USA > Maine > History of the Baptists in Maine > Part 25
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But it is probable that this "meagre aggregate" was misleading. In the next annual report the statistical col- umns note only seven conversions and these in the Cum- berland Association. But there is a foot-note with this added information, that the other associations made no provision in their tables for reporting conversions. "It is necessary to remark this," says Mr. Ricker, "or a false impression will be left upon the mind." The statistics for the year were as follows: 263 Sunday-schools, 1,847 teachers, 11,689 scholars and 26,886 volumes in libraries. The number of churches not reporting Sunday-school sta- tistics was 115. This was Dr. Ricker's last year of service as secretary, and his report opened with these words : "In most Christian communities open opposition to Sabbath- schools has happily died away. By their own noiseless but blessed agency they have won their way to the heart
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of the church, and are now thought of as a 'permanent idea,' rather than as mere temporary expedients. So general is the conviction upon this point that they every- where meet with ready eulogists, if not with warm sup- porters. One indication of the disposition to regard them as a part of the settled economy of visible Christianity may be seen in the tendency to systematic and combined effort in nearly every organized branch of the church. Hardly any religious society deems its circle of means complete without a Sabbath-school in which to train their young; and in estimating their progress from time to time, this institution comes in for a liberal and deserved share of notice."
Rev. George Knox was made Dr. Ricker's successor. But though the Sunday-school had now won for itself a place among the organized agencies in our churches for the promotion of Bible study and as one of the means of bringing those within its influence to a knowledge of the truths of Christianity, a diminution of interest in the work was soon discoverable. In his first report, presented at Dover, June 16, 1847, Mr. Knox said : "The novelty of the Sabbath-school has passed away," and he expressed a fear that there was a want of interest in the work "because there is a want of novelty." His fear evidently was well-founded. The statistical reports with reference to our Maine Baptist Sunday-schools became more and more unsatisfactory in the years that followed. In 1850, nearly one-half of the Baptist churches in the State made no report on Sunday-schools.
At the meeting of the Maine Baptist Sabbath School Union in Bloomfield, June 17, 1851, Rev. Dr. Babcock, sec- retary of the American Sabbath School Union, and Rev. S. Souther, Jr., agent of the same society, were present and addressed the Union. They made known the purpose of the national society to undertake work in Maine as well as in other parts of the United States, and a resolution was adopted in which this purpose of the national society was
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designated as "hopeful," and the agent of the Union, Mr. Souther, was commended to the churches as worthy of their confidence.
The State organization continued its existence, but its attitude was that of co-operation with the American Sab- bath School Union. At the meeting of the Maine Baptist Sabbath School Union in Bangor, June 21, 1854, it was voted, on motion of Rev. S. L. Caldwell, after remarks by several brethren, that it was inexpedient to continue the organization, provided the Convention would take in charge the interests of the Baptist Sunday-schools in the . State; and the secretary of the Union was requested to present the matter to the Convention at its meeting on the following day. This was done and the Convention voted "to take this subject in charge for the future." The sec- retary of the Convention was directed to collect Sunday- school statistics and print the same in the Minutes. A committee of one from each association also was appointed "to gather Sabbath-school statistics and to promote, as far as they may, the general interests of Sabbath-schools within their associations for the year ensuing, and to report to the Convention through their chairman or secre- tary."
The Maine Baptist Sabbath School Union accordingly was dissolved, and at the meeting of the Convention at which the above action was taken, "the missionary ser- vices" of the New England Sabbath School Union and of the American Sabbath School Union were made welcome in Maine, and a resolution was adopted recommending that the churches co-operate with these organizations "in their care for the uninstructed in our land."
Meanwhile the Sunday-school work of the denomination was receiving the attention of an organization, which, as the Baptist General Tract Society, was formed in Wash- ington, Feb. 25, 1824. In 1840, this Society became the American Baptist Publication and Sunday School Soci- ety, but in 1844 changed its designation to the American Baptist Publication Society, by which it has since been
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known. In 1855, the Sunday-school work of the Society was enlarged. The entire stock of Sunday-school plates, engravings, copyrights, etc., belonging to the New Eng- land Sabbath School Union was purchased. Later a Sun- day-school secretary was appointed.
