The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-23
CUMBERLAND CONFERENCE.
The i43d Meeting at state Street
Church Yesterday.
Discussion Of Church Work Listened
to by Large Audiences.

/
yesterday at State street church. Mr.. John
j. Gerrish, Of st. Lawrence street church,
was chosen moderator.
The conference was opened by the reading
OF the Scriptures by the scribe, Rev. <. M.
Cousins of Cumberland Mills, and PRAYER
by DR.. j. G. Merrill of the Second Parish
church.
The records of the 1920 Conference were
then read by the scribe, and the conference
was called.
Rev. A. 81. Wright, Rev. Z. NJ. Cousins
and Deacon Erastus True were chosen as
a nominating committee.
An half hour of devotional exercises fol-
lowed. conducted by Rev. G. w. Reynolds Of
Gorham. Prayers were offered by Rev.
Messrs. Reynolds. Wright, ]. G. Wilson and
COUSINS Rev. Mr.. Bayley followed In re-
marks.
At 10 o'clock, Rev. G. W. Reynolds opened
the discussion of the following topic:
| what were the elements of power In the
primitive church," He said substan-
TALLY:
THE word power is frequently found in the
| New Testament in connection with apostolic
| iaoors: They waited for the power from
on high. 1t is impo ssible to analyze that
DIVINE power and shoT its elements, but we
can speak OF elements In Christian life ana
work produced by that power. The speaker
~ an earnest and eloquent manner present
ca Tour elements OF power in the primitive
church; LIST. the Christ life, I'd, the Christ
love, Sd, the Christ mission and 4th the
christ destiny The mutual relation of these
Vltai eiemehts OF working power was traced,
ana u was shown that they were motive
force In the success of the early church.
Rev. B. p. Snow followed with a brief but
thoughtful paper. He said
Therei were elements of power In the
primitive church, which may be, and Ought
70 De realized In the church today. The
cnuich marches on from century to century.
a aaycag .ne sauna 6fiities and drpen-
the power Of the Divine love. There
l., vas, as the result of that love, an Immediate
ana willing acceptance of Christ's truth and
u WUrE. 60; there was an immediate and thor
fellowship. which was mighty element of
| power, attractive and efficient The sneak
or insisted upon the present need of a real
fellowship to yitalize church life and make
found in the primitive church missionaIy
pei f''p'e"'0 sno oos-
| The discussion now became general.
Rev. Mr.. Bayley spoke forcibly of the
spirit OF personal responsibility. so marked
In the life Of the primitive church.
Mr.. Penneil OF Saccarappa, illustrated the
subject by reference to his own expert
| ences.
Rev. F. Southworth also spoke briefly.
At II a. m. Rev. E. P. Wilson of Wood.
| lords. presented the second topic of the pro-
gramme, viz. Personal Habits of Devotion:
| Iheir Importance to the individual and the
ohurch." Mr.. Wilson confined himself
mainly to the first part of the question, and
spoke with his peculiar fuency and feryency
OF the grand Importance of private prayer to
the individual Christian. This is the vital
| means OF religious growth. This point was
| illustrated by examples of what prayer had
wrought In the church. Christian character
must have roots. There must first be
growth beneath the soil. secret, hidden, then
comes the outward manifestations.
Mr.. VIM. I. Jordan of the Deering. con-
tinued the discussion. insisting upon the
value of habit in the Christian life. Per-
sonal prayer and meditation on the word of
goa are simply Indispensable Habit tends
to nix one in right feeling and doing. The
hablt OF not doing is no less a habit than
that of doing Mr.. Jordan spoke in a
thoughtful manner.
DE was followed by the kev. John G.
Wilson. who spoke with deep feeling upon
the vital need Of prayerfulness in the church.
Daily communion with God is the secret of
allowing piety and successful church.
The morning SESSION closed soon after IL
o'clock. .. ~.
After adjournment the out of town dele
gates and friends from other parts of the
city.united in partaking of the generous
hospitality of the State Street Church. in
their vestry. where asubst antial collation.
was served by the ladies'.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The conference rcassembled at 2 O'Clock.
Rev. S. K. Perkins conducted devotional
services, and Rev. Amos Redlon of Scarboro
preached the conference sermon from the
Text, The Communion of the Holy Ghost
2nd Cor, 1914. The communion was ad-
ministered by Rev. Arthur Smith and Rev. 4
4. M. Cousins. assisted by Deacons Clark of
Woodferds, True of the West church, LARA
bee OF the Second Parish church, and Hink-
ley of State street church.
The committee on nominations reported az
follows:
VI. I'D. Id.
Alterna e-Rev. G. W. johnson.
Committee Of Arrangements-Rey Z. E. Ba.
con, rev. Z. M Cousins, Deacon II. p. Marsh.
communication from Secretary j. E.
Adams of the Maine Missionary Society.
was read by Rev. Mr.. Bayey.
At33O the discussion of the topic "The
Chief Business of the Church-Is it In Dam
ger of Being Forgotten2" was opened by
Rev. DR.. Fem and Mr.. A. L. Burbank. and
continued by Rev. E. p. Wilson, Rev. F. T.
Bayley, Deacon G. FL. Hannaford. Rev. A.
FL. Wright and others.
At o'clock the conference took a recess
till 7.30 o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening service opened at 7.30 with a
short service of song, led by Rev. F. T. Bay
ley.
After prayer by Mr.. Bayley the moderator
then took the chair and announced the SUBJ
ject Of the meeting, Personal Contact as
an Element of Gospel Power"
on Rev; Dr. 'S. Merrill Of the Second Parish
subject was divided into three questions, |
power, the gospel and personality or person.
al contact. He defined each of the three and |
showed that the gospel power Of the theme |
was the same In its broadcast sense. He said |
that the most successful minister was the
one VINO best came In personal contact with |
his people. A house going minister, he said, |
makes church going people. The same |
principle also applies to the pews. A |
stranger seeking salvation and going to a /
church where all he received was a cold |
stare would be likely to seek elsewhere, In /
the crurch where there Is no pleasant nod. |
no hand shake, there will be no converts. |
He was followed by Deacon Richard Abbott |
Of the High street church, who called for |
more reaching. out after people. more |
personal contact with unbelievers as /
the surest way of winning converts. |
Collective and individual personality thor |
oughly consecrated to Christ must be the |
instrument of winning souls to Christ.
In the general discussion that followed |
Rev. A. ii. Wright said he thought that In /
addition to the personal contact of which /
so much was said, there should be personal |
tact; that it was important to approach /
man in the right way If he was to be won to |
the church.
Rev. s. K Perkins said that he thought
the church might learn lessons from the /
methods of business men who send out /
drummerS and agents In every direction to /
secure business.
Messrs. Wright. Bayley and j. J. Gerrish
also spoke briefly, and the following resolu.
uon presented, by Mr.. Perkins, was adopt;
ed
feesotved, That the thanks of this conference |
70 ~. HhA.eSnueo 10 the committee Of arrangements,