Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-15
THE CONFERENCE
CONTINUED from Page One.)

shortly after o'clock with the ami
versary of the Preachers Aid Society
Few. Israel Luce presiding. Rev, DR.
Cottreil Invoked the Divine blessing
and the first speaker was Bishop Fow-
her, who spoke for five minutes, saying
IN part as follows: NO class of men
exist who have stronger claims for
recognition of faithful service than the
minister. the poor wOrn-out preacher
and after 4 life OF ceaseless and fruit
fui toll. he Is worn out-and then the
question confronts us. What shall We
do with him.? The ministers work
harder for less pay, than any class of
men that 1 know of. And when they
are worn out-when they can no long
er preach or remain i'm the active field
we have got to do something for
them. DO you know that in the United
States that to every $75 spent for liquor
only 81 goes to the preachers the ell
ders. the bishops and the whole Chris
tian church," Continuing, the Bishop
dwelt on the ingratitude displayed to-
ward the wOrn-out preachers, the men
who struggle through life. the mould
ers OF the moral character of the COM
ing man and woman and on whose
sholders rests the responsibilities of the
spiritual welfare of the men and
women.
The next speaker was Rev. A. S.
Ladd. who urged the ministers. espec-
tally the younger ones of the confer
ence. to rally TO the aid and support of
the superannuates. Said he: "Some
ministers may be poor financiers. but
very. very few of them ever have the
chance of trying their hand at it. I
am reminded of a story of a preacher
who was sent to a charge and when
told of the salary offered there. he de-
clined to accept it. He was asked by
one of the members of the church.
why thought you came to save souls,
not for money. didn't yOu?' and the
good preacher replied. 4 did come to
save souls but you can't live on souls.
and it would take a thousand like
yours to make a square NEAL" DIR.
I.add asked that all aid in the raising
of the endowment of the superannuate
fund, for said he, "In a few years I
will be glad Of big fund.-
The third and last speaker of the
meeting was Rev. c. T. Parsons. who
was introduced by the chairman as "a
coming bishop" Mr.. Parsons briefly
addressed the conference. giving an
advisory talk on the best manner in
which the superannuates may be cared
| for and the most practical way OF in
cressing the fund. now set aside for
| their support. He told of the many eX-
renses which the minister is forced to
meet from his private purse and OF the
| very small salaries that are PAID 10
! preach in general. A minister, the
1 sneaker stated, has little or no oppor-
| tunity of making substantial provi-
sions for the winter months or life, and
when he arrived at that age when he
| is literally worn out, he must look 10
| the church which he has so faithfuily
| served for maintenance. And the NM
| lister and his. wife and he may nave
4 56xffdren tina tsmtfst@ be fed and clothed
| and housed. Unmarried ministers were
| advised to get a wife, "get the one you
want if you can-but get one -said
| Mr.. Parsons. A wife to the preacher Is
an absolute ncceSSity-and she requires
care. An unmarried preacher is not
| wanted in most communities. the
sneaker contended, for the wife OF the
pastor of n charge is the next import
ant feature of the church Work-to the
| pastor Mr.. Parsons advocated the pen
| son system for preachers, even as oth-
err faithful servants are provisioheo
for-as public school teachers hreniei'
and even policemen.
At o'clock, the anniversary of the
Deaconess Society was held, with Kew
G. r. Palmer as the presiding officer
Rev. D. B. Holt of Bath. spoke TO some
length for the cause. ana DIVERT hioIe
osnecially on the needs Of the move
i ment in the State of Maine. lie as
serted that Maine is the greatest STATE
i'm the whole union. for. said he' II
is here that the sun shines first as II
rises each morning from its ocean natn
and the rest of the country gets lis
sunlight at second hand" He depiofe'
the fact that the COMMITMENTS OF the
Methodist denomination in this state
are on the decrease, and Of the three
great denominations, the COngrega-
tionaI the Baptist and the Methodist
oil numbering about 10000 commum-
Icants each. the Methodist churcn Is the
only one that shows falling OIL III its
membership in the statistics OF the iast
l1O Years. He told of the obstacles that
the Dea coness Society is forced 10 oV-
ercome in its fight to do good. and es-
pecialIv i'm Portland amoung the
italians. all of whom are Catholic born
The sneaker asserted that there are
100 900 Roman Catholics in Maine al
this time, and that the movement ol
that church is growing at the rate OF
Twenty per cent annually. He CLAIMED
that Il per cent of the recorded births
in the State of Maine during the pass
year were of Catholic parents. ME-
Holt paid IA glowing tribute to the won
derful work that is being accofnpiisheo
bv the Deaconess in Portland uhdei
the most adverse conditions, ana ne
urged that the conference as pouS
and the ministers as individuals give
the Society every aid and encourage
ment possible.
The other speakers of this meeting
we're Miss Josephine Hayward. Maine
conference DeacOnesS, stationed III
Portland. and Mrs. Helen l. Benson
Natron of the Maine Conference Dea'
4 couess Home, at Portland. Botf
trnota hriefIv Of the work that is being