The Republican journal., 1899-06-22
Waldo Congregational Conference.

fast Thursday and Friday, June 10Th and
10th. The session opened at 10 30 a. M
Thursday and the forenoon was devoted
to the opening exercises and organiza
ton. Rev. Robert G. Harbutt of Searsport
was chosen Moderator and Rev George S
Mills Of Belfast, Scribe and Treasurer.
The afternoon session was opened at :
O'Clock with a devotional service OF half an
hour. Rev. ID. p Hatch, Secretary of the
Maine Missionary Society gave an address
on the methods Of that society, speaking of
the opportunities for work presented in the
missionary field Interest in the broad mis-
slonary work of the world increases intiivi,l-
ual interest in the more limited local field
The work of the Maine Missionary Society
ls to maintain as effectively as possible
the service of churches IN rural communi-
ties. The speaker referred to the statements
of Governor Rollins of New Hampshire in
regard to the decline of religion iii rural
New England. Some of his statements are
too true. There are many rural communities
IN New England where the word of God is
never preached and where Sunday School is
unknown. The rural church is power in
the world. The city churches are reinforced
from the members of the rural churches and
from the country Sunday school. The Mis-
slonary Society is trying to keep up and ex-
tend these rural churches The work of the
American Missionary Society among the
Indians and the Chinese of the West and the
Negroes and poor whites Of the South pre-
sents interesting and highly important prob
lens, but far more important in it's results
is the work an ong our home people, the
youth who are soon to become the bone and
sinew of our New England life. We all
have personal responsi bility, and should
not rest satisfied until our churches are do
ing all in their power The Maine Mission
AIRY Society asks this year for $4,000 from
the 10000 members in the State. Waldo
county churches are asked for $500. Last
year the churches responded nobly many
giving more than the amount asked for
This is specially true of the missionary
churches, which, while receiving help from
the Society. also contributed nobly to the
home missionary fund.
Rev. c. IL. Daniels, D. D., Secretary of the
American Board of Commissioners of For
eign Missions spoke on the state of religion
III the county now, as compared with hun
dred years ago. While it is true that many
features of worship no longer exist, or ex-
lst only in the rural districts, as the neighbor-
hood prayer meetings the school-house Sun
day school, etc, the religious sentiment of
the county is better than in the olden days.
The speaker compared statistics Of church
attendance in various cities to-day with the
same cities so years ago, and finds an in-
crease of 40 per cent. A hundred years ago
the Bible WAS not On sale IN bookstores, and
could only be bought at the repositories.
Now the Bible is printed in nearly 400 Ian
guages and dialects. A hundred years ago
1t was not in good form for d college student
to be a Christian now oue-half the students
of Yale, Princeton and other large institu-
tlons of learning are protesting Christians.
Many churches suffer because they have not
learned to give; and iu illustration of this
he compared the two classes OF churches,
the one with d stagnant pool and The other
With d flowing spring. De we believe that
world evangelization is the prime object Of
our church work? Ii 50 we should la Dor in
every way to promote that end.
wv oman's W ork in the Church" was the
sdhject of an interesting paper by Mrs.
Charles NJ. Craig. The work of the women
in Jesus day as narrated in the Gospels was
reviewed. Iu the early church the COM
mand of the Saviour to work was given to,
and needed by, the women as by the men.
Woman has certain work which is essential
ly hers. The social work is hers-not as an
end of itself, but as one means looking to-
ward the great end and aim of the church,
tue uphuilding of Christ's kingdom. She
can do more good socially than in any other
way The poor We have always with us,
and in them women may ever find opportu-
nifty for work for the Master. In the Sun
day school her work with the children may
be OF great and lasting Importance, and,
finally, women ought to be responsible for
keeping alive the missionary spirit of the
church.
Miss <. M. Ponds paper on bible school,
or Children's Church. was clear and in
teresting. After giving few statistics
about the circulation of the Bible by the
societies for that purpose she spoke of the
Book itself and its study. 1t must be stud
led as a whole. Graduates go out from our
schools well versed IN Homer and Plato, but
ignorant of Isaiah We should use the best
methods of teaching the Bible in the Sun
day school. We must aim not for imme
date results but for a broad and general
knowledge of Bible truths. The history of
the church should be taught from beginning
to end, ever having in view the redemption
by Christ. The literature of the Bible
should be studied by older and more ad
vanced students. God grant that this in
scription shall be engraved deep on the tab
lets of all hearts: Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my word shall not pass
away
The topic, Greed or Covenant" was open
ed by Rev. Geo. S. Mills, who discussed the
advisability of placing emphasis on the
theological opinions or the religious expert
ence of candidates to the churches. Shall
credal or covenant tests be applied? We
believe in creeds. Churches not grounded
in the creeds are weak, but creed should not
be the test of membership. Theological
classes should be formed in all the churches
for grounding the mem hers in the faith of