The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-06

lFrom our Special r porter.l

lFrom our Special r porter.]
~, Boston, Oct. 8, 1866
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS:
Pursuant to a call issued few weeks since
for convention of the various Temperance
organizations of New England, your reporter,
In company with other delegates from Maine,
left Portland by the evening express train of
tuesday over the F., s. q p. & Eastern Roads,
and under the care of the gentlemanly and
obliging conductors in charge of the route,
found ourselves at respectable bed time" in
the city of notions.
At ten o'clock this morning, the convention
assembled in fremont Temple, that spacious
hall being well filled with the philanthropists
and friends of humanity gathered from all
parts of New England, for conference and
consultation upon the best methods of securing
the ends of the Temperance Reform.
The convention was called to order by Rev
setts temperance Alliance. Prayer was offer
ed by Rev. DIR. Cook, of Wilbraham. After
temporary organization, permanent one was
made, with Hon. A. G. Barstow, of Rhode Is
land, as President, and an extensive list of
Vice Presidents and Secretaries.
Without attempting a report of the routine
Of business transacted by the convention, the
following is a resume of the most important
papers presented and business transacted
The essay of Rev. DIR. Marvin upon the "Rela-
ton of temperance to the Church. was an
able and practical exposition of the principles
which should govern the church and the cler-
gy in aiding this reform. He declared that in
temperance is one of the worst scourges of
our race, destroying alike life, happiness and
prosperity wherever it is permitted. The mis-
sion of the church is two-fold-to secure the
glory of God and to carry goodwill to man..
In the execution of this latter work the church
owes it as an obligation to the individual, TO
society and to the nation, to commence and to
AID this great work of reform. He claimed
that general total-abstinence is essential to
prepare the way for the higher work of secur-
ing the glory of God. He alluded to the sad
spectacle of q wreck Of delirium tremens in
the Presidential chair as among others which
should arouse the church to action. .. H..
The language of the speakers was very bold
and outsp0ken and commanded the close atten-
tiOn of the large number of clergymen present
Hon. Judge Pitman, of New Bedford, read a
paper upon "The political duties of Temper
ance men," Itasserted that religious and NOR
al suasion are allies to legal measures, and one
cannot operate successfully without the other.
Assuming these facts he claimed the necessi-
ty Of political action to secure legal action
He alluded with special emphasis to some of
the evils and miseries resulting from intem-
perance- poverty, pauperism, insanity, ill
health, crime, influences upon public men,
gambling, Sabbath desecration, profanity, Sc
The issue, he continued, is whether the power
of the State shall be directed to remove these
evils. There could be no grander political ac-
tion, but the battle would be no easy one to
fight.
Upon the question of founding temperance
party, he believed that resolute and determ-
ined movement among the friends of the cause
under the auspices OF the party now in power
in New England would result successfully
Judge Pitman's essay led to very animated
discussion, participated in by delegates from
every State represented. The general conclu-
sion reached by the speakers was, however in
accordance with the views of the essay
'The relation of the Sabbath School to Tenn
perance" was the subject of an essay by Rev.
DR.. l.. ID. Barrows, of N. III. He argued that
the Sabbath Schools should be organized into
the temperance reform, that the children might
be taught the wickedness of intemperance and
the pledge of total abstinence administered to
them, and as one means to bring about the de-
sired result, he would suggest the formation in
all the churches of juvenile temperance or
ganizations. Accompanying this suggestion
the essayist submitted o resolution providing
for the formation of such organizations. Il
The essay was warmly endorsed by those
present who are connected with Sabbath
Schools. 1t was also warmly and eloquently
supported by couple of juveniles, James s.
Green of South Boston, and Daniel Boone of
New York city. Their addresses abounded in
reason and sound sense, and were among the
most effective of the afternoon.
The evening session was opened by an essay
ON "The Power and Necessity of the Pledge
mnGa segses snas M your sRaee T Esport npt 81 s
important paper The author, Rev. j. d. Full
ton, pastor of the fremont Temple church,
threw into his subject all the fire Of his noble
soul. The pledge, he said, was seldom opposed posed
except in the matter of temperance and its
chief power and necessity was its value in
guarantying security for the future, and keep
ing one back from temptation to evil. Ii we
would have our young men safe in large city,
we should see to it that they are right in the
heart before leaving home. They should take
the solemn pledge of selfrestraint not from
drinking alone, but from all passions. A per-
son addicted to the vice of ofintemperanee is sell
dom free from others. He believed that there
should be q temperance society in every home,
and the father should be president, the mother
and the children secretaries.
They should not give up to organizations all
the work which belongs to parents, for the
home is the centre, or rather the "hub, of the
universe"
He then dwelt at some length upon the adj
and beauties of temperance remark
ing that if we did build our magnificent White
House in Washington, a drunken man inside
spoiled it; or if we had fine carpets in the Sem
ate Chamber or in the House of Representa-
tives, the drunken McDOugalls and Saulsburys
would spew on them. The women, too he
said, were indulging in the flowing bowl; and
even in Boston, there were dry goods stores
and millinery stores where they could be ac-
with social glass. 1t was sad,
he added, that our women were so rapidly de-
scending on a level with the "poOr white trash
women of the South. He had seen drunken
women, with silk dresses, on the streets in Bos-
ton; and one of his children had seen drunk
en- boy at school On the New York Central
railroad last summer, he saw five women each
drink tw0-thirds of tumbler full of whiskey
without an apparent struggle. Such a sicken-
ening sight made him weep; for he remember
ed that his mother was q woman. Such sights
IS these called for pledge, universal pledge,
one which would restrain from vice and lead to
virtue. u..4 ~ saf.lI tf1g
Rev. DIR. Cuyler of Brooklyn, N. Y address
ed the convention. He spoke of the Temper
ance Reform as one of the greatest and most
glorious of the age. He alluded to the great
profits resulting from the liquor traffic, and
great deal to contend with. He spoke of the
message received by Cyrus w. Field the other
evening, announcing that his health had been
drank at a banquet in Liverpool and added
the wish that his friend might have received a
better message. He lamented the viciousness
IF physicians in prescribing liquors for disease.
Next he alluded to the lack of contributions of
churches t, aid the temperance cause, and
urged the agitation of the question more gem
orally on the part of the pastors as means
10 create interest and raise funds to carry ON
their good work $3.50 " 4t
DIR. Jewett of Norwich, Ct, addressed the
arguing against all statements that
alcoholic stimulantS are nutritious, and assert
ing that they are products OF rottenness, and
tend to rot the bodies, the morals the intellects
and the souls of all who use them.
The proceedings of the first day of the con-
vention were here concluded. Tonight every
one isjubilant over the success of this demon
stratiOn. About thirteen hundred delegates
are present from every New England State
all the specific Temperance or
ganizatiOns and many of the churches and re-
ligious bodies, and including a body of talent
and intelligence unequalled by that of any
similar meeting for several years. LUTHER.