The Portland daily press., 1892-10-05
THEY HEARD REPORTS.
Yesterdays Proceedings of the Baptists
at Waterville.
Especial to the Press. !

| .
o'clock this morning devotional exercises
were held by the Baptist convention,
| conducted by Rev. J. B. Moore of Show
hegan. At $50 an address of welcome
to the convention was made by Prof. Hall
of Colby University. Following this
was an address by the president of the
association, DR.. Spencer,
At 10 o'clock came the annual sermon
by Rev. c. E. Young. His theme was
1.-THE character of John the Baptist. -
His discourse was powerful and practi-
cal in application.
After the sermon, the report of the
| committee on obituaries was made by
| Rev. A. N. Day. The Baptists pastors
who have died in Maine during the last
year are three in number. They are
| Rev. James Graham, of Yarmouthville
| Rev. e. w. Harrington, of Milltown, and
Rev. q. Morton of Augusta. Reference
was also made to several deaths without
the state, including especially, the Rev.
James McWhinnie, d. D.
| The welcome to recently settled pastors
was given. They were four in number:
Rev. F. M. Lord, of Kennebunkport;
Rev. J. F. Tilton of Belfast; Rev. J. D.
| Graham, of Brunswick; Rev. E. M.
Bartlett, of Oakland.
Greetings from other Christian bodies
were given by Rev. w. L. Brown for the
Methodists, Rev. Mr.. Chase, for the Con-
| gregationalists. and Rev. sc. Whitcomb,
| for the Freewill Baptists.
| The convention then adjourned until
2 p. m.
| At the afternoon session a social ser
vice was led by Rev. J. D. Graham of
Brunswick. Prof J. B. Foster, treasur-
er of the convention, presented his re-
port. which was accepted. Receipts
| from rents, dividends, legacies, special
| contributions, ordinary contributions
amounted during the year to S14, 231. 33.
There was paid in aid of missions $4, 744.-
| so, salaries and expenses of missionaries
$3,82S. OF, special grants for church build
ings $3,106.25, printing and adyer-
Using $67301. Besides these were other
expenses for interest on account, lnsur-
ance, legal expenses, etc. There were
funds on hand September !, 1891, to the
amount of $5S, 9O0 The permanent fund
September 1, 1892, was $59, ,4S2.96, less
the debt of SIS, 900, or $53, ,552.06.
The report of the committee on the
state of religion by Rev. e. A. Mason
showed 252 Baptist churches in the
state. gain of two from last pear. Of
these IT'S have pastors and "a are without
any preaching services. There has been
a total loss in membership of 427. Gains
| in Sunday school attendance and in young
| peoples societies were reported.
Rev. A. r. Dunn, d. d. presented the
report of the board of the convention
In this report each cc.nty association
was taken up and the condition of its
organization considered; also each
church was taken up and reported of as
to it's religious work throughout the
year. it's converts and new members and
it's financial support. Some OF the re-
ports were encouraging.
Rev. T. j. Bicknel of Rockland, pre-
sented the report of the executive COM
mittee. The reports recommended the
enlargement of the committee from 9 to
13 members. one from each of the asso-
| ciatiods. 1t was also recommended that
the executive committee raise in the
| churches at least $4,000 for convention
work. 1t was stated that the recommen-
dations had been adopted by the board.
Rev. E. A. Mason read pa
per on "The Hancock Asso-
| citation Benevolence system" The
results of the system have been such as
strongly recommend it's adoption in 9th
er associations.
Rev. W. c. Stetson of Bar Harbor pre-
sented resolutions urging the adoption
of this system in the other associations
of the state.
Remarks were made explaining the
workings of the system by T. D. Wyman,
Rev. A. r. Dunn, Rev. ]. M. Wyman,
Rev. J. C. Fletcher and Rev. w. c. Stet-
son. The resolutions were unanimously
adopted.
Rev. j. n. Parshley of Rockland spoke
on 'Associational Privileges and Obliga-
tions." He explained the recommends
tions adopted by the board, enlarging
the executive committee to 10, one from
each association. Such member
should have four or five efficient help
ers. He urged the necessity of raising
the extra $4,000 and said it should be
placed in the hands of the before men
toned committee. He spoke very Wig
orously and aroused great enthusiasm.
Rev. F. J. Bicknen urged the necessity
of more men and more money.
Rev. H. S. Burrage emphasized the i'm
portance of taking hold Of the state
work with increased ZEAL
/ A report of the credentials committee
showed that there were present at the
convention As ministers, eight life mem
bers, 140 visitors, 70 delegates ana three
representatives from other denomina-
tions, making the total number present
excluding the Waterville attendants, to
be 274.
The opening exercise of the evening
session was the annual meeting of the
Maine Baptist Charitable Association
Rev. w. O. Aver of Livermore Falls was
elected president of the association fol
the ensuing year. After the election OF
officers Rev. A. K. P. Small of Fairfield
made few informal remarks on the in
terest and success in the work.
The rest of TIE evening was devoted
to the missionary centenary session. The
association secretary's reports from al
parts of the state show success in rails
ing the funds asked by the general mis-
sion. Interesting addresses were deliy-
cred by Miss E; J. Cummings, NJ. p, o. d
Ramapatam, India, and Henry q. Ma
bry, home secretary of the Missionary
Union.