The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-18
Renee has shown that overwork must be prose-

ly, tu6 one lUt6uuCu " lOTblIy tu6 pIiuOtriOo
and strengthen the will or power of resistance
of each Individual, and the other designed to
diminish the pressure OF the temptation to be
resisted-the one within the domain Of indi-
vidual moral effort, the other mainly within
the sphere of law The main reliance must be
placed on the first class of remedies-those of
moral nature, applied to the intellect and con-
science of every human being. The young
and inexperienced are to be educated into tenn
perance principles and fortified with temper
ance habits, by intoxicating at the freside, in
the secular and Sabbath Schools, and from the
pulpit and platform; and the victim of appetite
to be rescued by the power of reason, sympa-
thy and love. However important it may be to
remove the temptation of the dram shop in or
der to make reformation more certain and per-
manent, we cannot forget that this work of
law is only supplementary and subsding, and
that our grand reliance must be on moral eff
forts.
In the work of promoting temperance law,
Notwithstanding its primary object is not per-
sonal reformation but the protection of society,
occupies precisely the same posi- ton that 1T
es in the promotion of morality and virtue
generally We persuade men to abstain from
immoral and vicious practices, and then AID
them in establishing correct habits and living
better life, by removing by law, so far as pos
sible, the external temptations of the gambling
house, the brothel and immoral publications.
In like manner it is our duty to remove, so far
as possible, from the young and inexperienced,
and from the victim of appetite who IS strug.
Cling to master the demon that has possessed
him, the temptations of the open dram shop
But we must not fall into the error of expecting
too much of law, for no human law-not even
the Divine law-ever yet succeeded in entirely
preventing the offence against which it is
aimed. Theft, embezzlement forgery, adul-
terry, fornication, gambling and even murder
still go on in spite of law, although none for
that reason fail to see that law exercises most
wholesome restraint
So gambling saloons, brothels and dram
shops will not be entirely removed by any law,
although they may be so restrained as general
ly to be kept from the sight of those who are
not seeking for means to crafty vicious appe-
tites The Judgment must be first convinced,
the heart touched and the will subdued by
moral means and then laws against external
temptations will come in to aid IN making the
reformation permanent. Indeed, such laws
have in themselves an educating power, in that
they brand as wrong whatever they prohibit.
Thus good laws, as Mr.. Gladstone has so we'll
SAID, make it easier to do right and more diff
cult co do wrong, and thus have place even in
the moral agencies upon which we must ever
mainly rely for the promotion of the temper
ance cause.
The discussions and experience of the past
forty years, said Gov. D have done an inesti-
mable service to the temperance cause in set
ting beyond serious dispute that the platform
of all successful temperance movements must
be total abstinence. 1 would not give fig for
all that can be accomplished on any other ba-
sis. The true idea of temperance is modera-
ton in the use of that which is essential or
useful as food or drink, and abstinence from
that which is poisonous or hurtful. Science
has settled beyond serious controversy that
alcohol, which is the intoxicating property of
all fermented and distilled liquors, is in no
sense food, but that on the contrary it retards
digestion, and stimulates only to be succeeded
by disastrous reaction. That it enfeebles the
powers of the body and renders them less able
to resist cold or heat or disease, and eventually
causes death, and is in short an irritant poison,
all the more dangerous because it does its work
slowly but not less certainly. Whatever place
it may have in medicine, in disease it should
only be used under the eye OF a conscientious
physician, in the same manner as arsenic,
strychnine, prussic acid and other poisons.
You have wisely, therefore, added Governor
Dingley, built your editice on the rock of total
abstinence from the use as beverage of all
that can intoXicate. l know that some would
be wise men have said that this is a reform
against nature; that God has implanted in his
crea ,ures love of excitement and an appetite
for that which stimulates; that this appetite
has manifested itself in all races, and particu-
larly in races inhabiting the more vigorous
chimes, by the use OF some intOxicant; and that
such God-given appetite cannot be eradicated
but may be held in moderation. 1t is true that
God has given man appetites as well as pas
sions; but it no more follows that these natural
appetites are to be fed with poisonous food or
drink than it follows that his passions are to be
gratfied with illicit and harmful indulgences.
