The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-14

and forth at Christmas time.
In regard to Sunday school education,
the majority of present methods are all
good in theory, but not in practice 1t
doesn't pay to teach the little one exclu-
sively about Paul or others. One little
boy that he knew of said when he learned
that they were to study about Paul, ut
is Paul again. Oh, wish somebody
would kill off Paul"
At the close of the mornings exercises,
the conference partook of the hospitality
of the First Parish. An elegant COLA
ton was served in the parish house.
At 2 O'Clock the conference re-assem-
bled, Rev. Mr.. Marsh, the secretary, in
the chair. Some changes were made in
the compassionate the committees for
the ensuing year, as will be seen by the
list of officers printed elsewhere.
Rev. Mr.. New bert spoke of the paper,
The Church Exchange, and thought
there should be a publication commit
tee appointed to see that the paper re-
ceives proper support. He suggested
committee of three, of which Rev. Mr..
Perkins, the editor, should be one. The
chair appointed the committee Mr..
Newbert also moved and it was voted,
to appropriate enough money from the
conference fund to balance the books of
the Exchange.
An invitation was received from the
Houlton society to hold the conference
with them next year, and on motion of
n loJ
to the Houlton society and the matter
placd in the hands of the executive COM
m ittee
Thanks were extended to the Maine
Central for reduced fares, to the First
Parish for its hospitality, and to the
speakers for their valuable aid, and the
conference business session then ad-
journed.
The Maine Woinen's Alliance met and
elected these officers for the ensuing
year:
President Mrs. Sarah F. Hamilton of
Saco.
Vice Presidents Mrs. A. S. Marsh of
Saco, Miss Helen Bates of Waterville.
Secretary and Treasurer-Miss Mary
H. Kelley of Portland.
Director of the P. O. Missionaries
Margaret e. Fox of Portland.
A strong but unavailing effort was
made to have Central and Eastern
Maine more fully represented in the
management of the State Alliance.
After the close of the conference bust
ness, Rev. VIII. Lynn, of All Souls
church, s.Rox bury. Mass, read paper
on The Church and Social Reform "
The speaker began by referring to the
fact that distinguished Englishman
who visited this country some time ago
CONNIE nted on the beauty lof American
architecture, while that of Paris and
Vienna was monotonous and in charac-
ter. This monotony in foreign buildings
was due to their being constructed of
the same material. 1t is not SO here
Many kinds of material are used. To
have a good building you must have
good material as we'll as to have it put
together well. The Englishman also said
social reforms were also hardly thought
of here, but since he made the statement
they are receiving marked attention
here. The question of the day is social
architecture 1t has largely taken the
place of theology. To save souls has
been the work of the last three centur-
les. But the question in this century
is that Of soul environment, and that en-
braces everything, capital and labor,
woman suffrage, in fact all the great
issues of the time. This is well. 1t is
advisable at times to inspect the founda-
tions OF. everything.
Some persons blame the church for not
being the leader in this matter of social
architecture. He didn't think the church
should be blamed. The church has to
do with the making of the material out
of which the social architecture is fash
iored. Now the people belonging to a
churchscannot agree on the same matter.
Some are prohibitionists, others are OPP
posed to .prohi There is a great
deal in the statement that a minister
should not talk politics in his pulpit be-
cause his hearers can't talk back Out
of the pulpit the minister has the right
to the free expression of his opinions on
politics or anything else. But the work
of the church is eminently the building
up of personal character for that is the
m aterial of which social architecture
is form ed. 1t is great stride from the
men like Adams and Hancock to the
half-baked foreigners that, in many in
stances, have occupied their old places.
1t is matter to ponder over carefully
when we talk OF placing the telegraph
and railroads under the control of the
government whether the men who form
that government are safe men to be en-
trusted with their control. To build up
state of total abstainers out of a peo-
pie, many OF whom drink but don't
think that others should be allowed to
drink is hardly feasible. So, when men
demand less hours for work they should
show that they are capa BILE of using
those extra hours proftaply. An ideal
state will never be reached until
human nature is perfect. Great reforms
are not accomplished so much by great
reformers as by the thousands of quiet
people Influenced by books, the press,
and more than all else, the influence of
their homes. The influence the woman
CT, CT will rio16 will ba