Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-23
CONDITIONS
IN STATE OF maine,
Powerful Sermon Before Maine Metho.
dist Conference by Rev. H. {. Dun
naCk---DistriCtS Reduced to Two.
Mr.. DUNNACk'S SERMON.

Berlin, n. H., April 22-One of the
most important addresses ever giver
before the Maine Conference was thai
of Rev. H. E. Dunnack of Augusta, who
presided this afternoon at the anniver-
sary of the Domestic Missionary So
ciety. He spoke of Religious Condi-
tions in Maine" and his graphic pre-
scntation of the situation was listened
to with the deepest interest.
| ITO speak of the present prosperity
of our State may be wise beginning
he said. Everywhere her schools and
colleges are improving their equip
ments, increasing their endowments
and attendance. The Grange. that
splendid educational and moral force
numbers 10000 The federation OF
abor working for improved conditions
better schools and more manhood
numbers more than 10000. The
church. with thousands of keen, alert
progressive members, represents the
best conditions of New England. In
fact, there are not wanting indications
that Maine has entered upon a new in
dustrial period.
| Maine needs no defense or apology
| Her manufactures are prosperous, her
farmers are growing rich, her me-
chanics are Industrious, temperate and
at work Everywhere there are signs
of the dawning of new day in this
old State
Why, then, is there need to dis
cusS religious conditions and needs OF
men? The answer is, from religious
point OF view, our State has not kept
step with her material growth. Will
population has steadily increased since
1870, church membership has not more
than held it's own. Among the rea-
sons may be mentioned;
"1) The growth of social life out
side the church. Co There is large
emigration. The drift of the people
| from the country to the city.
In that part of Maine embraced in
the Maine conference there are 10000
families who are not church attend
| ants This is more than a third OF
the whole number. In this territory
there are $4,000 children who do no.
60 to Sunday school. The following
figures furnished by the Maine Bible
Society are worth careful attention:
Whole number of families, 1553S6;
Advcnts. 4,1S7; Baptsts, 1S.009;
Christians. 2,S17; CongregationalistG
Il9,2O3; Episcopalans, 3,451; Free
Baptists, 1929; Methodists Episcopal
29,33S; Roman Catholic, 20.230; Uni
ltarians. 1926; Universalists. 1900;
other denominations. 5.s47; no prefer
ence. 2O159; not attending any church
55.29i. This report shows that nearly
Ione-haf of all the families have lit
| in, "a
with church life.
"The increas sing, number of families
| who declare they have no denomlna-
tionaI preference and the large num-
Der of families who do not attend any
church compel but one conclusion
Maine is drifting from her moral and
| religious mornings. We have centered
our thought and activities so long on
the problems of the city that the needs
Of our rural parishes have passed I'M
noticed If it is true that the city pop
ulation left to itself for four genera
tions would die out, it is equally true
that four generations of the country,
if left to itself would absolutely lose
the lower to save the city or itself. The
country church demands trained
minister. Satisfy this demand and
what follows? He receives from 500
! to $500 a year. then debts. anxiety. de-
grading experience, and in the end he
| leaves the ministry. or loses his grip
and continues to go from one of these
Mace, to another. doing little good
| anywhere.
"Naine is certainly a mission field
if the need of vital, militant Chris
/ CT 70
a mission field. Our fathers left us
rich heritage. the outcome of their he
roic work and sacrifice and devotion
| To be worthy of these olden-time ne
roes and of this great heritage. cans
| for an awakening. We need to be led
| to take our eyes off the splendid past
and to put them on an urgent present
We need to turn from history to oppor-
tunity It is no longer wise to wait eN-
Meeting the Board of Home Missions &c
| come to our aid. We must act and act
at once. if we would save Maine fron
the. naganism which threatens to en-
gulf her.
"We need a clear vision of the con
ditions. The city in our day Is vas
collection of Heterogeneous FORCES
Hither. as to land of promise, come
mult;tudes of illiterate. oppressed ano
discouraged people. They settle IN ou'
cities and there our work must De
done. Maine need have no fear OF hei
| immigrants except the fear that they
will not come We need them IN "ul
| factories and on our farms and IN our
homes. especially the latter. Our duty
| is to receive them cordially and tram
| them in our family ideals. No thinking
| man would close his eyes to the DAN
| ger of introducing into the family CIR
| Gle, those whose ideas of democratic
government ana American institutions
must be. at best confused and frag-
mentary; nor. it he be fair minded, can
he fail TO perceive the readiness with
which these strange men and women.