The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-06-19
The Congregotionalists.
FIFTY EIGHTH ANNUAL STATE
CONFERENCE.
Officers Eiected-NesrOIOgy- Oiher
Matters.
TUESDAYS SESSION.

L. 2. Warren, Rev. Charles G. McCully and
Rev. Il. s. Huntington.
Rev. FL. s. Huntington OF Gorharn, the cor
responding secretary, then read his report,
showing the condition of the churches of the
state to be prosperous, and suggesting needed
action for pushing the work. Follow 10 Q is a
summary of the facts in regard to the churches
of the denomination in the state:
Number of pastors in the state, 90 two less than
last year; acting pastors, ITO, twentysix more
than last year; ministers without charge, 81; total
1877; icentiates, 10; number of churches, PAS; one
new church in Randolph, N II. In 1885, forty-six
years iago, there were 1876 churches with IL pas
tors. Whole number of members in the body in the
state, 20 $50; added by confession, 552 by letter.
| 299; whole number Of additions, SS5; number re-,
moved by DEATH 42l; dismissed to other churches,
sions, $1O,8o2; American college and educational
society, S4O3; American Congregational Union,
P pu6sRnE sooss9 1851
S168,O0O.
After the report, prayer was offered by Rev.
DR.. Chickering, of Massachusetts,, for long
time pastor in this state. The report of the
corresponding secretary was then discussed by
Rev. w. P. Fisher of Brunswick.
On motion Of W. p. Hubbard, it was voted
that special committees be appointed by the
nominating committee to report on the sub
jects of Sabbath Dissertation, temperance, and
the report OF the secretaries After some in
formal discussion in reference to the new creed
the conference adjourned until evening.
The evening session was devoted to the Sun-
day school work. Devotional exercises were
| conducted by Rev. r. D. Kelsey. of New
gloucester Two hundred children selected
| from all the Sunday schools in Biddeford,
nished excellent music.
Rev. b. 2. Snow, state secretary of Sunday
| schools, reported the work of the past wear
| with the following statistics:
Number Of schools reported, BAT. This is but 90
per cent. OF the whole number in the State) Gain
over last year 40. Number of Conversions 298
(he larger part of this number being in few laroe
schoois9 Largest Sunday School is that of the Pay
pupils with an average attendance of 3O4; next is
/ the Central church, Bangor. whole number 423
land, 400, average attendance 248 st. Lawrence
street church, Portland 335, average 1874; Ham
mend street, Bangor, 319, ayerage1S7; Auburn
| First 305, average 176. Twenty schools report
generous contributions for benevolent objects,
| gratifying gain.
Resolutions were adopted commencing the
| work done by the Sunday School and Publish-
| ing Society, and favoring State organization
| OF Sunday school workers.
Addresses on Sunday schools and their work
were made by DR.. Westwood of Auburn, Rev.
/ W. f. Obear, Rev. A e, Dunning inter
i
| The meeting then adjourned with the bene-
! diction pronounced by Rev. Prof. ]. S. Sewall
| OF Bangor.
| WEDNESDAYS SESSION.
The 6 q m; prayer meeting was conducted
| well attended and interesting.
At $50, the morning devotional exercises
| were led by Rev. s. W. Adriance, and was
followed BY the observance of the anniversary
OF the Maine Missionary Society, the venerable
4 aiaor 10
| Rev. +. i. Bayley of Portland then preached
from the text, Matt 13:33-"The kingdom of
heaven is like unto lesven, which woman
took and hid in three measures of meal till the
whole was leavened."
| The treasurer, Mr.. John Crosby of Bangor.
read his report. He stated that the society
has enlarged its work of preaching this year
to the amount of $1,000, and does not owe
1 dollar.
| The report was accepted, and Rev. j. E..
Adams, Secretary of the Society, read the re-
/ port of trustees.
The annual collection as then taken;
prayer was offered by Rev. addison Blanchard
of Denver, Col Or. Fiske dismissed the con-
gregation with the benedction, and the
society proceeded to elect the following
officers:
President--Rev. John O.Fiske, ID.
wee Presldent-Dea. j. S. WheelWright.
Adams " 80
Treasurer-John l.. Crosby,
Auditors-W. S. bennett, b. B. Thatcher
trustees for yoars-Rev. j. E. Adams Barnabas
F free9ggan, Rev: Il. G; WestwoOd, D. D., William
For year-Rev. II. s. Huntington E. r. Burpee
W. Hubbard, Rev. B. P, Snow
FOR years-Rev. II. F. Harding, Rev, B, P.
