The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-06-20

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q very pleasant part Of the seeretary's duty
to visit several Of the places where students
have labored for the summer, and to receive
to membership the young men who had
been led to decide for an open Christian life.
Such accessions are exceedingly hopeful and
assuring, for this young life brings new ylg-
or to the churches. A beautiful house has
been finished and dedicated at Red Beach,
at cost Of $4,000, and free
from debt without appealing to
The Congregational Union, Carratunk,
has built convenient chapelat the cost of
5000. BY the aid of friends and a 5000 con-
tributlon from the Congregational Union 1t
will be dedicated without debt. North Els
worth and Bar Harb0r people are pushing
new houses to completion. One will receive
$500 and the other $500 from the Union for
the payment Of last bills. The Pownal house
has been repaired at a cost OF $3.50, and the
North Buxton and Standish churches have
undertaken similar work for them
selves.
The East Bangor people have finished a
vestry and made other repairs, expendng
about $500. Perhaps the Carol and
Springfield church shows as much.relative
gain as any upon The list. The fine house Of
worship to which the Congregational I'm
ion had granted $3.50, was left to decay, the
pulpit furniture had been removed and ev-
erything looked des0late. Last year there
was a revival of interest there Students
was neatly repaired and all began to look
like genuine interest. By the presence and
aid Of Mr.. Harlow, and the faithful labors
OF Mr. Morse and others, this church of four
has come to be church of % members,
services all the time. Money has been
raised for further repairs and to purchase a
bell. The contribution boxes are passed
every Sunday and enough is collected to pay
for half the supply. During the year two
union churches have been organized, one at
Stockton and the other at Green's Landing.
Deer Isle.
The work in the new fields which we have
been urged to occupy for a time at least, are
full of interest The mission in Northern
Aroostook was successful Mr.. Blackman
gave four months of hard work to Ashland,
Masarcls, Garfield and Portage Lake, was
we'll received, and was urged to remain, or
at least to come again. An interest has de-
vel0ped at Moose river on the line of the
Canadian Pacific railroad. II others will
permit us to hold the ground, good church
can ultimately be, gathered there. Mr.. Nc
Donald answered to Macedonian cry and
spent three months at outer Long Island. He
taught the day school, superintendent the
Sunday school, held weekly teachers meet
ing, led the prayer meeting, talked temper
ance, preached Sunday, had a glorious reyiv-
al, and left 45 OF the 100 people for better
If any doubt the value and necessity of
these efforts in the rural towns, let them
turn their attention to our cities, which
show destitution even beyond that Of the
country. Do you dare bring the microscope
to bear upon the Maine cities? Are you
aware what large proportion of the people
are out of the reach of any religious influ-
edce, evangelical, liberal or catholic? Can.
vass your city and you will find one-quarter
at least, perhaps more, utterly careless, en-
tirely uncared for religiously, Sabbath wan
9Werers' Wd III II not, not peace di!sturoers;;
the immoyable element, always
to be found in cities, an evil to be suffered.
What are inadequate idea of the RESPONSE
bility of the church of Christ is this. What
lack Of faith in the possibility Of beneftting
and saving lost men. They can be, they
cities will suffer for 1t and have to pay
double. Send the missionary to them, 10 be
one of them, when they suffer to relieve
them, when they sin to warn them, when
they despair to point them to the Divine
Saviour. Do as Christ. the chief of mission
aries, did. go about among them doing
good" Then they can be saved just as
others are saved. You say there are too
many churches now. No, not till all are
gathered and housed. You say too much
Congregational churches of Maine can give
on an average more than 40 cents each to
evangeliZe their own State.
But three men have been employed in the
general work during the year. Mr.. Whittier
OF Dennysville has supervised the work in
several of the churches In Washington con
Mr.. York gave five months Of hard work in
his grand circuit among the Oxford hills.
My work the past year has been more varied
than heretofore. / have assisted pastors in
special meetings at Elliot, North Bridgton
and Harrison and Perry and Red Beach. In
each of these places there was a quiekening
OF interest and some hopeful conversions.
Special meetings were also held at North
Belfast With results similar. In Spring
field and Carol some nine
weeks service was given in the autumn with
some spiritual meetings and several hopeful
conversions. Ten were received to the
church, ten on profession of faith, new rules
and articles Of faith, and covenant were
adopted and officers chosen, the church be-
ing fully reconstructed Several weeks
more received to the church. In July and
August lab0red eight weeks in Presque
Isle, visiting in the meantime and preaching
in Ashland, Marardis, Portage Lake and
Garfield. In September assisted Brother
Adams In the organization Of Union church
in the western part of Stockton, and in De-
cember | assisted Brother Lewis in the
organization of another Union church at
Green's Landing. Recently have spent a
week at Long Island, Mt. Desert system. |
have preached as opportunity has offered in
Freedom, Holden, Dedham, Brewer, West
Chapel, and Central District Bangor, Monu-
mouth, st. Lawrence street, Portland, and
the North Church, Cape Elizabeth
Besides this work, Rev. Mr. Adams refer
red briefly to his labors in assisting others
at different places. We are happily dis
appointed, said he, that the contributions
from the churches, as compared with the
preceding year have increased rather than
dimished. Still II we compare a decade of
expenses and receipts. it would seem that
the interest in our State work must be sad
ly declining.
Let US look at the expenses and receipts