A still further important step forward was taken in con- nection with the adoption of the uniform lesson system. A movement in favor of a uniform lesson was commenced as early as 1865, but for some time it met with strong opposition. One of the earliest advocates of the proposed system was the late B. F. Jacobs, a member and promi- nent Sunday-school worker of the First Baptist church in Chicago. It was his earnestness and enthusiasm that secured the adoption of the International Lesson system at the great Sunday School Convention at Indianapolis in April, 1872. The American Baptist Publication Society from the first entered heartily into the new movement. Zion's Advocate, with the opening of 1873, provided for its readers each week notes on the International Lesson. The first reference to these lessons in the Minutes is to be found in the record of the meeting of the Cumberland Association at Brunswick, Aug. 26 and 27, 1873, in which is found the following : "The experience of a year's use of the International Series of Lessons in our Sunday-schools leads us to the conviction that their continuance will be one of the best methods for deepening a lively interest in Bible study. We would also indorse the candid exposi- tions of these lessons that appear from week to week in Zion's Advocate, and commend them to all our Sunday- school workers."
Since the Union of the Maine Baptist Missionary Soci- ety and the Maine Baptist Convention no year has passed in which, at the annual meeting, Sunday-school interests have not received some attention. Under the auspices of the Convention Sunday-school institutes have been held in different parts of the State. Some of the associations at times have had a Sunday-school secretary. In recent years much help and inspiration have come to us from the
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
New England District Secretary of the American Baptist Publication Society, Rev. C. H. Spalding, D. D., who has visited our associations and Conventions in the interest of our Sunday-schools.
The following exhibit of the membership of our Maine Baptist Sunday-schools from 1875-the year in which the reports of our Sunday-school work commence to appear- sets forth the growth of the Sunday-school membership in our churches.
1875,
15,521
1890,
18,843
1876,
16,394
1891,
18,380
1877,
17,702
1892,
18,072
1878,
17,131
1893,
16,789
1879,
16,040
1894,
17,713
1880,
16,608
1895,
17,909
1881,
16,463
1896,
19,203
1882,
16,528
1897,
18,922
1883,
16,121
1898,
18,504
1884,
16,786
1899,
18,077
1885,
15,706
1900,
17,402
1886,
16,461
1901,
18,072
1887,
16,493
1902,
17,174
1888,
15,749
1903,
19,355
1889,
17,340
CHAPTER XIX.
TEMPERANCE REFORM.
The prevalence of intemperance at the opening of the nineteenth century awakened the deepest concern on the part of many good men in all parts of New England. In Maine, as elsewhere, the custom of rum-drinking was con- stantly in evidence. Dr. Ricker has not stated the facts any too strongly in his reminiscences : "It was quite the exception, when the entrance or exit, the birth or burial, of any poor mortal transpired without the friendly offices of the rum bottle. Its aid was invoked alike to assuage grief and augment joy. At the raising of buildings, the harvesting of hay, the husking of corn, the music of wed- ding bells, the sad notes of the funeral dirge, the dedica- tion of churches, the ordination of ministers, the voting precincts of citizens, the mustering of the soldiers for drill and duty, the annual recurrence of the nation's birth- day, in a word at all merry-makings, and, indeed, on all social occasions, whether merry or mournful, its presence . was anticipated as a matter of course, and its absence regretted if inevitable, and resented if intentional. Did the pastor call? The decanter, sideboard or no sideboard, was set forth to give cheer to the occasion. Was a man elected to office? The treating of the crowd was a forfeit he must pay, or be called mean. Was one melting with heat? Rum or its equivalent was the sovereign remedy. Was he freezing with cold? The same antidote was pre- scribed with a sublime disregard to consistency."1
The New Hampshire Association, with which our Bap- tist churches in York county were connected at an early period, held its annual meeting in Northwood in 1793. In
