The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-27
METHODIST MISSIONARY CON.
vENTIoN.
interesting Addresses by Prominent
Clergymen.
The Proceedings of the Conference
Held Yesterday.

The exercises of the Methodist convention
yesterday morning were held in Young
Mems Christian Association Hall.
A devotional service was led by Rev. n.
T. Whitaker, d. ID. The opening address
was made by Rev. S. F. Jones OF Augusta,
on "The necessity of a missionary spirit
among all Christians" Mr.. Jones said:
while we rejoice that millions of money
are raised for the spread of the gospel and
missionaries have stations in most parts of
the globe we should bear in mind that the
Bible is printed in $50 different languages
and dialects, and 100000, 900 copies of the
scriptures are In circulation, while hundreds
of millions of tracts are scattered broadcast
among the nations of the earth. We should
not forget that the money wasted In the
world and all too much of it in the church
must be counted by billions 1t is a Source
OF qualification that our own churche, raise
more than million dollars for missions. but
as Chaplain McCabe calculates the members
Oh Ine methodist church expend fourteen
millions OF dollars each year for tobacco"
He was followed by Rev. A. S. Ladd of
Auburn. Mr.. Ladd's address was full of
Wit and humor. he believed ia helping
those at home.
Rev. f. A. Bragdon of Kennebunk. spoke
eloquently on "The Demand for More Work
ers in India" If England was placed on
India it.would be dot. India has 260 mil.
lions OF people. The figures make but a
slight impression upon our minds unless we
use the measuring rod.
"Fhe Relation Of the Home Work to the
Forsign Field" was then taken up by Rev
A. w. Pottle of Saco, and Rev. F. c. Had
dock of Brunswick. Mr.. Pottle said there /,
but one field. There is but one human race
There is but one Christ. America has re
ceived the gospel and she should send it tt
the slumbering nations.
Mr.. Haddeck confined himself mostly to
statistics.
Rev. ii. e. Foss of Hallowell. and Rev.
Mr.. Thayer spoke eloquently on the South
as missionary field.
Afternoon Session.
la the AFTERNOON prayer service for the
heather, was held at 80. conducted by Rev
j. M. Frost
| At2. after singing by the quartette, Rev
/. Luce introduced Rev. Mrs. L. d. Osborn
of Brooklyn, N. Y, who read a few verse.
from the last chapter of Matthew, taking
them as sort of text for her address.
Mrs, Osborn then gave very interesting
account of her work as missionary in India
At the age of 10, when thought to be dying
OF consumption, she was restored to health
almost miraculously, and thenceforth con
| secrated her life to the work of Christ
| She gave vivid account of her work in In
dia. ResClutely she set to work, and learned
two languages within the year. With pop
ulation Of 230, 000, 900 there 800. 900 gods
1clN t...wxa hi
image which Is the popular god of the won.
en- and children. She had a teacher In
| Madras who could speak fourteen Ian
| guages, and yet he worshipped images In
the Madras district 1000 miles were to BIZ
travelled over, and she and her husband
! ling expenses. He health having failed hel
she came home. She gave some account Of
the Missionary Training Institute, Brook
Ign, N. Y. Fourteen missionaries-youne
men and women had gone to the mission
| fields in Africa, India and China, and were
doing noble work there for the Master.
Mrs. Osborn sang song in Hindostan.
A committee consisting of Messrs. Ladd
Potte and Luce we're appointed to draft res
olutions on the death of Rev. o. K. Wilson,
Inge were referred to the same committee.
The quartette sang Throw out the life
line," after which Rev. M. c. Pendexter in.
troduced Rev. w. F. Berry of Pennington,
who gave an address on the NEED of mis-.
sion work in Name"
To what extent Maine is missionary
field Is not generally known. But the fol
lowing facts and statistics will clearly show
that TO considerable extent the conduct of
Christian effort outside the cities and the
village centres must depend upon mission
aries aid, The First Congregational church
In Maine was organized in the town of York,
December 3, 1878.
The first permanent Baptist organization
was formed In the town of Berwick in 1768
The first Methodist class was organized il
the town of Monmouth about November i
1874. At that time there were 46 organized
Congregational churches, and % Baptis
churches in the State. The Free Will Bap.
lists entered the State about 1890.
The present statistics of these four prin CT
pal Protestant denominations are as follows