Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-14
CLOSING DAY.
18th Annual Session Of
kennebec Baptists.
Full Text Of DoctrinaI Sermon
by Rev. {. c. Whittemore,
Other Able Addresses DelyNed...A Mosi
Successful Meeting.

| The 18th annual session of the Ken
ncbec Baptist Association came To a
successful conclusion. at the Winthrop
Street Baptist church. "Wednesday
morning. The Attendance WAS about
| the same as on the previous day and
| the addresses OF great help to the in
| terest of the several churches in tic
| association, and AS che pastor said
THE session was one Of the most sue
cessful that have ever attended"
| Owing to The inclcmcnt weather only
| about 100 delegates were present at the
| opening services. 5u: each and every
one was enthusiastic in advancing the
| work of the Baptist faith, and the OK
| change of ideas and experiences. to-
Eethcr with the maStcrfui address IS
delivered by the association pastors.
will prove of great value in the future.
At the session. Tuesday evening, the
officers to serve the Young Peoples So
cietits fer the ensuing year were elect
ed as follows: Pres. Ralph Conant of
Augusta; vice pres, Arthur Hall OF
WaterVillo: secretary and treasurer
Burr j. Jones of North Windsor. Ad-
dresses were also delivered by DIR. J.
*. Wilson of Portland end President
White of Colby College. The former
used for his topic The influence Of tn ,
Religious Press
DR.. Wilson is the editor of the lions
Advocate, the paper Of the Maine Bap-
lists for many years, and in his ad
dress he explained why this was a
Baptist paper, for Baptist people
President White used as his topic
High Grade Christian Life-How to
Get 1t and How to Keep It." and de-
livered one of his customary eloquent
addresses.
The session yesterday began at 10
O'clock, with praise and prayer ser
vice led By Rev. j. F. Jones of Wind
sor.
The address IF Roy. George Merriam.
which followed. was ona of the most
interesting and instructive of the ses-
sion. Rev. Mr.. Merriam spoke Of the
Work of the Mortified Conference
giving review of the work of the
Conference. its organization by the late
Rev. Dwight l.. Moody, ana his impress
sion of the addresses of DIR. G. Camp
bell Morgan. the famous London iii
vine, DR.. Len G.. Broughton of Atlanta.
Ga. ard the personality Of Charles AL
eXandor, the singing evangelist. who
Travelled the world over with the re-
Eowned w. Torrey. It was a scholarly
address, and one that will be long re-
memhered by those who were fortunate
enough to be present.
Mrs. James McWhinnie of Com
bridge. Mass. delivered an address on
Home Missions. picturins wildly
the scenes incident to the life of a
missionary among the natives of Alas
ka, and especially the aims and desires
Of the Woman's Home Mission SOcie-
ties of the Baptist churches.
The doctrinal sermon. delivered by
Rev. F.. C. Whitcmore. D. D. of Water
vile. was one of the most instructive
with the conditions in the Maine dis
trict of Baptist churches. 1t was a
mastery address and was warmly re-
ceived by those present. His theme
was, "Christian Unity as the Basis of
Unity Rather than Division" and he
spoke substantially as follows:
Eph. 4: IS.
In Tic minds of those who originated
the custom which we nominally keep
today. the doctrinal sermon was to
give reason for the denominational
position. cxpouId some tenet of the
churches creed. Whether our fathers
had suspicion that the existing diff
ference in Church creed and Organiza.
ton needed apology we do not know.
The sermon was supposed to give ID
"a nftYI nt-,l lAit frhf ftt1
consciousness that their church was
right and pity for those who. mis-
guided by other crccds. had fallen into
error. Assuming then, as who would
not. that this has been we'll done for
the past scventy-five years, | assume
also that it has been sufficiently done.
Nor 90 I attempt this morning to fol-
low though at great remove those who
Rave given Sincere and worthy expo
sltion TO the great general doctrines of
the faith committed by Christ and his
apostles to the church. l venture to
treat the whole body of Christian doc
trine il, one Of its most important as
poets and relations.
Tho number of religious denomina-
tons that bear the name of Christian i :
surprising not to Say appalling. The
Kinds Of Baptists. the clans of Method
lists. the schools Of Episcopalians. the
varieties Of PresbyteranS, and the
multitude of organizations that are
varieties of nothing except themselves.
raise again the question If he apostle
is Christ divided? And this for every
man would give as his reason for ad-
herenca tC his special religious de-
nomination his faith that his church
holds tie true doctrine while all others
are more or less in error.
1t seems not little strange that a
teaching so brief and apparently so
fIaln as that of Christ and his apostles
should b" liable to such multitude of
interpretations. There has been prog
rsss with the advance of the centuries,
Tue religious wars. when men rode
| iorth for the love of God and the great
er siory of Christ TO butcher each other
ana to sack the cities of their fellow
|Nhrlstlans are over. The hereto of to-
cay IS not burned. he is only put with
other offenders under scare headlines
'he morning papers when adycr-
isen'eht leads to his enthusiastic re-
Icep,ioh py solne other denomination.
| yet conditions today seem ,;,t,o ;r