The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-06-19

made; and to these ends we pledge ourselves in
prayer and faith.
The hour for the annual sermon having ar
rived, the hymn was sung "All Hail the
Power Of Jesus name"
Rev. L. Reynolds of Yarmouth read from
the third chapter of II. Corinthians, and Of
fered prayer, and the congregation sang the
hymn, "The head that once with glory
crowned
Rev. w. r. Cross, of MilltOwn, n. b., fol-
lowed with sermon from the the text in III.
Corinthians, 3:1S: "But we all. with open
face. beholding as in glass the glory Of the
Lord, are changed into the same image"
THE CONFERENCE SERMON.
The conference sermon was preached by
Rev. w. r. Cross. Milltown, N. b. The
general theme Of the preacher was the trans
forming power Of faith in the living Christ,
shown in its bringing believers into closer
likeness to Him.
First-The gospels we have are a divine
mirror reading the glorious person and char
acter Of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which we
see Jesus working miracles, claiming equal
ity with the Father, and presenting to the
world so wonderful and divine personality
as to compel the reverential homage Of the
human race.
Second-To those who accept this gospel
with an obedient faith, the divine glory Of
this character Of Jesus will be revealed with
far more clarness than to those who looked
upon his person in the days Of his flesh (;
they will see him not as mental image, but
as a living presence.
Third-Thjs person will come with the
Transforming power Of divine, real, being,
changing those who receive him into the
same pure, noble, heavenly characters that
will be formed by the contemplation of and
love for this glorious being.
In conclusion: 1st. We have a valuable
hint of the preachers work and power, not
the presentation of the truths about Christ.
but Christ himself being personally in the
soul. Let the preacher look into these dl-
vine biographies till Jesus is mirrored in his
own soul; and then may he bring his hearer
to take this glorious being into his life and
soul.
%. This looking to Christ will cure much
OF the defective piety of our age, leading US
to look away from ourselves, our own hearts,
to Jesus, and thus get the light and life and
glory OF his character into their own lives,
and the church will become glorious body,
giving forth to the world all that renewing,
transforming power which close communion
and association with the Lord Jesus will i'm
part.
The sermon was thoughtful, spiritual and
impressive. and was listened to with close
attention by large audience. The hymn
was sung, "My dear Redeemer and Ny
Lord"
The roll of the conference was called, and
the committee on programme reported in
part, and the conference adjourned with the
benediction by Rev. NJ. Ives.
Afternoon Session.
The session was opened with reading the
Scriptures by the moderator aud prayer by
Rev. Mr. Wilson. After singing the hymn
"Hail to the Lords anointed." the report of
the treasurer, Deacon j. S. Wheelwright,
was read, from which it appeared that the
sum of s7S3.9O was received from the several
conferences, and $647.3 80 was paid out to the
various objects cared for by the General
Conference.
AT this point committee was appointed to
call upon the poet, j. g. Whittier, now 10
the city, and invite him atlhis wish to visit
the conference or receive call from its
members.
The report Of the corresponding secretary
Rev. G. ii. Pope, was read.
In introducing his report the secretary
referred to the fact that at Rockland last
year the conference ordered him to collect
statistics directly from the churches, instead
Of depending as heretofore upon the scribes
of the county conferences. He had other in
structions quite as difficult to comply with.
OF the blanks be sent out some were filed
and returned and some were not. The clerks
of conferences, neglected, as the clerks Of
churches had done before them, to return
he fbafr l,.k. a., a.. A
hundred clerks of churches in this State al
lowed the month of January to pass without
performing this simple duty of fellowship.
Having set forth the difficulties under which
he labored, the secretary proceeded to give
some statistics.
The statistics he gave cover the calendar
year 1888. OF the $50 churches, there were
SO which had pastors duly Installed by coun-
ellis There were 50 which had pastors who
had not been so installed. There were nine
with supplies and 1O6 were reported vacant,
but of tfese large part had preaching by
students and others during considerable
portion of the time and few churches were
in what might be called state of widow
hood. The figures show that 173 ministers,
OF whom 81 were installed pastors, while Il
were pastors not installed and 81 others
were preaching with more or less
regularity on the Sabbath though
not usually performing other
pastoral duties OF church member, at that
time there were 21,6S9. The secretary put
some emphasis upon the fact that of these
there were 15,393 females and only 6296
males. There was pathos as we'll as sarcasm
in his words. The admissions to the churches
during the year 1888 were 629 on confession
and 436 By letter-a total of 965 The re-
movals from membership during the same pc
riOd were 432 by death, 800 by letters of
dismission and 10 by diScipline-a total of
7S0. giving a net gain of 1885,
The secretary dwet at some length upon
the weak churches, and suggested that some
mode OF classification be adopted that will
prevent the dead and dying churches, those
with two or three memters, from being num-
bered with the active churches The rectif-
cation OF the rolls has been cheerful feature
of the work of the year. No great organiza-
tiOn should shrink from examining its books.
There were, last year, 475 baptisms of
adults, and only, said Mr.. Pope, 1876 of in
fants. In the sabbath schools 24637 men,
bers were reported. gain Of 1850 from last
year. The benevolent contributions of the
year amounted to S55,52O from 100 churches.
The home expenditures exceeded S206 900.
Several churches have summoned the cOur-
age to pay the debts which had been fetter-
ing their limbs. The secretary concluded
his report by saying: "rhe fitting and beau
tifying many houses Of worship is excellent: /:
the enlightening and reforming of commun-
ities is excellent thousand branches Of
christian civilization are excellent, but moth
ing Is so much desired by our Blessed Re-
deemer, nothing Is SO essentially our bust
ness, nothing should so engross our prayers
and electrify our tongues as the conversion
of souls"
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.. Thayer.
The prayer was followed by discussion, and
eloquent addresses were made by Rev. Presi-
dent Barbour and Revs. Ives. Baker and FL
der.
Rev. Mr.. Hallock offered the following
resolution:
Whereas, By the report of the corresponding
secretary 1t appears that about one-hfth of The
membership of our churches are absentees. and
thus are unable to fulfill their covenant obllga-
ti0ns; and
Whereas Such a coudition is generally unfavor-
able TO Christian growth and clear records; there
fore
Resolred, That this conference earnestly rec
ommends that all our church members. on chang
ing their residence, (even though the change Is
not certainly permanently shall take their letters
OF diSmisSiOn and recommendation promptly and
c0nscientOuSly; and we urge upon pastors and
clerks a systematic endeayor 10 secure this most
de- irabe end.
The Conference received an invitation to
an entertalrment at his residence by Will
lam w. Brown, Esq, and voted to accept it
with thanks.
After short recess the Maine Congrega-
tiOnal Charitable Society held short busi-