1 Personal Recollections, pp. 51, 52.
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
the Minutes occurs this record : "Whereas it has been of late the practice of some persons to set up grogshops near the meeting-house where the association is held, Voted, that we disapprove of such practice and that application shall be made to the selectmen of the town where the association shall meet in future to use their influence to prevent such conduct." These annual gatherings called together crowds of people,1 many of whom had no interest in the meetings, and the rumseller found opportunity for his nefarious traffic. The state of things was no better in the District of Maine. At the meeting of the New Hamp- shire Association in Sanford, in 1803, attention was again called to the evils connected with liquor selling in con- nection with the meetings, and the question was asked : "Whether something may not be done to prevent the riot and tumult that has heretofore been at our associations?"
The sale of liquor in that early time was generally con- sidered as respectable as the sale of any other commodity. In fact, liquor was one of the principal commodities, and it was everywhere in evidence in stores, vessels, wagons. It was wanted everywhere, and men were busily employed in procuring it and in furnishing it to their customers.
But there were those who saw the evil results of intem- perance-that it was a curse in many a home, under- mining the morality of its members and bringing misery and degradation in its train. Here and there a warning voice was uplifted against excessive drinking. Rev. John Tripp, pastor of the Baptist church in Paris, prepared the Circular Letter for the Bowdoinham Association in 1806. In it he called attention to the proper training of children. He said it was necessary to instruct them not only in things of a religious nature, but also in those which con- cern their general conduct in life. Several things he men- tioned as requiring attention "in this degenerate age"; and first he would guard the minds of the young "against excessive drinking, a habit which prevails to the utter ruin of many, and the injury of millions." This is the earliest
1 At the association at Parsonsfield, in 1801, two thousand persons were present.
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
word in behalf of temperance reform which is to be found in our Baptist annals in Maine. But having uttered this note of warning, Elder Tripp remembered the drinking habits of his hearers, and he added : "But, brethren, let it ever be remembered that our instructions will go but little way in the education of our children, without we enforce the same by example; therefore it is necessary that we do before them the things which we inculcate by words. Shall we then teach them to be sober and temper- ate and not be so ourselves ?"
Total abstinence at that time was not advocated. It was against "excessive drinking" only that the words of the reformer were aimed. But the ravages of rum-drink- ing continued. The example of the moderate drinker was without force with those who had become the slaves of a burning appetite. More and more it was evident that there must be a separation between the church and the world in this matter, and the exhortation was directed to church members to keep away from the saloon and all places where intoxicating liquors were sold. At the meeting of the Lincoln Association, held in Vassalborough Sept. 20 and 21, 1820, the Circular Letter prepared by Oakes Perry, a member of the Second Camden church, was approved by the association. In it Mr. Perry made this statement : "Much is said and done to stop the prog- ress of intemperance. Well, you resort to the retailing shops and associate with the ungodly in their vain con- versation and drinking, and by your example strengthen the bonds of the wicked ? A train of evils follows the drunkard not necessary to enumerate. It opens the door to every vice. Will you, then, who profess to be the fol- lowers of Him 'who went about doing good,' by your example say to the intemperate who is destroying his property, his credit, his health, the peace of his family and his precious soul, that drinking in those shops is a commendable practice ? 'Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.' To
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
those who are engaged in trade for a support, we recom- mend to desist from disseminating this baneful liquid through the land, especially the shameful and wicked practice of dealing it out in small quantities to be drunken in your shops, thereby destroying many souls, the peace of families, disregarding the good laws of the land, and the authority of Jehovah, who commands obedience to rulers." This is an early exhortation with reference to temperance reform. It testifies to the fact that inside of the church, as late as 1820, there was need of such an exhortation to Christians, and the exhortation was not withheld. Neal Dow, who was as familiar with the facts as any one, says : "The temperance reformation in Maine was born in the church. In its infancy it was almost wholly dependent upon religious leaders and teachers. In the days of its youth and young maturity it was stimulated, encouraged and sustained by the same powerful agency. It never could have attained the height it afterwards reached but for that early and continued assistance of godly men and women." 1
Objections to the "shops," or saloons as we would now say, were continued and intensified. At the Cumberland Association, held in Hebron Sept. 30, 1824, a motion was made by Dea. Low of Bath, that the association from a consideration of the enormous evils "which result from the intemperate use of ardent spirits" should recommend to all the churches in the association that they be on their guard against an enemy which is committing such dread- ful ravages in the community. "The mover had in view not only the danger of an excessive use of strong liq- uors in families, in social visits, or on public occasions, but wished that the practice of retailing spirits to be drunk in shops might be discountenanced."2
The association at this session not only voted that in view of the alarming prevalence of intemperance the
