The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-26
CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE.
Annual Meeting. of the Cumberland
Associstion st Abyssinisn Church.

1
Annual Meeting of the Cumberland
| Associstion st Abyssinisn Church.
The morning session Of the roth meet.
ing OF the Cumberland Conference
opened promptly at quarter OF ten at
Abyssinian church with devotional exsr-
cises, conducted by Rev. Francis south
worth, The business and organization
meeting followed with the Roy. Mr.. Adams
OF Gorham as moderator, and Rev. Mr..
Aiken of westbrook as secretary. The
response to the roll call showed repre-
sentation of 20 churches out OF twenty
| four in the conference The minutes OF
the last meeting were read and approved.
after which at the suggestion Of Mr.. viii
son of Woodf ords, ten minutes were al
lowed Mr.. Wittlesey, representing the aged
ministers' fund. to present his plea for
contributions to this society. Mr.. Wittle-
sey gave some specific examples Of the as
sistanoe which the society had rendered to
certain poor ministers and their families,
| who belonged to no special state. show
Ing how the national society had supple
mented the work OF the state societies.
This was followed by an earnest exhor-
tation by DR.. Smith Baker of WillistoD
church on the question: What have
we right to expect from the spiritual
life of the church,"
| Dr. Bakers personality carries with 1t
strong sense of conviction and his vehe-
ment way Of presenting the uplifting
power Of the spiritual life could not fail
to impress his hearers. He spoke of the
power the truth has In the church; the
power which 1t has In common with
science, and every other society for moral
reform, but In addition to this. there
must be the living essence of this truth
in peoples lives 1t Is not enough TO
present the truth In words. said the
speaker, but 1t must be in actual feeling
aud expressing the power of the spiritual
life In himself as q working force. DR..
Baker adde'i much to the reality OF his
words by relating bits of personal ex-
perience In his life as preacher, show
Ing the necessity for the living and
breathing In dwelling of the spirit.
Mr.. J. X Libby spoke at some length on
the question, Are the churches laboring
wisely for the conversion Of men"
1t is evidently u subject upon which MIR.
Libby has thought much, and his feeling
seemed to be that in many cases the min
listers were not getting at the hearts OF
the people as In the OLD days when they
visited more in the ONES and prayed
with the people. MIR. Libby felt 1t was
not right to criticize and then not offer
any suggestions for Improvement, and
his idea was that there should be more
visiting on the part Of the pastor. more
thought given to family worships, and al
ways more cooperation on the part Of the
people with the pastor.
Several of the preachers present ex-
pressed their views on this subject at the
close Of Mr.. Libby's remarks. MIR. Parker.
the missionary of Western Maine, who
said he bad had great difficulty. in reach
| ing the men of his district. for at one
| time his congregation had consisted oil
| fourteen women and himself. He asked
| very pertinently what he could do In such
case, but nobody seemed able to re-
| spond.
DIR. Fem gave In his own inimitable
way, word of defense of the pastors,
saying that in reality they were only
the teachers and the laymen were the
preachers For. he said, did MOI Christ
say, go ye and preach" Who are the
"ys," only the ministers.
One or two lRymen followed with their
testimony In regard to this important
question. but the discussion closed as MIR.
l.. Smyth, the pastor of the church, an
uounced that dinner was ready in the yes
try.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon devotional exercises were
conducted by Rev. 4. 81. Davies, after
which MIR. Aiken proposed that the North
Deering parish, which had scnt delegates
to the present meeting, should he made
| a member of the conference. Tits motto on
was passed us well rs one appropriating
SIS from the conference treasury for the
use Of the Abyssiniau church, whose
losses during the winter had been SO over
whelming. MIR. Smyth as pastor OF the
church, greatly acknowledged the gene
rosity OF the conference. say ing that al