The Republican journal., 1914-10-01
MAINE BAPTISTS.
Their Annual Convention will begin Oct.
9th in Auburn. The Churches in a
Flourishing Condition.

Their Annual convention will begin Oct.
9th in Auburn. The Churches in a
Flourishing Condition.
The annual convention of the Maine
Baptlsts will begin Tuesday, Oct. 9th, in
the Court street Baptist church, Auburn,
and continue through Wednesday and
Thursday Of that week. This convention
includes the various organizations affil-
lated with the Baptist churches of the
State: Name Baptist Missionary co..
vention, Maine Baptist Educational soci-
ETY.. Maine Baptist Charitable society,
Maine Baptist Historical society and
| Woman's Missionary Federations.
Last year these conventions were held
in Bangor and were very largely attend
ed The reports which were made at
that time showed the Baptist church of
Maine to be in very fourlsLing condi-
ton. Compared with conditions which
had existed ten years previously 1t had
made tremendous onward strides, though
at the previous ten year period there had
been nothing for the members of the
church to feel ashamed of.
They reported total of PAL churches
with a membership of 81, 247. This was
a loss of five churches, but gain OF
1921 members in the period between
1908 and 1918. In the same period, the
Sunday school membership had increased
from Il 1855 to 1887.
This same report shows that in the
year which closed with the convention of
1913, there were 479 accessions by faith
and baptism, against 455 in 1903.
The trustees in their report, last year, In
considering these accessions said that the
largest number in the decade then closing
was during the year of the Chapman
Alexander campaign in Maine, when
l,096 came into the church. But the ad-
dition of that year and the three succ led
ing years totaled 1854, against 2, 942 for
the same period prior to the Chapman
campaign.
In 1903 there were lat Baptist minis
tiers in Maine, whereas in 1913 the
number was 1874. The year 1918 show
ed 1853 churches receiving continuous
pastoral care against 1856 in 1903. In ad-
dition to those continuously supplied, SO
were supplied for part of the time:
In 1913, the Baptist churches OF Maine
contributed to the work of the conven-
ton, S., GAL. 80, against SIS, $685. 70 in 1912
and 81, 1888 IS in 1905. The total benevo-
lences of the convention in 1913 were
S3l, 645. 65, an increase OF o,l7o. ~ over
those of 1912.
The value of Baptist church property
in Maine had advanced from 81, 0l3. $50
in 1908 to 81, 328.765 in 1913, an increase
Of $314, 915 in the ten year period. Dur
ing the same period the current expenses
of the churches had increased $2l, 945.6 "a.
In 1918 they totalled $161. 1876. 81.
The report further showed that there
were 116 parsonages in the State, rs
more than in 1904, the first year that
report of these properties were made,
The foregoing figures give some idea
of the Importance Of the Baptist churches
in Maine and of the size of the convention
to be held in Auburn the first week in
October. The total attendance at the
convention is expected to exceed 900
persons.
A fine program has been arranged for
the convention and much interest IS be-
inp shown in tho cominp session.