The Portland daily press., 1882-05-15
American Board Of Foreign missions.

American Board of Foreign M issions.
The following committees have been ap
pointed for the meeting of the American boare
OF Foreign Missions in this city:
GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
Chairman--Rev. G. A. Dickinson.
Secretary-Rufus Ell. Hinkley.
Treasurer-Hon. w. W. Thomas.
Rev. w. III. Fem, Rev. II. E. Clark, Prem
tiss Loring.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ACCOMMODATIONS.
Second Parish, S. W. Larrabee; High ST..
Rev. W. II. Fem; Bethel, Rev. +. South,
worth State ST., Lewis O'Brion; st. Lawrence
| ST., Rev. A. FL. Wright; West, Rev. J. q
| Holbrook, d. D.; Plymouth, Rev. d. NJ Sew
| ard, d. D.; Willston, j. H. True; Woodford s
Rev. s. w. Adriance Cape Elizabeth, Rev. u
| A. Harlow.
| On Hospitality-Rev. e. z. CLARK, Chair
man; Rufus FL. Hinkley.
| On Finance-W. w. Thomas, chairman q
| Woodbury. S. Dana, @. G. Chapman, ii. ii
Burgess, W. o. Fox, H. I'll. Nevens.
| On Refreshments-W M. Marks, Chairman
| T. b. Percy, A. L. Burbank.
| On Transportation. +. Liscomp, cnalr-
| man. w. III. Conant, j. E. Jefferds, Jonh
| Main
On Printing Loring.
| On Halls-J. j. Ge-rish, chairman; R1chard
| Abbott, Stephen Marsh.
Mr.. Edward Gould furnishes the "Ambassa-
| DOR the following interesting account OF the
| first meeting of the society ever held in Port
land.
The proposed meeting in this city of the a.
B. G. T. NJ. in October next, awakens an inter
est in their former gatherings among us. Lhelr
twenty-ninth anniversary was held here Sept
II, 1883. The Third Church, Dr. Dwights),
gave the invitation, and the official meetings
were held with that church. The Second
Church, with Rev. j. B. Condit just installed, y
and the High Street Church united in choosing
committees and providing suitable accommo-
dationS. The visitors came IN SteamDoals,
stage-coaches. and private conveyances. NO
railroads were opened here until 1S43. Yetthe
influx of visitors seemed very large in proper
tion to the population. Our people weSe gwen
to hospitality in those days, and perhaps kept
more spare rooms thau now; so that ultimate
ly the accommodations weresample- IN
private families, with little or no money con-
tributions outside.
The President, John Cotton Smith, senior,
and Vice President Stephen Van Rensselaer,,
were both prevented from being present. Hon.
Peter D. Vroom, then Governor of New jersey,
was chairman. Rufus Anderson ID. u and
Rev S. B. Treat were present. as Secret arleS,-
Henry Hill, Treasurer. The only corporate
members then residing in this State were Gen.
Allen, President of Bowdoin College. Rev. n.
S. s. Beman D. d. of Troy opened the meeting
with drawer, standing in the house where he re-
ceived ordination to the ministry in lolO IN the
same pulpit where he preached during the first
two years of his ministry.
After the usual organization, the evening
sermon was preached by Rev. DIR. Humphrey
of Amherst College. 1t will be borne in mind
that the Board at that time consisted OF union
of three denominations; viz: the Congregas
tional, Presbyterian, and Dutch Reformed.
Prominent members from each, both lay and
clerical. were present. Itwas noticeable tha-
snch an army of fine looking men had never
before been seen in Portland. The reports
were interesting, the debates lively and instruc-
tive. The receipts for the year were reported
at 1896, 176, and the debt apout 1856 600. The
latter item sccasioned some little discussion,
and the Hon. S. V. S. Wilder offered to give
$1,000, if others would follow, and cancel the
debt Something substantial was done towards
it during the meetings.
Services were held at times in the second
and High Street churches, at each of which
the. sacrament was administered on Thursday
afternoon, in addition to the service at the
Third Church.
The moral and religious influence OF the
meetings was good, and the interest in them
remembered and felt Tor long time, SO that
twelve years afterwards, fan invitation was
given by the High Street church, to have the
next meeting with them in 1851. Some &C
count of that meeting will be given at another
time.