The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-07-01
COUNTY CHURCH WORK.
Echoes from the Congregational Conference
In Rrooks

In Brooks.
EDITOR KENNEBEC JOURNAL. Owing
to the absence of MIR. Mckinney, to whom
the topic was assigned at the county Con.
gregational association held at Brooks,
June 10, the discussion of county work
was not as thorough as desired. But
what was brought out, and other things
that may be learned by consulting the
religious statistics of the county, ought
to give US food for serious thought. 1t
will be remembered that Bishop Goldman,
after visit to this State a few years
ago, declared that he found conditions in
some sections bordering on Heathenism,
and prominent evangelists who were
working among US asserted that condi-
tions were worse than were to be found
in any other State.
Much discussion of those severe criti-
cisms was aroused at the time, but moth
ing definite was done, and the most re-
liable statistics show that our condition
is as bad now as ever.
We surely like to think that our State
is up to theaverage of the others in NOR
atty and religion, but when we learn
that the average of all the States in
church membership is 39.1 per cent of
tine entire population, while the percent
age of Maine is only 299, while Rhode
Island is 81 percent, or the highest of
any New England State it is evident that
something should be done to remedy
present conditions.
OF the 49 States there are but five
with lower percentage of church men,
bers than Maine, and those are such
States as Wyoming, Oklahoma, ETC.,
new States built up with people from
"all over"
While our State presents so unfavor-
able showing. it is ever so much worse
when we come to Waldo county. This
county, from a religious standpoint, is
far inferior to any other in the State,
there being but slightly more than ten
percent of our population belonging to
the Protestant churches.
We see evidence of this on every hand.
Churches are thinly attended. Sabbath
schools neglected, and everything of
spiritual nature seems to have no inter-
est to large proportion of our citizens.
One lady at the convention said, in pri-
vate conversation, that she did not have
the privilege of the Sunday school when
she was a girl, and she felt that her life
had been dwarfed on that account. How
many of US can say: Too late, too
late"
1t is sad indeed to ride over our county
and see the abandoned churches. The
town of Knox presents a sad instance of
this. Fifty years ago there were four
churches in that town, while today there
is not one in which services are held. The
present generation largely has grown
up without spiritual instruction, and the
results are very evident today. Last
year, Sunday ball games were allowed,
and people in the neighboring town COM
planned OF the noise and profanity and
rows, 1.-THE games were held very near
the town line}, and the Maine Civic
League notified the Knox officials that
the law would be enforced if the games
were not stopped. AS Sunday ball games
have been renewed there this summer,
it remains to be seen whether there are
enough righteous men in Knox to stop
this disgrace on its fair name, or someone
from outside will have to step in and do
it for them.
Why cannot the fellowship committee
at the convention find a good
field in which to work in just such sections
where church interests have been allowed
to.languish? There is no doubt a large
element in such places would welcome
any effort on the Christian workers to
arouse the spirituality that now seems
to be dormant.
Too much cannot be said in praise of
the good ladies of Brooks for the enter
tainment at the noon hour. We have at
tended bankers banquets and State func-
tons, but in dainty and beautiful hospi-
tality the ladies of Brooks surely have
said the last word.
A. DELEGATE.