The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-03


churches have been aided in remodeling their
houses of worship. The convention has
also aided in providing more than 20 parson-
ages in these years. In this time also the
permanent fund was increased from $4,000
to more than $4,000, while the ordinary
contributions during this time were about
100000 Eighty meetings of the board have
been held in these twenty years. and in no
instance has money to aid the mission
churches been wanting. Manifold now are
the signs of promise as we stand confronting
the future. Let us go forward faithful to
our high trust.
DR.. Kicker, having announced his determ-
ination not to accept a reelection as cores
ponding secretary, DR.. Small Of Portland
offered a minute recognizing DR.. Kicker S
faithful services during the past 20 years, :.
Remarks by Rev. DR.. Mathews in behalf
of the ministry. and Rev. W.. E. Noyes for
the missionaries, followed. DR.. Kicker ten
derly referred to the words that had been
spoken. President Giddings spoke for the
churches, and DR.. Smalps minute was adopt
Rev. w. FL. Spencer of Watervllle.
The annual sermon was preached by Rev.
T. E. Busfeld of Bangor.
TUESDAY EVENING.
The rain ceased Tuesday afternoon, and
in the evening the Baptist church was crowd
ed to its utmost capacity.
The Maine Baptist Charitable Society,
which aims to meet the wants OF aged Bap.
tist ministers, or the widows and orphans OF
meeting at Z o'clock, Rev. w. S. Roberts,
DID,, OF Rockland, in the chair. The treas
urer's report was accepted. The work of
the year was reviewed by Rev. III. s. Bur-
rage, DID,, of the executive committee; and
after addresses by Rev. A. L. Dunn, ID,
and Rev. G. p. Mathews, these officers were
elected for the ensuing year:
President-Rey, w. s. Roberts ID. ID.
| Vice President-Rey: 7. L. Busfeld.
Secretary-Rev. Q. 4 owen.
Treasurer-Dea. j. c. Phenix.
Auditor-H. Nj. Hart
The committee then resumed its session,
| and pres dent Giddings introduced Rev.
| George Merriam of Kansas, who made stir
| ring address with reference to The work OF
| the Home Mission Society, in the West, and
| towns of Kansas. DIR. William Ashmore,
| for more than thirty years missionary in
| China, and now home secretary OF the
| American Baptist Missionary Union, fol
lowed, and delivered a missionary address
| of the most thrilling interest Until late
| hour he held the large audience as he pre-
| sented, with apt illustration from his own
| experiences, the need OF aggressive work In
| giving the Gospel to the world. No one
present will ever forget that address.
WEDNESDAY.
Wednesday proved to be a day of bright
| skies and summer air. A large. audience
| was in attendance upon the services of the
| convention at the Baptist church. After the
reports of committees the annual election of
| officers occurred and the following were
unanimously chosen
President-Rev. j. Kicker, ID. ID.
Vice President-Dr. A. W. Small, president Of
| Colby University.
Corresponding secretary-Rev. A. t. Dunn, D.
| Recording Secretary-Rev. II. s. Burrage, ID. ID
TreaSurer-Prof. j. B. Foster.
| Audtor-J. w. Philbrick, Esq
Also a large board of trustees.
President Giddings congratulated the con
ventiOn on the election OF DR.. Kicker, after
| his long and faithful service as correspond
1.-THE Churches, need of Young Men," wa:
| the topic next presented. Mr.. V. r. Foss
| of Portland, spoke of the Society of Christian
Endeavor as an auxiliary to the church In
| training young people for Christian service.
Rev. F. j. Bicknell of Rockland, referred tC
| the work of the Y. NJ. G. A. end suggested
the adoption Of its methods by the churches
| Rev. G. w. Hinckley added other valuable
| suggestions and the discussion proved to be
| one Of the deepest interest.
Reports on reform and Sunday School
work were adopted. Rev. III. Tilden o
| Pennington, was appointed to preach the
annual sermon next year, with Rev. G. V
| Hanson of Sk0whegan, as alternate.
Rev. A. j. Lebeau presented the work OF
| the Grand Ligne Mission in a vigorous ad
| dress and Rev. @. @. Tilley of Lewiston, fol
lowed with a timely plea in reference tc
| work among the French Catholics in Maine,
The work Of Christian women in the for
| eign and home fields was presented by Mrs
| N M. Waterbury and Mrs. NJ G.. Reynolds
The convention adjourned at noon.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
| The afternoon was given to the education
| al work of the Baptists of Maine. The re
port Of the Maine Baptist Educational So
clety was presented by the secretary, Rev
| E. S. Small of Livermore Falls. Report.
were presented from committee appointed
| to visit Colby University, Coburn Classical
Institute, Kicker Classical Institute ant
| Hebron Academy.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The meeting of the Educational Society
| was continued. President Small OF Colby
University delivered a thoughtful and
scholarly address on "The Baptist Educa
| tional Outlook"
| As the present. he said, is in many respect:
| pivotal year with the Baptists of Maine, as
| young men are coming into places Of respOn.
| sibility, statement of the spirit and plan:
| of these new partners in administration
| seems necessary.
Although so much Of our State is mission
| ary ground. our Baptist fathers have set up
| standard Of harmonious and intelligent co
| operation which is expressly adopted
our brethren Of other States, w w
| have federation of churches. s.congregationa
| in government, but hardly less concentrated
| in purpose, and certainly not less united in
| Christian brotherlineSs, than If they were sub
| ject to single episcopal head.
The different societies which we have or
| ganiZed are simply the Baptists of Maine in
| so many different algnments, for specia
| effectiveness in distinct forms cf work.
Piety for Maine Baptists means accept
ance of the responsibility of using the means
| at our disposal to conquer certain territory
| for Christ. All our organizations and ma
| chinery find their subordination and ad-
| justment in the demand o. this task.
The educational work of the Maine Bap.
lists, of which we are thinking especially
| this evening, consists not In maintaining 9
| few schools, or college, or in preparing {
| few students for the ministry. The radical
work is to educate the rank and file of oul
| church members to perception that Chrlst's
work requires all these different factor,
| which our organizations represent, and thai
| 1t is the business of every individual to be q
| personal stockholder in each one of these
| related enterprises.
| -We must teach the churches that they are
| not the pastors field, but his force, to bt
drilled In the tactics of the different Chris
| tian operations which demand their support
| If the churches are to be doctrinally sound
they must become so according to the gospel
| plan of knowing the doctrines through the
| performance of the Masters will.
/ With the evening session the anniversa-
| ries closed. There have been abo no del
| egates in attendance npon the meetings The
| spirit of The meetings has been excellent
4 and the outlook for the Baptists of Maine in
| all departments of their work was never
brighter.