The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-05-18
BIBLE SOCIETY OF MAINE.
The House to House Collection To
Be Abolished.

The annual meeting of the Maine Bible
Society was held at the First Parish church
last evening. The president Of the society.
Deacon s. w. Larrabee, presided and made
brief address. He stated that 1t gave the
society peculiar pleasure to meet In the
First Parish church, since their first meet
ing, eighty-one years ago, was held In the
First Parish church of that day, being adj
dressed by Rev. Elijah Kellogg. He then
briefly outlined the object and methods OF
the society.
Rev. Albert T. Dunn Of Waterville, read
the report Of the trustees substantially ss
follows
The work Of the society was carried on for
only nine months during the past year, ow.
ing to the serious illness Of the superintend-
ent, Mr.. L. b. Stilson. Mr.. Stils0n has been
restored to health, however, and now there
Is no reason why the work should not De Wig.
orously prosecuted. The colportenrs ana
field agents have been active and palnstak-
ing and have done more work In the nine
months than would at first appear possible.
There have been In all seventeen wor kers In
the field working in all at different times
tC1a by foay SayS S1 he held Covered
braces the counties OF York, franklin. Som
erset, Lincoln. Aroostook and Penobscot.
ZZ.OJO IAIulll6S WtIb Nloitous vi bhOoO ooS
were found absolutely without Bibles, while
10 413 families confessed themselves TO be
n-church gOers. 6307 Bibles were sold or
given away. The field collections were
small, not aggregating much over $1,000 The
report then praises the painstaklng enorts OF
the field agents to secure accurate informa'
tlon regarding the status OF the families
they visit, and their efforts In behalf of col
lections. The advisabillty Of abolishing all
field or house to house collections Is then dis
cussed, the alternative proposed being gen
eral collection In the churches on Sunday
appointed. the third Sunday OF September OF
each year. The Bible Society Is doing the
work of the church In the wild lands and
new places, and 1t Is proper, the trustees
think, that the churches should make some
sustained aud systematic efforts to support
1t. Mr.. Dunn showed that the sum needed
for years support was about $1,000, which
app0rtioned among the 800 churches OF the
state meant only S6 church or about ten
cents a member. This he thought would be
sufficient, II the idea Of the trustees was
taken up. IL, however, the churches decid-
ed that they could not embark In the new
enterprise on account Of the great number
of benevolences, then the work Of the Bible
Society must diminish or stop altogether.
Rev. DIR. James G. Merrill. pastor Of the
Second Parish church and Rev. d. l.. Whit
man of Free street church, delivered short
addresses, emphasizing the great value Of
the Bible and the necessity Of disseminating
1t and the lessons 1t taught among the peo-
pie who do not now have 1t, II future peace,
happiness and prosperity of the state are de-
sired.
Rev. DIR. Small, DR.. Blanchard, Dr. Dalton
Mr.. Bayley and Mr.. Wright also took part in
the services, and the First Parish choir sang
several fine selections. At their conclusion
collection was taken for the use Of the So
cIety.