1 Reminiscences of Neal Dow, p. 198.
2 Minutes of Cumberland Association for 1824, p. 7. A like resolution was adopted by the Eastern Maine Association at Eastport in 1825.
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
churches should take the subject into serious considera- tion, and adopt such measures as they may deem proper, but it also voted that "the use of spirituous liquors at their annual meetings be discontinued." It was added in the Minutes, "a word to the wise is sufficient."
There is an item in the Minutes of Bowdoinham Associa- tion for 1824 which is significant. It is in the form of a note with which the report of the association closes : "We have learned, with much pleasure, that the inhabitants of Jay voted in town meeting that no spirituous liquors should be sold around the meeting-house during the ses- sion of the association, and that persons were appointed to carry this vote into effect. To this prudent and very commendable measure was owing no doubt in a consider- able degree the uncommonly good order observed during the whole meeting. May other towns imitate this laud- able example on all similar occasions."
But there was still need of the warning voice. The Eastern Maine Association, at its meeting in Eastport Sept. 15, 1825, took the following action : "That in view of the enormous evils which result from the intemperate use of ardent spirits, our churches should be requested to be on their guard against an enemy which is committing such dreadful ravages in the community."
The need of organized effort in temperance reform was now evident. Neal Dow says that the first society organ- ized in Maine which adopted the pledge of total abstinence from "distilled" spirits was in 1827, in the town of New Sharon. Rev. Sylvanus Boardman, father of the mission- ary, George Dana Boardman, was pastor of the Baptist church in New Sharon at that time, and doubtless took ' his place-probably at the head-in the little band which within a year had increased from ten to seventy members. At the meeting of the Bowdoinham Association, which was held in Bloomfield, Sept. 25, 1828, Mr. Boardman was present, and the following resolution adopted by the association, "Resolved, That this association approve of the measures in operation for the suppression of intem-
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
perance, and cordially recommend to our churches entire abstinence, except in cases of medicine, as the grand secret of success," was doubtless presented by him in view of the work in temperance reform accomplished at New Sharon along the line of total abstinence.
The organization of these total abstinence societies con- tinued during the next two or three years. "In almost every instance," says Neal Dow, "the leading men in these societies were clergymen. It is not too much to say that without their aid the great reformation would have been postponed for years, if indeed it could ever have reached the point to which it attained through their assistance in a comparatively short time. Most of the societies formed at this period were content to make the test of membership a pledge to abjure 'ardent' spirits. But here and there were to be found those taking the more advanced position in favor of total abstinence. This was generally done under the leadership of some man of God who enforced upon the members of his church their duty, nay, showed them that it should be their pleasure to adopt even what they did not deem in their own cases to be needful for their own safety, or to abandon that which they did not view as in itself a wrong, if by such sacrifice they might do good."1
Bowdoinham Association, in 1829, reaffirmed its position with reference to total abstinence by adopting the same resolution which was passed by the association in 1828. York Association, at its session in Shapleigh in 1829, adopted the following resolution : "That the evils arising from the use of ardent spirits far exceed the amount of good derived, and that we earnestly recommend to the churches to continue and increase their exertions for the promotion of temperance by endeavoring to persuade pro- fessors of religion and others to dispense with the use of intoxicating liquors, except when prescribed by a physi- cian as being needful, and that our churches make it a subject of conversation when they receive members."
