conference meeting during the
week. 1t should be in fixed place, so that
we could grow to feel at home there This
place should be made as attractive as possible.
The young people would come if they could be
led to feel that it is their meeting as well as
that of their elders. There is nc great danger
that the young men will become loquacious or
the young women fIppant. 1t they olt IL
would not be as bad for them as to remain in
different and ignorant upon spiritual concerns.
A beginaing may be made everywhere. ~fhere
should be the largest liberty and the widest
scope of debate, discussion and effort.
A resolution was offered by DR.. Nichols of
Saco, thanking the FIRST Parish for inviting the
conference and for its hospitality il entertain
ing the guests; also the Park Street Society for
generous hospitality, and the railroad and
steamboat companies for furnishing free return
tickets.
The Rev. Mr.. Buck, as chairman of IL COM
mittee on the revision of the constitution, re-
ported no meeting and no complete report Tbe
present constitution makes it doubtful whether
any are members of the conference but those
who can vote in Parish meetings Of the respec'
tive congregations. Thus even ministers may
be excluded. 1t was proposed to define the
membership more exactly. a.tr
Dr. Palfrey remarked that this was of no
consequence except that now the conference
was to be Incorporated.
DR.. Hill explained that the act OF ncorpora-
ton only established legal body having the
same name as this, to hold the conferenc funds
as a board of trustees, and we need not NEEDLE
with the present constitution.
MIR. Buck then offered as the report of the
committee on revision, that any change is in
expedi ent, as it is the sense of this conference
that the present article on membership intends
to include all who regularly attend Unitarian
services and the ministers of the denomination
in the state. This report was adopted by the
conference.
DR.. Nichols wanted to know if there was
anything in the constitution of Unitarian So
cieties which prevents them from having such
conferences as Mr. Clifford suggested in his es
say, just read. He had himself failed to get
any such meeting in his congregation, The
regular Sunday services are not enough for the
religious life of congregation, The people
the natural plane. There is no assembling
themselves together, although they meet under
one roof. He sees nothing in Unitar;ansm to
bring this about, and wants to know if any one
else does He feels that none could do the
work proposed better than Unitarans. The
thieves and robbers of our natural property are
not at all to be feared as compared with the dis
tractions which destroy our regard for each
other. We must see that these are kept out
a good conference meeting once week would |
be great aid in this direction.
DR.. Sheldon thought the meeting should con |
clude, and after the singing of the doxology |
DR.. Hill pronounced the benedction, and the |
conference was adjourned.