Passions and appetites give renewed energy and
usefulness when directed IN right paths; when
turned in wrong courses, they carry destruction
and decay. No child, with natural appetite,
ever desired alcoholic liquors; on the contrary,
this appetite is always either inherited or ac-
quired. And it is because one has to learn to
use intoxicating liquors as a beverage and be
cause the lighter beverages are selected to in
itiate the candidate for drinking habits, that
oftentimes the light beverage bscomes so dan
gerous.
All experience has demonstrated that there
is NO safety for the great body of men except
on the platform of total abstinence. Il know
how to abstain, but l don't know how to be
moderate said the celebrated DR.. johnson
when referring to the use of Intoxicating liq.
uors. And observation shows that nine men
out of ten who attempt to drink moderately,
sooner or later find themselves in the same
strait The difficulty is that every man who
begins to take the social glass expects to be the
tenth man who is to control himself. No man
ever imagines that he will become drunkard.
Moderate drinkers will join you in denOuncing
drunkenness, and on this account claim to bs
earnest friends of temperance.
This is much like the wisdom of the soldier,
who amused himself with watching burning
fuse connected with magazine of gunpowder,
and as the fire entered the structure screamed
for water to put it out only to find the maya
zine and himself hurled into the air. When
the appetite has been fired with alcoholic bey-
erages, the chances of rescuing the victim are
fearfully reduced. The words Of scripture, ut
tered 5000 years ago, set forth in apt and forc-
BILE language, the deceptive nature of intoxicat-
ing beverages: "Wine is mocker; strong drink
is raging; and whatsoever is deceived thereby
is not wise. For at the last it biteth like a
serpent and stingeth like an adder"
Gov Dipgley dwelt upon the evil influence
of social drinking, and said that careful observ-
ers estimate that more than half of the men
who become confirmed inebrates are led into
drinking habits by the influence of drinking as
sociates and social drinking. He warned
young men of the danger of choosing such as.
sociates, and appealed to men accustomed to
drink to consider the terrible responsibility
which they assume in Inviting others not
schooled in such habits to drink with them
He appealed to leaders OF society, TO men in
high social and other positions, to refrain from
rendering the social glass to visitors and friends
who might be led to destruction by the first
glass thus taken. The power of example can
not be Over-estimated, for by it many are led
to higher life or plunged into the gulf of VICE.
Especially should men in such positions as
make their example more potent, remember
the fearful responsibility imposed upon them.
Encouraging as have been tie temperance
reform movements which are rescuing SO many
victims of appetite from their downward ca.
reer, yet, said the Governor it should be borne
in mind that prevention, the education of the
young into right principles and correct habits,
must ever remain the most successful direction
for temperance efforts This idea he developed
at some length, illustrating the point by anec-
dotes and reference to personal experience.
In closing, he referred to the temperance re-
form as one that will ever call for earnest
workers, just as the cause of Christ will. There
must be no abatement in such life work, and
the progress which has been made during the
past forty years ought TO encourage renewed
efforts and inspire US with new faith.
At the conclusion of the Governors address
Mrs. Clark of New York was called upon to
sing a solo, and kindly responded. Her strong,
clear, sweet voice, and exact phrasing were
great delight to her audience. The meeting
was then brought to close with the benedic-
ton.
The opening meeting was large and success
full beyond expectation, and the deepest enthu-
siasm prevailed. The reform clubs of Maine
and Massachusetts were literally represented,
and there were present many visitors from the
West, Among the arrivals yesterday were Mrs.
Wittenmeyer of Pennsylvania, Miss Mary
johnson of New York, Mrs. c. V. Crossman.
of Bangor, B. r. Jewell of Boston, H. w
Adams of Brooklyn, Hon. c. W. Stetson of
Damarscotta, DR.. Brickett of Augusta, DIR.
Reynolds of Bangor, and j. X. Osgood of Gar