The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-10-01
EPwoRrH LEAcuERs.
Yesterdays Proceedlngs-Rev. Hugh
Price Hughes at City Hall.

L
Rev. william /. Haven. president Of the
convention, presided Tne omceis Oh the
convention are as follows;
pras,dent-Rey. william Ingraham Haven.
Recording Secretary-Merrltt q Beale.
Tpeaslirer-William NJ Flanders.
Auditor e. Q. Barker.
There were about 400 delegates present,
100 of them being ministers. The body Of
the house was completely filed The SER
vices began with singing Of the Doxology by
the congregation. Rev. John I. Clymer.
pastor OF the Pine street church, read from
the scriptures and offered prayer. A chorus
then sang, after which Mr.. Edward S. Ey-
erett presented the greetings of the Portland
club. which were responded to by Raw. Mr.
lyric Of Lawrence, Mass, but who repre-.
senteu tne conference OF the Granite State;
py kev. DR.. Webb OF Brattleboro, Vt, who
believes that in the evapgelization of the
world the Epworth League will take prom
inent part; by Rev. Mr.. Rich of Newport, r.
l., VINO brought the greetings of the smallest
state to the largest in the convention; by
Rev. DIR. Rogers of Cambridge, Mass, and
by Rev. Isaac Harrison Whittier Wharf of
Rockland.
On motion of Rev. Mr.. lyric, fraternal
congratulations were to be rendered to the
Young Peoples Society of the Free Baptist
Association, now holding meetings at
, Plymouth church.
The Reports.
Reports of the treasurer and auditor were
read and approved. and also the report of
the recording secretary. The report of the
corresponding secretary, Rev. Fred 81.
Knight of Springfield, Mass, stated that
there are 535 chapters In the convention, an
increase of 1876 chapters during the past year.
This rate of increase cannot. in the nature
Of things, long continue. Very soon. practi
cally, the entire care will be to intensity the
work rather than to extend 1t. There is nee
the quality Of the work of the chap
tiers. From the standpoint of real
helpfulness In the life and work of the
church, the reports. are very, cheering.
reported as doing more and better church
work than ever before; q per cent. are hold
ing their own, and per cent. are going
backward. The figures upon the matter Of
membership are: " per cent. of chapters
report an Increase OF membership; 16 re-
port the same number of members; per
cent. report decrease. In religious work
the year has has been remarkable one the
Il
OF last winter. The reports show that "
per cent. of the chapters are In better
spiritual condition than ever before; II re-
main about the same, while six report de-
crease in spiritual life and activity
The report was approved.
Rev. William Haven, the president made
brief address, emphasizing the work OF the
social and literary departments. He related
40 young men in Harvard College of the Ok
ford Club, an auxiliary Of the League, COM
posed of members from Maine to the Pacific
coast.
Committees Appointed.
The following committees were appointed:
Credentials-J. o. Knowles of Worcester L. o.
Thayer of Lewiston, Mrs. Freeman OF Woliaston,
Z. c. Barker OF New London, Miss Shaw OF Las
bon.
Fraternal Correspondence and Resolutions
Thomas Lyons OF Lawrence, Ernest Clymer Of
Finance-w. NJ. Flanders of Newton, f. M.
| N0yes OF Portland, John Scott of Plymouth.
N&Pman matte n Baketel Of New Hamp shire
sachusetts, w. s. Mcintyre Of Maine, s. f. DaW-
son of Massachusetts.
The congregation sang the doxology, bene-
diction was pronounced by Rev. Mr.. Sharp,
and the convention adjourned till evening.
In the evening City Hall was crammed to
overlooking. The delegates marched in,
| holding banners with the name of ther chap
ter inscribed on them, and took seats reserved
for them. A large chorus under direction of
Mr.. Doten occupied the platform.
Besides the distinguished speakers on the
platform, were Mrs Price Hughes. Rev. W.
ID. Walters, general secretary of the London
| Mission, Mr.. Percy Parker, private secretary
OF Rev. Mr.. Hughes and representative of
the Methodist Times.
Or. poueherty's Address.
The chorus sang several selections, after
which the president Introduced Rev. DIR.
Robert R. Dougherty of New York city, the
recording secretary Of the general confer
ence.
The audience gave the Chautauqua salute.
DIR. Dougherty said he felt some embarrass-
ment in speaking of the general movement.
and 1t is only by the mile-posts and stations
ing One Of these mleposts is the sS5s Ep-
| worth Leagues, most of them in the United
| States. exclusive of Canada. Two thousand,
| two hundred and thirty-three have been Or
gained since January of last year. DR..
! ings of local organizations. All of the Ep-
worth Leagues are associated in a
distinct lodge, grouped again in a
| fifty ears there has been no work in the
| churches so freighted with important results
| as the Epworth League, which has given a
closer contact of the human soul with God.
The economy of Gods forces was here illus
trated. Man gathers many forces to accom-
| plish one end. God takes one force which be
| utilities to infinite ends. Water is converted
into Ice, steam into yapor. ripples in rivulets,
peace and the Davies of war. II He does all
this with the one element of water, with this
one inanimate material, what will he not do
with living soul which He has given
human body as its servant? Man has re-
1
forces. Too long in the world we have been
| wasting our opportunities. Let us remember
the Epworth League means work. Remem-
Der that God calls upon us to invest all our
| centration. A Christian is the representa-
tive Of Christ He should centre all his
powers on the work for Christ.
| Syndicate your powers. What Is neces-
sary in the secular world is necessary in the
spiritual world. Then when all these things
have been done we have begun the work of
the Epworth League. Epworth League isg
Christianity In earnest. 1t is an AofganizR
ton Of earnest souls intent In consecrating
all to God.
The chorus sang "Jesuus. Lover of My
Soul'
Rev. Mr.. hughes's Address.
Rev. Hugh Price Hughes. of London, was
then introduced, the audience again giving
the Chautauqua salute. Mr.. Hughes said:
We have heard of the Epworth League in
England. Indeed, some enthusiastic people
have established a chapter in Epworth it.
self. The more / see of its workings the
more am persuaded that it is God-in-
spired movement, and mean to introduce it
ia London.
am never tired of speaking of the latest,
unused. undeveloped resources of Method
ism. am sure that the greatest task is to
make the peoble work. The less the minis
| ter in charge does, the better. 1t Is fatal
delusion on the part OF Christian minister
| to do anything he can get anybody else to do.
| The greatest curse Of the Methodist church
| Is laziness. The most important of all our
duties Is to set somebody to work, The
/ speaker here gave some account of his work
In Oxford, 1900 persons being converted to
God within one year, and it was very un-
promising field when he began work. =
Give the young convert something to do.
have never known young people unwilling
to work when the minister lovingly gave
them something to do. Mr.. Hughes laid
great stress on organized work, giving as an
example John Wesley. who was a great or
ganizer: On the other hand, George White
held, who was as great revivalist as Wes-
ley. did not organizs his forces, and not a
lnpdrQ6 n in In, 20 falt 80 n