Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-23
The Local Church
How Strengthen

Bangor, Me-. April 21-"Strength-
enins the Local Church" was the
subject OF an address Of DR.. c. E..
Guthrie. General Secretary of the
Board of Epworth League OF the
Methodist Episcopal church at the
Maine Conference here today.
Dr.. Guthrie said in part:
1.-THE strength Of the local church
contemplated by the Advance Pro-
gram submitted to the conference. is
aimed, first, at the enforcement OF
our leadership and, second. at the
more perfect adoption of our program
TO the day in which we live. -
AT four points. at least. this lead
ership needs reinforcement. First,
in the guarantee of it's tenure. a
very noticeable change has come
over the youth of the church since
our Board Of Conference Claimants
has begun building up in the confer
ences; more adequate provision for
the con.fo of our retired ministers.
At one time this Important work was
thought to be an affair, chiefly. for
the old preachers. But the church
has come to see that the conference
claimants interests are vitality related
to the recruiting of young men. only
a few years ago the candidates for
the number recruited at our insti-
tutcs were a minority as compared
with other fields; but have seen this
change. At one gathering | saw
thirty-five college men enroll them :.
selves as against one for field that
at a short time before won the great
er number. Next to tenure the range
1e %i,n ind no G o.
guarded. Ours has always been a
prophet calling, opening toward all
fields, and facing all moral issues. We
have come to time of differentiated
ministry with divided responsibilities.
This would not be possible If the
ministry was not free. Once in a
while an effort is made to raise a
doubt as to this. AS il Methodist
preachers became or were likely to
become the puppets of ecclesiastical
masters: slaves Of outworn traditions
or towards before the challenge OF
the truth. 1t is a foul SANDER. The
freest forums in the world is a
Methodist pulpit. This has always
been our glory and is no less today.
This carries with 1t far reaching
responsibility. The minister becomes
the peacemaker.
with leadership thus re- enforced
and safegIarded, the church may ex-
pect a fourfoid program of ministry
to our day. First, militant service.
The Christian Interpretation of great
issues must be insisted upon whether
we deal with the league traffic, graft
war. or what not. Second. a COM
passionate ministery. Tho collective
sympathy of church pouring itself
out in behalf of the conveyed. the
neglected. the poor and suffering. has
its efflorescence in homes and hos
pitfalls which dot the land in increas-
ing numbers. Third, an enlightened
ministry. The 27,O00.000 of our land
unreached by any kind of religious
instruction lays upon It's. The care
Of 6.750.00O our rightful share, These
in addition to the four and one half
million we now have. To do this we
must widen the reach and extend the
lines of our endeavor until every
home is marshalled for the gigantic
task. Fourth a serving ministry. Our
young peoples task is training for
an intelligent Methodist lalty. Fight
hun 1red thousand OF these are now
grouped l., 81 countries and with re-
enforcement the church may have a
laity of Christian stewards, lay
evangelists. mission students. lfr
workers. in every task OF church life
with which to build the kingdom of
tomorrow"
DR.. Guthrie declared that prohibit
ton was here to stay. and that the
middle west was the center of pro-
fibition. He also spoke at some
length Of the growth which prohibi-
ton is making in Europe and Of the
work that Methodist officials were
doing in connection with that work,