Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-22

M9IeTN1Het Me- jan. NSR1~-S'
Almost 100 strong the members of the
Churchman'S Federation gathered
Wednesday evening at the Methodist
church for the banquet that has now
come to be a regular affair. TINS IS
the first time that the Federation has
mat I'm the Methodist church, all the
previous meetings being held in the
Ware 'parIors. Despite the fact that
the night was none too pleasant and
the walking none too good there was
the same enthusiastic attendance that
has marked all the other meetings.
A good, wholesome supper of beans,
cold meats, salads, rolls, coffee, pota-
toes. cake and pie kept the men BUSY
from $50 until Z, and then the OBJECT
of the meeting was presented Hon.
Horace Purinton, former mayor OF
Wateryille. and one of its foremost
citizens, gave brief address on the
matter of making Sunday, Feb. l.
general "go-to-c church day. He told
of the necessity and advantages OF
fostering the habit of regular church
attendance, and of getting in touch
and keeping in touch with the various
religious activities of the citys dif-
ferent types of church work
Ralph j.. Patterson.
Ralph ]. Patterson was the prln-
cipal speaker of the evening. He pre-
sented paper on Practical Plans
for Church Progress" in part as fol-
lows:
I'VE need a practical plan OF OPP
eratien. the rules of which shall hold
good for such actual questions as men
arc asking every day about every
day problems. The fact is, men are
making experiments in morals and IN
religion. too. for that matter, as the
make experiments in science ana
trade. They discover to their surprise
how many different schemes, codes
and rival standards of conduct are
somewhere at least he'd respectable.
This is symptom of desire TO pro
gress but il Is not entirely plain that
it is actual progress.
In order for this new comoination
IF old ideas 70 be useful, there must
, be q Reorganization Of the church and
IL this is properly done the plan as
a whole seems worth while. This
! movement should be progressive, tina
. IL to say. at should serve efficiently
the common good according to the
conditions and needs of the times. We
should be willing even to make some
mistakes tliat are likely to attend its
introduction
Those who undertake this work may
believe in the religious doctrine of the
church or may not. 1t is the personal
work and influence that will carry the
undertaking to success and from this
REORGANIZATION we may and should
expect a greatly increased interest IN
religious institutions.
One who has no remedy to offer Tor
existing conditions should refrain
frem tagging and faultfinding. but the
remedy has already been suggested
reorganization and expansion. Peopic
should be made to feel that to be iden-
titled with the church is to be pro-
gressive and that Indifference to it
means neglect of a plain duty and a
passing opportunity.
The whole plan here presented is
simple and is based on the idea that
most persons are not prepared to ac-
cept all the Beliefs and doctrines of
the church until they become familiar
with them. s
Lest you may be tempted to ques-
tinn the success or practicability OF
these plans, it may be stated that they
are in successful operation outside Of
the church all around us every day
and the only question involved IS
whether you want to do business with
your 100000 prospects or not.
The Plan.
The church extension work is to be
carried along by an allied institution
that may be called the Cooperative
Church Confederation, which may be
divided into departments as follows:
Fraternal department, savings and
loan department, employment depart
ment.
Lat ns first consider the organization
required of the churches necessary to
carry out this plan.
Church Organization.
II win be noticed that the require
ment of members in the churches is
necessary in order to belong to either
the Fraternal department or the Saw
lngs department of the Confederation,
the aim being to create interest in
church affairs in this way. Three dis
tinct classes of members are required
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