The Portland daily press., 1892-04-28
UNCONVENTIONAL ADMINISTRATION
Rev. DR.. Moxon's Address to the Baptist
Social Union.

The Western Maine Baptist Union held one
of the pleasantest social gatherings in the his
tory of its organization at the Preble House
last evening. Shortly after z o'clock the men,
bers began to gather in the parlors and at half
past seven the company proceeded to the din
ing hall where an excellent banquet had been
prepared by Landlord White The yiands were
well cooked and served, and exceedingly appe-
tizng The tables, with their tasty decorations
of ferns and cut flowers, presented a very at
tractive appearance
Among those present were Judge and Mrs
PerciYal Bonney, Rev. B. L. Whitman, Rev. DIR.
Fem, Rev. George Chase, Rev. w S. Ayres
Hon. Geo. F. Emery, Mr.. and Mrs. S. A. True,
Mr.. and Mrs. A B. Hall, Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. S.
Rowell, Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Champlin, Mr..
and Mrs. W. G. Nelson, J.. D. Austin, C. B.
Morse, j. A. King, f. P. Chase, F. G. Bradford
and others.
Rev. Philip S. Moxom, the well known divine
of Boston, was the guest of the evening and he
occupied a seat at the right of the president of
the union, Judge Bonney.
When full justice had been done the eatables,
President Bonney called the company to order
and in very happy manner
Introduced Rev. DR.. Moxom.
Dr. Moxom prefaced his remarks with a fat
tering and happy allusion to the state of Maine
and Maine people, and then proceeded with a
thoughtful and able discussion of his subject,
"Denominational Administration. He is a
very pleasing and rapid speaker and his address
was full OF good points and practical suggeS-
tions. Among other things the speaker said in
substance: Denominational administration is
theme which suggests an object of endeavor 1t
q iV1tT Nfrfo To
day, when the minds of people are turning to-
ward practical work, when people are saying to
us What are your functions? What are you
dong? Ii can but stir some thoughts and eX
cite some interest in this important subject by
What can say tonight shall be grateful. Weare
n u the habit of saying, We are great denomina-
we pride ourselves. on our. great degree iof
| unity Other denominations have their SchiSms
and their trials for heresy. but the Baptist de-
nomination is singularly free from them. We
nave little machinery but great unity.
We Have No Pope,
no dogmatic cathedraIs, no authoritative creed,
but one lord, Jesus Christ. 1t is to this simple
principle that first we owe our unity. Second
ly it is to the absence of all external constraint
in the Baptist church that we owe this happy
state of affairs the absence of any agent to
develop the repelling forces that undoubtedly
exist within us. We are not an aggregation,
but living organism: What we need is an adj
ulllly. we HdNepiG 10 d cefLa e4-
tent in our various societies. These answer at
present for UNCONVENTIONAL administration. Did
you ever think that we, as Baptists. have abso-
lutely no UNCONVENTIONAL, ecclesiastical organi-
cation? Every church rules ITSELF and is its
own authority. OVr danger lies in
Sheer Individualism.
This we must guard against and work for
greater unity; unity that will be more far
reaching, more effective, in the great work OF
the gospel here and in every land"
The speaker criticised the methods
of conducting the great councils
of the Baptist church today. He
believed they should be more of a deliber-
alive nature and less of campmeeting charac.
ter and made up of selected delegates chosen
from the strongest and ablest men in the
church. He continued with an eloquent appeal
that action be taken that the work
be kept up till the objects were accomplished,
and the church given an impetus and an inspira-
ton through proper UNCONVENTIONAL administra-
ton, and closed with the assertion that the
need of the hour is for Christian statesman
ship. -.-,.--
Following DR.. Moxom's able address the COM
pany adjourned after singing the doxology