The Portland daily press., 1897-06-11
uNIveRsALIsT CONVENTION.
A Confession of Faith Adopted at Rock.
land Thursday.

Rockland, June 10.-Thursday. the
closing day of the State Universalist con-
vention at RockIand was as interesting as
its predecessors. The report of the COM
mittee on reports expresses qualification
at the financial condition, endorses the re-
Communications of the president and secre-
| tary, for continuation of the present plan
OF missionary work throughout the state !;
recommends the retention of Rev. W. W.
Hooper as missionary and secretary at a
salary of $1,000; also that the S. S. con-
yention, Y. P. G. U. convention and
Woman's Missionary society contribute to
this convention aid to the same amount
and In the same manner of recent years !;
favors the continuance of the present
quota system; approves the condition of
the three auxiliary societies and COM
mends them to the sympathy and foster
ing care of the several parishes. This re-
port was ad opted with the following adj
dition, that the district policy shall in
clude the district superintendent system,
under the direction of the state mission
discussion.
Committee on f. o. and D. report ap-
plications for fellowship applied for and
granted to Poland, South Portland and
Woodfords Fellowship has been granted
and clergymen transferred to Maine from
other states Rev. H. Vosema of Halifax
has been ordained. There has been no
case of discipline,
Rev. DR.. Blanchard reported Westbrook
seminary in good condition. A grant of
$4,000 has been made by the state. Rev.
II. S. Whitman will remain the honored
and beloved head of the institution. Only
two changes will be made in teachers. A
high standard of scholarship is main
tanned, the curriculum broadened, new
courses added and the grades raised The
moral atmosphere lis excellent, the disci-
pline easily maintained. The attendance
has increased, the finances improved. A
scholarship has been given by the heirs of
Jesse Davis of Lisbon and about $4,000 re-
ceived from the Walker fund. A strong
appeal is made for the institution in be-
half of the young people of the state, and
to those who were benefited by it in for
mer days.
Thursday morning there was confer
ence meeting at 5 and another at s, led
respectively by Rev. o. Howard Perkins
of Freeport and Rev. f. L. Payson of
Lisbon Falls. At $50 business meeting
of the W. N. M. S.; public meeting at
10, conducted by the Woman's Missionary
society, the president, Mrs. E. L. Hobbs
of Augusta, presiding. Addresses were
made by Mrs. C. A. Quimby of Augusta
and Rev. RIA. Wright of Livermore Falls
on "How to Interest the Uninterested. y
Mrs. Cordelia A. Quimby, president of
the Woman's National Missionary society
in her address briefly presented the meth
DDS instituted by the parent society to
bind together the state societies which
are nurtured and fed by the mission cir
cles. The Mission circle is the nursery
of the state society. 1t gathers the conse-,
Grated women into circle for the purpose
of keeping alive the missionary idea and
creating zeal for church extension. The
mission circle is the germ seed, the kernal
in the nut from which growth and fruit
age are expected in the future. One-half
of the membership of one dollar is re-
tanned in the state, the other half being
sent to the national treasury for general
work. The national society is now sup
porting a missionary on the Pacific coast.
AT its annual session recently held in
Philadelphia it appropriated $1OO year
for five years to Kansas City, Mo-, for a
Universalist church, and $500 year for
five years for a church in Denver, Col.
One dollar a year is the usual member
ship fee, and 1876 makes one life member.
There are more than 200 life members,
and the society has permanent fund of
$4,000 safely invested in first mortgages
on real estate. Denominational loyalty
was most earnestly urged upon the wom-
en-. Loyalty to ones faith was declared
to be cardinal virtue-the lack of it a
lasting reproach.
Resolutions were adopted, hailing with
joy indications of the constantly increas-
ing acceptance of the Universalist faith:
deploring failure of the arbitration treaty;
promising to do all possible to hasten the
day when all wars shall cease, and Join
in laboring for world's tribunal before
which all causes like those of Cuba, Ar
menia and Crete may be decided in the
spirit of Jesus Christ; urging retrench-
ment, prompt payment of quotas; pledg-
ing anew efforts to secure temperance,
purity and unity among all followers of
Jesus; recognized the services and courte-
sy of the Rockland parish, it's pastor,
Rev. Thomas Stratton, the work of the
committee on decorations and services of
choir and organist; rendering sympathy
with Rev.F. M. Houghton in his affection
and hoping for his restoration to active
service in the ministry.
The following was adopted after discus
sion:
Resolved that we urge the coming gen
eral convention at Chicago to vote against
the Meridian profession of faith, and offer
->- S4ASA