USA > Maine > History of the Baptists in Maine > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
But Dr. Ricker saw clearly that this most generous bequest made by Governor Coburn might prove harm- ful rather than beneficial. If treated as an excuse for diminished effort and more meagre contributions, he said, it would arrest all healthy growth, paralyze all healthy action, and dry up or make stagnant all the currents of spiritual life in the churches; and the churches were warned against any such fatal mistake. It was an encouraging fact in the next annual report of the Con- vention that the ordinary contributions of the churches were increased from $2,986.75 in 1885 to $3,929.22 in 1886. Evidently the warning of the secretary was heeded.
Notice of the receipt of Governor Coburn's gift is men-
340
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
tioned in the treasurer's report for 1887. Greatly enlarged resources were now available, and the year that followed, in the breadth and vigor of its activities, was without a parallel in the history of the Convention. "The policy of the board," wrote Dr. Ricker, at the close of the year, "has been in harmony with the universally recognized law of business, that capital rightly used is better than capital hoarded." In accordance with his suggestion, it was decided that a part of the Coburn legacy should be used in enlarging the Convention's general missionary force, in planting churches in important, growing communities where Baptist churches were not found, and in enlarging and strengthening the work in old fields, in which for the lack of means such work had hitherto been impossible. But this was only the beginning of such activity. It is true there were some who were of the opinion that only the income of the Convention's enlarged means should be used. But in general the brethren were in agreement with Dr. Ricker, that the maintenance of a large perma- nent fund by the Convention would divert the attention of the churches to other channels of denominational activity, and so diminish interest in the Convention's work. Every- where the work of improvement was in evidence. In 1888, in the annual report of the board, reference was made to the new houses of worship erected at Bar Harbor, Smyrna, Foxcroft and Dover, and to others in process of construc- tion at Saccarappa, Sanford, Milo, Yarmouth, Owl's Head and Gardiner ; while at Mechanic Falls, Forest City and Rockport repairs of the most thorough and tasteful char- acter had been made and dedicatory services held. Par- sonages, also, had been erected in some places. Moreover the missionary force had been greatly strengthened. In 1887, it consisted of two workers ; now there were seven. While new fields in hopeful numbers and of much prom- ise were brought under cultivation, old fields were not neglected. Seventy-one churches received aid that year from the Convention treasury. The report of the treas- urer showed that during the Convention year 1887-8, the
341
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
appropriations in aid of missions amounted to $5,860.03, for salaries and expenses of secretaries and missionaries, to $3,905.29, while there were special grants for church edifices amounting to $29,175; and in that year there was drawn from the permanent fund $30,800.28, so that the permanent fund which Sept. 1, 1887, amounted to $117,702.72, amounted Sept. 1, 1888, to $86,902.44. In closing the annual report of the board, Dr. Ricker found no occasion for discouragement because of this large out- lay. "The year now under review," he said, "has been the best the Convention has ever seen. Why should not the next year be still better ? It is a goodly land that lies just before us. Shall we turn back then into the wilder- ness ? Who says it ? Who dares think it? It is no time for half-hearted counsels or coward fear. Now, if ever, the Calebs and Joshuas should be heard and heeded. For such, neither walled cities nor sons of Anak have any terror. Our duty is plain. We cannot mistake the voice that bids us go forward. With prompt and cheerful step, then, let us go up and possess the land, for we are able."
These ringing words were the words of a trusted leader, and they found a response in many hearts all over the State. The year that followed was Dr. Ricker's last year of service as secretary of the Convention. Under his wise, aggressive direction the advance movement contin- ued. Indeed, in activity it outstripped its immediate pred- ecessor. Dr. Ricker's own summary of the work was as follows : "In the matter of expenditure, whether of money or labor, it is without a parallel in the Convention's his- tory. The broad field was never before better worked, nor with better promise of cheering returns." According to the treasurer's report, there were appropriated during the year in aid of missions $6,683.62, for salaries and expenses of secretaries and missionaries, $6,361.62, and for special grants for church buildings $29,490; and the permanent fund was reduced to $59,693.42.
