The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-09
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.l

Old Orchard, August s.-Rev. DR.. A.
B. Simpson, the Christian Alliance lead.
er, today faced the largest audience ever
seen on the Old Orchard camp ground,
with a single exception of the occasion
of political rally in the Blaine cam.
paign, when Mr.. Blaine and Congress
man Reed occupied seats on the same
platform.
The benches in the grove have seating
capacity of $500. At both the forenoon
and afternoon meetings every seat was
filled and nearly as many more people
were within hearing distance of the stand,
the aisles and spaces around the platform
being filed and all the avenues leading
to the stand being densely thronged.
The special attraction which brought
together this vast assemblage was the
annual offering for foreign missions
which has become an important part Of
the annual conventions of the Christian
Alliance, and which have given DR..
Simpson the title of the champion money
raiser of the country.
AZ ACAty CtOlJ lAOCp4hS eAlAOO oAiS
Christian Alliance people arrived at the
beach some reference had been made, eth
er in prayer, exhortation or sermon. to
this collection day, and the hope and be-
lief were expressed that the contributions
would exceed all previous records.
So far as cash pledges were concerned,
the collection did exceed even the big
offering of a year ago, but the donations
of $25, 900 worth of real estate, and an
equal amount of corporation bonds, which
gave such impetus to the money raising
in the convention of 1895, were not dupli-
Gated today.
Todays offerings aggregated $71 ,000
OF that amount 500, 900 was raised dur
ing the forenoon session. In the after
noon pledge of $25, 200 and another Of
$4,000, which had been held back from the
forenoon were announced and the total
amount carried up to $65,000. The re.
manning $4,000 came in before the evening
service was concluded.
Today's scenes at the camp ground
differed in many ways from the collection
Gay of last year. There were no com
parisons of Alliance methods with thost
of kindred organizations. In hardly al
| instance was the name of contributor
publicly announced. There was also ar
absence of individual testimonies of fast
| ing and other sacrifices, which gave las
years great day a sensational aspect
| The pledges were more spontaneous ant
| the remarks of the speakers less frequen
while the collection was in progress.
The forenoon meeting began will
prayer and song and then Rev. DR.
Simpson preached sermon of 40 minutes
duration. His text was. "Simon, Sol
of Jonas, lowest thou me more thar
these" 1t was not what might be termed
an eloquent discourse, but the sentiment
was there and the speakers magnetism
apparent.
His theme was the steadfastness O.
Gods love, and our great obligation K
Him. "What is the secret of your fail
ure to meet Gods expectations" he asked
and then said: "This question suggests
many things that compete with his love
things that we allow to distract lis an(
draw us away from his loving service
There are numerous pleasures and indul
gences, our love of dress and the luxuriou
adornment of our homes. The average
Christian spends ten times as much il
adornments and refnements as he con
tributes toward the glory of God. More
money is spent every year for pleasure
yachts than the whole people contribute
| to the missionary cause. The extra but
| tons on your gloves and the extra flowers
on your bonnets represent an outlay thai
had better be expended in God service. >
| Before beginning the Offering the con
vention leader briefly defined the work
of the Alliance. He said it's secretaries
receive no salaries, and the missionaries
are paid only enough to cover their act.
ual living expenses. The Alliance il
managed economically, its accounts
carefully kept and audited and the fig
ures published in the Alliance papers.