The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-02
BUT TWICE In FIFTY YEARS
Has This Years Record Of Baptism
Been Equalled.
THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION
MAKES A FINE SHOWING.

A Most Successful Convention at Oldtown--
Prominent Divines and Laymen Pres
ent Interesting Reports and Addresses.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1
| Oldtown October 1.-The Baptist
church here today has been filled with
the brethren gathered from all parts of
Maine in attendance on the annual
session of the State Missionary Conven-
tion. Rev. A. J. Padelford, ID. D.,
presides over tho meetings and Rev. Fl.
S. Burrage, D. D., Is secretary. The
sessions of the day began with adevotion-
al service lead by Rev. A. e. Kingsley,
after which Rev. e. A. Davis, the pastor
of the church here extended a hearty
welcome to the delegates. President
Padelford in his annual address which
came next on the programme, referred
especially to the advance of the cause OF
the church in Maine during the year. de-
claring this to be the best year since 1877.
But the work accomplished calls for
additional effort in the year to come, and
for this purpose the president asked the
members to pledge themselves to give in
creased amounts.
Rev. j. G. Ford of Eastport, preached
| the annual sermon, his text being taken
from Revelation v, IL, the theme being
the inspiration of great example. After
the excellent sermon came the report OF
| the committee on obituaries, prepared by
Rev. J. E. Cochrane of Hallowell, and
read by Rev. L B. Moore OF South
Berwick. The report made appropriate
references to the lives and services OF Rev.
Abraham Snyder, Rev. Lyman Chase,
Rev. c. P. Bartlett, Rev. Edmund
Worth, Rev. Jared F. Eveleth, Rev,
John +. Sanborn, Rev Leander Pratt
Gurney, Rev. Sanford Agry Bingsbury,
D. D., Rev. VIM. Bella Jacobs, Rev. ".
| A. Keene, Rev. DR.. Jospeh StockDridge.
4 The following deaconS are mentioned ::
Erastus Robinson, st. George; Jacob l..
/ Wiggin, China; Freeman A. Williams,
Cary j. L. Patten, Bowdoinham, VIM.
r. Crosby, Fairfield; Alexander Edwards,
Paris; Lorenzo McIntire, South Norridge.
wock Wellman Bosworth, Oldtown;
| John Hopkins, Damariscotta; Judson
| G. Friend, Etna and James Lemont of
Bath. Reference is also made to the
deaths of James Clark of South Berwick,
1 Rufus Y. Crie of Rockland, David Tux
| bury of Saco; John e. Tibbetts of
| Auburn, Jonathan P. Cilley of Rock
land, Edwin Harvey of Kenduskeg,
Harvey 7. Riggs of bennington, Fred K;
Paris, Mrs Louis G. D. Thayer of Paris,
Mrs. Hannah F. Long. Mrs. Clementine
~. Norwood Of Camden, Mrs. Enelines
2. Marble of Skowhegan, Mrs. Vesta NJ.
Fletcher of Monson, Mrs. Hannah Thorn
| dixie of Rockland. An aft fecting prayer
for those departed members was offered
| by Rev. G. b. Illsley of Bangor. Rev.
I Nv, vie
of fellowship to the following pastors and
missionaries who have settled in the
state during the year:
Rev. E. S. Drew, Cherryfeld; Rev. j.
H. Day, Surry; Rev f. Leger, Lewis
ton; Rev. Nathan Hunt state state mission, aa l.
evangelists; Rev. W. c. Wescott, West
Rockport; Rev W. D. Shumway, Spring
vale; Rev. A. P. Fox, Limerick; Rev.
H. E. Curtis, Washburne and Rev. W. M.
| Thomas, Lewiston.
| Rev. S. D. Towne of Bangor presented
greetings from the Congregstionalists and
Rev. Mr.. Dow of Oldtown Eastern
of the Observation-Disclosures Commission
| was presented by Rev. S. d. Towne and
commended by Rev. H. S. Burrage, and
DR.. Dunn. Rev. G. B. Illsley of Bangor
| was elected a member of the commission
| in place of Rev. B. L. Whitman.
l "A
portant reports were presented. Rev. Dr.
Dunn read the report of the
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
It is "a voluln inous review of the events
of the year, in hearing the report from
the churches and a detailed statement Of
the expenditures Under the head of
"The Future" the trustees say that three
or four additional missionaries are needed
| at once. New fields, too, are opening.
Rumford Falls makes call that should
be promptly and heartily answered, steps
having been taken towards the organiza-
tion and maintenance of regular services.
Canaan and Anson are also regarded as
fields of promise. The report reoounts in
| full the labors of the missionaries during
the past year
The report of the committee on the
state of religion read by Rev. L. j.
Ramsdell, told story which must have
| been very pleasing one to the conven-
tion The committee say that 124S mem
befs have been added by baptism since
| the last report. the largest number in any
one year for eighteen years Only twice
in the last fifty years has this record been
surpassed. This remarkable increase of
religious interest has not been confined to
any one locality, but has been general
| throughout the state. A significant
feature is that 1856 of these baptisms We're
in Oh urches that at the beginning of the
year contained less than 70 members
each. OF the associations,
CUMBERLAND REPORTS
the largest number Of baptisms, 21S. OF
the churches, Eastport leads with 3d.
The First Church, Portland, reports 55
Yarmouth, As; South WATERFORD, 36 Free
street and Sanffoard, 80 each, Cherryfield
and Cary 2S each, During the year 800
members have been received by letter 132
by experience and 20 have been restored
Three hundred and nine have been dis
missed, 81 excluded, ITO erased and 319
have died The minutes of last year
gave the total membership as IS, sos; this
years returns give total OF ~, 6o6, a net
gain Of 800. If $50 members from the
| three churches of the disbanded Waldo
association which have not yet united
4