In withdrawing at this time from the active service in connection with the secretaryship, to which he had devoted
342
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
twenty years of his busy life, Dr. Ricker, in the annual report of the board, reviewed the work accomplished. Into that work had entered his prayers, his hopes, his efforts. The success achieved had been largely his suc- cess, and it was an inspiring record which he laid before his brethren. "At the commencement of the period now under review," he said, "the permanent fund amounted to no more than $2,000. This sum, however, was grad- ually increased by donations and legacies until, in 1886, it was reported at $21,402.06. If now to this there be added the real estate devised to the Convention by the late Dea. Byron Greenough of Portland, and valued at $20,000, it would swell it to $41,402.06, showing the hand- some increase of nearly $40,000 in seventeen years. But a year later, the treasury was in receipt of a legacy which dwarfed all preceding bestowments. Ex-Governor Coburn's great gift of $100,000 then became available, and more than trebled both the resources and the respon- sibilities of the Convention. . The ordinary con-
tributions from individuals and churches during the period in question make an aggregate of about $90,000, or an average of $4,500 per year. The total additions, by leg- acies and otherwise, to the invested funds in the same period (inclusive of real estate in Portland) have been, in round numbers, $140,000. The average annual expendi- ture for ordinary uses may be set down at about $9,000, while the total amount of special appropriations cannot have been less than $70,000." But Dr. Ricker was already feeling the infirmities of age, and he wisely asked to be relieved of the burden he had so long and so heroically borne. "To many of us," he said, in the closing words of the report, "the supreme moment is just at hand. If we are truly waiting for it, we shall soon hear the award, sweeter by far than the music of the spheres, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter ye into the joy of your Lord.'"' 1 After the acceptance of the report, the Conven- tion took fitting action with reference to Dr. Ricker's long
1 Close of the report of the board presented at Bar Harbor, Oct. 1, 1889.
JOSEPH RICKER, D. D.
343
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
and faithful service. It only remained for Dr. Ricker to write his "Personal Recollections," in which he rehearsed the events with which he had been so long connected, and give his estimate of some of his most valued co-workers, and then, having faithfully served his generation by the will of God, he entered into the eternal rest Sept. 4, 1897. That his was the welcome, "Well done!" no one can doubt.
Rev. Albert T. Dunn, D. D., who for several years had served the Free St. Baptist church, Portland, as its pastor, was made Dr. Ricker's successor. He had shown a deep interest in the work of the Convention, and by those who knew him best was believed to possess just those qualifica- tions for the secretaryship which seemed to give promise of a successful administration.
Already it had been found necessary to check the out- flow from the treasury, and at the meeting of the Conven- tion at Bar Harbor, in 1889, at which Dr. Ricker resigned, the board voted that the permanent fund should not be reduced below $40,000. The board also limited its cur- rent expenses to its current income. The new secretary entered upon his work, accordingly, under somewhat dis- couraging circumstances, inasmuch as it was found nec- essary to make a reduction of twenty per cent. in the appropriations to the churches. During the first year of the new secretary's service, there was a falling off in the ordinary receipts, and there was a necessary reduction in the ordinary expenditures. But Dr. Dunn was confident that from the seed recently sown an abundant harvest would in due time be gathered. "In the first annual report of the board after he became secretary, he called atten- tion to the fact that while the Convention had in recent years appropriated a generous sum in the prosecution of its work in securing permanent improvements here and there in the State, a much larger sum had come from the people, who had been encouraged and even stimulated to give by the action of the Convention, and presented the following table :
344
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
Convention.
Field.
Outside.
Total.
