The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-27
THE METHoDlsTs AT LEWISTON.
Questions Answered Yesterday
Speeches by Good Speakers.

LEWISTON, April 26.-The Methodist Con-
ference resumed its business session at 0
o'clock this morning and took up the ques-
tions beginning at the third:
Third question-"Who remains ON trial?"
The character OF the following were passed ;col-
ectlons reported etc. and they continued trial ;
VIM. b. Eldridge, Eugene w. kennison, Illsley A.
Bean and Thomas Whiteside Willard Dukeshire
not having been before the committee on examin-
alton was continued In the class Of the frs year.
Fourteenth question-"What travelling deacons
have been elected to elders orders?"
The character of John II. Roberts was passed.
He reported his collections and was elected to
elders orders. John p. Roberts not having been
before the committee was continued in the class
Eighteenth duestion-"Who are the supernu.
merary preachers?"
The relation Of David Church, John A. strout
and ii. +. A. Pullen was continued.
Nineteenth question-"Who are superannuated
preachers?"
The relation of Joseph Hawkes., Mr.. Cole NJ
w. Blackburn James s. Rice, Charles X. Evans
Silas Nj. Evans, Ira Y. Sprague, Ezekiel Smith,
Joseph Moore, Joseph Colby, Caleb Fuller, Chas
K. C0ne John Mitchell Luther French Alpha
Turner, Jabez L. Budden, Alfred Cook and True
Whittier, was continued.
Rev. Chas. II. Allen ID. d., as committee on res
olutlons OF sympathy. asked for instruction and
read the names of Rev. MeSsrs Randall, French,
Hawkes., j. Colby, Sprague, Whittier, Stone, Bart
lett and others as among those TO whom the reso-
lutions of sympathy should be extended. DIR. Al
len read the special resolutions on Raw. ID. b.
Randall. 1t was decided TO extend coincidence
through the Zon's Herald, and that letters be
sent TO each as well.
Sixteenth Question-what local deacons have
From Portland district VIM H. Condor was re-
ported for election to elders orders. Mr. Condor
was introduced to the conference, and on motion
orders.
Tenth Question What local preachers have
been elected to deacon's orders?
AnSwer-Not any. Voted, that Howard A.
Clifford be elected TO elders orders under the
M mmicsionary rule The matter, of Charles A. Rat
second year In the Liberia Conference was
brought up by Presiding Elder w. s. Jones of the
Portland District. aud letter passed to the
Bishop from Bishop Taylor OF Africa, relative to
Mr. Ratcliffe's service there the letter of Bishop
Taylor c0nsenting to the transfer. Rev. Mr.. Rat
cilffe was transferred to the Maine Conference.
He was called forward and introduced to the au-
dience.
The matter of James Keith of South Paris.
former Free Baptist clergyman, was pre-
sented to the conference. He was intro
duced to the audience and then asked to re-
tire. A sharp debate followed ON it. There
seemed an objection to any one coming into
the conference from other churches any
more easily than the young men of the
church who are applying for admission. A
long talk ensued and it was voted to refer
the case of Mr. Keith to the committee for
admission on trial.
The anniversary exercises Of the Home
Missionary Society were then held. Mrs.
Dr. Chas. Allen presided over the meeting
and after prayer she made brief remarks
stating that this was the third anniversary
of the society and. also something of the
work being done by it. She then introduced
Rev. DR.. Brodbeck of the fremont street M.
K. church, Boston, as the gentleman who
would tell the conference further of the
work and objects of the society.
The speaker thought the churches had
mo do afrfo ol~nf lNxrr la
Of the colored people and educating them in
the north to return to their native land to
preach to the people, who of
course were so ignorant they couldn't
comprehend the sermons preached to
them, and who would therefore leave them
and seek some of the more uueducated local
ministers. The idea, he believed, was ia go
down there and educate the people them
selves and not any certain number of them.
Here the Doctor spoke of the work of the
connected with them. He believed the ne
gro could be educated and gradually brought
up to the standard of ordinary intelligence.
In speaking of the city churches and other
work, DR.. Brodbeck said that they do not
and cannot reach the masses, and that it
must be done by some such organization as
the Missionary Society. He said that in
Boston, his home, there were more people
within half mile of his church who had
never darkened a church door than could get
into it should all the regular attendants stay
away, and they to enter in. 1t was the case
in Boston, and he had no doubt that it was
so In Lewiston and other cities. In closing,
tie speaker made strong plea for more
earnest work in this missionary department
and hearty cooperation with the good
women who are carrying it so successfully
along.
Rev. DR.. A. II. Ginett of the Sunday
School Union was introduced. He was an
interesting, speaker and presented the claims
of the Sunday School Union. There are 81
272 Nj. +. Sunday Schools in this country un-
der 278,000 officers, having 2,087, ,31S pupils, a
net gain of 992 schools and 115, 600 pupils. Two
thousand three hundred schools were organ
lied and over 5000 schools received aid in
books and literature in the year from the
five thousand souls have been brought to
Christ through the Sunday Schools. Three
hundred and seven million printed pages 60
out from the Sunday school Union to the
Sunday Schools
1t is a belt Of pure literature % feet wide
around the globe. He came to ask for help
in the missionary department of the work.
There are four fields into which this work
ought to go. The first is the problem of our
great cities; 16,500,000 of our 66,OO0,O0O
e' We must organize u' Bible fe"' scSooi sf'eoi
in every place we can enter. We must go
down into the dark places in the great
cities and preach the gospel in all its simple
truth. lie pictured the horrors of the filth
and vice of the metropolis and in contrast
some of the work of the missions in New
York, Cincinnati and elsewhere.
Rev. DR., Parkhurst spoke in behalf of the
lions Herald, and Rev. Dr. Ilif of the Utah
conference, spoke reviewing the organization
of the Mormon church.
This afternoon. Rev. DR.. Spence, secretary
of the Church Extension Society,". spoke on
the needs of his society. liberal collec-
tion was taken in its behalf. In the evening
at seven, the anniversary of the Freedman's
Aid Society, was held aud an address was
by Rev. DIR. Chadwick. At eight
the anniversary exercises of the Sunday