The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-18
SECOND SESSION OF coNGREGA-
TioNAL CHURCHES.
is LARGELY ATTENDED
Meeting is One Of the Most bnportant|
That Has Been Held BY the AssociA-
ton Since it's organization-sub
jects Discussed Yesterday.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
The sessions of the second day of
the Association of Congregational
churches meeting in this city yester-
day were even more largely attended
than the opening day by both visiting
delegates and residents. The meet
ings were full Of life and enthusiasm
and a spirit of hopefulness and optim-
ism marked every feature of the days
work.
The forenoon session was largely
taken up with matters of business
which included the various reports of
churches, of the missionary superin-
ltendents and Sunday school field sec
rotary. These rVorts we're very in
teresting and showed a remarkable
progress being made by the denomina-
ton in this section. Fourteen new
churches were shown to have been.
established during the year and even
greater movements were planned for
the coming twelve months.
Two papers of great merit were
read and discussed in the morning SEES
sion. One of them was Gains in Cur
rent Movements of Religious
Thought, by Rev. H. Fl: Thoren, OF
Big Timber, and the other ALosses in.
Current Movements of Religious
Thought by Rev. e.. Fern Lyman OF
Great Falls.
At the afternoon session a large
amount of routine work was cared
for in the reports of the committees
and the planning of the work for the
next year.
Rev. C. H. Richards of New York
City conducted a round table confer
sence. His subject was, How to
Arouse Interest Among Laymen in the.
Missionary Movement"
Rev. Nelson Wernham Of Red Lodge,
read an able paper on 1.-THE Church in
the Small Town"
Rev. DR.. Hindley of Helena, deliver
ed the annual ermon of the associa-
ton, his subject being "The Sin of
Inactivity" This was a powerful call
to action. A synopsis of the sermon
appears in another column of this vs.
sue.
The examination and ordination OF
Rev. J. "A. Anderson Of Sydney occu-
pied a considerable portion of the at
ternoon session.
The prayer of ordination was Offer
ed by Rev. Paul G. Burhans OF Glen
dive, the charge to the minister was
delivered by Rev. G. H. Richards Of
New York and the right hand of fel-
lowship extended for the association
by Rev. e. Fern Lyman Of Helena.
Following is a discourse delivered
by DR.. George Hindley, at 4 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, Q n the "sin OF
Inactivity:
stTo win means to work. Activity
generally means success. Inertia may
belong to all bodies, but It is a dead
characteristic. Action belongs to life
inaction to death. There may be a
place for the drone, but were all
drones, there would be no peace. II
may be possible to float with the
stream, but impossible to float against
it, and streams never run up hill
though some may appear to siins MOI
tana. Yet it involves much work t.
even make that appearance. Work 4
a blessing, not known till prohibited
We talk Of the luxury Of ease, but take
the easiest position possible and be
forced to keep it, and it becomes 9
rack.
intellectually, physically. financial
ly, spiritually-in all We must labol
would we win. In all NOT to labol
is to sin.
.'rn Numbers we find the tribes o
Reuben and Cad pleading with Moses
to let them remain on the east side
OF the Jordan. The request is granted
m condition that they take part il
subduing the enemy. II they don't d.
this they are told that they sin against
God. The rule or law IS eternal. WI
can not permanently enjoy blessings
purchased by others without some com
pensation rendered. We can not entel
into possessions for which we have no
striven without our sin finding US out
There is sin in doing nothing.
us not this true, that neither church
or individual were very far into th.
sins of commission IL actively, earnest
" engaged in avoiding sins Of omis
sion? There is no backsliding in &C
tive Christian work. : We act a
though we thought our religion was
religion OF don'ts; as though the Lor,
did not care about activity-or doinl
that and giving that which will bles
humanity. i do not believe that an,
church or denomination will do o
is doing the Masters will unless try
ing to solve the problems Of righteous
ness for the future, or trying by ir
cessant warfare to make It easier 70