Bangor, 2d,
$ 800.00 $ 3,000.00
$ $ 3,800.00
Bar Harbor,
5,900.00
500.00
1,596.00
7,996.00
Brunswick,
3,500.00
2,359.00
220.00
6,079.00
Canton,
1,000.00
531.07
1,531.07
Caribou,
150.00
500.00
50.00
700.00
Damariscotta Mills,
150.00
700.00
250.00
1,100.00
Dexter,
600.00
1,207.00
1,807.00
Dover and Foxcroft,
200.00
5,600.00
200.00
6,000.00
Enfield,
150.00
¥#250.00
400.00
Fairfield,
500.00
2,200.00
50.00
2,750.00
Farmington,
400.00
2,400.00
3,000.00
5,800.00
Forest City,
175.00
1,350.00
1,525.00
Gardiner,
9,000.00
3,744.60
12,744.60
Great Works,
600.00
600.00
200.00
1,400.00
Hallowell,
700.00
1,072.00
1,772.00
Harpswell,
600.00
2,015.00
75.00
2,690.00
Hartland,
350.00
400.00
750.00
Hebron,
600.00
670.00
1,270.00
Hodgdon,
150.00
700.00
850.00
Houlton,
200.00
4,100.00
200.00
4,500.00
Jefferson, 2d,
400.00
1,906.00
360.00
2,666.00
Kennebunkport,
150.00
1,050.00
1,200.00
Lewiston,
4,500.00
2,500.00
7,000.00
Ludlow,
100.00
869.00
149.00
1,118.00
Mechanic Falls,
1,765.00
1,900.00
175.00
3,840.00
Milo,
1,500.00
2,600.00
300.00
4,400.00
Monson,
600.00
750.00
250.00
1,600.00
Nobleboro, 1st,
200.00
2,145.00
525.00
2,870.00
Norway,
2,000.00
821.00
134.00
2,955.00
Oldtown,
775.00
3,225.00
75.00
4,075.00
Owl's Head,
150.00
1,700.00
300.00
2,150.00
Paris, South,
500.00
7,000.00
500.00
8,000.00
Penobscot,
2,600.00
2,400.00
600.00
5,600.00
Presque Isle,
800.00
900.00
1,700.00
Rockport,
1,000.00
4,000.00
5,000.00
Saccarappa,
9,500.00
416.44
558.75
10,475.19
Sanford,
3,500.00
5,000.00
8,500.00
Skowhegan (Bethany),
3,000.00
17,937.00
300.00
21,237.00
Smyrna,
150.00
1,275.00
15.00
1,575.00
Waterboro, South,
1,900.00
1,900.00
700.00
4,500.00
Waterville, French chapel,
200.00
2,500.00
75.00
2,775.00
Wayne,
270.00
765.00
1,035.00
Winter Harbor,
400.00
1,000.00
50.00
1,450.00
Yarmouth,
4,000.00
4,107.00
1,000.00
9,107.00
$65,685.00 $102,565.11 $12,042.75 $180,292.86
A
345
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
These statistics showed that forty-four churches had been aided by the Convention in building and repairing meeting-houses and parsonages to the amount of $65,685, while the churches themselves had raised for the same purposes $102,565.11, and that $12,042.75 had been col- lected from other sources exclusive of the Convention treasury, making a total of $114,607.86 secured because of the Convention's aid. Neither the courage of the sec- retary nor of the brethren with whom he was associated in State mission work was in any way shaken, there- fore, because of present diminished resources. The outlay had been made in accordance with a wise policy, it was believed, and it only remained for those upon whom the burden of administration now rested to press forward with the same prayer and hope and effort as in the past.
And this was done. The secretary commenced at once to put himself in touch with the churches. Evangelistic in spirit, ready at any and at all times to serve the churches, he sought to be helpful wherever he went, and more and more he infused the same spirit into the mission churches. He was here and there and everywhere. The finances were not forgotten. In all possible ways he urged the claims of the Convention, while at the same time he was just as ready to urge the claims of any other organization which had for its aim the good of men and the glory of God.
In the annual report of the board for 1891, Dr. Dunn suggested that the detail work of the board be commit- ted to an executive committee, "this committee to be so selected as to represent all parts of the State, and selected with the understanding that each was to inform himself as to his particular district, and be able to present the facts at each stated meeting of the committee," the mem- bers of the committee to have their traveling expenses borne by the Convention. A resolution embodying this suggestion was adopted by the Convention, and the busi- ness, which up to this time had been transacted by the members of the board, was now entrusted to an executive
346
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
committee of nine, to which the officers of the Convention were added. The first meeting of the committee was held Dec. 1, 1901, and was organized by the choice of Rev. W. H. Spencer as chairman and Rev. C. V. Hanson as secretary.
Another recommendation made by the secretary, in the report of the board in 1891, had reference to a re-arrange- ment of dates for holding the associational meetings. The secretary desired to attend all of these meetings, and the proposed re-arrangement would enable him to do this. The Convention accordingly recommended to the associa- tions that they hold their meetings in such succession as to enable the secretary, and representatives of other mis- sionary organizations, to visit them all each year.
Still another recommendation had reference to the enlargement of the Sunday-school work of the denomi- nation in the State, and involved the appointment of a Sunday-school missionary or secretary, who should make it his special work to visit the Sunday-schools, arrange for and conduct Sunday-school institutes in different parts of the State, and in every way in his power stimulate and strengthen true ideas of Sunday-school work. This rec- ommendation also was adopted by the Convention. The man whom the secretary had in mind for this place was Rev. G. W. Hinckley, who was then engaged in laying the foundations of his work for boys at East Fairfield, and Mr. Hinckley received the appointment. But not long after he entered upon his new duties, his rapidly-growing work at Good Will Farm occupied his attention to such an extent that he was compelled to resign, much to the regret of all the friends of Baptist Sunday-school work in Maine, and the vacancy was not filled.
