Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-04-26

Fourth year class:
II. l.. Williams. Lisbon Falls.
William Cashmere, Gorham.
At 3 O'Clock the Itinerants' Institut,
held It's annual meeting and chose thes'
officers:
rresiden,.Rsv. T. o; Th,yeS. Pm. d.
SecretAry-Rev. 4. c. strout-
Treasurer-Rev. A. Hamilton.
At 80 In the evening the annual con
ference prayer meeting was held at TIT
church, iu charge Of Rev. John w
Lewis, who has recently been transferred
from the Nebraska conference. II Wa.
an earnest and inspiring meeting.
Bishop Crsnston arrived on the even
ing train Tuesday, and Wednesday morn
ing at Q O'Clock after the daily devotion
al service, administered the sacrament
Of the Lords Supper, assisted by the
presiding elders.
The business session Of the conference
opened at 10 O'Clock. Bishop Cranstou
made an Immediately favorable impress.
sion. He Is man Of scholarly attain.
ments, and OF pleasing address. He dis
patches business with ease and speed
and his mental action Is so quick and
clear that he rarely fails, In stating a
motion, to make 1t more clear and con-
else than as originally worded.
Following the call Of the roll these
conference officers were chosen:
Secretary OF CONFERENCE.-THE. W. y. Berry.
Historical Secrtary-Rey. G.. {. Andrews.
Statistical Secretary-Rev. Charles r. Parsons.
Conference Treasarer-Rev. William 5. Jones
Quite an amount Of routine business
WAS then disposed Of, and the conference
WAS addressed briefly by Professor Stark
OF Wesleyan University, in behalf Of that
institution. He reported an increase OF
IL instructors and about 100 students
since 1890, and averred that the institu-
ton had maintained its high intellectual
and moral standard.
The reports OF the presiding elders
were then presented-Rev. A. s. Ladd,
ID. D., OF the Augusta District; Rev. j.
A. Corey OF the Lewiston District; and
Rev. +. q. Thayer of the Portland Dis
trict. A few notes from these reports
New churches have been built at North
Jaw and Pleasantdale, and new par
sonages at South Berwick, Buckheld,
Fryeburg Hsrbor, West Paris and wes-
lev Church, Bath. New churches are ex-
pected TO be built this year at Yarmouth
and Falmouth.
Hon. Waldo Pettengill has offered TO
build parsonage at Rumford Falls, on
condition that the society will extinguish
the debt on the church, and the money
for that purpose has been practically all
pledged.
Various other additions TO property
and reductions Of debt were reported.
All agreed that this had been the
hardest year Of the hard times period.
A goodly number Of accessiOns to the
church membership were reported,
though IL was stated that the increase
would appear small in the statistics,
owing TO general thorough revision OF
the church rolls.
Rev. DR.. Ladd. In speaking Of the
Keut's Hill school, sympathized with the
conference In It's Indignation at the
choice OF a brewer on the board OF trus-
tees-and at this point Was interrupted
by burst Of applause; nevertheless the
school IL 10 good condition. He recon-
mended that portion Of the trustees be
chosen by the conference and portion
by the alumni, all for fixed terms, moi
for life, and closed with the suggestion
s'thst We spend less time In criticism
and more 10 prayer"
The session Of Wednesday afternoon
WAS devoted to the anniversary Of the
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
Mrs. X. II. Turner Of Portland presided
and made brief address. Mrs. j. Il
Bounds sang a solo. Miss Ruth Sites OF
China Was then introduced 70 give the
address of the afternoon. Miss Sites Il
the daughter Of missionaries, and mis-
sionsry herself. She Is young woman
OF pleasing appearance, OF cultured
though simple and direct style OF speech
and evidently thoroughly devoted to hel
work. She spoke for an hour, dealing
with the methods and results OF hel
work, the obstacles TO be overcome, etc
and held the closest attention OF hel
large audience.
Wednesday evening the church va
filed TO OVERLOOKING for the snniversar.
Of the Epworth League, for which tn
church had been specially decorated
Rev. A. A. Lewis of Gardiner presided
The music for the occasion, which wa
very good, was furnished by the league
of Norway and South Paris. The meet
ing opened with a praise service ant
PRAYER by II. c. Wilson Of Auburn. IN
report of the work Of the past year wa
read by the secretary, Rev. II. l.
Nichols Of Kennebunkport. Addresse
were given by Rev. b. c. Wentworth o
Skowhegan, on characteristics OF
True Epworth Lacquer" and Rev. {
w. Brsdlee Of Biddeford on "HOw 4
Work in an Epworth League; an
Bishop Cranston gave the closing. ad
dress.
During the afternoon candidates 70
local elders and deacons' orders wer
examined. G. d. Stanley Of Oxford wa
admitted to the former, and Frank h
WEIGH Of Newtield to the latter.
The sessions after Wednesday wer
held 10 the opera house. At the bushes
session Thursday morning. Rev. G.
Mason, ID. d., was introduced to the ~
dience. DIR. Mason IL as black man
there Is In the country, and is corr
spending secretary Of the Freedmen
Aid and Southern Educational Societ!
In behalf Of which he addressed the col
ference, briefly but eloquently.
Rev. Charles r. Parkhurst, d. D., q
Boston, then presented TO the conferene
the claims Of lions Herald, the papt
representing the denomination In Ne
England.
| F.C. Norcross Of Madison and G. /
Young Of North Auburn, two first year
men, were passed to studies OF the se
ond year. w. C. Wentworth OF Ne
York, A. 5. Staples OF Mt. Vernon, vel
continued in the studies of the first yea
and Charles Jones Of Conway. N. b
was discontinued.
The hour Of IL was Get for the rece
ton Of fraternal greetings, and ct tn
) hour the conference was addressed
Rev. T. ]. Ramsdell Of the South Par
Baptist church, and Rev. B. 8. Rideo
OF the Norway Congregational churc
Each, speaking fos bis own denomin
I ton, presented cordial and hearty gre<
! ings, and Bishop Cranston responded
his happy manner, al the remafks betl
. indicative Of The highest degree Of ine(
deneainatioaAl eonlty.