The Somerset reporter., 1909-04-01
Initial Meeting of Laymen's
Movement.

Between two and three hundred OF
the men of Skowhegan assembled at
the Municipal Court room in the new
Municipal Building, Tuesday evening
to listen to an address by Chas. T.
Nesbit of Washington D. @. on the
Laymen's Movement.
Roy L. Marston called the meeting
to order and explained that he was to
act as master of ceremonies, Edward
F. Danforth, the chairman Of the COM
mittee under whose auspices the call
had been issued, being i'll and unable
to attend. Mr.. Marston also explain
ed that the committee Of arrange
ments was chosen, through the efforts
of Mr.. E. @. Butler and with the ad-
vice and approval of the pastors Of
the Skowhegan Churches. He face
tiously remarked that he and his
eight associates, E. F. Danforth, G. 2.
Merrill d. F. Judkins, w. T. Seekins
L. Ii. Goldsmith, n. S. Steward, F. F.
Lawrence and E. C. Butler, were Sc
lected chiefly because the necessity
of religious influence was conepicu-
ously necessary ip their several cases.
In the same line, Mr.. Marston also
said that if IL meeting resulted in
regular church attendance on the
part of the nine members Of the COM
mittee, the net gain to the congrega-
tions, SO far as the men of Skowhe
gan were concerned, would be at
least ten per cent. The chairman
then called On Mr.. L. G. Butler, who
made some explanations as to the To-
cal objects of the gathering and he, in
turn, called upon jefferson Q. Smith
of Watervile, state secretary of the
Maine Y. NJ. G. A.,who is accompany
the state.
Mr.. Smiths remarks are specially
worthy of note because from them the
new influence at work in Maine is
understood. 1t seems that body of
earnest and thoughtful citizens have
recently determined that a confer
ence should be held at Portland, where
the very best lay speakers OF the
country could be heard, and to which
should be invited all the men of the
state who are specially interested in
methods and plans which, all taken
together, constitute the "laymen's
movement" of the present time.
Such conference, it seems, has been
arranged, to be in session in the
various Portland auditoriums for four
days, May Goth to 23rd inclusive,
Josiah Strong of New York City, Fred
B. Smith, the international Y NJ. g.
A. secretary, and at least twenty five
other speakers of national reputation,
will be in attendance. The meeting
is to be known as the Laymen's Chris
tian Convention and it will undouot
edly be the most notable gathering of
the kind, to assemble in this state, III
recent years. Indeed, it may be said
that it is the first gathering of its
kind as Maine seems to have been
the first to call together it's citizens in
a great meeting of this nature.
Chas. F. Nesbit of Washington, d.
c., followed Mr.. Smith; for an hour or
more the audience listened to one of
the most interesting and profitable
addresses ever given here on any SUBJ
iect. Mr.. Nesbit believes that very
serious problems are facing US, prob
lens the solution of which cannot be
longer delayed. In his words the set
| tlement OF them is "a mans job u
| ta 10 IN infn fn
tell them what, from his experience,
and in his judgemnt, is the thing to
be done. After the deepest thought
upon these subjects, the speaker finds
that mon do not differ as to the def
ciencies of modern society or, to an
+ important extent, in their duty with
relation thereto. He finds men every
where filed with anxiety at the cor
ruption and graft in public life and all
ready to cooperate in movement
for better things. From these con-
ditions and from the desire of the
thinking men Of the country to unite
in their betterment has sprung the
layman's movement, which Is enlist
ing much of Mr.. Nesbit Is best endeav-
ors and many others with him, the
brightest minds of the time.
| mT. NcbUlb IN d udblVo vi NllSbOuEl.
He came to Washington soon after
completing his education, accepting a
clerkship connected with the United
States Senate, and his residence in
that city, has continued to the pres
ent time. He has served on the board
OF control OF the Young Mems Chris
tian Association of Washington in
that position has been associated with
DIR. George Otis Smith of this place.
The speaker referred to his acquaint
anceship with DIR. Smith and this in
cident formed part OF his compli-
mentary reference to our state, giving
Maine the credit of furnishing many
men OF earnest purpose and signal
ability who are now in public life.
A quartet, Messrs Albert Watson,
Elmer E. Harris, Carlton P. Merrill
and Professor Ralph w. Leighton,
sang several selections and solo was
rendered by MIR. j. Harvey White,
Mrs. G. P, Merrill playing the accom-
paniments.
Near the close of the meeting, on
motion OF Rev. George Merriam, it
was voted that the committee of nine,
referred to earlier in this account, be
asked to continue it's organization
and it is purposed that this meeting g
shall serve as the initial incident to
further activities in ihe same line.
OF course, the preachers aim wasn't
accurate when his sermon hit you.
IL -