The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-29
MAINE METHOOISTS AT LEWISTON.
What the Conference Did at the
Sessions on Saturday.
Report of the Good Work Of the PORT
land District.
Rev. w. S. Jones's Eloquent Tribute
sto the late Rev. c. J. Clark.

realize to some extent the immense RESPONSE
bility that has rested on us during the yeal
gone. The opportunities afforded us have
been Of thel highest order. Never have facil
| tiles for working for God and our fellow mel
been more numerous or favorable. While
| can discover that In connection with my owl
work, all has not been accomplished tina
might have been; while see some mistake
| in my Judgment, on the other hand l have II
rejoice.that the preachers have been able Il
| accomplish so much for God and for thu
church, and have accorded to me in my worl
the heartiest cooperation, thoughtfulnes:
and sympathy"
The report referred TO the opportunity re-
Gently given him and his wife to see theil
native land once again and said that they re-
turned to see the work going prosperously
and to find each appointment in good work
ing order, except Pine street. Here / was
saddened to learn that the work which had
been begun so auspiciously under the care Of
Rev. T. Gerrish had been sadly interrupted by
his ill-health which had obliged him to sur
render the charge into other hands.
Supplied for while by different ministers,
at length the services Of Rev. III. Il. Foss
that the service might continue at least to
the session Of this conferende, when alas he
was compelled to retire by Inflammation Of
the throat and the charge was left to grapple
with the disadvantage Of constant change
and consequent inability to understand or
meet the exigencies of the case. This. how
ever, has been partly met by the labors of
Rev. ID. b. Randall who has served them
with great acceptability. But he has been
suddenly laid aside and prevented from do
I'M nncf mr. nf n I
Southard has been laid aside for some weeks
past but is now c0nvalescent and will resume
work speedily.
While few charges have been without
some tokens of Divine favor, many Of them
have been signally blessed. Among these
Saecarappa has received 80 on probation, 16
from probation, 16 by letter, and 30 have
been baptized; Sac0, % on probation, 16 bap-
tized, IL to full membership; Biddeford, 40
on probation, % baptized; South Berwick, 26
gress street, Portland, II from probation, y
baptized; and good work has been going
on at Sanford, which a year ago only had
eight members, but now has 20, and Is on
trial.
At So. Portland, through the indefatigable
zeal and perseverance of its pastor, Rev. L..
III. Bean, an old church and inconvenient
parsonage have been transformed, the one
into a temple ornate, unique and inviting,
the other into home Of comfort and beauty,
both costing about 5000. Biddeford has i'm
proved its property at a cost OF 500, Cornish
has laid out 500, South BiddefOrd S525,
North Gorham $500, South Berwick, which
three years ago had poor, dilapitated
church ediice and a disheartened society,
since then has bought lot for $1,000, built a
church worth $7800, owns another lot cost
ing S696, and has society full of courage
and power. Old Orchard has paid $500 of its
debt; Woodfords has laid out $500, and paid
Sl25 of its debt.
Insurance of church property Is. receiving
more attention. Benevolences have been
well looked after in the district. The mis-
sionary apportionment will doubtless be met
by the total contributions. Last year the
district went $500 above the twelve hundred
appointments and showed an in
crease of SS98 as compared with three years
before, also for church extension, $3.50 /;
School Union, 81 AZ; American Bible Socie-
ty, $3.50; w. +. NJ, SS6.56; w. Ii. NJ, S61. .65 |;
Bishops, S4s.5O. On the following de-
crease Of 1923; Freedman's Aid Society,
STOPS; education, S17.56; conference clai-
rlants, S127.54. This last showing is much
to be deplored. While other claims are nee
essary 1t seems to us this is the most impor-
tant Of all and instead Of going back there
should be considerable advance. In 1885,
about fifty per cent of the apportionment
was met. Last year only forty-three per
cent. was realized.
1t is matter of serious consideration to
note that the district has not grown numer-
lCdlly III membership. III 1000, LUeTb were
796 pr0bationers, last year 621, decrease of
175. In 1885, 4, 344 members in 1888, 1000
decrease, 254. In 1885 four places were re-
ported that were reported last year with s
probationers and As members, making the
decrease Of probationers 1873, and members
299.