Joseph Iitcomb. ---''
The committee reported as preachers next
year, Rev. y. w. Folsom Of Bath, and Dr.
WestWood as alternate. The place Of meet
Ing next year is Pine street church, Lewiston.
The meeting then adjourned.
Throughout the long session there was
large attendance, and much interest mani
tested in the proceedings.
AFTERNOON.
The conference opened its afternoon session
at o'clock; the Rev JK. Mason of Fryeburg.
led the devotional exercises, after which the
scribe read the neurology of the conference, an
abstract of which we give below:
Rev. BENJAMIN Howe, died in Hudson, N H., Oct.
IL, 1883, aged 76.
Rev Samuel S. Drake, North Berwick. Nov. 12
1899, aged 70. Graduated at the Bangor Seminary
Rev. Edwin johnson, pastor in Bangor from 1851
aged 81. - -O'
Rev. W. A. spaulding Lynn, Mass, January TO-
1870 S'uAiAS -
Rev: Wooster Parker, Belfast, Jan. "a, 1884.
aged ~ graduate of Bangor Seminary 1882
Rev Calvin White, Amherst Mass January 2
1ISS9944' aged 80; graduate of Bangor Seminary,
Rev Leaytt Bartlett, San Bernardo Cal. March
D. 1854, aged A; graduate of Bangor Seminary.
Nathaniel Miner. Salem Conn, March %, 1884,
aged SO; graduate of Bangor Seminary 1876.
Rev Thomas n. Lord, in Oshkosh, Wis March
20, 1884, aged n.
Rev; Stephen Thurston, D. D.. in searsport, May
AIRY in 1926. 'N''''''-
Reference was also made to Rev Arson Sheldon,
town. N. j., February Is, 1875 aged so; Also to
hev. John o Means, ID. D., who was at Bangor
Seminary two years, and who died in Boston, De-
long time secretary of the b. @. f. NJ and held
that position at the time of his death.
Rev. Seth Hardy died in Ypsilante, April 30
1884, aged 70.
The average age of the fourteen here report
ed IS ", and four we're above 80 years of age
None in active service in the State have died
during the year.
The report embraced acknowledgements to
DR.. Stephen Thurston, DIR. Wooster Parker
and others, who have done faithful and impor-
tant Work IN the society, and have now gone to
their reward. Also an eloquent and very ur-
gent appeal was made in the report for the
churches to send young men to Bangor Semiu.
airy to be educated for the ministry. Dr. Fiske
added tribute to the memory of DIR. Stephen
Thurston OF Searsport, giving an account of his
dlfncult but most successful work.
IL was then voted to accept the report and
have 1t printed, GA motion of Rev. G. W.
Christie, OF Pressure Isle, who followed it by
remarks, showing the need of parsonages in
the Aroostook county. Rev. David Garland
OF Bethel, followed in spirited remarks. Prof
l.. Il. Paine OF Bangor, then added some facts
in regard to the scarcity of young men sent by
the churches to be educated at Bangor and else
where. The churches are not raising up men
for the ministry. II the churches would come
under orders the Professor said he woald have
six men in the field inside of three months TO
do evangelical work, and he would begin with
Dr. Westwood.
The committee on nominations then reported
the following list of officers and committees:
To visit Bowdon Colege-Rev G. A. Harlow
Rev. IL. L. Griffin, Rev. Alpha Morton Rev. Joseph
Iorrey, Mr.. Geo. Is. BarroWs.
TO visit Hallowell Classical School-ReV. W. P.
Fisher, Prentiss Loring, A M. Deacon, j. s. Wheel
Committee on Report of Corresponding Secretary
Kew O. L. Nichols, Rev. s. L. Bowler, Rev. VIM.
Forsythe.
Additional members of the Committee on Sunday
Schools-Prof Rolliston Woodbury.. Rev. Daniel
Green.
Delegates to the Congregational Union Of Eng
land and Wales-Rev. j. K. Mason, Rev. G. j. Il. |
Ropes, substitute.
To the Maine Baptist Missionary Convention
Rev. VIM. Haines. Alternate, Rev. G. w. Christie
To the Friends Yearly Meeting-Rey H. G. West
wood, ID. ID. Alternate, Rev. VIM. Forsythe.
To the Freewin Baptist Yearly Meeting Rev. +. |
ID. Kelsey. Alternate, Rev. w. +. Obear.
Maine Conference Nj. Il. Church-Rey, c. f. An
drews. Alternate delegate not reported