Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-09-24
A. Hancock and the Baptist Association.

a., Hancock and the Baptist Association.
In answer To an invitation received and
accepted months ago, the writer, with his
wife and daughter, spent Wednesday and
Thursday of last week at HanC ock and the
Baptist Association. Take it, all in all
a most pleasant and interesting occasion
ID proved to be. We attended for the first
tine the meeting of this association, per-
maps fifty Years ago, at Sullivan. Since
then all who We're prominent actors in that
pldtime meeting, have had their exit, and
entirely new actors have made their en-
trance and are the efficient laborers of to-
day.
The creed of the Baptist denomination
has not changed any, they tell us, in all
these years; but it is evident that the
Preaching of the denomination has con-
>deraby changed-for the better, we
tl.nk-in half a century. Then as now,
however, we have always had respectful
interest TO give to the sincere man who
ia believes with all his heart and soul to
Ne true. Why shouldn't We? Creeds may
hange or even die but the truth which is
a10vc aud beyond all creeds. is eternal
cur little systems have their day
fhey have their day and cease to be;
ney are but broken lights OF Thee.
And Thou q lord, art more than they
Taking this view of the matter we were
tply Interested and greatly enjoyed all
& sermons, reports, addresses, PRAYER
etlnGs and business OF the session We
a.NaYs felt especial interest in the levi
nee given id the social meetings We
e 70 anow what men and women who
ul face To face with great truths and
IN realities think about them and have
Jay about them. Foolish indeed is the
IN or woman who does not give honest
ought 10 all the great questions of life
dea,h, which concern him more per
~ than anything Disc We were greatly
crested iu the address Of President
rAaa u Colby University. which was re-
" Hlth The best thought Of the day and
ga earnest, able aud logical argument
favor II education in the Baptist
nomination.
hc attendance on the association was
y. perhaps " might say unprecedent-
y. large and that fact set Us thinking.
f.1ha5y Io town in the county can be
lnd whose hospitality. generosity and
.'y to entertain guests can be surpassed
at tAa; OF Hancock, The whole people
"pesct their hearts and homes and babe
a.. Who would - enter; and into nearly
every home from Crabtrec> corner to the
't4 ~ iAt Point M,y ,s;,red. The people
y. H4ncock tlink ii all right. but. in orr
MON. they did altogether too much for
-.e.T guests. They toiled early and late
.or their entertainment Mrs J. r. Bow
si who most kia.ly entertained u. had at
least 4ftcen guests and on them she lay
-iea every Kindness and hospitality that
j was possible Is bc>tow. For their bene
III ~Ae to.et beyond her strength and
wcr> ~ endurance Naturally ho~pita-
'.- ae;-.li her loyalty 10 the memory of
father The ia.e Rev Il. y. Watson.
s4- - hcI husband the late Rev. J. Il.
Bowler. who recently passed away, caused
aer 70 'o very n- for her guests.
NOW tAe point we want to make is this
4-e people oi today have more leisure.
.tteC clothes ard better means Of con
vance than they had few wears ago.
.r} are learning, too more and more TO
-t l'Feelate the Importance Of an occasional
1.tn- or social gathering Hence it il
-.a- the attendance on these associations.
a. they are in the bright and beauti
I 81 September days, is becoming larger. as
tAe years ~ hF. From a social point Of
w II from no higher motive. it is desir-
4 a that the attendance shall not be
--ened and Yet there is danger that in
-'r near fu,are such large gatherings NAV
.erlAsk the generous hospitality Of some
.4ucy-& county town, unless something
dose 10 make the bill Of fare less
e-hpra-, This might oe done By rec
incubation On the part Of the associa-
t-O 70, earnestly emphasized. that the fare
yrl 10 guests Shall be as simple and
Npen>ive a. the rations issued to sol
r IN the army. or by Introducing the
Hs- system into the commissary depart
r. p, Of these and like associations.
as we have already intmated We made
abiding place during our stay at the
pltab,t home Of Mrs. J. r. Bowler. II
:, in his lifetime, the residence of her
her. the Rev. r. Y Watson. 1t was in
,- house he lived, thought ana studied
vas here that he reared his large family
onl We knew 40 well in the wears gone
II was on this farm that he gained a
e.IAoot by the sweat Of his brow. that
might give. for little or no remuner-
N, his services in the pulpit on Sun
tav, 70 those who wished to hear the
gospel preached From our earliest recol-
lection to the time we left Sullivan, when
VIZ were forty years Of age, Elder Watson
preached more or less to the people. and
consistent, able, thoughtful and liberal
preacher he was. On Thursday morning
We strulled into the Hillside cemetery. and
there on monument erected to his
memory we read a. follows
Rev. r. Y.Watson, born Feb. %. 1895,
died Jan. y, lss0,"
Dear husband and father.
Thy work j. done:
Rest from thy labor."
On the reverse side of the monumen: we
read
Pamela, consort of Rev. r. Y. Wat
500, born Dec. %, l.0l; died Nov 80
1881"
Dear mother; thy noble work well done.
thy tolls all past, thy rest i Heaven"
Here too lies buried their daughter, Miss
Harriet Watson. Close BY we saw the last
resting place of other friends whom we
once knew well Among the names of
such, we read those of Samuel Ball, Henry |
Ball Capt and Mrs. Jeremiah Wooster
Thursday noon We drove to Hancock |
Point where we had the pleasure of dining
with Mrs. Maria Crabtree, at the neat cot |
tage built by her late husband, Hon.
Ephraim Crabtree, after he sold his home |
stead. She has very pleasant home at
which we spent two or more most delight |
ful hours, and then driving aronnd I'll. /