Against this. however, we have to place
the fact, that in 1856 four charges were tax
en- off this and put to the Lewiston District
These charges had last year thirty-seven
probationers and three hundred members. so,
by this showing, the district, at the last Con-
ference had really gained only one member
in three years and had lost one hundred and
forty-six probationers. Yet the tables show
net gain in benevolent contributions Of
S1,633.31 We have found that the changes
have. been carefully, culling out defunct
members and not reckoning those who have
removed without certificates. This, with
the fact that a constant draw Is made on our
churches by emigration will account for
this backward tendency. The whole Con-
ference is not as numerous as it was twenty
years ago. Ours Is a struggle against odds
that for time at least, must test our vitali-
ty and courage, our faith and eur utmost ac-
tivity to keep us anywhere within the
bounds OF Conference respectability.
A marked improvement has been made in
the matter Of written reports to the quarter
ly conferences and though lamentable fact
that the appointment Of the various benevo-
lent committees has been little better than
nominal, there has been an awakening to the
Importance of setting them to work so that
the help they are designed to afford is in
some measure realized. We have marked,
too. with deep regret and concern, the alb
sense of Sunday school scholars from
Gods house. 1t Is time for the churches and
especially the parents to awaken to the ne
cessity Of inviting, commanding, veal COM
pelling If need be their children TO attend
the preaching Of the Word, or the future Of
the churches will be one of constant decline
and weakness. There is also a disposition
in some quarters to ignore the disciplinary
arrangement for raising supplies, and while
limiting the claim OF the preacher and his
family TO the barest pittance Of support. to
make no effort to see that the claim Is
promptly and fully met.
CONFERENCE BUSINESS.
A superanuate relation was granted to K.
Atkinson at his own request.
DIR. Breckenridge, agent of the New York
Methodist General Hospital said the proper
ty owned amounts to nearly 100000 and
during the year about 600 patients have been
treated. The endowment fund amounts to
nearly $4,000.
The enterprise is moving on grandly and
one lady from this city has endowed a free
bed at an expense OF $3.50. A committee of
three, one from each District was chosen to
cooperate with the agent in this work, and
on the last Sabbath in May present this in
terest to the people.
DIR. Chadwick was introduced and adj
dressed the Conference on the educational
interests of the church.
VIE. III. Barbour, u. G. Clifford L. G.
Strout, j. Wright and Milton Pratt after ex.
animation by the Bishop, were by vote ad-
mitted to full connection in the Maine Con-
ference. The address of the Bishop to the
class was deeply impressive and the congre-
cation listened with breathless interest. DIR.
Spencer addressed the Conference briefly in
behalf Of the church extension work.
On motion the report Of the Steward was
amended by an appropriation Of $50 to W..
Il. Bartlett, who at his own request was
granted a superannuated relation, his health
being broken down in his work. The Hospi-
tai committee was nominated and If. Jones,
A. s. Ladd, and j. nj. Frost were elected.
The educational committee reported, and
President Smith of the Maine Wesleyan
Seminary addressed the conference, showing
the prosperity Of this institution and the ne
cessity Of increased accommodation. Reso-
lntions pledging cooperation OF effort were
adopted by the conference.
Geo. r. Palmer was appointed financial
agent for the Maine Wesleyan Seminary.
Daniel r.. Ford and Abel Parlen were adj.
vaneed to deacons of the second class.
At the memorial services OF the confer
ence in the afternoon, Rev. II. Sanderson
presided. Rev. A. w. Pottle read the scrIp.
lures and Rev. B. Freeman offered PRAYER,
The church was crowded and the services
were very impressive. Rev. Mr.. Sanderson
said; 1t Is with great sorrow that we meet
To-Day. our ranks have been sadly broken
curing the year, but we.are disciples of the
Charles j. Clark"
A memorial was read by Rev. w. S. Jones.
Mr.. JOnaSis mamOrial WAS svmnathatic and