The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-31
Afternoon Session

O'Clock with a devotional service con-
Quoted by Rev, c. l.. Jackson of Whit
man.
The annual sermon was preached by
Rev. DR.. H. o. Hiscox Of Maiden from
the text, Ephesians iv, 8; When he
ascended up on high he led captivity
captive and gave gifts to men.
Prayer was offered by Rev. S. Hart
well Pratt of Springfield. Miss Thyra
Walker of Melrose sang solo.
| Three addresses followed on the gem
eral subject IAN Outline of the GEN
eral Conditions Prevailing in 1he
State" The first speaker was Rev,
George B. Lawson Of Pleasant Street
Baptist Church. Worcester, on Con
ditions in the Country Church" Mr..
Lawson explained his fitness for the
i subject as coming from the fact that
he was for two years president of the
| Vermont Convention. He referred first
to Gov. Rollins of New Hampshire
Fast Day proclamation of two years
ago which described vividly the
churchless condition of the country
towns. He said Eat first men thought
it was a caricature but investigation
proved that it was true.
| Deterioration has ensued. From the
same causes the inhabitants of Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont are be-
coming like the mountain whites OF
| the South Plagiarism Is fast impending
in rural New England. The population
of the rural districts is becoming de-
pleted. The population of cities has
risen from 1-30 to 13 of the whole.
I'm the last 10 years in New Eng
land, of 1903 towns, 9S2 have been more
or less depleted
1.-THE reason is not far to seek There
has been revolt from toll from the
/ seclusion Of the farm. Since the time
| Of Virgil the city has had an attraction
| while there has been the outgoing OF
the Yankee stock there has been the
| incoming of foreign population. They
have bought the abandoned farms and
work them, living cheaper than
| Yankee would. They are an indus
! trious set but entirely out OF SYM
pathy with our institutions and evan
! gelical Christianity.
"They are not Roman Catholics, the
Catholic church does not reach them.
| They never enter an evangelical
church. They belong to the great army
of the unchurched. The church has
declined, with the depletion Of the
population The church has often With
the schoolhouse been given over to
bats and brickbats. Where the church
does not die out, its membership de-
creases
1.-THE church in the rural districts to-
day simply exists 1t struggles for self
4 preservation. The church thinks that
it must save itself and forgets its pur-
pose is to save the community, so
there Is a deterioration in spiritual and
moral life,
urban New England today con-
fronts Catholicism, rural New England
is facing paganism."
v The second address was by Rev, w.
E E. Waterbury Of Springfield, on The
Conditions in New Centres" He said
2 in part:
"There are two chief types Of new
! centres First, the manufacturing
} suburban or village place. second, SUI
burban residential district, character
{ Iized by unsettledness. The people who
{ come in the latter are usually young
2 lpeople, newly married couples. Those
: lwho go to the manufacturing towns are
of all ages. The young people who
: leone to the suburban residential towns
/ sometimes have affiliations with the old
church in the city. But one of the
: conditions prevailing is that of ire
, lsponsibility. Still, when children come
, to the nome the parents want them to
, attend the Bible school and are often
drawn with the church through the
| children. The new centres bring up
! the problems of childhood and Adde'S
cence In church life"
J Another problem, he said, "is to
| overcome the selfshness of the pas
tors of city churches, who persist in
holding on to their suburban members,
who are of little use to them save to
work a good showing on the roll.
Another problem is how to weld to-
getl1er the divers elements which are
found in the new centres"
The last address was by Rev. DR..
Cephas B. Crane Of Cambridge. on
1.-THE New Population"
DIR. Crane began with a humorous
allusion to Dr. Eaton with reference to
the subject assigned to him. He con-
fined his discussion Of the subject to a
presentation of the following statistics:
In SO cities of Massachusetts, the total
population in 1900 was 1,9S0,087 OF
these, 1,276.227 were foreign born and
one remove.
In 50 old country churches in towns
the population of which was S4,3s0 in
1890 and S5,643 in 1900, the Baptist
church membership was 2679 In 1880
and 2434 in 1900, loss Of 245 in the
decade The total population of the
state has gained q per cent in 10 years,
while the Baptist church membership
has gained 10 per cent.
Rev. w. r. Evarts reported for the
committee on nominations the list Of
officers which were elected.
This committee on nominations of
officers for 1902 was elected. one from
each association.
Rev. L. b. Thomas of Worcester for
! the committee on place and preacher
stated that no invitations had been re-
! celved for the next convention and
! asked that the matter be left in the
hands Of the executive committee. Rev.
Herbert J. White Of Beverly was ap-
pointed preacher, and Rev. ]. +. Nor
cross of Amesbury alternate.
Rev DR.. c. II. Spaulding reported
for the committee on resolutions.
After the usual resolutions Of thanks
to the entertaining church and its pas
tor, the press and the railroads, and
mention of the fact that the Tooth an
niversary is to be celebrated next
year, the resolutions as submitted
were offered and adopted.
The report of committee on calling
( a delegate convention to consider the
1 coordination of the several state de-
nominational societies was read by
George c. Whitney, chairman. w. A.
! Munroe for the committee on the Ford
Memorial presented a suitable resolu-
ton which the convention adopted
Dudley P. Bailey reported for the
committee on systematic beneficence.
The report was accepted and the same
committee was reelected with the ex
! ception Of f. P. fuller who is now
/ out of the state. Rev. Walter Galley
was elected in his stead. Rev. J. r.
/ Cow reported for the committee on
| Christian comfy.
The afternoon session adjourned at
$40 O'Clock.
Evening Service
/ A praise and prayer service opened
the evening session at 80 o'clock.