Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-06

lions on July first. Here, too, the pas
tor is to be credited with melting the
action, as the conditions did not point
to any such result when he assumed
the pastorate the present year.
"These two cases prompt the ques-
ton as to whether the insistence Of
pastors upon the use of the Every
Member Canvass and gradual reduc-
ton of appropriations would not pro-
duce like results elsewhere.
Direct Missionary Work.
THE removal of the Rev. ]. T. Berry
from the Magalloway region to Ray
mond the first Of June, left that i'm
portant missionary district without
pastoral care. This has not yet been
supplied. The New Hampshire society
is largely interested, as nearly one
half of the territory covered lies with
in that state, and is helping in the
search for successor to Mr.. Berry.
1.-The work in the Dead River region
has been very successfully carried on
and every one greatly regrets the de-
parture of Mr.. and Mrs. fitzpatrick. The
organized church called the Dead Riv-
err church, because that stream flows
through the whole valley, has received
twelve additions during the year, the
fruit Of long and patient toll. No one
unacquainted with the extremely diff
cult situation which confronts mis-
sionary on such field can understand
the real standard of success which is
registered by such an addition to the
church. This institution has been re-
organized with new officers elected and
the center of church life now is in
Flagstaff rather than In the town of
Dead River. The work done by the
missionary and his wife cannot be tab
ulated. 1t has touched every town.
ship In the Dead River which has in
it single family, and has been felt
in the public schools and the Grange
as much, almost, as in the church.
The teachers in the schools have been,
almost without exception, processing
Christians, and their influence has
been of the best. This has been
brought about by the missionary and it
is rather an unusual testimony to the
efficiency Of pastor that such an end
can be attained and meet with unani-
nous approval.
I'm the Swift River Valley, Oxford
county, Missionary Pettengill has con-
tinued his faithful service until ten
centers have been studying the Sunday
school lessons either in regularly or
ganiZed schools or else home depart
ments. The number of scholars en-
rolled in these different centers is 27O.
This registers different condition to
that which existed when the work was
begun two years ago. The question of
continuing the work rather hinges on
the amount of support which the dis
trlct may give the missionary, finan-
cially and otherwise"
New Plans.
"The idea of the larger parish is
taking hold and is being tried out in one
section of Maine and is being arranged
for in another. The method under trial
is a modification Of the Michigan plan
and an enlargement Of the idea we had
in mind when in the organization of the
Staceyville church 1t was in a sense,
placed under the care of the Sherman
Mills church. The new plan has just
been launched on Deer Isle and is being
early in the life of the experiment to go
into details and tell what is being ac-
complished. All that can be said is to
give mere outline of what we are trying
to do.
THE scheme is to yoke a number
OF small churches or mission fields to-
gether around a common center, a larger
and preferably an Independent church,
the pastor of this church to be the pastor
superintendent of the group. With him
Will be associated one or two assistants
as the size Of the field or largeness of
the work may require. A cabinet repre-
sentative of every unit in the federation,
and of which the pastor and his assistants
will be members ex-oIlicio, will have the
business management of the work. Two
things at least 1t is hoped to accom-
plish. first, that small churches which
IND 1t difficult to secure satisfactory pas
tors or which may only have a summer
supply, which are isolated and lonely in
their INDEPENDENCE, may be brought into
fellowship with other churches and under
proper business oversight and into as
sured continuity Of service; second, to
give to group of teachers a varied SER
vice by securing band Of trained work.
ers who will each give special attention
to some one department of the work. We
are sure that the ideal is right and that
it can be worked. That we have the
right method of making a success of it,
Is what we are not yet sure of, but hope
year from now to be able to report
success.
"On Deer Isle, the Rev. o. J. Guptill is
Observation-Disclosures and has an asso-
ciate pastor, Rev. Geo. Smith and a
third worker is being sought. When the
group is complete it will have five Con-
gregational churches and perhaps one or
two churches of another denomination,
At Sherman will be three organized
churches. and at least three other COM
munities where the work is organized
but there is no church.
In Menoriam.
Last year we recorded the death of
three laymen who had long been associat-
ed with the work Of the organization.
This year we had to report the loss of
two men; one minister and one layman
who have been closely associated with
the work of the conference and society.
The first to leave US was Rev. Jesse
Hill. D. D., pastor of Williston church,
Portland. In 1908 he was elected a trus-
tee of the Maine Missionary Society,