The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
REV. DIR. GoRDoN's ADDRESS.


liyered an able and interesting address upon the
cause and cure of mspirltuality. He based his
remarks upon the eight indictments against Eph-
rain, found in the prophecy OF Hosea The great
sin In the church today Is that OF eOvetousness,
against which we find many scrlptural lnJunc~
tfons Men worth their millions are wearing away
their lives in coyetouS search bro roi Ewembers
their wealth Is not to be consecrated 70 the cause
of religion. Did the church receive what she IS
entitled to- there would be today an abundance
of means for the propagation of Christianity.
No time left in the busy lives OF many mSn
causes much OF the depression In the cause OF tne
church. There Is so much 10 be done on every
evening in the week that when the Friday nights
come around, the man is too tired for exertion.
This condition of affairs is causing great deal OF
trouble.
Worldliness and worldly apprehensions of re-
ligouS things are chief cause OF much weakness
in our churches together with the running into
the various snares of the evil one. But the great
est cause of religious depression today Is the fact
that Jesus Christ is not sufficient In the lives OF
many of our church people. The young persons
must go to the theatre, TO balls and all sorts OF
places of amusement and performers are even
hired to appear in the churches. This sort OF
thing is slipped into easily and almost without
our knowledge. Then many church people are
treading out the corn, where they could work un-
yOked and eat as they worked Ihese
are those people who 60 to ce cres sqs sSe aSd
sweet cakes but who will seldom appear when
hard work is wanted of them. Fppant eonver,,
sation even in the church itself, is marrlng ana
undermining Christian life today. IL Is heard
even at the ordination of ministers and at all
other sacred meetings.
Christian and the way to act in such case ls not
to remove the hat and say, Here Is Cnrlstan,
he had lost his passport convinced the officers of
his identity by sketch which, although com
prised in a few hurried lines. was MASTER
piece let the mans life prove his Christian prnci-
pies. No man will tell you that he has won ms
fortune dishonesty, but honesty in the eyes OF
men Is not a standard Of goodness with God. You
can't weigh man with only one foot on tne
scale. A Christian must live Christian lie
alone.
The cure of unspirituality Is an easy one, and Is
contained in four great principles;
The first being to have the word OF Christ dwell
but that word acquired by diligent search OF the
The second principle is Of living in the love Of
Christ which means that while we may love Goa,
the first great love is that of God for u.s. Wnloh OF
itself will raise up in us love for God. Too many
make the mistake of putting this love after tner
The third principle is having in us the mind OF
Christ, and the fourth is living the life 0f Christ
Living in the fellowship OF Christ VIII do more 70
elevate the world than anything else we may do
The band of missionaries In China VINO nave
worked for no compensation IN money, ana nave,
wherever possible, borne their own expenses, are
doing the best of good work because living In the
fellowship of Christ.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The following officers for the ensuing year were
reported by the committee on nominations, and
unanimously elected:
President-George F. Emery.
Vice President-Moses Glddings.
Corresponding Seeretary-Rev. j. Kicker.
Recording Secretary-Rey. ii. S. Burrage.
Treasurer-Prof. j. b. Foster.
Auditor-J w. Philbrick.
p.S IrHsrsesmG poa D. B. Pepper T. Buser st1dIev e.
Cushing, j. c. White, W. H. Roberts, R. H. Baker
C. q. Harwood, G. G.. Tilley, T. Bonney; r. ,.
Small, C. V. Hanson, J: W: Philbrick. E. Worth,
ID SPENCE rrds a. w. Siggs; R;chalsop M n
Lord, j. NJ. Burtt, c. F. HoIbrook, S. G. Sargent,
G. P. Mathews; A. j PadefoId. II F.Wnits, ,s y. r.
w. C. Barrows, Arad Thompson A. X. P; Small;
c. NJ. Herring, C. f. Owen, William Woods, .. T.
Harden smItS & Tne f. cgGhMranMs Mailing IA AUSTIN Hail.