1 Reminiscences, pp. 201, 202.
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
The question had evidently arisen whether persons should be received to church membership who were not ready to adopt the principle of total abstinence. Lincoln Associa- tion, at its session in Nobleboro in 1829, took the following action : "Resolved, That this association views with deep anguish and detestation the evil practice of drinking intox- icating liquors by members of our churches ; therefore Resolved, That we will not keep spirituous liquors in our houses, nor drink any ourselves ; and we also recommend to our constituents, and all Christians, the entire disuse of it except by prescription of a physician and for medical purposes."
In line with this action was that of the Maine Baptist Convention in 1829-the first action taken by the Conven- tion with reference to temperance reform : "Resolved, That we earnestly recommend that all persons, and espe- cially professors of religion, totally abstain from the use of inebriating liquors."
In 1830, the York Association met at Lyman, and the members were ready to take an advance step in the move- ment for temperance reform. The following resolution was adopted: "That the success which has attended the exertions of the friends of temperance among us calls for gratitude to God, and should stimulate us to persever- ance in endeavoring to eradicate from among us a habit fraught with so much evil, and with such destructive con- sequences, as the use of ardent spirits. We therefore recommend to our brethren to refrain from the use of intoxicating liquors, except when prescribed as a medicine by temperate physicians, and also from supplying them for others except in the above case any way whatever 'lest they be partakers of other men's sins.'" The letter of the Baptist church in South Berwick contained this tem- perance item : "We trust that we are a temperate church, for we believe we have not one brother who is not consci- entiously opposed to the use of ardent spirits in the prose- cution of his worldly business. We would not knowingly receive to our fellowship anyone who thinks it right to
20
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
drink rum even moderately." There is this "General Remark" in the Minutes of the York Association this year : "The town of Lyman, it is understood, did themselves the honor to pass a vote that no ardent spirits should be sold on the days of the association anywhere within one mile of the place of worship; and we are happy to state that nothing like a concourse of idlers was to be seen anywhere in the vicinity."
In 1830 and 1831, there were revivals in many of the Baptist churches in Maine. In York Association, at South Berwick, in 1831, the "obvious fact" was recognized in a resolution that these revivals of religion had come "in the track of the temperance reformation," and it was accordingly "Resolved, That Christian professors, who can practice total abstinence from the use of ardent spirits without much self-denial, may find sufficient reasons for such abstinence in its salutary influence on our physical and mental powers, and in the deduction it will make from our current expenses, and the consequent increase in our means of charity ; and that Christian professors who find that such abstinence will cost them much self- denial, have additional reasons for the immediate adop- tion of the practice."
This action of the York Association seemed so emi- nently fitting that the same resolutions were adopted by the Cumberland Association at North Yarmouth in 1831.
At the York Association at Sanford, in 1832, the churches were "urged to become temperance societies." The read- ing of the resolution was followed by stirring addresses. "Mr. G., an old gentleman of about seventy, urged the entire banishment of the liquid fire, alleging that it was not on the whole advisable or desirable to use it as a medi- cine-that he did not consider it any alleviation of the infirmities of age, and at any rate he was determined to have nothing to do with so destructive a plague." The remark was added by the clerk of the association : "There. is abroad an irrepressible spirit of opposition to the manu- facture, traffic and use of ardent spirits, and it is rapidly
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pervading the churches of this association ; it will not, it cannot rest until the foe is prostrate."
A resolution adopted by the Eastern Maine Association, in 1832, set forth "the imperious duty" of every professor of religion "to spare no exertions until it shall be consid- ered disreputable to import, distill, retail, drink, or have anything to do with inebriating liquors, except when pre- scribed as a medicine by a temperate physician." This resolution was again presented and adopted in 1833.
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