The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-03
STILL At WORK.
Maine Baptists Having q Fine Con-
Vention at 0ldtOWn.
A DAY OF INTERESTING REPORTS
AND STIRRING SPEECHES.

Meetings of the Convention Are Attended
by Crowds-An Interesting Review of
the Schools and Colleges.
ESPECIAL TO THE TRESS.]
| Oldtown, October 2.-The sun shone
brightly on the brethren Of the Baptist
convention this morning when they
gathered in the church here for the Sec
ond days. session of the anniversaries.
The days programme began au 8. 80 with
a young peoples hour. At 9.3C there
were devotional exercises in charge Of
Rev. W. B. Shumway.
| Then came the reports. The commit
tee on credentials reported 96 delegates
and So pastors in attendance, the mis-
sionaries and visitors also in attendanc
making total of 1927. AS a matter of
fact while the number registered is only
227, there are over 300 persons in atten-
dance on the anniversary.
| In accordance with the report of the
commituee, Damarisootta was selected
as the place for next years meetings, and
Rev W. S. Ayres as preacher, with Rev.
j. H. Parshley as alternate.
On motion of Mr.. White it was voted
that a week from next Sunday be set
apart as day on which the pastors
should urge upon their people the desir-
ability of literally supporting Zion's Ad-
vocate, the state paper.
| The committee on Sunday schools re-
ported a series of resolutions recognizing
the value of the Sunday schools; urging
that they be supported by the presence
and aid of the members of the church !;
recommending the adoption of system
of grading such as is in use in some
of the larger schools a method of house
work by which those who are debarred
from attendance may study the lessons
at home and help support the work, and
the use of the lessons prepared by the
publication societies.
Rev. George B. Illsey spoke few min
utes in commendatiOn of the Maine
Bible Society and put into that few min
utes so many facts and figures that it
gave the members food for much thought:
Rev. Mr.. Parshley of Rockland, reported
for the committee on home missions
endorsing the appeal of the Home Mis-
sion Society to the northern churches
for an average contribution of 90 cents
a member The report made reference
to the fact that the society had had
prosperous year and had received aid
which put it out of debt.
| Rev. Mr. Horr, editor of 1.-THE Watch
man. spoke in behalf of home missions.
Mr.. Horr described how the imprint OF
the early life Of a community Is lasting
so that it's effects may long be traced. In
this country the South was settled by
English cavaliers, the North of England
Puritans and two distinct civilizations
existed in this country for 300 years. SO
that it was we'll said by Gen. Gordon at
the Chickamauga celebration that slavery
was not the only question involved IN
the Rebellion; there were great ideas in
conflict there We find certain towns In
this country with certain features not
found in most of our towns, and II we
trace the history of these towns, we shall
find that they were once garrison towns,
littIa settlements ON the frontier, where
perhaps something the habits of the early
life is sill seen in the people. When be-
tween 1880 and 1860 the mighty emlgra-
tion to che middle West was in progress,
thu movement was seized by the Eastern
Christians and especially by the Baptists
and Che early presence of Christian mis-
! sionaries in these young communities
was great influence in counteractine
She effects of pioneer life and making 6
second New England in the West. There
are still many pioneer communities be-
! stage has not passed away and where
there is ample scope for the work OF the
missionaries The South is also prom
Using field The war broke up its institu
tions and now new habits are being
: formed. And such events as the greal
fair at Atlanta and the Chlckamaugs
celebration remind us that the old pre-
! judice between North and South is pass
ing away.
Mr.. Horr said that he did not believe
lAsia would be converted by the mission
aries, but the missionaries would found
the native churches which would grow
and spread until they themselves accom-
The home missionary work, the number
of baptisms in year was not the story
Rev. II. 6. Mabie,. DID,, spoke il
behalf of foreign missions, prefacing his
remarks with few words as to the
value of the denominational press in the
, work of the church. DR.. Mabie spoke
earnestly and eloquently in behalf of the
work in foreign fields, and the growth
of tho interest in the subject among
, people all over the country. 1t is as com.
mon now to receive aff1ictions for mis-
sionary service from people living in the
far West as it used to be from residents
of the old states Of the East--Dr. Mabie
rehearsed the changes of recent years in
Asiatic countries, telling how the
!, growth of Russian power, the presence
of the French in Siam and the wonder
full advance of Japan and her recent con-
quests had broken the front of Chinese
heathendom In all this, DR.. Mabie saw
the hand of Providence and cause for
thanksgiving, that years ago Christians
had been moved to establish missions
which could now take advantage of these
new conditio ons, D1. Mabie said that while
the debt Of the society had been reduced
one half by generous legacies, the Other
half still existed and the extinguishmen1
was matter Of vital Importance to the
work of the union. AT the conclusion
Of DR.. Mabie's remarks resolution was
adopted endorsing the foreign mission
work. The officers were then unani
mously elected as follows:
Pesident-Rev. A. i. Padelford.
Vice -President-Rev. g. b. Ilsley:
Corresponding Secretary-Rev. A. l.
Recording Secretary-Rev. Fl. S. Bur
) rage.
Auditor-Charles Dunn.
Tustees-J. Kicker. P. Bonney, S. g.
Sargent A. X. P. Small, g. D.. B. Pep
per. c. Nj. Herring, G. b. Herring, Nose
! yIT Ill