The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-04-26
METHODIsTs.
Third Days Session of the Maine Con.
ference.

After religious service Of half hours duration
conducted by Rev. G. Munger, yesterday morn
ing, the business session opeued, Bishop Foster
in the chair
Voted. That J. B. Lspham be added to the
committee on Conference Relations.
M. D. Witham asked and received loca-
ton.
The trustees of the conference reported the
income of invested funds to be $3l5. OF this
amount SSS goes to the East Maine Conference,
and $1S5 to the widows and superannuants of
this conference. Report accepted.
Mr.. Stevens reported the basis of claims, and
the report was recon- mtted with leave to
amend.
Voted, That the conference memorial service
De held this afternoon at 2 o'clock.
Rev. Mr.. Clark, delegate from the Maine
Conference of the Congregational church, ad.
dressed the conference in a very felicitous
manner, bringing to the conference the saluta-
tons OF his church aud inviting continued fra
ternal recognition.
Took up the relations of the superanr uated
preachers.
q. W. Morses and j. s. Rice's rel atoms we're
continued. D. Copeland, deceased Feb, 1879,
N. L. Linsco it's, s. P, Blake's and A. P. Hill.
mans relations continued. F. Masseur, de-.
ceased Nov, 1878. B. Lufkiu, A. B. LovewelI,
G. Q. Covell, E. Smith, j. Stone, j. Gerry. E.
II. Mckinney, relations continued. e. Robin
SOD, deceased Sept, 1878. j. Rice, E. Shaw, G.
Andrews, A. Sanderson. G. w. Blackman, J.
G. Sprague, T. Hill, relations continued.
Rev. Mr.. Atwood of the Free Baptist church
was introduced as delegate from the Maine
Central Yearly Meeting, and presented the
salutations of that church.
M. o. Pendexter, F. q. Rogers, W. J. Muir
ply, j. E. Clarke and W. #. Marshall were
called forth aud addressed by the Bishop on the
responsibilities they were about to assume. he
spoke OF the peculiarities of our system, the
growth and extent of the church, and said that
no church SO constantly supplies all the
'ehurche with pastors. The church creates the
pastor, and the responsibility of having good
pastors is with the annual conference, and with
it alone. In churches that have tho power of
calling and settling their ministers the RESPONSE
bllity rests on the ch ufoh alone. That system
drops inefficient men as natural result, With
our system there is danger, from various causes j,
of retaining inefficient men, Having admitted
them on trial there is delicacy in discontinue
ing them, and the danger consists 10 multiply-
ing this class. No conference ought to vote
man on trial without great carefulness and delib.
GRAFTON. The position 10 conspicuous one, and
the minister's social relations are arranged
on this scale, hence, out of sympathy, his rela-
lions are continued from year to year.
We are brotherhood of the closest syn pa
thy and our attachments are strong, and it is
often difficult to follow our sober Judgment
when brother minister is the subject Of criti-
clsm. The longer this relation continues the
more difficult the separation becomes. Hence
the care necessary in receiving men into the
ministry. Guard the doors of your conference.
You, as conference. are responsible for the
Character and efficiency Of every man who fills
q pulpit in that conference. No man has
right to be in the conference because he has
been admitted, but because he is fitted for the
work. If you have been mistaken as to his fit
ness,Io he makes himself unfit, be has no right
to be in the conference The question each
year should be. is this brother fit man for the
work? If be cannot receive an appointment
without harm to the work, dare you send him
to church? The responsibility is on you! You
must decline, even though it be hard from
sympathy for your brother. The Bishop then
addressed the Candidates Be gentlemen. No
man has right to preach that has not the
highest instincts of manhood. The pulpit de-.
mands men! The church demands that YOU
should be thoroughly christian men, according
TO the stand ards of our church. There are hon.
orable men, good men, who do not come to the
church, nor profess piety. But our church de-
mands mores that you shall be converted men
knowing by experience the power of Christ 10
save. The church requires q conviction, on
POUR part, that you are specially called of God
70 preach the gospel We believe in a diviner
jail than desire for the work or natural
adaOtedress for such work. You may be called
II God to preach and yet not be called to work
u the conferen &c. There are othe- fields of
.qusl usefulness where you can preach the COS
pei. Education is not enough; character and
culture, with divine CALL constitute
your obligation. The habits Of thought and
study must be continued, or you will lose life
and power. When this loss begins to appear
his side of sixty. the minister ought to retire.
The church expects you will DO credit to the
pulpit when you are cut Of it, and it has right
to demand this
Your only relation to society is that of min.
ster OF the Lord Jesus Christ, sacred rela-
tion! If you idle away the time the church
buys of you, Il you cease to work and let the
church run down, you forget your duty. The
work you are called to is to preach the gospel,
to teach. Do not let the tongue run for an hour
for the times requires cour-
age, earnestress. There are always reasons
why some preachers do not have good appoint
ments. There is no obligation OF the people to
hear man that cannot do them good. If your
people "run they will run for bread" which
you fail to give them They must have it;
they ought to have it; they will have it.
You must be. pastors. Oar people want pas
t'rs. You Cannot bs preachers 10 the highest
sense unless you are pastors. What is q
pastor? Not gossip; not louDger in stores
Or offices, like loafer. You have no time for
such idhng; your time belongs to God. A
pastor must have care of souls-care all the
lime. This care should draw him to the fami.
lies OF his charge as father, because he cares
for them, so that when he speaks to them on
the subject of religion they will respect his
words. The pastor shoul1 visit his families at
least once year, and more if able to do so,
The pastor should look after the property of
the church-ibat lis debts are removed, that it
Is kept in repair, and assist the boards in their
plans with his counses. Don't be anxious
about your salary. The church will take care
Of you, If you take care Of its interests faith.
fully. Take the collections. all of them. Itis
your duty. Agtate the matter and educate
the people up to the grand enterprises of the
church. The usual questions of discipline
were then presented and earnestly responded
to by each one in the affirmative. The candi-
dates gave assurance they would not use
tobacco.
w. S. Jones presented certain resolutions
dissenting from certain resolutions of a con-
ference recently held in Brooklyn, involving
serious changes in our itinerancy Laid on
the table for the present.
DR.. Carruthers, and Bro. Williams of East
Maine were introduced to the conference, M.
G. .Pendexter, F. @. Rogers and James s.
Clarke were examined, elected to orders, aud