The Portland daily press., 1892-06-09
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Cumberland Conference Holds Its
15Oth Meeting.

In6 lOUIN Iue6IluS OI Tile Cumberland
Conference of Congregational Churches
was held in the church in Windham yes
terday. 1t was called to order at 10 a.
M, by Rev. DR.. Merrill of Portland, who
conducted devotional service, at the
close of which Rev. E. P. Wilson of
Deering was chosen moderator.
The call of the roll showed that dele
cations from Is churches were present.
Then the conference proceeded to bust
ness, and the following committee on
nominations was appointed: Rev. E. E.
Bacon of Westbrook, Rev. G. W. Kelley
of Cape Elizabeth, and Mr. Samuel
Bell of Deering.
Rev. F. Southworth of Portland open
ed the discussion of the topic s'The local
conference" and gave interesting remin-
iscences of the Cumberland conferences
in the olden time. He thought that the
old conference had been killed by being
tinkered. Its chief trouble now is heart
| disease.
Rev. E. M. Cousins spoke, voicing the
protests of others who opposed the ac-
uOl W V1lO 1oSu COllOIClOO Ill
out the mid-winter session. Others
spoke for and against, and then it was
voted to refer this matter of returning to
three annual sessions to the churches of
the conference, which should report their
action to the scribe, Rev. E. M. Cousins,
to be presented at the next conference.
Rev. Gowan @. Wilson, state missiona-
ry, began his discussion of the next sub
ject, sThe Waste Places of Our Confer
ence." He said that by waste places we
may mean either desolate or devastated
places, some of which there no doubt
are, or we may mean unoecupied, i'm
productive places. OF the latter there
are many such-small, weak churches,
unable to do the work needed in the
community They are so run down and
enfeebled that they need the very best
ministers in the country to restore them.
And as sisterhood of churches, the
stronger ones ought to assitt the weaker,
not by merely sending money to them, but
by showing personal interest and giving
encouragement and sympathy.
DIR. Fem followed, suggesting ways by
which the people of these waste places
may help themselves. He said that they
must face the facts. The young m en- are
going away for their own betterment,
those left behind must arouse themselves
to new effort The young worker must
take up the work. They must gather
about the minister and show him their
appreciation.
The conference then adjourned to the
bountifully laden tables under the elms
of a neighboring dooryard.
AT the re-assembling of the conference
in
The Afternoon
after the devotional exercises the nomi-
mating committee made the following re-
port, which after some discussion was
adopted:
Scribe-Rev. E. M. Cousins.
Register and Treasurer-Rev. j. s. Cogswell,
| of Standish.
Delegates to National Council-Rev E. M.
Cousins, of Westbrook; Mr.. j. R. Prince, of
Alternates- j. G. Merrill, D. D., Dea H.
| W. Shaylor.
Delegates to General Conference-Rev. D. M.
Pratt, Rev. j. G. Merrill, d. D., Rev. w. H
Fem, D. D., Mr. B. F. Dunn, MI. j. R. Libby,
AIternates- A. H. Wright, Rev. W. T.
Jordan. Rev. $. W. Kelley, Mr.. O. A. Wood
Kicker. - ' '' w. - 49,
Delegate to Bangor Theological Seminary
Rev. D. M. Pratt
Place of Next Conference -Woodfords.
Preacher-Rev S. w. Kelley.
Alternate-Rev. j. A. Anderson.
Committee OF. ArrangementS-Rev E. p.
Wilson, Dea. w. H. Scott, Rev. W. T. Jordan.
On motion of Rev. DIR. Merrill the fol-
lowing memorial to the General Confer
ence was presented and adopted:
The Cumberland County Conference, in view
of the fact that property now belonging to Con-
gregational churches is in danger of passing out
| of our hands on account of the depletion of
membership now holding this property, would
mlts, or by securing legislation, if necessary,
this property shall be continued In the hands Of
the denomination; and would ask the State
Conference to appoint committee to take this
whole matter under consideration and institute
any action that may be necessary.
Rev. Dwight M. Pratt then read the
report of the churches. There were Is
reports, consequently 10 of the 25
churches of the county did not report.
The Free Church at Morrills Corner is
the smallest and one of the youngest and
| its increase the past year has been 81 per
cent, the largest Of ALL The prosperity
of the Woodfords church, in all reports,
was perhaps as extensive as any. The
Second Parish, of this city though
during the past year 1919 have been drop
ped from the roll of membership, is yet
| the second largest in the state.
The st. Lawrence Street church
| Ids lciSCu pOOOO lOI d uoW 0ulllC6 UudC
will cost $16, 900, and which they hope to
be able to begin on in three years. The
| West End church of this city has out
grown it's building and is raising money
for an addition. The State street church
has raised $4,000 for extensive altering
and improving. And little church at
Sebago lake, only four years old, that
was in debt 1000 at the last conference.
| has paid it's debt.
The discussion of s'The Church in the
| Community was begun by DR.. Merrill.
He considered first the ideal relation of
| the church to the community, land in sharp
contrast with this is the actual, and then
laid down what he regarded as possible
| relation. This is to be secured first by
avoiding an underestimate Of ones envir-
onment, and, second, by likewise avoid
| ing an overestimate of ones constituency
and in addition to this remembering
that the gospel for which the church
stands is a gospel for this
world fully as much as for the world to
come, that it has to do with the good
roads for community no less than the
| golden streets Eof the New Jerusalem
with the pure water for the children to
| Jr;, l. fr,, +I,o G