The Portland daily press., 1893-06-28
Especial to the Press ]

Especial TO tpe Press .f
| BRUNSWICK, June 2T.-The conference
of the Congregational churches of Maine,
which is being held here this week,
opened this morning in the First Parish
church, Moderator Joseph R. Libby of
Portland, in the chair.
| After few remarks by the moderator,
a hymn was sung, followed by readings
by the moderator from the Scripture,
the general subject being "The Duties
of Watchmen," which, he said, would
| apply to the present generation as we'll
as the time when the words were
! spoken.
| At the conclusion of the Scripture
readings, the recording secretary, Mr.. E.
F. Duren of Bangor, said that 1t had
been in his mind for some time to resign
| the Office, which he has held for 80 years.
but that he had decided to wait until his
term expired, which will be next year,
Not feeling able, however, to attend to
the duties as he thought they should be
done, he requested that an assistant sec
retary be appointed for the present con-
ference by the moderator.
| IL was suggested Undt aS tne conference
| had hot3-been formally opened, Mr..
upon until the credentials had been ex-
amined. The moderator accordingly APP
| pointed as a committee on credentials,
| G. W. Woodbury., Cumberland county, j.
s. Richards, Hancock county, and
Thomas Williams, Kennebec. Mr..
Williams asked if he was eligible, saying
| that he was not delegate to the confer
ence. The moderator said that by join
| ing the committee he became member
| of the conference, and was eligible as a
member Of the committee. While the
committee was examining the credentials
prayer was offered by one of the dele
| gates. Hsts
The committee on credentials an
nounced that there were county con-
ferences represented by 16 delegates. BY
vote of the Conference, this report was
| accepted.
The matter of assistant secretary was
| then taken up, and on motion of a dele
| gate, Rev. G. d. Crane of New Castle
was appointed.
| Moderator Libby then said that the
Secretary's records show that in 1889,
and again in 1861, the annual conferen-
ces were held in this place. He said that
| during the conference of 1885, great
uodl OI dHAIoty Was Iolt III TeSdTu To tlldL
| awful crime of slavery, and that several
Jealous members of the conference de-
sired that resolutions be passed against
| it. The matter was, however, indefinite
| ly postponed, and the resolutions were
never passed. Mr.. Libby said he only
| wished the names of those brave hearts
| had also been placed on the records, that
those of the present generation might re-
spect them. He said that the same
problems present themselves to us at the
present time, only in another form. It
| needs bold determination to conquer
the great wrongs of today, as much as it
did in 1889 and 1861. He hoped the
| Christian Church, and by that he meant
| the Congregational Church which we
represent today, would have. the boldness
| and courage to fight the great wrongs OF
our own time, either by. resolutions or
otherwise, as did the conferences of 'S9
and '61. He then declared the confer
ence open.
First on the programme came the
treasurer's report, but the treasurer,
Hon. j. S. Wheelwright of Bangor, being
absent, the report was postponed.
The secretary informed the CONFER
ence that there were two vacancies in
the nomination committee, for which
the moderator appointed Rev. Gustavus
d. hlScOCk, 1AIuOStcOk, duU 05Os W.
GreenOugh, Portland.
A communication from George E.
Brackett, G. S., of the Belfast Good
Templars, asking the aid of the confer
ence in its work, was read and referred
| to the business committee.
Then followed the reading of necrolo-
gy, by Rev. r. W. Jenkyn, of Rockland.
Among the deceased pastors named were
DIR. Israel Perkins W arren, aged 7S
years, who was for many years the edi-
tor of the Christian Mirror, He gradua-
ted from Yale College in 1888, and was
licensed in 1S41. Josiah Taylor .Horrs,
aged "a. !. His native place was Var
| mouth, Mass. He entered the Church in
1919. Was ordained in 1928. Charles
Dane died at Falmouth, Me-, aged 81;
was a graduate of Bowdoin College In
'35, and of Andover in '3S. Henry Sew
all Loring graduated from Bowdoin in
1S43, and from Bangor Academy in '46.
James Byron Hawes, Everett L. Wal
bridge, Stacy Fowler, Albert W. Fiske,
Preston Wing, George B. Buzzell, Ed
fnoAiuy oH ~, SacoH.z Do 90