The Portland daily press., 1894-12-19
TENT WORKERS EXPERIENCES.
Great Interest Shown in Yesterdays
Sessions Of Christian Workers.

UIcao xHtcAeSb SuOWM III 1oeooA""J
Sessions Of Christian Workers.
The Relative Cost of Saving souls-S2O III
New York, 500 in Portland and $1 in
the Tent Missions-A Closing Meeting
Today.
Rev.F W. Sanford led the devotional
exercises at the morning session of the
last day of the convention of Christian
Workers yesterday. The attendance was
large, and the meeting very earnest.
SUNDAY School Extension in country
Districts was the subject of the address
delivered by Rev. Frank E. Lewis, of
Burlington, VT, but it was as matter
of fact presentation of new plan for
the carrying on of home mission work
in his State, and as he suggested, in
every State, the idea being to bring
all the people of given section or town
into closer relation to the church and to
the Sunday school.
. Mr.. Lewis said that there has not in the
past been in Vermont strength enough in
the churches in the valleys to enable
them to go up into the hills, and to take
possession of the entire State for Christ
He reminded his audience that there are
slums in the country, as well as in the
city, and that some of the most brutal
murders reported in the daily papers
are committed in county towns The
nh CO.. ID +hn apft haS
this is an aggressive age, and that there
must be aegressiveness in Christian
work as in everything else. The club
idea must be got rid of. The city must
guard the country, because the city is
recruited from the country town. One
of the Boston police officials said to
him. "The best police officers of Bos.
ton are the missionary lassies up in Yer
mont"
Mr.. Lewis said it was felt that there
must be some agency thar could unite
all the churches. One church might
have no right to go into the territory of
another, and SO a State Sunday school
association was formed, inter-denomina-
tional in character, and as wide as the
State in it's work. Then county associa-
lions subordinate to the State associa-
tons were formed, and then town asso-
Citations, and the whole were bound to
gether by the Bible lessons common to
all the schools.
Then few people would get together.
and after prayer and consultation, would
go out as visitors, each church perhaps
having charge of a certain section. The
visitors would have three things in
mind. To invite people to come to the
village church. This was very import
ant matter because in some way the
churches seemed to have had the idea
thai if the church was opened Sunday
morning, the bells rung, and Welcome"
placed over the pulpit, people would
flock IN, which of course was not the
case. The second thing was to establish
branch schools, and third and last TO
open the home department of Sunday
school study. This department grew in
Importance and interest. Mem bership
cards were given out, the holder being
pledged to study the lesson of the day
for at least half an hour each Sunday.
This plan was found to work well.
People became interested in the home
department. One minister said the sec
ond year MY home department work is
falling behind. Many who had cards
last year are now constant attendants at
service and Sunday school,"
,L he. b1a IN
get to the distant church were made to
feel that they had not been forgotten by
their brothers and sisters in the Lord.
In their homes they could keep up with
the distant school. The branch schools
helped to keep alive religious feeling
in the town.
Hard cases were reached. One woman
consented after many calls on the part of
a visitor, to take a card and lesson
paper. The result was the upbuilding
of the entire family.
"Tell the convention" she said, that
this home department work is the best
thing God ever sent to u.s."
"My brother died because he had moth
ing to dor said a man, and too many
churches are in the same condition.
They must wake up. Our workers GO
out with the glow of the life of Christ
in their hearts,"
Rev. F. NJ. Lamb led in singing "In the
Crimson Blush of Morning." and then
at the request of Miss Ben-Oliel, they
united in sing "He is Coming Quickly
Coming"
Rev. W. Sandfordwas then introduced
By Rev. David Allen Reed as the speak
er from local topic CHARACTERIZATION of
Maine"
Mr.. Stanford spoke of the great extent
of Maine itself, with it's $40 towns, and
more than 100 plantations, and said that
at least one half of the State is as yet un-
evangelical, and at least one half of the
people of each town are without the
GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. There are rs
towns where the gospel is not preached
from one years end to another. There is
A village of 900 inhabitants, the center
of q thriving town. without preaching