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

About councils: The board feels con-
strained to interpose a word of eau
| ton relative to the care which coun-
ellis should exercise in recognition of
new churches, especially, but not ex-
| clusively, among the colored people. II
| is sometimes better for the denomina-
| ton to suffer a loss Of so members
| than to perpetuate weakness by the
| recognition of a church. Responsible
| ity for granting convention aid often
begins with the council which recog-
| nized the church.
Church federation: Preliminary
steps have been taken by the repre-
I sentatives appointed by the conven-
ton, in cooperation with similar bod
les from other denominations, for the
appointment of a committee of con-
sultation with reference to a more
economical application of the contri-
buttons made by the denomination for
state missions by the preventing of I'M
seemly competition through the undue
multiplication of new interests, and
such betterment of condition as may
be found practicable in communities
over-churched.
At this point, Pres. Farnham re-
signed the chair in favor of Vice Pres
| ident A. L. Smell of Fitchburg.
Hon. c. w. Kingsley in moving the
adoption of the report Of the board
said: 1T is with the greatest of pleas
ure that / move the acceptance and
the adoption of the report. The first
thing which struck me In regard to the
report was the finances. have a. great
many people coming to me who want
money to accomplish some end That
seems to be the condition of the con-
vention. Ought it to be so? Some of
the strong churches do not give as
much to the convention as they do to
some passing man.
From 1890 to 1900 in SO churches in
the cities of the state, an increase in
members of 10, 0O9 is shown. In SO coun-
try churches 20 show loss, % a gain,
one remains stationary, the total loss
being 245.
What does this mean? To my mind
it means that the springs are drying
up. Where do the ministers come
from? Nearly all come from the coun-
try. The springs are in the country,
the rivers flow to the city. 1t is in the
cities that conversions are made. If
we would help the city we must care
for the country churches.
mot nearly enough money is con-
tributed to our society. We ought to
give more, and some plan ought to be
adopted to make the churches realize
their obligation. This ii seems is the
main thing to do-to furnish the
means.
MANY of the churches in Massachu-
sets are needy, but they need to be
stirred up. Some of the churches are
doing next to nothing to help the poor
churches. Take off one figure and it
would be nothing. I hope that this
convention will make start in a new
direction"
The report was seconded by Rev. DIR.
George E. Horn, editor of the Watch
man, who said in part:
1T sometimes seems as if our inter-
est in causes and persons increases as
our distance from them widens, and
that we have only to remove an inter
est to the other side of the world to
have our sympathy enlisted in its be-
half. We have heard a great deal
about expansion of late years, both in
the nation and in the church.
This convention has not to consider
the question of expansion, but the con-
dition of the churches in this little but
important state of Massachusetts.
I'm some way or other Baptists have
always shown that they are not indif-
ferent to the needs of their home work.
There have been large minded men
and churches who have given splendid
" to the demands of home missions.
AS a matter of fact, the Massachusetts,
BAPTIST convention has had larger
means to work with than any other
convention in any state Of the United
States. 1t is a splendid tribute to the
unselfishness and generosity of its peo-
pie.
There is, however. one evil connect
cd with doing your duty. That is that
someone else will use it as an excuse
for not doing his. We have had some
Instances of this in Massachusetts 1t
is that, 1 think, which probably IS the
real root of the difficulty today.
1T don't know what to think of
churches which have been helped on to
their feet by the convention. and now