The Newtown bee., 1894-11-23
Affairs About Town.
THAT CONFERENCE MEETING IN BRIDGE
 PORT.

MT Editor: Will you permit little space in your valuable paper, for few words in regard to the meeting called in Bridgeport on the 9th, to form a confer ence, by one who with his delegate, went to the meeting, ready to favor the move. ment if they should be convinced that it was expedient, but found themselves, with others, caught in trap and were given to understand that they were not wanted unless they came to form the conference without any questioning.
 The proceedings seem very strange. The churches had not been asked to con- sider the subject, or to vote on the ques- tion whether they wished to enter into such a movement. They were merely asked to send delegates to form confer ence. Now such delegates would have gone much farther from the principles of Congregationalism, than any consocia- tion ever tried to do, had they acted and sought to bind the churches by their action. The only church reported to have considered the subject, voted against the conference. It would seem to me a farce for a few pastors and delegates elected, as these were, with only little over weeks notice, and with no vote of the churches to have assumed the right to act for the church in such vital matter.
 AS far as I have been informed no church has even asked for a conference, but few pastors and perhaps few in- diVldual members in some churches. The true and proper way would have been to have presented all the churches in the Fairfield East and Fairfield West consociations, with clear and concise state of the purpose, and advantages to be gained by a conference, over the pres ent order of fellowship in the consocia- tion and asked tor vote on the subject. Now what may we expect to gain by having a conference? One answer given in the meeting was, that we should be- come in polity like the other Copgrega- tional churches of the land. Another plea was, that it would add great spirit uality to our ecclesiastical gatherings. I fail to see this, when it is the same pas tors and delegates that come together for the same purpose. Will it make a man more spiritual to cast away his felt hat and put on straw one? Another advantage suggested was that the con- ference might be packed at the will of the parties calling it. Now on the other side there is one advantage in the conso- citation, all the churches are on an equality and all must be called to every meeting of the consolation, while a con- ference, many of the small back country churches would often be ignored as the inviting would rest with the taste and preferences of the church calling the conference.
 In the conference pure and simple there is no permanent relationship of the churches. They meet to-day and adjourn. That is the end, as far as the churches are concerned, and the records may as we'll be burned. While in the consocia- tion the records of their meetings and churches are intact, or should be from the beginning, over 100 years ago. But in so far as a conference holds yearly meetings and has permanent registrar, it is copying after the consociation.
 Again this effort to form a conference will introduce disturbing element into our churches, for some will be caught with the idea, because it is new; others will oppose for the same and other req. sons. Wherefore without some more valid reasons, than have heard given I should be opposed to the movement; un- less all, or nearly all the churches afte. a fair presentation of the whole subject should vote for conference.-[A. J. Park, Huntington, Conn.