The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-10-05
THE BAPrlsTs.
A Resolution Endorsing the Woman's g
Union Discussed and Rejected.

LEWISTON, Oct. 4.-The Baptist convention
held its last session this morning with large
attendance. After devotional exercises. the
routine reports of the convention were re-
ceived.
The report of the committee on temperance
was called for and was as follows
Whereas The use of intoxicating beverages
and narcotics, the desecration of the Sabbath and
the social civil cooperate in retarding our ma
tional prosperity and the progress of Christianity
among us and so demand our earnest and active
Resolved, That we favor enacting and enforcing
the strongest legal measures, consistent with con-
stitutiona rights, against these and similar vices
by the state and nation that far as can be done
by law they may be suppressed.
Resolved, That by the persistent use Of moral
public opinion that it shall demand such legal
measures as shall be the most powerful agencies
for removing those evils.
A debate ensued ON the matter of resolu-
tions and Rev. M. Graham, Rev. Mr.. Small
and others urged an amendment in favor of
prohibition and endorsement the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.
Rev. Mr.. Burrage arose and addressed the
convention on the matter and said that he
hoped that there would be no discussion of
the matter. He did not think that anybody
would object to any amendment in favor of
prohibition, but he did think that it would
not be wise to include in the report, as one
of the previous speakers had suggested, a
resolution commencing the Womans' Chris
tian Temperance Union. When the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union confined its
design to temperance work, well and good ;
but when it merged into a political party it
became different matter to introduce it as
n@A1 -, e.x&, H. IL.
The Baptists of Maine are loyal to prohibi-
tion and the organizations that support it,
but there is no more reason why the c0nven-
tiOn should mention the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union in its report than that it
should mention the American Board.
The debate was brief after Rev. Mr.. Bur-
RACES remarks.
President Giddings ruled that the sole
qresti0n was on the amendment proposing
the introduction OF resolution endorsing
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
The amendment was voted down, and the
report, as originally presented, was subse-
quently adopted.
The committee on Sunday schools present
ed its report through Rev. A. T. Dunn of
Portland, as follows:
Recognizing the fact that our children and youth
are soon to be the workers and supporters In the
different departments of our church work, and
conscious of the increased demand for skilled
prayerful attention OF the churches. the Sunday
school as an agency employed in instructing and
educating our YOUTH and Its ally, the Y. P. s. c.
workers. A. I. DUNN,
H. TnDEN,
E. III. GERRIsH.
Rev. Mr.. Dunn spoke eloquently. and point
edly upon the matter of the Sunday school,
and the Young Peoples Society Of Christian
Endeavor. He urged that more and more
attention be paid to Sabbath School work,
and he felt that more attention should be
given to the Sunday schools in the annual
convention, and that thereby more young
people be interested in the work of the
church.
V. Richard Foss of Portland followed
Rev. Mr.. Dunn in discussion of Sunday
school work and the work of the Young
Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor.
Remarks were also made by Rev. Mr.. Sar-
gent, Rev. Mr.. Illsley, Rev. G. V. Hanson,
DR.. A. K. P. Small, Rev. DR.. Roberts and
Rev. Mr.. Gum.
The report Of the committee on Sunday
schools was adopted.
The committee on creden tials reported that
81 ministers, 2S visiting clergy, 105 delegates,
III lay visitors were present, making total
enrolled membership present of 312. The re-
port was accepted.
arrangements the following: Rev. G. V.
Hanson, of Skowhegan; Rev. j. H. Nichols,
of South Berwick, and the pastor of the
church where the next convention shall be
held.
The customary resolutions of thanks were
adopted, and the convention closed at II
o'clock.
The place of the meeting of the next con-
vention had not been decided, and is usually
left to the officers of the convention. An in
vitation has been received from Bar Harb0r.
A social meeting followed the close of the
convention. It was led by Rev. w. II. Spen-
Ger of Waterville.
At meeting of the Board today, among
other things it was
Voted. That $500 be appropriated to redeem the
meeting house at Harrison, Me.
Voted, To appropriate S100 towards the sup
port of the Pennington church.