The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-06-15
The Churches.

The Churches.
The Mission board of the Episcopal diocese
of Maine held its annual meeting in Portland
June 9th, the newly elected bishop, Benjamin
Brewster. presiding. The most important ac-
ton taken was the authorizing of committee
to be appointed by the bishop to canvas the
Gardiner was elected secretary of the board
and Charles E. Clark of Portland treasurer.
Rev. Benjamin Brewster, who arrived in
Portland from Colorado June 9Th to take &C.
tive charge of the affairs of the Maine Episco-
pal diocese, presided June 7th at the annual
diocesan convention. Rev. William F. Llv-
ingston Of Augusta was reelected secretary,
A somewhat radical change in the compost
ton Of the convention was proposed in reso'
luton to provide for the extension OF the
election of lay delegates to women. 1t was
referred to the committee on canonis and will
be acted upon at the next convention.
While it has not been officially announced,
1t is expected the dedication of st. Margaret's
GpleCOphI Cudptl Will IAhe pinCo AuSuos HSosA'
On this date the new bishop has an appoint
ment to be in Belfast, and as his calendar is
very full. an effort will be made to have the
dedication on that date. if it comedies with mis-
plan, and has his approval. The chapel was
completed last season and would have been
dedicated in August by Bishop Goldman. Ser
vices have been held in the chapel and will be
hoId
the dedication.
Attorney General William R. Pattangall.i in an
opinion rendered June Sd, rules that church
organized and incorporated purely and simply
as church cannot be regarded as charitable
institution. Toe opinion of the attorney gen.
erals office was asked by Hon. Irving E. Vernon
of Portland the State bank commissioner, who
wrote as follows:
"Will you be kind enough to give US the opin-
ion of your department as to whether an Or
ganiZed church may be regarded by Savings
banks as charitable institution, for the pur-
pose of determining whether an excess OF
81 900 may be entitled to interest as depost?"
Atty Gen1 Pattangalls reply was as follows:
"Replying to yours of recent date, do not
think that church organized and Incorporated
purely and simply as church can be regarded
the decisions of our courts distinguish religious
organizations and in the meaning of the bank
ing law, l should not suppose that church
| would be regarded as charitable institution"
In connection with the recent reelection of
Rev. Horace B. Sellers president of the or
ganized Bible Class Association of Maine, the
Portland Evening Express published fine
half tone of Mr. Sellers and the following
terestng sketch of his career:
Rev. Horace B. Sellers is the pastor of the
M ethodjst Episcopal church of Belfast, where
he is just beginning his third year. He is
member of the East Maine Conference and
very active church worker in the community
of Belfast, where he resides and has one of
largest of the churches in the city.
He was born in Strawbridge, Penn, July 81,
1882, and removed from there to Wilmington,
DEL. in 1892. graduating from the High school
in that city in 1852 and was there the winner
of prizes for best scholarship and excellency
in the study of Latin. He later studied watch
making and optics in Waltham and Boston,
Mass, and for one year employed as
inspector in the Waltham Watch factory.
from which position he resigned to accept
position in the optical department in Rudolph's
Jewelry store in Wilmington, Del.
After year and quarter in that line of
work, he resigned and went West to the Egin
Watch factory, where he worked for term of
five years, resigning in the year 1908 to enter
Northwestern University in Evanston, ILL.,,
from which he graduate in 1912, win
ming the Phi Beta Kappa and was elected by
the faculty to serve one of the commence
ment speakers.
During his college course, he was the presi-
dent of the Oxford Club, the Rogers Debating
Society. The College Intercollegiate Prohibi-
ton Society, and won the Intersociety Debate
in the year 1911 and represented the North
llnlVersltV debate with ChIcapO
University in 1912.
This study was followed with one year at the
Garrett Theological Seminary, in connection
with the university work at the Northwestern
College, and in the years 1912 and 1913 he was
the winner of scholarship to Union Theologi-
cal Seminary from the former college, spending
these two years there and at the same time
serving as an assistant pastor to the Grace M.
E. Church of New York.
While in attendance on this church he met
Mrs. Sellers, then Miss Grace l.. Ferris, who
in September of 1914, became his wife and they
have one child result of this union Mildred
Estelle, aged five months and IL days.
From New York, Mr.. Sellers came to Boston,
where he entered the School of Theology the
following Fall and completed his course there
in the Spring of 1914. On entering the East
Maine Conference he was at once appointed to
the charge in the Methodist Episcopal Church
of Belfast, of the largest of these churches
in the State of Maine.
In the Union theological Seminary of New
York, he specialized in the work of religious
education under George Albert Coe, former
president of the National Religious Educa-
nonal Association of America. While studying
in Boston he had charge of the Mems Bible
Glass of The First Congregational Church of
Maiden, Mass,
The Organized Bible Class Association of
which he has been elected the president.
represents all denominations in the organized
Sunday School movement. His first election
took place at meeting held in Skowhegan and
the society has been active in cooperating
with the State Sunday School Association,
aiming to promote the efficiency of the adult,
and organized Bible study movement in this
State.
In the State work Mr. Sellers has been very
successful, while in his own parish he has had
season which was marked with success and it
was indeed pleasing to the members of his
parish and the citizens alike that he was again
returned at the annual meeting of the East
Maine conference to the pulpit of this church.
MAKING THE MOST OF JUNE.
To enjoy the beautiful month of June to the