The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-02
THE BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Its Members Have Begun to Arrive for
the Annual Meeting.

the Annual Meeting.
An Old Organization that Has Done Much
Good-The affiliated Societies-Last
Evenings Meeting.
The Maine Baptist Missionary Conven-
tion, the annual session OF which began
in this city last evening and will con-
tinue until Thursday, is the principal
organization of the Baptists in Maine.
Judge Percival Bonney, of this city, is
president and RBv. is. Burrage, of this
city, is secretary. Rev. A. Z. Dunn, of
Waterville, formerly of Free ST. church,
is corresponding secretary and principal
agent of the Society. The Society has
an invested permanent fund of over fifty
two thousand dollars; holds real estate
in Portland to the value of twenty
thousand dollars; and holds in trust
with contingent reversion other property,
mostly church property. 1t assists in
building new churches, in supporting
pastors, and supports several home mis-.
sionaries in this State.
consolidation of two Organizations. The
Maine Baptist Missionary Society was
organized in 1904 and incorporated in
1928. In 1924 the Maine Baptist Con-
vention was formed to afford some
effectual assistance to feeble and desti-
tute churches. In 1926 after long efforts
the two organizations were united as the
Maine Baptist Missionary Convention.
Its permanent fund was then two thous-
and dollars In 1887 Governor Coburn
gave the convention hundred thousand
dollars From 1867 to 1898 the Conven-
tion has expended for its work over
$1S9, 900.
Besides the convention there are in
this State the Maine Baptist Education
Society, organized at Waterville in 1919,
for the purpose of fostering educational
interests, and now having Rev. DR.. Bur-
rage for President; and the Maine Bap-
tist Charitable Society, Incorporated in
1876, and designed to aid INDECENT Bap-
fist ministers. Its Vice President is
Rev. B. f. Lawrence. These two organ
izations hold meetings here this week in
connection with the convention.
The 10th anniversary of the MaineBap-
tist Missionary Society which has a
three days convention in this city, was
opened at the First Baptist church last
evening, before large gathering Many
clergymen and prominent members of
the Baptist faith being present from all
parts of the state.
Rev WIS. Ayres, pastor of the church,
presided.
Rev. Mr.. Wyman of Augusta led in sing
ing, .and prayer was offered by Rev. j
Il ECKER, d. D.
An interesting sermon was preached
by Rev.A. S. Gum bert, pastor of the
Dudley street church, Boston. The sub
ject was "The vicinity of Christ" and
the text from the first chapter of st.
John, list, I'd and 14th verses: "In the
beginning ttheaWord was God, and" etc.
The speaker said that. many had vague
idea of the divinity. Of Christ. 1t was
the most important thing in the New
Testament. In Jesus Christ we behold
God come down from heaven. The great
electrician Edison has said that he had
wished that the atoms that composed his
body could dissol1 e themselves from the
roses and other beautiful creations, and
then as they persisted in their turn as
cend into heaven and then return and
tell him what they had seen and learned
there. The existence Of Christ before
the world was something that many
people regard as unthinkable. A mem
Der of his own church who had listened
to the Word for forty years, said that it
had never occurred to him until recently
that Christ had existed before. He was
born of the VIRGIN Mary. Some scien-
fists say that the idea of the Virgin
Mary giving birth to Christ is unthinka-
BILE, but there is nothing impossible with
God. It is said that there are other rel
| igions that are good and substantially
the same as ours, but we have the works
of Christ, II am the life" II and my
Father are one. the Saviour says again,
and when the Jews stoned Him for
blasphemy He did not rebuke them.
Every Jew to this time daily repeats the
| pray er, "Hear, oh Israel; our GOD is
one."
The speaker in several instan ces gave
the original Hebrew, and explained the
translations. In closing, Rev. Mr..
| Gumbert urged the necessity of faith in
| the divinity of Christ, sothat til ey might
say with the doubling disciple after the
| His resurrection, my Lord and my
God"
The services closed by the congrega-
tion rising and singing "Jesus reigus In
| heaven" and benediction.
| After the services there was meeting
of the executive committee of the execu-
| tive board, and the executive board will
meet at O'Clock this morning.
| The sermon this forenoon will be
preached by Rev. Mr.. Samson of the Free
| street Baptist church.
| After the afternoon session there will
| be a meeting of the woman's society,
which will be addressed by Mrs. Rey-
| nolds.