Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-05
Maine Baptists
Annual Meeting.

~. Maine BAPTIST annual convention
go, hero tuesday evening, in the First
r,a,.4ts, fHurch. Two hundred delegates
,r.,,vyt on the night train and about 100
- the 1890 train Wednesday. There was
h good attendance At the fret meeting,
Tuesday evening. The address of well
come to the young people was given by
Gerald Marble, president of the c. L.
society Of the church. The audience was
much disappointed because Of the absence
o. Rev Austin *. Deblois, pastor OF the
First Baptist church. Boston, who was in
tending to give the address Tuesday even
ing. The music is furnished throughout
the session by the First Baptist choir
led by Mrs. Philo Steward.
Wednesday morning the first meeting
was the Woman's Federation in the au-
aitorium Of the First Baptist church,
there being about $50 women present. At
this meeting the Following officers We're
elected for the ensuing year: Mrs !. n.
Wilson Of Portland, president; Mrs. +. J..
wilkins. Portland. president; Mrs
Z. w Han of Waterville. secretary; airs
Morrill, Mathews, Belfast, treasurer,
nominating committee, Mrs. II. u. Hutch
ms, Mrs Burns, Mrs Austin.
The address Of welcome was given by
Rev. George Merriam, pastor Of the Beth
any church Hon. Horace Pnrinton Of
Watervllle giving the response. In be-
half of the visitors lie told tie people OF
skownegan the pleasure Of having the
opportunity 10 visit this beautiful town.
The annual sermon was given by Rev. F.
J.. Cam of kennebunk.
u L. # m tor
vile, made the following report as cor
responding secretary of the Maine Bap-
tist Convention:
1.-The storyof another year of our stew
ardship mas been written, and for the
l07th time the Baptists of Maine join
hands III annual convention. In 1881.
when this part of SkoWhegaD bore the
name Of Bloomfield. the convention met
on the spot whore we are assembled To-
day. In 1851. 1852. and in 1881 the conVeh-
ton also met within these walls.
ION the last Of these dates the treas
urer reported convention funds amount
ing to Sll,32SS7 with additional real es-
tates valued at $4,000 in Portland. The
gift of Byron Greenough. the first Of our
three great legaeies, had been received.
The churches contributed that year a.
575.42 There We're 2sf accessions by bap-
tism and the entire membership was 21,b3'.
Five years later the convention was the
recipient of 100000 the prineely bequest
-
many years was a constant worshippeT
in yonder pew
'.Of the III brethren elected to member
ship in this board one year ago, not one
has been lost by death. ReYs. a. II.
Stanton, +. w Irwin and II. S. kilborn
have removed TO other states, carrying
the love and esteem of those who have
iabored with them in the gospel.
THE YEAR IN REVIEW.
Last year the Baptists of Maine had
occasion to rejoice by reason of the pro-
gress that was reported. There were 4VJ6
accessions by baptism, and net gain in
membership of 523. Our Sunday schools
also reported an increase of 936. There
was a gain in total benevolences of about
10 per cent
This Is the first time for eight years
that we have failed to report an increase
in membership. There have yen 4la
baptisms the smallest number since lsD.
The number of churches reporting bap-
tsms is IS, and of this number 80 nave
received convention aid. OF the 40 ae-
eessions of baptism, 1877, very nearly one
half, have been added TO convention
churches The complete statistics for the
year indicate a loss in membership of
257. The York, Pscataqufs and Bowdotn-
ham associations alone report gains, the
remaining associations reporting losses
ranging from = to II.
'rrhe Sunday schools report loss OF
1893 more than one-twentieth of the en-
tire membership reported one year ago.
| gains, while Aroostook, Cumberland, Lin
| coin and Bowdoinham report losses of
more than 200 each
| "The benevolences are we'll sustained,
although the total is about $500 less than
the amount reported last year. But thus
loss is found wholly in the column OF
miscellaneous beneVolences. 50 that
specific contributions doubtless exceed
those of last year
But these lessened figures may indica tc
losses that are apparent rather than real
We know of one church that dropped So
names from Its roll; another that re-
moved 80 while several others have
erased the names of many nonresident
members Such action is witness
against the method whereby years are
allowed to pass with no revision of the
membership list, followed by a spasm of
often unrighteous reform. The working
membership of our churches Is doubtless
little less today than one year ago.
But there are many encouraging Tea
lures marking the year. As for state
workers. Brethren Young. Hunt, killam,
Cochrane and Miller have continued TO
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