The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-25
CUMBERLAND CONFERENCE.
Hundred and Fifty-seventh Meeting Held
at Gorham Yesterday.

Hundred and Fifty-seventh Meeting Held
at Gorham Yesterday.
The .57th meeting of the Cumberland
County Conferences.was held yesterday in
the beau tiful village of Gorham. Rev.
e. P. Wilson ofWoodfords was chosen mod
orator. In the morning session time WAS
given to the county secretary of the Sun
day school work, Rev. 7. Millett, to tell
of the ambition of the Sunday schools
in the county, and to Rev. &C. Wilson
to speak of the work of the Bible Socie-
ty of Maine, into which ne has recently
entered. Mr.. Wilson is making some
notifications of this work, which prom
Use to make it more efficient. Time was
also given to DR.. j. G. Merrill to present
the claims of the Christian Mirror. In,
the course of his remarks, he brought to
the notice of the Conference the changes
which have taken place by means Of his
reorganization of the departments Of the
paper. The friends of the old paper
are certainly to be congratulated in view
enlisted.
TIE first formal discussion was upon
"The Kingdom OF God and the Church. I"
The pith of the discussion was along
the line of the sociological questions
that are now before the churches. The
discussion was opened by Revs. JIG.
Merrill and S. N. Adams. who emphasized
the relation which the ideal kingdom of
Christ and the actual church have to
each other; deprecating the radicalism
which would abolish the church be-
cause it does not keep step with the
most advan ced re form. They also sug-
! gested notifications OF the church life
and activity, by means of which it
should more fully represent the mind
of Jesus to the world.
Rev. Messrs. 6. G. Wilson and L. S.
Bean, and Miss Perkins made excellent
remarks upon this theme.
A bountiful collation. was given by
the ladies of the church in Redlon Hall,
after which the Confere nee re-assembled
to listen to the discussion of the ques-
lions, "The Truth needing the most EN-
phatic preaching today"
Dr.J. L. Jenkins opened the discussion.
He declared that emphasis upon any
truth today usually comes out of lack
of adequate presentation of certain
truths in the past. He advocated order
Illness, in preaching. balance, proper
tion. He advised against preaching on
the accidental or incidental. He dis
liked the terms gospel preaching and
preaching to the times. The great de-
mand of the hour is to be what ought to
be. We should emphasize being"
Rev. E. P. Wilson followed with the
opinion that the preaching of today
should be along the line of Christ's
sermon on the mount, upon the Christ
| life. 1t does not so much matter that
a man claims the new birth as that he
lives the true life.
Rev. Mr.. SouthwoTth urged the presen-
tation of the truth of Christ's PERSONAL
ity.
The next discussion of the afternoon
was upon Spiritual Power Rev.A. H.
Wright made the first address, saying
that spiritual power was something more
than character. 1t is the outcome OF the
new birth. But more than this, spiritu-
al power is the outcome of the baptism
from on high.
Rev. S. Bean being called upon to
speak upon this theme declared that all
Christians can have spiritual power:
that in it's last analysis it is true life.
Rev. DR.. Fem urged the great truth
of the effect of spirit upon spirit. Be-
| lieve, he said, in man and God as the
spiritual forces which are to shape our
| spirits.
| by Rev. D. Morton of Westbrook. 4 Rev
Cd. Sewall conducted the opening exer-
| cises, and the text was from Isaiah 60. l !:
"Arise, shine, for thy light has come "
He dwelt upon the duty of the church
| to arise, shine; the stimulating influ-
ence of the church, concluding with the
| question how shall church shine for
God, urging spiritually a passion for
| souls, conservation of all we have to
God.
| A fter the sermon, the Lords Supper
was administered by Revs. l.. S. Bean
and JIG. Merrill.
| The evening was devoted to addresses
upon Home Missions by the representa-
tives of the Congregational Home Mis-
sionary Society, who were in our city
| last Sabbath, and are making tour of
| the state.
| A special train brought the Portland
/ delegation to the city.
| There will be an important meeting
held this evening of the Veteran Fire
1