The Portland daily press., 1889-06-13
Proceedings OF the Second Day at
the First Parish Church.
Annual Reports Made and Officers
Elected.
interesting Meeting of the Woman's
Auxiliary.

1 ludl, OCWdIu anu IlC1 HOOu bdhAu6 Poits
At 10 O'Clock the convention was called to
| order by Vice President Judge Joseph w.
| Symonds, In the absence Of the President.
| Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, who was Obliged to
| be absent.
Secretary Rev. @. @. Vinal Of Kennebunk.
| read his annual report showing the receipts
| Of the year were ec5o1. 81, and ozpcnaeo ssas
| 81, leaving balance In the treasury Of
s693. The First Parish Of Portland con-
| tributed S377.64 Of the whole amount
A committee to nominate officers was
chosen, after which Rev. Mr.. Seward OF Wa
| terville, delivered the morning essay.
Mr.. Seward took for his subject "The Ju-
venile Element in Our Religious Societies"
| His essay was divided into two heads:
/. Why do our younger parishioners pre-
| fer drive or novel, or outdoor excite
ment, to the exercises Of the sanctuary? LIST,
| because parents are not sufficiently careful
| to require Of theirchildren that they shall
attend the services Of the sanctuary at a
period Of their lives when PARENTAL disci-
pline should be effective. I'd, because our
children are not sufficiently instructed in the
vital principles which characterize our de-
nomination, thorough understanding Of
which on their part would lead them to rev.
erenee and respect their religion so much
that they would live for it, fight for 1t, die
for it. Sd. because too many Of our men
who. fancying themselves to be wise, have
sought.to encourage the idea that it makes no
difference what one does believe provided
only man is honest. The speaker under
took to show that conduct is very seriously
influenced by such belief, and that the ques-
tion as to what is. or is not honesty, Is seri-
ously influenced by such beliefs. 4th, be-
cause too many parents adopt the idea that
she Sunday School Is child's church, and
for this reason they neglect the teachings
the children should be given In order to un-
derstand their faith, and therefore not hay-
ing acquired love for it,.they fail to ac-
Quire that love later in life. 9th, because we
have too much neglected the rite of confirm
alton, or some other suitable method Of
bringing our young people into the Chris
tian church.
III. What are the remedies for these diff
culties? 1st, to require our attendance on
church service. I'd. to provide suitable cate
chisms or text books on doctrine. Sd, to
teach the value Of correct thinking and cor
to be found in the house Of God, even If they
have to give up the Sunday School service.
5th, to inaugurate a confirmation service, or
any other suitable method Of bringing the
young into the church.
The essay was discussed at length by Rev.
Messrs. Reynolds, Guild, Nichols, Raw
lings, Haywood and Blanchard.
At the conclusion of the discussion the
conference adjourned to the Y. M. Q. A.
hall, close by, where an elegant collation.
was served, the hall being handsomely dec
Grated with flowers and Towering shrubs.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
After the conference was called to order
the afternoon, few moments were occu-
pied with business matters.
In behalf Of the nominating committee Hon.
Mark p. Emery reported the following nomi-
nations for officers OF the Maine Unitarian
Conference for the ensuing year:
PresIdent-Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, Bangor.
Vice President-Hon. Joseph w. Symonds,
Portland.
Secretary and Treasurer-Rev. G. Q. vInal,
Executive Committee-Rev Geo. c. Cressy,
Bangor; Hon: Mark 7. Emery, Portland; Hon. J.
Missionary. Committee-Rev.-J. T. G..Nichols
Saco; Rey. L, Q. Guild, Brunswick Rev. o. X.
Committee on Ways and Means-I. p. Earring
ton, Portland; Gen. Chas. Hamlin, Bangor; Judge
Samuel Titcomb, Augusta.
The report OF the committee was accepted
and adopted, and the officers nominated de-
clared elected.
very interesting ami forcible address
was then delivered by Rev. GrIndall Rey-
nolds OF Boston, Secretary Of the American
Unitarian Association. He spoke in gen.
eral way Of the plan, need and duty Of the
religious body of which he is member. He
said that he would firstlstate two general
facts, and gave for the first fact, that contrary
to much talk we hear, the views Of our re-
lgious body are understood. To illustrate
this statement he related many interesting
as well as amusing anecdotes. Secondly he
said the condition of things in these United
States Is such that our views, namely, those
Of the Unitarians, are needed. There are ten
to twenty million people in the United
States who are non church-goers. He did
not believe the Unitarian church or any
other could reach the majority Of these nom
church-goers. There are very large number
of honest, religious souls who are debarred
from public worship because they cannot ac-
cept the creeds Of other churches, but who
would become devout and earnest church
members if they knew the position taken by
the Unitarians. What are we to do about
it9 First, said Mr.. Reynolds, we ought to
give information. There should be Uni
tartan tract In every pew of every Unitarian
church from Maine to California Begin in
formation with our own boys and girls and
our own selves. Take special pains to flood
the State of Maine with tracts. Your first
duty II you are a true Christian Is to diffuse
information. Take care that we have posts
| for the communication of information. We
cannot do all that we want to do at present
| We are not large enough, but we can estab-
lish posts for the distribution of Hight. Ii
| Is good thing here in Maine to establish
| preachers at the summer resorts along the
| coast during the summer season. 1t is
| great field, and the people from all over the
country can be reached at these places.
| Maine is doomed, it cannot help 1t, to be a
| prodiglous summer resort for people all over
this land. Dlffuse Information, build
see that Gans men know the
a renewal Of enthusiasm for our own work.
| We want large number of young men to 90
| out and build their own churches. We un-
| doubtedly want money, but we need zeal,
and when we getzeal we will get your money
| We want to get your money by getting at
| your hearts.
Mr.. S. A. Eliot Of Cambridge, who has
| been working in this State, related some
misunderstanding OF Unitarianism that
| were very pleasing. He spoke of what has
| been done and what can be done by the Uni
| tarians in the towns of Maine. Mr.. Eliot
| urged the Importance of doing missionary
WORK during the summer months at the
| summer resorts in different parts of the
| State, and referred to the churches at Bar
| Harbor, Sullivan, Winter Harbor and other
| places that have been opened by interesting
| persons who visit these resorts.
| Rev. >. Z. Beach, missionary for northern
| New England, spoke of the relation Of the
| young people to the church. lie spoke in
| favor of keeping up confirmation classes
| and interesting the young people in the
| work by establishing societies for them and
| otherwise providing things to interest them
| that the benefit Of their assistance may be
| oil tanned.
At the close of his remarks the confer
| ence adjourned until evening.
| After the conference adjourned largely
attended and interesting meeting Of the
| Womans' Auxiliary was held, to which the
| gentlemen were invited. The meeting was
called to order by the President, Mrs. Bart
lett, and occupied two hours, (which were
spent very profitably. The meeting was
| opened by brief religious service.
| The State secretary's report showed two
additional branches, one at Bangor and one
at Pennington. The reports made in other
respects contained nothing Of more than
| usual interest
These officers were chosen for the coming
year
| President-Mrs. K. G. Jordan.
/ Vice Presi9ent-Mrs. j. I. G. Nichols.
| Secretary and Treasurer-Mlss Margaret Fox.
Miss Margaret E. Fox read report Of p.
| o. mission.
Mrs. Bartlett read a greeting to the differ