Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-01

benefits as cOntrasted with the case
when the church has substituted a rit-
ual, sanctimonious behavior, etc..
which constitute the entire good to be
derived from the religious life
THAT church, he said, has lost its
reason for existence and is fast losing it's
power even to keep itself alive; for the
church that merely seeks to save it's
own life is dead already. 1t does not
command the respect of men or win
their gratitude or support, and it dies
as it deserves.
II suppose that every one of our de-
nominations is carrying about some of
| these lifeless trunks, these rotten
stumps of churches which, in losing
their grip on the great Good Will that
loves and serves the outside world. have
| forfeited their sole excuse for cumber-
| ing the social soil. Unless a commun-
| ity, taken as a whole, is manifestly
happier and better for the presence of
what calls itself a Christian church in
| its midst; that church is no church of
Christ, for it lacks his spirit and fails
| to bear his fruits
M. Hyde then went on to make APP
plicdble what he had said to the judg-
ment which the tional
Commission applied in determining the
| help which churches under its surveil-
| lence should have. The same laws which
| governed the church. he said should be
recognized as applying to individuals
and closed by saying: IN the interest of
| essential Christianity we urge individu-
ais to waive their denomina tional pref
erenccS and make common cause with
Christians Of I: different name for the
greater glory of God and the better
service of the community where it is
fol the good of that community to unite
| in its service of the common Father.
The second address of the evering wa,
| n historical review of the work accom-
filiShCd by the Interdenominat ional Com
| mission by Prof. A. w. Anthony Of Lew
ist"n. He spoke in part as follows:
In some respects Maine is a particl-
larry favored field for ecclesiastical ex-
periments. She has comparativclv few
denominations. The Presbyterian ana
SWedenborgen SectS are very few; the
lIpiScoDalians and Adventists are not MI.
merous; the Unitarian churches are few
in comparison with any of the former
| and the Universalist churches are not Il
well-organiZed denomination The princi-
pal churches occupying Maine soil arc
the Methodist, Baptist, Congregational
and Christian
THE Maine church problem is almost
wholly confined to conditions in the rural
districts. She has been sending forth to
other states a steady stream of har best
blood and the New England states. con
sidering their countries, are impovcrish-
ed; ard those who have come in to keen
readily with the native churches: the
scanty population in nearly all of TIE
owns;-these characterize. largely the
actual phases of the situation.
"A Methodist pastor was the first to
suggest & practical remedy in the nature
of Il church federation to produce har-
mony and prevent rivalry between the
different denominations. Rev. Charles S.
cummings in 1880 wrote Il. letter to tire
state Congregational Conference suggest
ing the federation movement. President
Hyde caught up the idea and gave it tn.
impetus of his own personality and infiu-
ence. The Congre gational Conference
appointed committee who that same
Methodist Baptist and Free Baptist to
meet for a conference with this end in
view. The following year four of these de-
nominations proposed a plan for organi-
cation which they outlined at a public
meeting Of the delegates which was held
iii Watervile. The principles of the or
Eanization were considered and adopted
and in the following year were formally
accepted by the four denominations il,
the annual meeting and business session
The lnterdcnominational Commission Of
Maine became thereby definitely cstab-
hshcd by these representatives and III tho
Following year the Methodist F,n;scoDaI
church Joined hands with the movement
The organization since that time has
consisted of 1G members. four from thn
two conferences Of the NJ. E. church and
three from each of the other denomina
tons. During the Is years of the orgau-
iZation the names of j communities have
pech entered upon the records where fric-
ton among conflicting churches mad,
such adjudication necessary"
Professor Anthony then illustrated the
practical workings Of this plan BIZ the |
growth Of churches in Rumford Falls |
and Millinockct. cat the present time =
he said. the commission is so adjusting
matters that one pastor, alternately occn- |
pyinS the different churches wear Nv wear |
IS perfoi ming the service of fo,.- pastors !
until the time shall have arrived whom |
each one can live by itself Thirty-scyen |
out of the 81 cases on record have been |
thus adjusted il this way. the most Of
which have been settled merely by consul |
tation and advice. Men fear to offend n |
Christian public sentiment whuch this
commission is recognized as embodyine."
lie then discussed the "reciprocitv'i
plan as feasible in cases where the
church interests in che town of a partic
uiar denomination might be sacrificed for
the benefit Of results gained bv this de-
nomination by a reciprocal action in an
other.
Professor Anthony then named five 9th.
er plans rs a solution Of the church
problem in Maine. They were: grand
church alliance; a union of denomina-
ions; federation of the forces of the
churches for common objects within a
dehnite area; federation whose distinc-
i've ann would be evangelical; and the
nome missionary plan, which is explained
l~,,x