Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-15
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OVN@ E46NE a n 4OHN A2 AC1As
 Farther DoinGs of she State Conference
 at Merfden-Temperano and State
 ActiOn-The Project 10 Consolidate
 the Missionary Magazines-The Rela-
 1ions of Esenevolent Societies Co the
 Churches.
 MERDEN, Nov. 14.-The State Congrega- tended to-day, and deep interest is being taken by our people, the ladies especially. The report of Dr. Parker that the annual ex- penses of the conference was over &, 600 was made. It was the committees opinion that this was too much, and that the expenses should be cut down. S 45 \ kRev. Dr. Perrin reported from committee who presented draft act for enabling sany churches to become incorporated bodies if they so desire.
 Report was also made by Rev. E. B. Hil~ lard, chairman of the committee on temper anoe, which is endeavoring to secure legisla- tion for the suppression of dramshops The New York East conference of the M. E. church (which covers part or Connectlcut) has united with this conference for the same end. As the legislature was not in session last year no direct effort could be reported, but MT. Hillard recommended unyielding and uncompromising opposition to dramshops, and to the licensing of them, and that this conference persist in it's efforts to have the dramshep, or saloon, utterly and immediate ly suppressed.
 Rev. MT. Park, committee on ''statistics of worship" reported that one or mora of these forms of worship-the Lords prayer, respon- sive reading, the Gloria Patri and the Apos- tles' Creed, were used regularly in IFS of the 29S Congregational churches of the State, and occasionally in g others; and that over no pastors spoke in favor of these prac- tices as helpful to worship and acceptable to the congregations; only four or five pastors and few churches had expressed anything like disapproval. A few men objected to these things an limitations of Episcopalian- ism; 232 churches were reported as obserV- ing Easter, 228 children's day, 225 Christ mas; Good Friday (State fast) is observed by 163 churches; have daily services during holy week.
 Dr. Cheesborough, chairman of the com mittee on Sunday observance, reported favor able results from the working of the law re- stricting the running of railroad trains on Sunday. The committee was continued.
 The consolidation of the missionary maga' zines into one was reported desirable by Rev Dr. Anderson. Such change would tend to g great improvement in the periodical itself make it more acceptable to the religious reading public and enable the editor to in fuse into it more of those qualities which compel attention. The bases on which they are now conducted is not a business basis They need to be consolidated and placed under the best editorial management. Many supporters of the missionary societies desire such step. But is it possibIes Some of the secretaries of the societies favor consolida. tion; others would acquiesce in the desire ot the churches, and there seems to be no insep arabic obstacle to the proposed step. The port closed with resolutions favoring such consolidation.
 Rev. B. G. Northrop, another member os the committee, presented certain arguments in opposition. He thought it would result in greater, not less, expense, and would 1ess- en, not increase, the amount of missionary reading. The experience of the Presbyteri. ans, who had tried the experiment, was not encouraging. MT. Hand, who has just given million dollors to the American Missionary association, thought such 8 consolidation would be unwise. Deacon Stickney, the third member of the committee, disapproved of the scheme. The report was recommitted.
 Later in the day the report was re- ported back and discussed pro and con.
 Dr. J. E. Twitchell presented the report of committee appointed to consider the rela- tions of the Congregational benevolent soci- cities to the churches. The committee sym pathized with the desire of bringing these societies into closer organic union with the churches, but did not think that this confer ence should undertake to indicate the meth cd in which 1t should be done.
 Dr. Cheesbrough read paper on the sub- ject. in which he took quite emphatica1ly the same ground as the committee.
 Dr. Smyth spoke in support of the action of the committee; he declared that the ques- tion was not theological one at all, but one of administration; and the duty of the hour was to find some way in which the Congre- gational body could carry on its missionary work, guarding the rights of minorities and the principle of individuslism which was a part of Congreeatisnalism. He inveighed strenuously though kindly against the recent management of the board at Boston and men tioned instances in which men had been dis couraged from applying for service because they knew they would be rejected. At the same time the men and the money were need ed, since the work of the board, instead of enlarging according to it's enlarging opportu- mites, was barely holding it's own.