The Portland daily press., 1888-06-19
A YEARS WORK. M
What Has Been Accomplished by
the Maine Missionary Society.

Especial to the Press.l
RocKLAND, June 1S.-The following Is a
summary of the results for the year from
June !, 1887 to June /, 1888, Of the work oil
the Maine Missionary Society Of the Maine
Congregational Conference, which is OBJ.
tained from the reports of the secretary,
Rev. j. Z. Adams and the treasurer, j. l..
Crosby, Esq, Of Bangor:
Ninety-seven men have been commissioned
during the year; 62 ordained ministers and
10 llcentitates and students-most of the lat
ter for few mouths Of the summer vacation
The aggregate amount Of service is equal
70 6st years, three years more than the
1t was gathered from the reports of the
men in the field that the average attendance
upon Sunday services has been 82S2; that an
average OF 7015 have attended Sunday
schools; that 1857 have been found each
week In the prayer meetings; that 1884 fam
lies have been under the care Of the mission
aries.
The membership Of the aided churches
was reported May 18th TO be 1,726 males, 3,777
females, In all 5,5O3 or about one quarter of
the membership of the 149 churches of the
general conference. This gives an average
OF "a members to a church Of those aided.
There were 33S hopeful conversions, and
256 additions on profession OF faith and so BY
letter, 1856 in all. The average grant TO
churches having pastors was S192, and the
average money salary was $780, The aided
churches have given to the society s., ,40435,
and to all other benevolent objects 81 ,601 .62.
VI the 90 churches which have constant sup
ply, 20 have pars0nages and 25 have funds to
the amount Of S1S,829.
Fifteen thousand one hundred and twenty
three dollars and thirty-eight cents have
been paid directly to the missionaries, near
ly 500 more than last year. which was de-
manded by the amount of service rendered.
The Woman's Auxiliary has been espec-
ially successful in collection Of funds.
Regret Is expressed at the loss Of Messrs
Chaplin, Lincoln, Perciyal. SHELTON and
White, who have left the State for other
fields. Most of the fields thus vacated have
been promptly filled, two of them by men
from other States. Two churches notify
that they shall not need aid next year.
There Is a growing demand for missionary
service In the newer settlements Of the
State. Several such places we're supplied
last year with marked success, and In one
case Il was attended by the formation Of
church.
One circuit embraced five townships in up
per Aroostook, and a man and his wife and
team are on the ground this year following
the advantage gained last year.
-Four men have served as County or State
MISSIONARIES MAJ Ss i3r the whole or part Of the
YORK In Oxford county, Mr.. Whittier in
Washington county, and Mr.. Harlow for the
general work. Mr. York spent two and a
half months also during the winter in the
camps along the Megantic Railroad, within
the bounds OF Maine. Mr.. Harlow did work
IN nine counties, preached 260 sermons, be-
sides 40 addresses. received members to
churches and was especially helpful In Civ
ing advice and healing difficulties in several
cases.
Waste places must be occupied churches
must give more money for the home work !;
men must c0nsecrate themselves, not merely
to the ministry, but to sacrificing missionary
service. The gospel must be carried to the
careless, the unbelieving, the doubling. the
sc0rning; and 1t must be lived out before
them. and with them, and for them.
and offered to them till they receive 1t, and
allow 1t to rule in them.
Whatever others may do, Congregationalists
OF Maine,.the M. NJ. society cannot afford TO
turn away from the destitution coming to
notice continually; nor does our Missionary
Society propose to do this; church building
is not the motive. This is IL: The people
are to be made better; mind must be quick
ened; conscience must be aroused; the truth
must be instilled; Sabbath breaking and all
manner Of sin must be checked and up
rooted; schools and sanctuaries must be-
come places OF resort; and love TO God and
man must become the law of the land. To
accomplish this the home missionary must
labor, and leave 1t for time and eircum-
stances to decide as to the name for the
This-is the ideal for missionary work.
Each strong church should arrange its home
services so as to release its pastors and men,
bers for missionary work, and thus care for
the outlying communities. Each county con-
ference should have live missionary TO be
In constant communication with the State
society, to stimulate contributions, TO bring
the church to self support, where possible,
and to supervise the county mission work
And trained evangelists should be appointed
and supported by the local conference OF the
M. nj. society. When this outline Is COM
plete. not as temporary expedient bat as
apermanent evangelistic method, we may
look for ''the wilderness aud solitary place"
to be 'glad" and "the desert" to ''rejoiee
and blossom as the rose" "Then the glow
Ing sand shall become pool, and the thirsty
ground springs of water"
Tho Advance Guard.
RocKLAND. June 1s.-The advance guard
of delegates to the State Conference ofMaine
Congregational churches arrived tonight and
200 visitors have been assigned places Of en-
tertainment. The conference opens at II
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