The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-26
CONVENTIONS LAST DAY.
The Congregational Meeting at Fort
Fairfield Ended.

Belfast Selected as the Place for the Next
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS on Needs Of
Hour By Leading Diyines. l
Correspondence Of the PRESS.)
Fort Fairfield, September 24.-1he
Congregational conference adjourned to-
day.
Thursday forenoon the annual meeting
of the Maine Branch of the College and
Education society was held with Rev. j.
6. Merrill, president of the society in the
chair.
Prayer was offered by Rev. E. A.
| Abbott of FrJeburg. The tIeasurer's re-
port was read. The old board of officers
was reelected. An able address was
made by DR.. J. 81. Hamilton, showing
| the breadth of the work and its desperate
| need Of funds. A committee was ap-
pointed to bring this important matter
before the churches.
At business session following the
meeting of this society, Rev. J. 5.
Williamson of Augusta, was chosen
moderator of the next conference.
1t was voted that this conference ap-
point delegation to the State Sunday
School convention to be held next month
| in Saco.
| In behalf of the interdeno minational
commission for Christian security. He
saidSthe idea of the commission is an evil
denoe of tendency of the hour toward
federation and representation. Referring
| to the work of the commission he said
| that It's chief value consists in the fact
that it's existence has prevented the evil,
to cure which the commission was or
ganized.
DR.. j. Il. Adams, after expressing hi
| sympathy with the underlying principles
of the commission expressed his dissent
from one of the decisions of the commits
sion.
A vote expressing confidence in the
commission and determination to CO.
operate with it was passed with marked
unaminity.
| Prof. Paine of Bangor followed by a
learned and eloquent presentation of the
underlying principles Of the Congrega-
work of the future.
| Thursday afternoon Hon. Nelson Ding
| ley of Auburn was nominated for corpo-
rate memb Der of A. B. G. F. NJ. Rev.
P. Fl. Moon and DR.. G. Lewis were ap-
pointed delegates to the S. S. oonventi on
at Chicago. Rev. j. g. Merrill was
chosen member of the Interdenomi-
national commission.
Rev. r. 7. Hack followed with dis
oussion of the relation of temperance to
the church. He said we are touched in
a hundred ways by the saloon business.
The ohurch too often Is silent or evades
the issue, breaches the simple gospel.
The church is not an end in itself. 1t Is
to lead men Godward. The responsible lily
| for all civic functions is upon the church.
The church should take the spirit of
Chri st into politics. We should divorce
| national and state politics from NUM-
cipal affairs. We must manage our own
affairs on the line of righteousness.
In the last analysis the prohi bitory law
Ia in the hands of municipal officers. and
we elect these men; hence our RESPONSE
bility.
Prof. G. A. Beokwith gave the final
paper of the afternoon, scholarly and
able presentation of the trend of thought
of today, in it's study of the life OF Jesus
Christ, the Christ who is to be preached
from the pulpits of the hour. He con-
sidered the amazing light which has
been thrown upon the Jesus of the
gospels and the Jesus of Paul. He en-
phasized ahe doctrines OF his humanity.
his deity and the ethical views which he
heldfand made manifest In his life.
the theme had a peculiar Intent,
naturally for the younger clergy, and
provoked little dissent from those who
ara older. It's calm, philosophio, cathoh
positions made evident the fact that Ban
gorseminary as in it's chair Of systematic
theology one whose sole aim is to present
the truth as 1t appears to devout.
| patient, student of Gods word.
Belfast was selected as the place for the
next conference.
| A symposium was then had upon what
issues confronting the church are most
important Rev, W. g. Mann declared
it to be s'Shall we be loyal to Christi
Rev. G.. S. Mills followed. It may
chance, he said, that / may speak for
men Of my own age. 'sThe church and
the men" is the one great issue we would
consider. Two and half times as many
women as men in Maine are in the
churches. Women indeed do we'll, but
we need the men. We find many true
men outside of the church. Is the
trouble with the men or the church?
President Hyde followed, saying, life
is the great need of the hour. What is
the true way of getting it,
These resolutions were adopted; We.
believe In the honest, fair. impartial en-
forcement of the laws for the total sup.
preston OF the liquor traffic and to that
end we will pray work and vote. We
will strive DO effect union for all t he
Christian unions of the state against the