Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-18
MAINE FREE BAPTISTS.
Sunday School and Mission Work Consid
cred.
Strong Resolutions in Favor of Endors
ing Bates College Passed.

and the discussion which followed
those present. The paper written on this
subject by Rev. l.. Dexter of Berwick was
read by the clerk. The objects of Sunday
school work were brought out and treated
IN an entertaining and forcible manner.
| He enforced the need for thorough
training on the part of the Sunday
school teacher. THE incarnate God took
feter the wicked, impetuoas fisherman from
his nets and with three years of careful
training, 50 changed the man that his
shadow was worth more to suffering humanity
than whole life on Galilee given to arduous
toll with boat and net could have ever been -
| The paper was an emphatic endorsement of
the Chatauquan plan of Sunday school work
and 1t expressed much hopefulness for the
| future.
Mrs. Belle Smith of Biddeford followed
with an interesting paper on the same sub
/ Ject, III which she discussed among other
salient points the grading necessary in many
OF the schools, the different committees and
their work Among others she advised the
adoption of Lookout Committee" to
welcome and care for strangers, and
'Neighborhood Committee TO have care of
getting scholars outside and gathering them
| in.
Reinforce your Sunday schools with effic-
lent committees Zeal begets zeal. Get
| your young people to work. Some of our
! schools lack reverence. II is not necessary
! to re-establish the fear of the old tthine
| man, but some of the wholesomeness of the
old reverential Sabbath is needed at the
present. Some good brother who makes the
Holy Spirit tangible in prayer meetings, in
the Sabbath school uses old, worn phrases
that have no inspiriting effect. Teachers in
the Sabbath school should be trained for
! their work as well in the common schools
l believe why 80 many young men profess
to be skeptlcs is because they have so little
know ledge of the scriptures. The Sabbath
| school should be alive to mission work,
should devote an occasional half hour to the
cause of missions. The audience expressed
It's appreciation of the pleasing paper in uni
| Discussion of Sunday school work was
then begun.
! Dea. r. Deerng of Portland was the first
to speak. Teachers should become children
IN their manner of teaching said Mr.. Deer
ing. He firmly believed in the normal
method. As many thought they could
report all the book =. the bible rere asked
to rise. Three only rose. Considerable
Amusement was created at this unique
demonstration of the need of a little applica-
ton Of the normal method among those
present. The great neglect on the part of
many Sabbath school teachers in relation to
preparing their lessons thoroughly before
coming before their scholars was referred to.
| The speaker mt ntioned little incident by way
of illustration. \ lady who had charge of
a Sunday school class was asked if
she had prepared her lesson, why"
] i
my doing so, I'm the teacher you know" 4
gentleman present made few remarks re
latve to the need of warm welcome to
strangers. He believed most of US are child
rem in respect TO the desire we feel for a
warm greeting when we enter a strange
church. Rev. W. J. Twort spoke of re-
suits occurring from the practice of this nor
NAL method under his observation. He had
also found this system helpful 10 himself as
! a minister. The little details which of them
selves are of little importance, are neverthe-
less very helpful in fixing the important
truths of a study.
Rev. j. NJ. Lowden said he wished to
emphasize the importance of the work to be
done by DIR. Dunning at Ocean Park this
summer Not only the intellectual appre-
hension of truth, but also the heart truth
was ncedful in acquiring secular knowledge
and how much more is this true in the study
of divine truth Another minister said that
he had found the conscientious study of the
writings of the best authors for children
great help in writing his sermons so that they
would be more effective The Rev. Mr..
George, a returned missionary from India,
who by reason of the i'll health of
one of the members of his family
was recently Obliged to return from
four years of work IN that country
was called upon to address this meeting.
He is in the employ of the foreign
board and is working here in its interests.
He said he felt like a returned spy, who had
been sent out to view IA foreign country. He
hoped that his experience would be of bene-
til in home work. He believed that the Free
Baptist denomination had finished 40 years
of wandering in the wilderness. He could
see that great progress had been made
during his four years absence. Those are
growing less who are narrow that they
cannot include in their prayers the work
going ON in foreign lands If the people
here could see the exact condition of the
people in India their hearts would go out to
them The idolater has taken his conception
of God down to his own level and made
man of him and sees III him all the passions.
He spoke of the great natural abilities of
philosophy than we, but they have been
working for years on the wrong premises.
Among 100000, 900 Ilindoos there are
only 500 missionaries. However
Won NAV find all over India mis-
sion stations established. \ circle of Bap-
fists surround the bay of Bengal. The ques-
ton of sects is not presented so strongly IN
India AS here To show them that there is
purity, that there is likeness TO God that
we can attain to in this life. are what is
needed Hindoos saws of the Mohammedans
preaching there that they preach the doctrine
of the sword while they know that the chris
tians are preaching peace. The chains OF
caste are very difficult to break but the work
is progressing The seed is being sown, the
harvest is soon to follow. There mas
been a greater increase in converts than IN
the United States There is sort of electi-
cism or unitarianism growing up there which
will prove a great stumbling block. They
do not believe in the incarnation of Christ.
They believe in taking any good from
any religion when they find 1t and thus
make up their faith.
The speaker referred feelingiy to the ma
tive preachers who are working SO noDiy'
The most converts we get are from the lower
casts They do not have so much 10 break
away from. They. however. are unable TO
command the respect OF the upper ella sses
even after they become CHRISTIANS
He believed that every Christian should give
a 1.-THE. The missionaries themselves are
dong more than that.
The following resolution was then passed
Resolved. That this convention hereby ex-
presses its, If to be in hearty sympathy with
the plans now in operation for increasing the
endowment of Bates College, and that we
pledge ourselves to do all that we can 10 Sc
cure this endowment.
Among other resolutions was one extend
inc sympathy to the family of the late sam
uel ID. Warren of Boston.
The Rev. Mr. Singer then addressed the
meeting. He referred briefly TO the work
done BY Bates College, and the number OF
pastors she has sent out into the woria, anu
the large number of teachers who hold the
nrncipalships of more New England schools
than the graduates of any other college:
Nore money is needed and must be had II