Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-10-12

"s at nine ociock, conducted by
Rev Alfred Gooding Of Brunswick. filled
the audit"rinm with worshippers. After
prayer and singing. Rev. Mr.. Gooding read
an essay on ''The Relation of Artto Religion. s.
suggested by Prof Seelye's recent book.
This was followed by a discussion partici
pated in by Alonzo Bartlett of Litchfi-Id.
Rev. c. Vinal of Kennebunk. Rev. DR..
Sheldon Of WaterviIle. Rev j. F Locke Of
Cas,ine and Rev Brooke H. rford of Boston.
The whole tenor Of the discussion was that
art could not be substituted for religion.
BUSINESS MEETING.
The business meeting was held at 10
O'Clock, with Hon Joseph Dane of Kenne-
bunk, president of the association, in the
chair. Rev. c. C. Viual of Kennebunk.
secretary and treasurer, read the minutes Of
the last annual conference. and his report as
treasurer for the year. Rev. Dr. Sheldon of
Waterville, the State missionary, submitted
paper showing what the denomination was
doing in mission work in Maine. Much of
his time has been spent in Aroostook county,
whose fertile soil offers a fine field for the
propagation Of liberal doctrine. He earnest.
ly recommended sending a minister to Houl-
ton. Northern Aroostook also gives much
encouragement, and welcomes the apostles of
Unitarianism with open hands. 1t was
moved and seconded that Rev. Dr. Sheldon
be employed as missionary for the ensuing
year, to devote six months to the work on a
salary of 5000. The reports from the differ
ent societies were called for, and 80 delegates
reported. Some churches which had repre-
as the delegates were not present at this
meeting. The question of assisting the Uni
tarians of Pennington in neutrality-suspicious.
services in that town until the society could
become self-sustaining, was taken up, and
elected considerable discussion. The hour
for adjournment having arrived, the matter
was laid over until the next business meeting.
ESSAY BY Rev. THOMAS HILL, DID LID.
| Rev. Dr. Hill, the venerable and scholarly
pastor of Portland, read a paper on "The
Writings Attributed to st. john" There are
| in the New Testament five books which are
attributed to st. JOhn-the fourth gospel,
three epistles and the Apocalypse or Revela-
ton. Peculiar interest attaches to these
writings from several reasons The close and
intimate relation which the reputed author
held TO our Lord; the peculiar spiritual and
exalted tone of the writings; the extend
ed accounts of the conversations of
Jesus with his disciples; the minuteness with
which he details the wonderful works of
Jesus the definite testimony as to the cruel
fxion and resurrection of Christ. The great
question at issue is the authenticity of the
Gospel Patiently, exhaustively and candid
| " the speaker reviewed serialim the argu-
ments for and against John being the author
of the writings attributed to him. and found
the preponderence of internal and corrobara-
tive testimony in favor of their genuineness
The essay was very powerful and logical
and convincingly demonstrated that there is
able and overwhelming evidence that the
gospel attributed to St. John was really writ
ten bv the beloved discipline.
AFTERNOON.
Rev. w. r. Alger of Portland addressed a
large audience in the afternoon on ''The
Special Privileges of the Liberalists in Relig
ion." He developed ela5orately the follow
ing heads: |. II is the privilege of the lib
eralist to hold his views with perfect freedom !;
TO seek truth. and to follow 1t according to
his own conscience. 2. The superiority of
liberalism over the prevailing religion is the
entire harmony of its views with all the varied
| aspects of the problem of our life.
4. The advantage of liberalism over tradi-
tional religion is in the reasonableness of its
views, its generosity Of spirit. 4. The privi-
lege of the progressive liberalist is to obtain
to ripeness of mind which puts to
shame the unmodified forms of current belief.
). The advantage of true liberalism in getting
worthier conceptions of God than those OF the
popular belief. C. Liberalism prescribes re-
igion as joyous privilege. :. The view of
the history of the past more cheering to the
liberalist than that OF the popular faith.
3. Liberalism cultivates sympathy with bu-
manity. @ Peculiar adaptation of the lib
eralis,s' faith to comfort men in the evil and
sorrows of life 10. We are the servants of a
winning cause sure to triumph. IL. The lib
eralist holds form of faith fitted to reconcile
all parties, unity the human family. and es-
tablish the Kingdom of heaven on earth.
Following the paper BY Rev. Mr. Aleer
came discussion on the essay of Rev. DIR.
u;ll in the forenoon on THE Writings At
,ribu,ed to st. John" G. F. Talbot. Esq,
,f Portland, controverted the conclusion OF
! the es.avist that ST. John is the author of
the fourth Gospel. He made strong legal
argument to sustain his position. Applying
the rules of evidence to the Gospel in dis
pute, and comparing the testimony of the
writer Of the narrative with that Of the other
synop,ics who were personal witnesses to the
truth of what they wrote, he claimed that the
iiveryences, Inconsistencies and discrepan
cies in the fourth Gospel are proof what
could not have been written by one Of the
twelve disciples, but is the work Of later
author. He also held that, knowing whai
we do of the character and temperament OF ST
,halo rsht N