Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-03

! BY waving their rights in. favor of the
| Baptists better promote the interests
of the Kingdom. This decision wa
an appeal to the sense of comfy and
courtesy between denominations.
These two acts of the commission.
during the last year. in advising com
munities and churches, are typical
! though perhaps of a somewhat finer
order-of the services rendered hy the
commission since its first preliminary
meeting in 1890. one year ago. ! in
dieated nine specific directions in
which the commission had been ac-
complishing far-reaching results. For
the sake of reminding ourselves anew
of the commissions work and influ-
ence | must briefly repeat these nine
directions of action and achievement:
! The commission has removed much
destructive c IN p I ton between
churches In several notable in
stances il has formed church part
nerships. for the commencement o.
religious work in new communities.
It has prevented the intrusion of one
denomination into the field belonging
to another. 1t has awakened and eui-
tiyated the good Samaritan spirit
among denominations, so that officials
of one have actually protected and
aided the work of another. 1t has
inaugurated plan of reciprocal eN
changes between denominations. i.
has encouraged u wiser and more bus
mess like care of all religious inter-
ests in the state. 1t has directed the
attention of denominational agents 70
the religious needs of foreign speak
ing people within the state. Il has
undertaken to ally social and religious
organiza tons for the Improvement ~
conditions in rural communities. IL
has created a spirit of good Will
amongst denominations 50 that IN
their work one of their first thoughts
il Of The interests and the welfare of
others.
To this enumeration of achievements
let us add few of even wider reaeh'
In 1895, through the cooperation OF
Hon. Hiram Knowlton oil Portlanc
who drafted the bill, and of hon. IL
w. Shaw of Houlton. member 81 the
State Senate who took care OF inc
bill before the Legislature, the com
mission obtained the enactment OF 4
slssv now embodied in the ReNlsed
ctatutes as Section 50 of chapter -
entitled. Protection of Property Ded~
ieated to Pious Uses" in accordahce
with which titles to property the
legal custodian of which. once
church or parish, has been lost or
forgotten. or otherwise in doubt, may
no recovered and vested in the de-
nomination whose claims in equity
may be shown before court Oh lee
ord
rh,, principles which were formulated
in 1891. and embodied in the PLATFORM
Of this commission have been repeated
throughout our country more IMAM t'lduS
of us realize There are n state leu
erations reported in this country -
citv and town sfederations: and 90 eou'-
ty or district federations. These are 'he
egnres given by the Federal Council OF
Churches, last September. Many of these
declarations have adopted bodily, with
nerhaps some slight changes. the phras-
ing of our platform
Our Maine plan of reciprocal eN-
changes was recommended to the red
eral Council of Churches of Christ III
America i'm Chicago, last December by
the Home Missions Commission, and was
annroved by the Federal Council as an
ideal for adoption in all parts of the
country.
Ii has often been proposed that our
commission should change ITS name
modify its Constitution, or perhaps en-
large the scope and sphere OF It's &C
tivities At present we see no reason
why the name which has served Tor 20
wears should be changed; it bars no rel
lowship: it suggests no oddities or m
cong1uities Nor do reasons appear
why the Constitution should be altered.
unless it be to enlarge the membership
of the, Commission and include more
denominations. We are not restricted IN
our activities; we can take ON those
functions which may appear at any time
feasible: we are capable of development
aud growth without the letters and re-
strictions of phrases and declarations
which may soon be dead letters,
All the last session OF the Federal
Council of Churches a Commission on
State and Local Federations was APP
pointed This is an action of no small
significance. The Federal Council is the
development of the principle of fedora
ton first expressed in states and cities,
and at length realized in the inclusion
of denominations, in their national or
ganizations. Naturally there have been
members of the Federal Council, who
have thought delegates from state and
local federations should Hecome mem
bers of the Federal Council. The APP
pontment of this Commission on State
and Local Federatons practically deter
mines the status of bodies like our owl
I'm relation TO the Federal Council w,