The Portland daily press., 1898-01-27

try. In the last 80 yesrs, however. there
had come an. attempt TO concentrate
wealth and business In the hands of the
few, SO that the prospect OF today sug-
eested picture of ancient Rome, with its
aristocrats and the down trodden people.
These trusts of today are carried Oh IN
Republication of the Declaration Oh lnae-
pendence and tho Constitution OF the
country. God and the Constitution arc
on tho side Of the people, and may ne
grant tfat this question be settled WITH
out recourse to blood and tears and ashoS'
Rev. W. g. Mann then turned the az
tention Of the Conference to the questlon
of "the functions of the chu7oh with ref
erenoe to law and order" In brief, ne
described the church's functions as Toi-
lows: The function of the church is NOS
to go into politics as church; it is no0
q temperance union, although it may
prompt one; it is not a law and order
league, although ID may make such an
organization possible. The function OF
the church is to make men honest and
Christian. We honor the clergyman who
refused to accept Tammany's gift for the
poor ON account of its source; yet many
did accept it, perhaps on the ground Ia
ken by tho minister who bought pickerel
on Monday, knowing that they had been
caught On Sunday. He said that the
pickerel were not TO blame. Rockefeller 8
money was accepted for perhaps tbs same
not roc al l,IA
The church should not dictate as to Re
publicanism or Democracy. but 1t should
send out men clean and Christine, no
matter to what party they belong. The
church's business is to send forth men
who Will do what they take oath to do.
1t is-a peculiar condition when man
has TO be petitioned to do what he he's
sworn to perform; when he waits for Pc
tition. Petitionsi are all right. but
why should not the church deal with the
delinquent 1t is strange condition OF
affairs when we must petition the Cover
nor not to appoint q man to be Judge
when serious charges are brought against
him. Why is it that we OF the churches
are not approached as to our preferences
as to men put up Tor
Office. Is it that we vote for the men and
the things put up by the inner oiroief
The speaker declared that it should be
known to sill men, including those Of this
inner circle, that the men of the churches
ygere first of all for Christ, and that they
would not sanction that which conhicteo
with His work.
Rev. Mr.. Southworth spoke Of the need
of awakening public sentiment on these
matters, and called attention to the laws
relating to Sunday observance. Men
employed on the wharves and the
steamers asked him why they were COM
PEELED to work on Sunday. He had
written to the Grand Trunk and steam
ship officials, but the letters were not
answered. The officials were shrewd
men; they didn't want the matter. stirred
up, and Mr. Southworth supposed he
might write until Doomsday without an
answer. Mr.. Southworth thought all
church mem hers should strive to teach
their brothers that fitness for Office is %
higher consideration than party member
ship.
Rev. Mr.. Smythe said it was lament
able fact that the laws of the State Of
Maine are not enforced. He, with sew
eral othera, had recently been appointed
O committee to see what may be done
about this matter, but he had doubts as
to the SUCCESS Of the movement.
Mr.. A T. Davis gave the discussion a
new turn when be advocated 40 !ncreas-
ing the police force that the men who are
charged with the maintaining Of order
shall have ono day week to themselves
at the same pay that they now receive for
seven days. work. Mfr. Davis said That
he had the same reluctance that all citi-
zsns have to seeing taxes increased, but
he vas willing to bear his share for this
purpose. He thought that the officers
should be no longer required to WORK
seven days g week. Mr.. Davis then
spoke of industrial conditions us suggest
cd by she paper of Dr.. Merrill. He de-
pIored conditions which enabled one man
TO Get more fer his money than another
He Thought that the clubbing Of periodi.
cals-incuding religious papers-by which
the man who could afford TO take several
papers could get them at less rates than
the man who took only one, was wrong.
Mr. Davis spoke Of the operations OF the
rubber trust, and told how herd it was
for the business man to do business today
and pay 100 cents on dollar. Mr..
Davis spoke of the department stores,
and said that one such enterprise as that
of John Wanamaker represents the graves
of hundreds of little men.
Several matters Of business were then
presented. Rev. DR.. Jenkins read re-
port from Mr. Stephen Hinkley, the
treasurer of the committee having In
charge the aid to the Scandinavian
church in this city. The Conference had
voted to give $500 to this object, and BE.
Hinkley reportd that Sl7o had been paid.
Rev. MIR. southworth promptly enid that
the Bethel church might be put down for
the remainder, and the question was thus
happily settled.
DR.. Jenkins introduced Rev. Mr.. Long,