The act incorporating the Maine Baptist Missionary Soci- ety, passed by the Legislature of Maine Feb. 8, 1823, pro- vided for a "common seal." So did the act incorporating the Maine Baptist Convention, approved March 16, 1830. When these two organizations were united under the name of the Maine Baptist Missionary Convention by an act of
*
347
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
the Legislature approved Feb. 6, 1867, it was provided that "all property, powers, franchises and privileges, granted or acquired, under authority of the respective acts incor- porating said bodies corporate, shall be held and enjoyed by said Maine Baptist Missionary Convention, in as full and ample a manner as the same were held and enjoyed by either, or both, of said original bodies." The earlier organization seems to have had no use for a seal ; certainly none was provided. But it was otherwise at the present time, and in some business transactions in connection with the invested funds of the Convention a seal was required. Accordingly the trustees of the Convention, in the autumn of 1891, authorized Hon. Percival Bonney and the record- ing secretary of the Convention, Rev. H. S. Burrage, D. D., to procure a seal. A design was suggested by the recording secretary, and a drawing of this design, made by Mr. John Calvin Stevens of Portland, was accepted as the seal of the Convention, and has since been in use.
That something might be done for the Sunday-schools, Secretary Dunn suggested, in the next annual report of the Board, the holding of from twelve to twenty Sunday- school institutes in different parts of the State, under the direction of a competent leader. Ten such institutes were held in June, 1902, at the following places : Oakland, Lew- iston, South Waterboro, Saco, Thomaston, Milltown, Cari- bou, Dover, Bluehill and Harrington.
At the meeting of the Convention at Waterville, Oct. 4 and 5, 1892, the executive committee was enlarged so as to consist of one member from each association to be named by the associations, but subject to the approval of the board. Rev. E. C. Whittemore was made the secre- tary of the committee and has served in this office from that time to the present.
At this meeting of the Convention, Prof. John B. Foster, who for twenty-nine years had served the Convention as its treasurer, asked to be relieved, but by a vote of the Convention he was requested to serve an added year, and this he consented to do. At the meeting held in Auburn,
348
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
Oct. 3 and 4, 1893, the resignation of Prof. Foster was accepted, and a minute was spread upon the records recog- nizing his long and faithful services. Mr. C. Fred. Morse of Portland was made Prof. Foster's successor.
The churches, however, were not furnishing the amount of money needed for the prosecution of the work of the Convention on its enlarged scale of operations, and at the meeting in Waterville, in 1892, it was voted that at least $6,000 should be secured during the year for the mission- ary work of the Convention. The executive committee also was instructed to make an equitable apportionment of this amount among the associations. This apportionment was made as follows : Aroostook, $600 ; Bowdoinham, $600 ; Damariscotta, $450; Hancock, $500; Kennebec, $500; Lin- coln, $775; Oxford, $200; Penobscot, $800; Piscataquis, $150; Cumberland, $800; Waldo, $75; Washington, $200; York, $350. It was not a favorable time for the introduc- tion of such a scheme. This was the year of the Cen- tenary Fund movement, made by the American Baptist Missionary Union, in connection with which one hundred and ninty-six of the Baptist churches in Maine gave more than $14,000 for work in foreign mission fields. This was a period also of financial stringency throughout the country. It was accordingly necessary, as in previous years, to draw on the permanent funds of the Conven- tion, the amount in 1892-3 being $6,833.45. But $5,900 were required for purposes outside of the ordinary annual expenses, this large draft on the permanent fund being required to meet other calls than those of the work of the year.
But in 1893 and 1894, even a less sum came into the Con- vention treasury from the contributions of the churches, the amount in 1893 being $4,168.39, and in 1894, $3,828.66. Yet while, in this latter year, the treasurer of the Conven- tion paid out $9,466.37 for current expenses, this amount was only $240.88 in excess of the sum available for the work from all sources.
