The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-06

of living the Christian life, and the
ability to live in that society which ex-
lists in promoting that Kind of life. 1t
is going to be hard work; it will ne slow
work, but remember that it is to be
work that will certainly pay. 1t is go
ing to be work peculiarly in line with
the word of God, his will and purpose.
The speaker then gave many reasons
why it was that children had come to
care so little for church. He said the
Sunday newspaper, the trashy dime
novel, the century run on bicycles, all
had q tendency to gain more disciples
than did the religion of Jesus Christ.
Parents, he said showed no particular
regard for the welfare of their children
in a spiritual sense, and he hoped to
see the parents get together for Jesus
sake. He asked fathers and mothers to
show by their own continued interest,
by their instruction to children, the de-
sire that their sons and daughters
spiritual welfare be not impaired.
Mr.. BaltZly's remarks were followed
by discussion of the subject, led by
Rev. Nathaniel Seaver of Leicester, in
which a number of the delegates: parti-
cipated. The keynote of nearly all the
discussion favored companionship
among parents and children, constant
association in things spiritual, and in
struction, one with another, in the de-
velopment of belief of Cod. One woman
delegate roundly scored the Unitarian
clergymen for their apparent lack of In
terest in the welfare, spiritually, of
children. She questioned the right of
any one to say that the Christian spirit
was not as alive today in the heart of
children growing up as it was 100 years
ago.
1t might be possible, she thought,
that the clergymen themselves did not
know enough to teach children the
word of God. Ministers of the Unita-
rian faith, she said, should learn the
art of preaching a sermon which should
appeal to the child and the grown-up
person at one and the same time.
AT 1880 o'clock the delegates enjoyed
a collation. served in Hopedale town
hall by women Of Hopedale parish.
Plates were laid for 300 persons, and
every one was used. The delegates ex-
tended vote of thanks for this court
esq.
REV. W. H. PULsFoRD
of Waltham delivered the address of
the afternoon. He spoke about THE
duty of the church to its children" oc-
cupying about 40 minutes in scholar
ly argument calculated to improve the
spiritual standing of his people DR..
Pulsford spoke plainly of many side
issues which seemed to be greater at
fractions than the church service said
that business principles should regu-
late the Sunday program, departmental
interest should be entertained. Then
he said some lasting benefits would be
noted in the general church work
He declared himself very strongly
opposed to having children in attend
ance at the sermon SERVICE and said in
his parish the presence of child dur
ing a Sunday sermon was not desired
The child should be sent to Sunday
school, and should be allowed to grow
up spiritually as it is allowed to grow
up physically.
Discussion of this subject was opened
by Rev. F. ]. Gould of Leominster and
two others talked briefly regarding
points in the argument. The lateness
of the hour, however, prevented a
lengthy discussion, and Rev. George w.
Kent of Worcester was called upon to
speak before the conference adjourned.
REV. GEORGE w. KENT.
was greeted with applause; in fact the
enthusiastic welcome he received was
given to no other speaker. He spoke
less than ten minutes, but every SEN
tence went home to his brother pastors
and the other delegates. The spirit of
comradeship was the thing, Mr. Kent
said. that needed cultivation. The ex-
clusiveness of living he did not like,
and said that the best results were OBJ
tainable where the masses came to-
gether under the common bonds of
friendship, when the right hand of fell
lowship was extended among Christian
workers in behalf of the word of God
Mr.. Kent said it made him happy to
think the interest in the conference
work was still great; he was eminently
pleased with the work and said it
should be the subject for much careful
thought by those whose privilege it had
been to hear the remarks.