The Portland daily press., 1900-10-11

ever had before or since.
The national association was expected
to deal with churches through the con-
ference; and the needs of churches direct
ed toward the national funds was expect
ed to proceed through the conference. AS
can be readily seen, in spite of repeated
resolutions that the conference and the
national association were in perfect ac-
cord, there must needs arise many cases
Of misunderstanding
Time and the modern tendency to CEN
tralize for the sake of economy and etfi-
clency have solved the problems. The in
Huence OF the national organization has
grown constantly wider and more etH
Client, Our denomination Is today strong
er than ever in the past, Until 1882 the
dl rectiOn of monies contributed to
churches for missionary purposes went
In part directly to the central Eot1ice In
Boston; In part through the conference
treasurer. Since 1882 the conference. has
asked from the churches small oOntribu-
tiOns, only for defraying of necessary ex-
penses of meeting. The national associa-
tton is our executive arm.
The missionary work of our churches
presents a most satisfactory results. The
advance shows itself in two directions,
economy and IiberaIity. Ii for conven-
fence we consider the last decade, this
shows itself plainly. In 1890 eight Of our
churches were assisted, or rather seven,
anu special fund, to the extent Of $2lOO.
In 1900 i've churches were assisted by
gifts OF $780, a marked economy. While
in 1890, 10 churches contributed $11l3, in
1900 u churches, several of them very
small, gave to the national treasury $l378.
A year ago was able to report that
the Maine conference was Self-sup pOrt1ng,
for the first time IN many years. This
year the result is tar more satisfactory
still. 1t would seem that for the imme-
diate future our conference should main
tain Its own churches, and in addition
provide balance for national work. We
shall not soon, however, meet the natural
obligations that the American Unitarian
Association has placed to our debt In the
years that are passed.
Since the last session of our conference
no new churches, other than that at West
Goldsboro, have been undertaken. But
our gospel has bean preached at many
places, especially in the summer: at Cam
den, field chat belongs more naturally
to the Universalists; at the Mt Pleasant
House, IN the White Mountains; at Ocean
Park, Boothbav HarbOr, KennebunkpOrt
and other places. During the month OF
August of last year the old pulpit at
Stand1sh was made available for the
word spoken by Rev. MIR. Powers OF
kennebunk. This year our honored
friend and coworker, Rev. j. l..
Marsh, now OF Lincoln, NeD., preached
in the same place.
After briefly abiding to the Women s
Alliance reunion at Standish, and the
celebration of the 150th anniversary of
the Unitarian church at Kennebunk, the
secretary concluded his report as follows:
should like 20 emphasize the great
value that, in my mind, attaches to the
work Of these Unitarian churches Of ours
in the various communities which main
tain them. Twenty two churches form
a very small fragment of the religious
influence In our State; yet, If We should
imagine to ourselves what these COM
munities would be without them, we
might we'll lind certain just Causes Tor
their continuance. There is such a thing
as liberal religion, There is such a thing
as life with God that know no fear of
church or creed or book; that knows
alone the fear OF life; that Is not content
with religious emotion, but seeks the re-
ligiOus mind as we'll. There is no virtue
in the resistance to established authority
in religion, unless the love of truth COM
pels 1t. Our glory may not even be IN
the maintenance of as many as 70 church
es. How many of them, or how much in
each Is narrow, needless, inefficient, in
sincere, we may not know. But this we
know: Our State, our world can never
reach salvation, until throughout the
fabric OF its final product there runs the
golden thread, religion of this spirit,
that religion which fills the vision of our
ideal.
The committee on resolutions consists
of Mr.. Coar, Mrs. Fuller and Mr.. Skier
~, Rev. Mr.. Leighton. There were adj
dresses by Rev. Mr.. Hunter of St. John,
N. &, Rev. a. Q. Ryan OF franklin,
N. H.
The afternoon session was chiefly that
of the reports of the different off GERS OF
the Woman's Alliance, followed by a
paper by Mrs. Elizabeth Symond on 'The
relation Of the church to this school,"
At four o'clock Rev Ell II. Wouds of
Castine delivered an address on Hamlet.
The evening was taken up with ad-
dresses as folIows: "The Church as a
Factor in Civil Life, Hon. James o.
Bradbury OF Saco; "The Educational
Function Of the Church,. Rev. W. F.
Skerry Of Saco; an address by Mrs. Mary
B. Davis Of New York; The Church as
a Spiritual Force by Rev. J. d. o.
Powers Of Kennebunk.