NJ. Emery, G. B. Titus, J. Graham I. T.. Busneid'
81. J. White, E. G. Whitteman, J; H. Nlcnols, Al
win Record, F. G. Davis, ID. @. Robin.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening meeting was devoted entirely to
discussion on missionary subjects both home and
foreign. Mrs. Branard was the first one to speak,
She called particular attention to the work of the
Baptists in home missions. The Chinese, she said
in this country, particularly those on the Pacific
coast, were people among whom there was great
necessity of missionary work. 1t Is hard to get
them to attend churches where their own Ian
guage Is not spoken and the sooner few at least
can be brought into the service the sooner 1t will
be easy to spread the gospelamong the Chinese in
this country and the more effective will be the
work abroad. Mrs. Brainard spoke OF the Indians,
naming the different tribes in the order of their
intellectual Development among whom missiona-
ries had already worked. She mentioned few
of the hardshipS which missionary workers among
the Indians were obliged to undergo and then
touched lightly on the Mormon question. Inc
fact that the Mormons already send abroad more
missionaries than the American Board was pre-
sented and few Of their methods OF m making KIN eon
Mrs Brainard sad who are still in some respects
slaves look to Christians for help. She was Of the
opinion that not quite all was done for tnem tnat
should be done.
Mrs. Barrows then spoke of the work in Bur
nah. She had with her Burmese girl VINO had
been Christian all her life, and whose grand par
ents had been converted by DIR, Judson- The girl
sang in good tune and excellent English '.Rock OF
the country when DIR. Judson first entered the
missionary field, and eontrasted the work OF those
days.with the work Of today. She spoke OF % her
were already Christians. There Is still much to
do in Burmah, and year by year the work Is be-
coming easier. While many of the schools there
are sef-supporting, there are still more which are
not, and all help possible is necessary.
Rey Dr. Mason then gave rev. Sss,G statstcs sc;s re-
139 churches have been organized with mem,
bership Of 6791 TAO Sunday schools hsyG been
have been brought into them; II schools are now
sustained by the society; lO3 teachers carry
them on while the scholars NUMBER f % S1SS W
aud 8 for the missionary service IN Africa. All
the schools are doing excellent work and showing
excellent results, He called upon the churches 70
do more for the home missions, but he wished it
understood that in asking this he did not WISH
them to do less for the foreign work.
Rev Dr. Gushing followed, speaking exclusively
of foreign missions. He spoke IN particular OF
the connection of the Baptist church with the
missionary labors and was proud OF the churchs
excellent showing in this respect. he retefred 10
the work in Burmah and to the seltsupportlng
missions in that country, and said that while the
work of evangeliZing was going on, missionaries
must not forget to educate at the same time. Dr:
Gushing was quite emphatic on the SUBJECT OF
education, inasInuch as it was very great factor
Rev. br. Murdoc closed the meeting by very
able remarks on the "Dyn;amics Of Missions,
great work in which the churches were engaged
He spoke of grand objects OF all missionaries, but
dwet particularly on the results OF the WORK, he
grand results in proportion 10 the numDer OF
people employed and money expended.
The following is to-day's programme:
FOrenOon-Report of Treasurer Report OF COM
mittee on State of Religion Discussion. Report
of committee on obituaries. Paper by Rev. f. Q.
Whittemore of Auburn. Subject. ''Shall we keep
llgious bodies Ills. Annual sermon by Rev.
G. Z. Tufts of Belfast.
lftcrnoor-Meeting of Maine Baptist Education
Society Address by the President Renot Re or Of
Tiiley on ''The Problem in Maine." Discussion.
Report of committees Election Of oneers Ior tne
bic Society. Reports and election Of officers
Eue,.inG-DevotiOnal exercises 10 minutes. Ad-
dress BY Rev; G; d; b Pepper d. D., on "Gnris-
ship" Annual sermon by Rev Sewall Browne OF
East Corinth. Closing business.
The WOman's American Baptist Home Mission
society viii hold meeting in the vestry Of the
church at O'Clock this morning.
West oxford Fair.