The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-08

A1rH ~ not. Ani Aiat cau5e OF thn lack
Of consciousness Of mems responsibility
is that men expect Cod 10 do what He
expects men to do themsel es. Thev for.
get that while God Is the source Of ALI
power, its usage Is committed "a man.
Theg say about something's which should
be done that God will take care of tbese
matters and on Him they thsow the re.
sponsibility which they themselves should
feel and bear. In the second place men
belittle their Importance as unitss in the
great multitude Of mankind. Tbsn many
men depend upon their leaders to do the
work forgetting that every leader needs a
large body Of followers. Martin Luther
said; "God can't get along without
me" and he was right His leadership
was necessary TO bring about the great
religious reforms which were headed.
What is the leader going to do without
followerss" The world needs both leaders
and followers. 1t il difficult to say which
is the most important good leader or a
good follower DIR. blanchard then soid
that the power of all of the great leaders
of history would have amounted to
naught had they not had loyal followers,
who felt their personal responsibility. So
many men ara not willing.to be followers
or are willing that other men should do
the following while they stay at home.
When men cease to walt for others to do
what they should do. whsn they cease to
wait for God to do what they ara expected
to do. when they cease to consider their
own insignificance and recognize the fact
that they are unit In the multitude
who have labor - perform and when
they cease to depend altogether upon
their leaders, then shall they come TO a
recognition of their invidual RESPONSE
biiity and the world will be the better.
DIR. Blanchard then proceeded to make
some practical applications of personal
responsibility. He mildly scored the min
listers who attend convention and devote
themselves to sight seeing. leaving ''tne
spoke upon the lack Of responsibility
which Is felt by many women who devote
themselves to literary clubs to the injury
OF their church. He argued also that more
time should be devoted in conventions to
the discussion of ge neral subjects embod-
led In resolutions. What is needed in the
country Is reform in municipal affairs,
and DIR. Blanchard urged upon the dele
gates to the convention their responsible
ity on these matters. Some men claim
that the whole system of education In
Maine Is degenerate. II this is true 1t
should be corrected. One may say that
1t is the duty of the municipal authorities
to look after this matter, but DIR.
Blanchard said others had duties to per-
form in this regard. The women are
forming themselves into, civic clubs TO
bring about reforms, while the men claim
their business demand their whole atten-
ton, and they can't devote themselves to
affairs. The speaker deplored
the fact that women do not vote in Maine
and then launched out into plea for
the maintenance OF the sanctity of the
Sabbath and closed by impressing upon
his hearers the future possibilities of
their church.
The Rev. k. F. Pember spoke at soni5
length on "Denominational Dignity, :"
~ Whiou nc aHBuou tuaO tu6 OutEtfbhilsg
church, while not as large as some, was
constantly growing in wealth and mem
hership and was entitled to be regarded
as power In the world.
1ODAY'S PROGRAMME.
500 a. m.-Praise and prayer meeting
led by Miss Georgia A. Bradley of Port
land. n
500 a, m.-Praise and prayer meeting,
led by Rev. W. j. Taylor of Lewiston.
O. 80 a. m.-Addresses on Practical
Church Work, I" Church Advertising
How and Whyf" Rev. II. r. MouIton,
Biddeford; "Social Side,' and 'Amuse-
ments," Rev. A. NJ. Bradley, Winthrop
and Readtield: "Reforms and Benevo-
lence," Kew. ]. f. Rhoades, Fairfield
and Waterville; "a Missionary Church, .
Rev. r. I'll. Aldrich, Guilford and San
gerville.
MIR. Moulton's address will be illustra-
ted by an exhibition Of practical church
advertisements.
200 p. m.-Addressss, Present Day
Problems" Rev. John kimball, Turner;
g Universalist of Isaiah" Kew. Thomas
Stratton, Rockland. Adjournment.