The Portland daily press., 1895-06-13
CONGREGATIONALISTS MET.
The Cumberland Conference Opened
at Standish Yesterday.
MANY PROMINENT PORTLAND
CHURCH MEMBERS PRESENT.
Interesting Discussions and Addresses by
the Clergymen Present-The Country
Church Was the Subject of Discussion.
Especial to the PRESS. }

the Clergymen Present-The Country
Church Was the Subject of Discussion.
Especial to the PRESS.
Standish, June 12-The session of the
Cumberland Congregational conference
in the church here today was an entire
success. Beautiful weather made the trip
to this pretty little village Nesting
among the hills above Sebago lake an en-
joyable one. The townspeople had made
ample provision for the entertainment of
the visitors and the mass of plants and
flowers in the church itself made it look
like harvest festival From Portland
came Rev. Dr. Fem, Rev. Dr. Jenkins,
Rev. r. T. Ha OK, Mr.. j. r. Libby, Mr.
Prince and many Others The conference
began with praise service led by Rev.
Mr.. Cousins and the organization was
then made with Mr. W. H. Scott of
Deering as moderator. The discussions
of the day were devoted to the relations
of the country church to the people, and
to other churches, and to the peril which
besct it. Incidentally, there were num-
Der of interesting references to a class of
preachers aptly described as unministerial
| tramps.
| Rev. j. E. Akin opened the discussion
on the question of 'tThe Perils of the
Country Church. The country church
work Of today is not what it once was
The evangelization of the country is
problem of many perplexities. The
wonderful growth of the cities is at the
expense of the country. The character of
the people of the country is therefore not
cosmopolitan as that of the city. There
are not SO many tongues, but there are
more creeds. There is in this country
large class of people who are not heathen
SO much as they are goddess. They eat,
drink and are merry. They spend much
of Sunday in bed unless they spend it in
| the bayfield, from the humanitarian motive
that they must not feed bad hay to their
cattle. The exodus of people leaves the
work of the country church to the very
young people. The country church does
not realize the change. She is using the
methods of fifty years ago. The farmer is
progressing He does not harvest his hay
crop as he once did. He uses modern
tools, and makes his horses sweat instead
of himself. But the church has not been
equally progressive. For this reason the
best pastors will not serve country
churches. The young men are looking
with ambition to the cities. Older men
often take country churches because they
have failed elsewhere The young man
works hard, builds up his church and
then listens to the proInptings of the evil
one that it is betterto leave at such time
than after the people have tired of them.
Then there is the lazy pastor, who goes
from church to church preaching the
same set of sermons without realizing
that the churches are charges.
Another source of peril in the country
churches is the system of hiring pastors
from year to year. This is called stated
supply, though why is not apparent, un-
less it is because the pastors are in state
of perpetual motion. They are like the
pilgrim, and the stranger in the old
hymn. The pastors of country churches
should be regularly installed.
The salary question is one of the great
questions with the country pastors.
Money comes hard in country churches.
The churches are not able to offer large
inducements to their pastors, and so in
material sense the work in the country
churches is not alluring, but it is from
the heavenly standpoint one of the most
attractive, giving man all he can do
physically, intellectually and spiritually
Another danger is that of the minis
terial tramp, who believes right, but
whose credentials the good deacons are
not likely to too closely examine: There
is also danger in the multiplication of the
various societies in connection with
church work, each of which calls upon
the country churches for aid which they
can i'll afford to give
Mr.. Aiken urged the necessity of def |
mite plans for work in the country
churches
Rev. R. T. Hack was the next speaker.
He thought that one of the great perils of
the country church is the peril of every
church. 1t is in danger of forgetting the
great purpose of the church to teach the
gospel of Jesus Christ and in way suit
able to the times. 1t seemed to Mr.. Hack
that country churches cared more for
creed, perhaps, than for works. There is
more friction among country churches
than among city churches. There are
too many of them and Mr.. Hack did not
wonder that young men wanted to leave
the pastorates when they saw how they
were hampered.
Mr.. Hack also touched upon the case of
the ministerial tramp. We ask too much
about mans orthodoxy, and too little
about his morality. We ask about his
creed but do not know whether he would
lie, whether he would steal his sermons.
One of these men goes into field, stays
perhaps couple of weeks, and then
moves on because of some immortality or
failure TO pay his bills.
Mr.. Hack thought that the country
church should be like the country store
which contains many articles. 1t should
be made .strong by including people
actuated by the same Christian motives
even although they might differ on
doctrinal matters
The question of the country church, it's
purposes, etc.. was further discussed
during the day as follows:
H'The Relation of the Country Church
to the Community. Opened by Rev. j.
L. Jenkins, D. D., Rev. D. NJ Pratt.
"The Relation of the Stronger Churches
to the Weaker Rev. E. P. Wilson,
Bro j. r. Libby.
The sermon was preached by Rev. L.
S. Bean, and in the evening Rev. G. H.
Gutterson, district secretary of the A. M.
delivered an address