Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-09-14
A Trip to Norway.

Not that Norway where our citizen, Hon. John
l.. Stevens serves Is United States Minister, but
Norway, Maine, = pleasant village of about two
thousand inhabitants, and situated near the line Of
the Grand Trunk, connecting with it at South
Paris. Though these names have foreign flavor
we found the people true New Englanders.
Norway Is place of cons derable business nav.
ing large and long established tannery, and also
\ spacious shoe manufsctoIy, established some
i've years ago by the Messrs. Spiuney Of LYNN
Business seems quite active here. There are two
churches in the place, Congreg ationalist and
Unversali-t, both well established and 10 q uental
At The after on the 18th and 18Th, wa. held the
L nversalist sunday School Convention of Maine
and It's sessions We attended Twelve ministers
were present, and goodly number of laymen
The opening service Included business reports
and address of welcome by the resident pastor
Rev. j. A. Seiiz, very fitting and cordial. In the
afternoon there was excellent essay on Efficient
sunday SCHOOL Work. by our friend DIR. g. NJ
fwilchel of Fairfield, aud another by Rev. Cos
teo Weston of Bath, on The Scholars we Need
aud these were followed by discussion in which
Rev. Messrs. Haskell, Seitz, Whitney, Nash and
Hayden took part. We especially admired Mr.
Hsyden's remarks.
In the evening Rev. T. Z. St John of Worce..
ter spoke. Tue theme was Our Creed and was
treated " it'll mastery effect. Positive in his ex.
preston, the speaker betrayed only love and good
will towards Christians differing from himself in
points OF doctrine. The church was crowded
and the speaker held the attention throuyhou,
Just preceding his remarks was a brief concert by
he Norway sunday School, singing and recita
tons.
thursday morning the first meeting, one OF
PRAYER and praise, was conducted by Rev. 5. r.
smith, formerly resident Of this city, and &C.
ceptably conducted. Afterwards, at the regular
meeting. Mr.. Seilz gave an essay on Order and
Attention in the sunday School, in which be call.
ed for more reverence and order, and vehemently
demanded larger range OF instruction.
In the discussion which followed, Revs Messrs
Nash, Haskell, Hayden and others spoke. II was
generally agreed that the essay presented points
well worth considering, and that though some OF
the state of the essayist rather extreme
he doubtless meant we'll By the way, Messrs
Editors, Rev. Mr. Setz intends to join your fra.
ternity soon having issued already the prospectus
OF paper which he proposes to publish after the
new year. 1t will be open tor the discussion 81
the latest phases of modern thought, and not
fined to sect or party. Have We not already sew.
eral journals OF similar scope in the coubtryf The
ministers present seemed generally to be IN favor
Of concentrating their support upon the Gospel
Banner rs then religious organ in the State, and
they even passed resolutions encouraging to it,
editor.
But we have digressed. The next essay, "The
SUNDAY School and the Congregation" was by
Rev. u. W. Whitney OF this city, and Of that II
does not become us to speak. Following were re
marks directly IN the line OF the essay, and profit
able ones too.
At the closing session in the afternoon, the Rev
Z. 7 Nash read paper Oh SUNDAY School MUSIC
| and Literature, containing some excellent sug
| gestons The speaker thought the Sunday Schoo
library as too often made up, an almost bsrrer
Investment, and urged that more attention be de
voted to the selection of proper words and tune:
| for Sunday Schools. Then followed about the
| usual number of remarks, some wise and some
otherwise, until the time for adjournment arrived
The convention WAS, as a whole, very good and
profitable one, and the hospitality of the Norway
friends was ample. Next year the Convention
viii probably meet at Belfast. q. W. W.