The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-06
Sl2,246.34

ST., 2,246. "a
q The report of the executive committee
of the board Of trustees was read by Rev
E. c. Whittemore 1t covers in condensed
| form the ground gone over In the report
of the trustees and takes hopeful view
| of the situation of the denomination in
1.-The state, finding much that is cheering
and nothing in the financial situation
that nees cause alarm.
THE REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
The report of the board of trustees was
presented by Rev. DR.. A. T. Dunn, the
secretary. This is the report which gives
in detail the years operations in the
| missionary field. In the beginning the
report allues to the fact that ten miles
south of the village Of South Berwick the
first Baptist church in the Province of
Maine was established in 1852. In the
summer of 1857, the first reputed mis-
sionary tour of Rev. Hezekiah Smith was
made, who came from his home in Haver-
hill, Unto the new and distant places
to preach the gospel to the poor.'' He
visited Berwick, preached in IL private
house and in the following year organized
the Oldest Baptist church now existent
in Maine, known as the Berwick church.
1t is reported that in this township as
originally divided was erected the first
Baptist meeting house in Maine and
there, too, was ordained to our ministry,
the first candidate in Maine under the
Baptist Renaissance.
The report records the death of four
members of the board the past year:
Stephen Copeland Fletcher, pastor of the
Monson church; Benjamin Franklin
Shaw, John Barton Foster and Stephen
Kicker. Five former members of the
board have removed from the state to
other fields of service: A. K. P. Small,
G. NJ. Emery, J. H. Parshley, B. f. Law
renee and d. S. JenkA
The report contains a statement of the
appropriations for the year including:
A. T.. Dunn, corresponding
secretary, salary and expenses, 1856. .O7
9. e. Young, state missionary,
salary and expenses, 800. 90
Nathan Hunt, state missionary,
salary and expenses, $40. 26
". II. Rice, state missionary,
salary and expenses, $50. SO
j. W. Hatch and wife, state
evangelists, salary and ex-
penses, SqS, 96
G. E. Harden, missionary to
Lincoln association, 400. 90
and list of Sc charges which have been
aided in sums ranging from $40 to $4oO.
The work done in these Sc churches is
| then described in detail and an account
is given of the labors of the state mis-
sionaries and evangelists of the French
mission in Lewiston, the report says:
The conditions have been such as to
warrant stay in proceedings in the work
| for the French people of Lewiston. The
| heavy indebtedness of the Home Mission
| ary society, the continued hard times
among the churches, and the imperative
calls of our needy churches already en-.
couraged by us have combined to make
it necessary to do nothing beyond what
we reported last year. 1t is hoped that
| with changed conditions we may soon
undertake anew this important work."
Under the head of finance, the report
says: "Our treasurers report of last
year showed deficit of $1,000. This was
easily and promptly provided for by the
spontaneous and generous giving of in
dividuals present at that meeting so that
when the convention adjourned last year
there was practically no Indebtedness.
Continued on Second Page.