Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-28
The Inter. Denominatl onaI Commi. sion.

The inter-denOminationa commas
sion of Maine. organized in 1890 has
made an authoritative statement In
lions Advocate concerning what it has
and what 1t hopes to accomplish. This
commission is composed of the Baptist,
Christian, Congregational, Free Baptist
and Methodist denominations. To
quote from the statement:
These are the denominations most
Immediately concerned in the problem
Of the rural church in Maine, with
which the commission aims to deal. 1t
seemed best to confine the scope OF this
movement to those denominations
which are sufficiently homogeneous In
doctrine, modes of worship and form of
organization, to give promise of har-
mony and mutual confidence.
1.-The object Of the commission. as
stated in~the first article Of the con-
stitution, Is to promote cooperation
in the organization and maintenance
of churches in Maine; to prevent waste
of resources and effort in the smaller
towns; and to stimulate missionary
work in the destitute regions. The
heart of the movement is summed up
in the following statement of principles:
Church extension into destitute COM
munities should be conducted, as far as
practicable, according to the following
considerations:
/. No community in which any de-
nomination has any legitimate claim
should be entered by any other denomi-
nation through it's official agencies
without conference with the denomi
nation, or denominations, having said
claims.
2. A feeble church should be revived,
if possible, rather than a new one es-
tablished to become its rival.
8. The preferences of a community
should always be regarded by de-
nominational committees. missionary
agents, and individual workers.
4. Those denominations having
churches nearest at hand should other
things being equal, be recognized as in
the most advantageous position to en-
courage and aid a new enterprise in
their vicinity.
5. In case one denomination begins
gospel work in a destitute community,
-
without other UNCONVENTIONAL interior
ence.
6. Temporary suspension of church
work by any denomination occupying
field should not be deemed sufficient
warrant in itself for entrance into that.
field by another determination. Tenn
porary suspension should be deemed
temporary abandonment when a church
has had no preaching and held no
meetings for an entire year or more.
I. All questions of Interpretation of
the foregoing statements. and all cases
of friction between denominations or
churches of different denominations
should be referred to the commission
through it's executive committee"
The principles thus outlined may not
receive the approval of all as being
wholly practical, but they appear to
have worked well on the whole. Ger
tainly all must agree that energy in
some degree too often has been wasted
in only partially successful efforts to
maintain two struggling societies in
community capable of properly sustain
ing but one. Certainly the field for eff
fort has not been wanting and it has
remained for the commission to dem
onstrate what it could do therein. In
the opinion of those promoting the
undertaking the six years since organi-
cation of the commission have demon
strated it's usefulness. In their opin-
ion the commissions great value
Lies not in the cases. comparatively
few, which it has been called upon to
settle; but in the numerous cases of en-
croachment and strife, which it's very
existence has prevented from arising.
There are today several churches in
small communities in Maine which are
either self-supporting, or hopefully
working their way toward self-sup-
port, because they have the whole field
to themselves, which owe this hopeful
outlook to the protection of this COM
mission. Had it not been for this COM
mission these same communities would
be divided between two or three rival
churches, struggling hopelessly for sub
sistence and leaning heavily upon out
side missionary aid
The commission wishes it understood
that leach of the five denominations is
fully, heartily, and finally committed
to the principles of the commission"
''The work of the commission is
practical success" eve must not al
low these gratifying results to induce
feeling of false security or relax our
vigilance. Cases Of encroachment oft
en- spring up without deliberate inten-
ton to interfere with the rights of
others, and they can be dealt with
most satisfactorily at the very begin
ming"
All pastors and persons interested
are requested to report matters of in
terest to the commission.
The man who claims he has process
for making gold and silver declares the
test made by the government was not