The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-27
FREE BAPTIST CONFERENCE.
Interesting Papers and Address az Con-
gres. street Church.


The morning session of the Free Bap-
tist Conference opened with q prayer
meeting conducted by Mr.. T. y. Small Of
West Falmouth,
The Rev. DIR. wilson OF the Free street
church was introduced to the audience
and made brief address Of brotberly
welcome. 1t will be remembered that
during progress of repairs on the old
Plymouth church Its congregation held
services In the Free street house Of wor-
chip 10 this fact the speaker felicitously
alluded The incident 10 Of interest as
evincing the christian and frsternal char
branches of the great Baptist denomina-
ton.
The presiding officer, Rev. L. L. Freese.
then introduced as corresponding messen-
ger of the Bowdoin Conferences, the Rev.
A. /. Davis of Bath. MIR. Davis respond
ed. bringing tho greetings of twenty mine
churches and two thousand oommuni-
cants. The financial condition Of the con.
ference is strong. Then the routine bust
ness of the session was resumed, the first
thing on the programme being paper
on methods In Sunday school work, writ
ten and read by MIR. ID. A. Brackett of
windham, superintendent. The paper
was plain. practical statement of meth
ods pursued and proposed, and consider
barrassments which often confront the
teacher.
In the belief of the speaker the capable
superintendent of u Sunday school is like
a poet; born. not made. He must have
a gift for teaching and for superintend-
ence. and possess executive ability. The
necessity of thorough training was insist
ed upon, the further necessity of ao-
quainting ones self with the abilities and
dispositions of tho pupils. and the su.
preme necessity of tact In dealing with
schools, classes and individuals. We
must not try to teach over much lest we
spread ourselves ..too thin. We need not
attempt IA systematic course in theology,
but content ourselves with turning the
hearts of scholars toward the Lord, ana
directing and developing the religious in.
stinct and aspiration in their minds and
souls. We should, too, keep scholars In
the schools as the years go on, and do
away with the false idea that school life
should cease at maturity.
The paper by Mr.. Bracket was brief
and compact. occupying scarcely quar-.
ter of an hour in delivery.
The paper was then open to comment
and discussion. The Rev. Mr. Fultz of
North windham expressed his deep salts
faction with the addrss, and briefly rein
forced Its wise suggestions.
Secretary Small of the Conference fol.
lowed with further comment. speaking
In condemnation of the injurious practice
of giving cards and pictures as prizes.
This chrome business, he said. should be
left to tobacco and soap dealers
Mr. Osborne Of Portland related some
Interesting reminiscences of his own ex-
perience and of the benefit In active rs
well as religious life of Sabbath school
training
The Rev. Mr.. Malvern then introduced
the Rev Mr.. Nickerson Of the Edgeoomb
quarterly meeting, who spoke briefly and
pointedly. protesting his conviction that
superintendeDts generally know more
about the schools than do the pastors. He
spoke of the good done by Sunday school
conventions, of the inspiration they give
TO work and the suggestion to method.
Mr. Nickerson Is OF the frs. church ever
organized east OF the kennebec, the Wool
witch and Wiscsssett church, which has
Just held it's four hundredth conference
The Hon. Hiram Knowlton spoke In
favor of large classes in the schools The
larger the class the greater the interest.
He also believed that the superintendent
should make himself sociable and familiar
with scholars, as he did with his own
class of infants ranging in age between
the years of twenty-five and seventy five.
Mir. o. b. Fullam spoke out of his own
experience as teacher. he found 1t suiii-
cient to teach the gospel and nothing
else, and to do that the teacher must be a
thorough going christian himself. Mr..
Fullam said his class of young men was
the largest and best in Maine. He be-
lieved In large classes, when properly ad-
ministere1, and would not divide a sue
c.ssful one, though classes of twelve are
perhaps more easily handled.
The Rev. Mr.. Malvern considered
Glow to Keep the Boys" whom he lik.
ened to bronchoes. TO do that you must
have IA teacher who understands boys as
the trainer understands his horses. Incl
dentslly he stated that the Portland
school had 5 20 pupils.
This terminated the sabbath school
question, and after recess of five min
utes the conference re-assembied to listen
to the sermon by the Rev. j. +. Harri'
man of Harrison. The sermon was pre-
faced by reading the Hath chapter of st.
John, by the Rev. Mr. Nickerson. On
account Of sickness Mr.. Hartman was
unable to be present and his place was
supplied by the Rev. A. l. Davis of ,he
Bowdoinham Conference. The speaker