The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-05
ESPECIAL TO THE rREss.l

ESPECIAL TO THE rREss.1
Houlton, October 4.-Baptists are gath
cred here from all parts of the state
They have come into the garden of Maine
for the purpose of holding the anniver'
saries of the various missionary societies
connected with the church in Maine. So
many of the brethren came on last eve
ning's train over the Bangor & Aroos-
took that had the conductor possessed
such placard he might have hung out
the sign, STANDING roomsonly.
Today's sessions of the convention have
been largely taken up with the presenta-
ton of reports.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
For the board of trustees, Secretary A.
7. Dunn, d. D.. reported as follows;
One year ago today we sat in council
with our brethren near the New lamp
shire line; but now In the providence OF
God we are near the line which joins US
to the British Provinces. In what seems
almost the natural course OF events we
have for second time passed directly
across the State. following in this the
footsteps of our brethren fourteen years
thing to do since 1t not only follows good
example but it follows in the direct line
of events. For years this body has been
spending itself in part on the fields OF
Aroostook county, and funds and lives
have been consecrated freely to this work.
We are today on sacred ground. we re-
call with loving admiration and gratitude
the names of Spaulding, Porter. Shaw
and Record, all men of sterling character
and worth who have passed into the I'M
seen; and we look upon the monuments
of the no less faithful service of Brsthren
Herring and Dutton, while pastor OWENS
handiwork is all about U.S. These are
men who have served in the Passionate of
this church whose generous hospitality we
today enjoy. And, then too, we are in
the sacred precincts of that town which
for years held SO large part OF the heart
and life of DR.. Josepth Kicker, and which
is today the home of our superior lifting
school, which so appropriately bears, his
name. We cannot too frequently remind
ourselves of both the cost and the richness
of our inheritance.
And we are not TO forget or overl ook
the fact that we are most closely allied
with brethren of like faith, hopes, lam
guage and blood with ourselves, the
brethren with whom we join most heartily
in service, being confident that there al
ready exists between us in its trsest sense
Ill AuklO-alucElC0u E1AAl0aCCs AA0u Uhto
may become more general, cordial and
effective Is our earnest prayer.
Since the work OF the pioneer fathers in
this country eighteen churches have been
gathered and recognized and all has been
done under the fostering care Of the Con.
ntion through missionary and pastoral
service. Three of these churches, Houlton,
Caribou and New Sweden, are separately
self sustaining, while several are support
ing themselves by union Of service, and
others still look to us for assistance in
carrying on the work. Great advances
have been made since the earlier services
Of brethren Kendall, Spalding. Bstchelder
and Robinson and the late labors OF
brethren Mayo. Rodly, Nugent and Others;
but it is still in some sections most de-
cidedly missionary ground; and our COM
ing today ought to impress us with the
importance Of the field and the sure prom
Use of fruitage.
Since we last met several changes have
occurred in the mem bership of the Board.
have been called ~ death. Each OF these
served the Convention faithfully and eff
GENTLY.
In q review of the churches aided by the
Convention it appears that forty. six have
been on the list for the year or greater
partsof it, while others have received aid
indirectly. Much effort has been put forth
III kuObG VI uuoh0 AU4uo duu nhT0ly udS
not been in vain. Nineteen of these
| churches report ia baptisms, while Soy
eral others speak of conversions. 10 some
of these churches the continuance of pas
toral service has been made possible only
by the aid given them and some doors
would have been closed had not the en-
couragement and direct aid of the Con.
vention been granted.
Special mention was made of the death
of Rev. q. e. Harden who had served as
missionary, also of the sickness and with
drawal of State Evangelist J. W. Hatch
and wife, and the withdrawal from the
service Of Lay Missionary W. Fl. Rice.
Words of commentator of the character
and services of the present State Mission
aries Chas. E. Young and Nathan Hunt.
The reports of the Executive Committee
and the Treasurer gave full statement of
the finances SO that no lengthy statement
WAS needed In this report. From an ex-
animation of the treasurer's statement
we learn that the contribution from many
of the chuorhes is less than shat of the
previous year while some have made
commendable advance. Much labor has
been given to acquainting the churches
with the facts relating to the need of the
field and no reasonable effort has been
spared in securing the needed funds; but
the desired end has not been reached.
Patient planning, careful scrutiny, hard
WOTk Ny tuo lncup cIS udF0 lhll6u 10 lu66U
the requirement. At times we have been
perplexed to know what to do in the midst
of circumstances which on other lines of
work might have been, discouraging.
The policy Of curtailment and retrsnch.
ment has been adopted, but this has not
met the demand; and it is to be feared
that in some instances this policy has en-
couraged reduction of contribution 1t is
sadly true that a large part of the MEM
bership of our churches is not being
reached by any system of collection yet
adopted and too few know much of the
work or have any real care about it.
There appears to be a passive contentment
possessing many and comparatively few
are doing anything at all in supporting
this work.
How to reach the people the rank and
file of our churches. is the question Of
today, the practical answer to which will
solve many problems Is it possible that
we have given too little thought and at
tention to the directly spiritual aspect of
this matrers May 1t not be that greater
effort along the lines of Christian culture
in personal, home and church lite would
result in more satisfactory returns in
other departments of the works deeper
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