The Republican journal., 1901-10-03
TWO RELIGIOUS CONVENTIONS.


There were two conventions last week,
in the city of Bangor, of two of the
leading religious denominations Of the
State-the Congregationalist and the
Baptist. We were present at both an
niversaries, and noted with pleasure
the enlightened and progressive spirit
which characterized the proceedings of
both bodies. He who affects to believe
the oft-repeated assertion that there
has been advancement in everything
but religious thought, should have been
present at these conventions. While
truth is the same while the ages roll,
there are different standpoints from
which to view it, and it is also subject
to different interpretations. While the
truth in itself is changeless, creeds are
not so. Conventions of religious bodies,
held a century ago, could not formulate
creed which would correctly represent
the religious belief of to-day. So from
the beginning of the life of the churches
creeds have continued to be changed,
and this will be their history until the
end of time. Indeed. the demand for
creeds grows less and less. The times
seem to be demanding men rather than
creeds;-not so much concerning what
a man believes, but what he really Isl
not so much the profession as the possess
sior.
The Queen City of the East excelled
even her proverbjal hospitality in en-
tertaining two large conventions at the
same time, something rare in the his
tory of the State. 1t was eminently
proper that these two bodies should
meet in the same town at the So me
time. Exactly alike in their church
government and doctrine, differing only
in their views of the ordinance of bap-
tism, theie is nothing of an essential
character which should keep them
apart. There is plenty for them to DO,
while on the globe there are one billion
and a half of persons who never heard
of Christ. These formed in one grand
line passing given point one person a
second, it would take forty-t,"ee years
for the last man to pass.
The Congregational conference was
attended by 1874 delegates, while there
were 4O5 delegates at the BAPTIST con-
ventiop. 1t was the oath annive sary
of the Maine Missionary Society, which
the past year has given help 10 siStt N
feeble mission churches, which Wet all
asking the secretary to help tiem in
their quest for just tie :ght man for a
pastor. Each of then wanted Henry
Ward Eeecher fof about FIVE hundred
dollars year
The Baptists have had thee nrission-
aries in the destitute fields, ard given
aid to seventy-four churches, maj 'ng it
possible for these chu. ches to sustain
preaching the most of the time. Thev
intend to keep up the same pace the
yea, and put three additional
in the field. The kew note
of the convention was evangelist:c, ard
a recognition of the fact that Maine, a
State of magnificent distances, is still
a missionary field, and each generation
has to be laboled with. 1t is 'gine upon
line and precept upon precept, here
little and there little"
The Congregationalists of the State
have made slight loss in numbers, the
past year, while the Baptists have made
slight gains something to cause anxiety
in the ranks of each, and certainly FUN
'shing no gror Ids for Boosting. So the
battle is still on; the victory has not
been won The Method;s,s, whose fra
te1nal greetings Wee extended at the
conventions, also report falling off in
and it we could hear f,om the
other religious bodies, we lave no doubt
the same minor not woaId lie suumle,l,
But amid all this there is nothing 10
discourage. Hopefulness ma le,l a il the
a ldresses by the able men in The con-
vent'ons, and sllone out from the coun-
tenances of all present. Instead of
pulling apart and wasting their energies
over matters that are entirely imma-
teria', there must be more concentra-
ton among religious people, more effort
in directions where effort will tell. Say
what we will, the church of God is the
grandest factor in our civilization; in
deed, it is the parent of true Christian
civilization, and its attitude in the
future will have much TO do with the
veal or woe of our State and Nation,