The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-05

+. Y. M. G. A.-The second of the series of
lectures or essays before the Young Mems
Christian Association was delivered last eve
ming by G, J. Morris, Esq, one of our repre-
sentatives in the next Legislature Mr.. An
drew j. Chase, President OF the Association.
presided. The attendance was small, not one
hundred persons being present.
MIR. Morris took for the subject of his ESSAY
Temperance. He spoke of the conflict raging
between temperance and intemperance. How
intempe' ance was kept alive by the usages and
customs of society; of what the great cardinal
principles OF temperance consisted, and of the
popular views held in relation to the traffic in
intoxicating liquors. He defined intemperanca
TO consist not only in the use of Intoxicating
liquors, but, also, in the use OF tobacco and in
the gratihcation of sensual passions and then
touched the question as to what could be done
to remedy the evil.
He thought the temperance men sbould
nave Kept public sentiment alive after they
had secured the passage of the prohibitory law
| The demand for further legislation to enforce
the law showed that the friends of temperance
had been remiss.
His plan for furthering the temperance cause
was
LIST. To educate public sentiment TO the point
| that the law must be enfor ced.
3D. instruction and training of children upon
| the subject of temperance.
3d. Efforts to reclaim those who have become
| victims to the habit.
4th. Houses asylums for the inebriates.
9TH. Higher views OF the nature and impor-
ta2ce of the work.
9th. Christianity; the religion of Christ is
the great restraining power in saving the VIC
Tins of intemperance.
On each of these points Mr.. Morris briefly
remarked and in closing urged upon the mem.
bers of the Y. NJ. G. A. the Importance of the
subject.
After Mr.. Morris had closed an opportunity
was offered to members to speak their views
and criticise the essay.
Capt. Cyrus Sturdivant agreed in the main
with what Mr.. Morris had said. The importa
ton of liquors, allowed by Congress, was grea
hindrance to the cause He hoped to see the
time when the importation of liquors would bt
stopped.
Rev. j, S. Cushman regretted to see SO few
present as it was an evidence that but little in
terest was taken in the cause. We must hav,
the right men for our officers. He would vot'
for temperance candidate for Mayor though
he might be of different political opinions from
his own.
Capt. Ryan thought the churches should Sc
their faces, as flint against intemperance.
S. r. Leavitt, ESQ.,, was gratifed with por
tons of the essay, but as a whole it sounded t.
aim much as the temperance orations delivered
thirty years ago. If the rum sellers of Port
, land had been present, he thought they woul
have agreed with all that Mr.. Morris had said
Charles LORD, Esq, agreed with Morris in hi
views of Christianity being the guide to th
cause.
e Mr.. John Earl thought that prohibition i
its few years of existence had done more tina
morality which had been preached from tn
foundation of the world.
Alderman Gould cited two cases where la,
, had gone before public sentiment-in the time
and Matthew.
; E. r. Staples, Esq, was of opinion that if tn
present law was not sufficient to stop the trat
t fc, more stringent laws should be demanded
A. j. Chase, Esq, closed the discussion b.
| relating an incident that came under his oh
servation, consequent as he said upon tn
tee h being drawn from the law. Those teet
would be replaced" saHe regretted to see S
! small an attendance upon the discussion of 8
important a subject.
| The meeting then adjourned