Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-06-11
77TH ANNUAL.
Congregational Churches Of
Kennebec in Conference.
The Features Of Yesterdays Interest
ing and Busy Sessions.
A Large Attendanee-The Prooram for
Today.

The nth annual conference Of the
Congregational churches of K.rnebe,
county was opened with a good sized
attendance. yesterday. The orenine
service was in the large auditorium OF
| the old South church where all the
meetings Of the conference will ~ held
The opening devotions We're conducted
by Rev. E. l.. Marsh of Waterv:lle,
| At the close of these the regular ses-
| sion of the conference was celled to
order by Rev. G. A. Wight of HALO
well, moderator, with Rev. Mr.. Marsh
[ as scribe. After the usual reading of
The minutes of the last conference re-
ports from the churches of the district
were called for. Every church re-
sponded through one of it's delegates
and they We're shown TO be i'll an un-
usually prosperous condition.
The chairman appointed the follow
| ing committees to serve durine the
conference:
On Nominations-Rev. A. L. Struth-
ers of South Gardiner, chairman, Rev.
Arthur Varley of Winslow, and Dea. r.
A. Wentworth of Hallowell.
On Business-Rev. J. I.angdon
Quimby of Gardiner, chairman. Rev.
G.. S. WOodman, Jr., of Monmouth, and
Dea. Greenleaf Lawrence of Gardiner.
At IL o'clock the consideration Of
the general topic of the conference,
The Constructive Church" was
opened. The first and only paDcr read
at the forenoon session was that by
Rev. G. S. WOodman, Jr., Of Mon
mouth. This paper was an introduc-
finn N hn whole fha,,,a
was The Demand for Constructive
Work in Our Churches"
Mr.. Woodman, after referring to the
reconstructing influences in theological
thought, that constructive wor,, was
the imperative need. The prerequisite
for constructive work is found to be in
the discovery of divine authority
Further constructive work is found to
be necessary in clear thought and logi-
cal statement of divine truth Con-
structiOn is Il product of life. both
physical and spiritual. We nav live
spiritually only as there is constructive
work in the soul. We may live as
churches only, as there is constructive
work in them. Constructive work is
necessary for a successful ministry.
The demand must not be neutralized
by Indifference or apathy Construc-
ton is not optional but obligatory. The
material upon which we must work is
first the child and the youth ana then
the church.
The conference assembled at 23O
o'clock for the afternoon session This
was opened with Il devotional service
led by Rev. Mr.. Yarrow of Pittston
The program was then carried out as
previously announced.
The discussion of the general topic,
THE Constructive Church." was taken
up. The first paper was by Rev. Ar
thur Varley of Winslow, upon The
Vision of the Constructive Church. and
Her Moral Imperative" Mr.. Varley
spoke especially of the necessity of the
church having a vision. He thought
the mission of the church was to the
oppressed and the downtrodden in par
tiCular.
The second paper was upon Her
Spirit in Work." by Rev. j. Fl. Gould
of West Dresden. That the spirit of
the church must be one of social ser
vice, sacrifice and generosity was the
keynote of this paper.
III the third paper Rev. C. A. Wight
Of HalloWell, spoke of Her Message
from the Pulpit" He said that the
preaching from the pulpit must be op-
timistic and spiritual and above all it
must be Christological.