The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-17
MINISTER'S ASSOCIATION.
THE 140TH ANNUAL CONFER
 ENCE

Met Yesterday in United ChuEch-Rev.
 Mr. Goodenough's DtscussiOn-Rey. Dr. Charles cuthbert Hall Spoke on Foreign Missions Last Night-Resume of Speeehes-TOsdGy's Programme.
 The 194th annual meeting of the gen. eral association of Connecticut Minis ters of the Congregational church, be- gan yesterday morning in the United church at the corner of Temple and Elm streets. The convention will be in ses- sion also to-day. The association is the oldest of Congregational ministers in the world. having been organized in 17O9.
 The exercises yesterday morning be- gan at Il o'clock when the convention was called to order by the Rev. Arthur Goodenough of Winchester Center, mod- orator.
 ] The Rev. William NJ. Brown of Bloom- | field was elected scribe and the Rev. I Watson D. Bigelow of Guilford assist ant scribe. The Rev. Benjamin F. Root of Waterbury and Lewis F. Goddard of Somers were appointed tellers. The Rev. John BePeu of Bridgeport, the Rev. Henry F. Marshall of Cromwell. and the Rev. Oliver H. Bronson of Simsbury were elected a nominating committee. An address of welcome was delivered b1y+ +I,a Do ar4o af fIoA { United church.
 l The Rev. Arthur Goodenough of Win i chester, the retiring moderator, then l delivered an address on ''The Hardships of the Country Minister" He was fre- ! quently interrupted by laughter. The speaker said that he had no desire to | bring coals to Newcastle or theology to 1 New Haven. but he preferred to speak of the problems confronting the coun- l try pastor and he believed he knew something about this subject, | The country minister. he said, was only an average man. with education.
 and it is to be hoped with conservation of purpose" Being human, with high aspirations, he is likely to get into diff faculties by endeavoring to accomplish in year what would require a genera tion to bring about. The community has been experimented on by other be- ginners of the same kind and sends him on to another field, discredited and dis couraged. He must also carry on his work with limited financial resources. | He may develope a financial ability that will make him the father of pros pective multi -millionaires, but he is more likely to become a restless man looking for better place and prehaps
 bye and bye sound. discouraged and
 envious man who does not build up the church to which he ministers. When a minister is dependent upon his congre- gation for support he will either preach what does not give serious offense to any
 of his hearers, or will lose the support
 one after another and find it necessary
 to seek another field. To the right kind | of man these hindrances become helps | to ultimate success. Another danger that the country minister had to con- 1 tend against, Mr. Goodenough said, was 1 laZiness. To overcome this he recom- mended study of sociology, botany and
 any other science. with times at the vegetable garden, the hay field or other unusual labor. The country minister who had a specially attractive vege-
 table garden would command respect 1 among his parishioners.
 The Rev. Everitt E. Lewis of Haddam was on motion of the standing commit | tee elected moderator, and was escorted 1 to the chair by Moderator Goodenough. | An adjournment was then taken until 2:30 o'clock. At the afternoon session
 there were addresses delivered by the Rev. Samuel H. Howe of Norwich, and l the Rev. William Slade of East Hamp-
 ton on "The Fact of Sin." by the Rev.
 Henry H. Kelsey of Hartford, on '"rhe Reformation of Criminals"
 l At o'clock supper was served at the Y, M. c. A., Temple street after which
 a social hour was held in the United church chapel from s to 80 o'clock. The
 evening session began at 7:45, and the
 Rev. Charles Cuthbert Hall, D. D., pres ident of the Union Theological semina-
 ". New York, who has just returned from a world tour as Barrows lecturer
 in the mission fields, spoke on Mission
 ary Work Of the Church of Christ.
 Founded Upon the Observations in In- dia and Japan"
 Mr. Hall, whose experience abroad entities him to a broad knowledge spoke
 very entertainingly and forcibly of the general conditions pertaining to the
 missionary cause in these countries. He deplored the lack of unanimity of result in the efforts of the workers. In Tokio alone there were sects without number land one instance was quoted where one sect split in two. The Oriental on being confronted with this bewildering array of sects and varying principles loses the
 true essence of the faith of Christ He regards with suspicion the multitudin-
 ous army of quibblers. There must be lmore unanimity and less differentiation land 1iscord. The Oriental mind is in its grasp of Christianity, that of a child. It must be carefully handled. Ii is sensitive, and a delicate manipulation
 is necessary. The young men who are
 sent abroad to work in the missionary field are of much enthusiasm and vigor.
 They should have a practical knowledge
 of the religion, history and language of the races among which they are to
 work
 The work of the medical and agricul-
 tural corps is of the greatest merit and
 deserves magnificent encouragement
 The work is being carried on in all the