The Portland daily press., 1898-10-27
DISCUSSED CHURCH TOPICS.
Cumberland Conference of Congrega-
ri0nal Churches.

| GIOua1 GHuTCutS.
Interesting Meeting at Deering Yesterday
| Good Attendance in Spite OF the isain
| -Tnteresting Papers and Discussions by
Clergy.
| The Cum berland Conference OF Congre-
gationaI Churches was held yes0eraay
with the Woodfords Congregational
church, commencing at 80 a. IN. ana
continuing through the evening.
The meeting was largely ATTENDED,
there being about three hundred persons
in attendance throughout the SESSIONS
| The services opened with devotlona'
service conducted by Rev. L. M Dasies'
pastor of the Free church, Deering'
! Rev. Rollin 7. Hack of Portland called
the conference to order and Rev. George
| W. Reynolds of Gorham was elected Us
moderator and Rev. J. e. A1klhs OF
Windham Hill as scribe. Revs. Il. !.
Hack, W. G. Mann and Deacon W. Il.
SCOTT were appointed as nominating
committee.
| The discussions opened at 10. Is O'CLOCK,
the first topic being "Four Factors in the
Religious Culture of Our Children. :
Rev. A. Fl. Wright of Portland led the
discussion with an able paper on "The
| Preacher" in which he emphasized the
idea that the children should be in the
church for the benefit of its religious
| training.
Rev. L. S. Bean of Portland followed
with paper on "The Sunday School
Teacher Mr.. Bean said that the teacher
should be a man of character and OF Gull
ture. A man of broad Intelligence.
| Rev. W. G. Mann of the Warren Con-
gregational church, Westbrook, read a
very able paper on "The Public School
Teacher He emphasized the point
that the teacher. has to contend with the
competitive system to arouse an interest
in the work. He thought that the teacher
could be power in the influencing OF
the child life.
Rev. D. p. Hatch, abe state mission.
airy, followed in paper on "The Home. "
He called for family worship, reading the
Bible and the better observance of the
Lords day.
The discussion following was partici-
pated in by Reys. Hack, Smythe, South
worth, Wilson and Miss Mary Perkins.
At noon about $50 of the delegates and
members of the conference partook Of a
bountiful dinner prepared by the ladies
of the Woodfords church. The meeting
- IL Oh ri q
tional service led by Rev. J. Z. Aikinsaof
| Windham Hill The discussions of the
afternoon were opened at 2.15 o'clock.
The first topic was Why do SO few unite
with our Congregational churohes9''
Rev. j. L. Jenkins of Portland pre-
sented the first paper on the.question "Is
our modern preaching lacking in attrac-
tiyeness or power?'' DR.. Jenkins said
the church today lays too much sJress on
| the social side. The pastor can get any
amount of money for social purposes but
when he asks for more money to secure
better preaching services it is difficult
| matter to get 1t. What we need is a
| society to look toward the end of securing
| better preaching. Let the society strive
| to unite the pastors hands from SO many
of the social demands and give him his
time to prepare better sermons. Ministers
are not appointed to lead the world in
sociables and in teaching dancing schools
in their churches, but to preach the word
of God and nothing more or less. We need
more to restore the methods of Christ. &c
preach and to administer the sacramento
rather than to attend SO much to the
social features.
Rev. r. L. Hack of Portland followed
in an interesting paper on the question,
l"Are the demands of our churches or
| their members excessive. 2" Mr.. Hack sale
| he believed that the church did not ask
too much of its members as whole. The
burden is usually on few and this Of
course is not just. He also thought thai
there was danger in over-organizing
There are SO many societies within the
church that we divide our thought ane
attention.
The hymn "Nearer My God to Thee
was then sung by the congregation, after
which Rev. T.. M. Davies pastor of the
| Free church, Deorlng, presenter papel
asking the question care people repelled
| by the average standard Of piety among
our mem bers?'' Mr.. Davies said: "Wher
men say they are repealed from attending
church because they are not entertained
there as we'll as at home or elsewhere,
believe that such people never INTENDED
to 60 anywhere to church no matter how
attractive it might be. II we desire tt
see more people uni,e with the church We
must be more fully permeated with the
spirit and love of God. The Congrega
tional church with it's 700, 600 members
today stands as q beacon light to those
outside of the church and stands ready to
lead them to Christ"
Rev. W. H. Fem of Portland gave the
closing argument on the topic care oui
creeds a hindrance?' Rev. Mr.. Fem
thought that sometimes the creeds die
binder as they are some of them false
They are not all true to the church to the
world and to the scripture. We need a
creed more in accord with the Bible. lie