The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-15
DISCIPLINE DISCUSSED.
Proposition 70 Revise the Friends
Text Book Of Faith.
THE MATTER REFERRED TO A
SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

Bible Teaching, Temperance Legislation
and Membership Statistics Considered
at Yesterdays Sessions of the New
England Friends Yearly Meeting.
: Refreshed by Sabbathday's rest from
business cares and responsibilities, the
Friends of New England focked to yes
terday's meetings in large numbers, and
conducted with close attention and de-
spatch the business matters on the day.
calendar.
The $50 devotional meeting was espec-
tally well attended and filled with re-
ligious feryor
After a brief devotional service at 10
O'Clock, Isom P. Wooton, of Iowa, adj
dressed the meeting in reference to cor
respondence course.
Matilda W. Atkinson, minister of
Iowa, was introduced to the meeting and
was cordially welcome.
The committee to whom was referred
the proposition of the Fairfield quarterly
meeting, that the choice of representa-
tives from quarterly meeting to the year
~
reported, recommending that each quar-
terly meeting be allowed to appoint five
representatives, and an additional repre-.
sentative for very 200 members or frac-
ton thereof
This recommendation was discussed at
speaker in favor of the plan, that under
the present system the large number of
representatives in attendance at a yearly
meeting makes too unwieldy body; that
instead of the 146 present at this meeting
the proposed plan would allow the rep
resentation of only 20 or IS, who could
more readily transact the business of the
meeting.
Most of the remarks on the matter were
in favor of the acceptance of the report,
and the clerks record announcing the
adoption Of the proposition was approved
The same committee, to whom was re-
ferred suggestion that the term repre-
sentative" be changed to delegate, - rec
commended that instead of the proposed
change the executive session of represen-
tatives be known as IAN executive meet
ing" This recommendation, after an
extended discussion, was also adopted.
The annual report of the Bible school
committee was next submitted. From
the So schools reports were received from
A, representing a membership of 3,13S;
collections, 50, O35.06. In the primary de-
partment A schools reported a total
membership of CAT, a gain of 204 members
during the year.
Accompanying this report was a finan-
cial statement for the year, showing total
receipts of 1918; balance in treasury,
81.
In the discussion of these reports the
suggestion was made by Osborn j. Hoff-
man, of Sidney, that the
Friends lesson quarterly be used in all
the Sunday schools in the quarterly meet
ings. Many of the schools are using 9TH
er UNCONVENTIONAL quarterlies.
Clara Binford, ssof Saco, believed in
using Friends publications SO far as is
possible, but in her opinion the Friends
quarterly is not quite up to date in COM
parison with those of some other denomi-
nations.
This brought out remarks from many
to the effect that if the Friends denomi-
national publications are used exclusive
ly in the Bible schools, the publication
society will have more means with which
to improve the quarterly. Especially
pointed were the remarks of Phoebe R.
Clifford, of Providence, aged "a years,
the Oldest minister in the Friends de-
nomination in New England She was
attired in full Quaker costume, black
gown, with black hood and white kerr
chief. Her voice was wonderfully vol
luminous and clear.
Z The committee on finance reported,
through it's secretary, total contributions
of 81, 91563, a decrease of 1922. 43 from the
receipts of last year. This decrease
seemed to be quite generally distributed
among the various quarterly meetings. A
few, however, contributed in excess of the
amounts assessed against them.
In the discussions of this financial
statement stress was laid on the import
ance of sending in promptly reports of all
contributions, in order that there should
be no omissions in the annual statements.
Several testimonies were offered incom-
mendation of the working of the envelope
system of collections.
These totals are taken from the tab
ulated statistical reports. Number of
ministers in the yearly meeting. 119:
elders, 237; associate members, 146; mem
bers in regular standing, 4,496; children
from four to twelve years, 400; children
between twelve and twenty-one, 395;
children at school, 500; in colleges, 81.
AFTERNOON MEETINGS.
A public meeting on Bible schools occu-