349
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
Meanwhile the missionary work of the Convention received the unremitting attention of the secretary. Rev. C. E. Young, who left the pastorate for this service, gave his attention to Aroostook County, Rev. D. C. Bixby to Penobscot County and lay missionary W. H. Rice to Han- cock County. Work among the French at Lewiston was carried on in connection with the American Baptist Home Mission Society. The same missionary service was con- tinued in 1893-4, except that Rev. D. C. Bixby devoted only four months to the work. But in 1894-5, in addition to missionaries Young and Rice, Rev. N. Hunt was added to the force, and for ten months evangelist J. W. Hatch and wife gave themselves to earnest, whole-hearted ser- vice among the churches. Rev. E. Leger spent eleven months in work in behalf of the French in Lewiston, Biddeford and Skowhegan. The excess of expenditures over receipts this year was only $307.59, though the total expenditures reached the sum of $10,467.44.
The missionary force of the Convention was still further increased in 1895-6 by the appointment of Rev. C. E. Harden, a former successful missionary of the Convention, who now received one-half of his salary from the Lincoln Association, it being understood that he would confine his labors to that association. The appropriations for the services of the secretary and the missionaries amounted to $5,868.31, and for the churches to $4,921.50. These were large sums, and there was a deficit of $1,008.10. There were those at the meeting of the Convention at Damaris- cotta, Oct. 6 and 7, 1896, who took a gloomy view of the situation, but Rev. I. B. Mower of South Berwick sug- gested that the deficit be raised then and there, saying that the South Berwick church could be relied upon for $50.00. The suggestion was promptly seconded, and then followed a scene seldom witnessed in such an assembly, as from all parts of the house pledges of money from churches and individuals came pouring in. Dr. Dunn took charge of the movement to wipe out the deficit, and
&
350
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
when it was ended, it was found that money and pledges to the amount of $1,450 had been secured.
At this meeting of the Convention Mr. C. Fred. Morse resigned the treasuryship and Mr. Henry M. Maling of Portland was made his successor.
During the year 1896-7, by vote of the Convention, the sum of $6,000 was apportioned among the churches. Fifty cents per member was taken as the basis of the apportion- ment, and early in November, 1896, pledge cards were sent to every Baptist church in the State. Pastors were requested to put these cards into the hands of an efficient committee for a thorough distribution, giving every one an opportunity to make a contribution to the work. Good results followed.
The receipts from the churches that year were $4,419.06 as against $3,717.64 received the year before. The treas- urer reported that he had received $1,516.67 on account of the special contribution made at Damariscotta for the defi- cit of the previous year, a sum exceeding the subscription.
Rev. C. E. Harden, one of the missionaries of the Con- vention, died Nov. 15, 1897. Missionary Rice, after long and valuable service, resigned. Mr. J. W. Hatch, who, with his wife, had done so faithfully the work of an evangelist, was obliged on account of ill health to with- draw from the service. This left for the latter half of the Convention year 1897-8 only missionaries Young and Hunt in the field, with the secretary. During the year the disturbance in financial circles continued, and at the meet- ing of the executive committee, in November, 1897, it was deemed necessary to reduce the expenditures for the year at least twenty-five per cent. At the next meeting of the committee Secretary Dunn voluntarily relinquished $250 of his salary, while missionary Young, with characteristic self-sacrifice, insisted upon a second reduction of his sal- ary. In the year that followed, 1898-9, there was a return to the apportionment plan, with the result that $5,094.82 were secured from the churches, and the total receipts
DANIEL SHARP FORD.
351
HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE.
were such as to meet all expenses and to leave a balance of $890.07 in the treasury.
At the meeting of the Maine Baptist Missionary Con- vention at Cherryfield, Oct. 3, 1899, the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organization of the Maine Baptist Con- vention was appropriately celebrated. Rev. E. C. Whitte- more, in a carefully prepared address, reviewed the history of the Convention, and this address, by vote of the Con- vention, was published in the Minutes.
The missionary service was continued, with the addition, Dec. 1, 1899, of Rev. P. A. A. Killam, who was assigned to service in Washington County ; and a good work was also done along evangelistic lines, the report of the board for 1899-1900 making mention of the labors of evangelists H. L. Gale and Harry Taylor, and sisters Edwards, Stone, Moore, Stewart, Fiel and Hoey. A large part of the bap- tisms for the year were in connection with the labors of these workers.
At the meeting of the Convention at Yarmouth, Sept. 26 and 27, 1900, the treasurer was authorized to receive as annuities such sums of money as might come into the Convention treasury for that purpose, and to give a bond guaranteeing to the donors during their lifetime an annual amount of interest not to exceed the rate paid by the American Baptist Home Mission Society and the American Baptist Missionary Union for annuities of the same class, the principal to become a part of the permanent fund of the Convention when it shall cease to be an annuity. During the year, $1,800 were received for the Annuity Fund.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.