Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-05-20

enter balHtu bl HIS recovery.
Rcporl of the Temperance League.
After an interval oftwo weeks, the meet
ing OF the League was again held at Han
cock Hall on Monday evening. The hail
was well filed and the audience evinces
much interest in the proceedings. The
meeting was opened by prayer by Rev.
Mr.. Lyon.
Pres. JOY said that it had been just six
months since the League had organized,
and held their first meeting. At that time
according 10 the report of the Attorney
General of the State, the record OF Han
cock county in regard to liquor selling.
was as bad as that of any other county in
the State: and Ellsworth was selling the
most of it, and was supplying the majority
of the towns in the county. Now the con
trast was pleasing. Ellsworth i. really in
the front rank OF the Temperance army
and Is eXerting all of her influence for the
good OF the cause. lie thought that we
should still be vigilant in watching that no
liquor came into the city.
Rev. M. Garretson spoke of the pledge
and of the various reasons for, and against
signing ii. aud made some very interesting
remarks in this direction. He cited the
different arguments brought forward
against signing, and showed the fallacy Of
such reasoning in a very able and lucid
manner. No man goes through business
lite without signing some written pledge,
almost daily, and no pledge is more nee
essary than that which binds man TO alb
stain from the use Of intoxicating liquors.
Fathers otter put of their own reforma.
ton until they find their sons TO be wrecks
and then they will sign this pledge. and
plant their feet on the rock of Temperance !;
but then il Is too late to save the boys. 1t
is.like the rope with which the Alpine
tourists are wont TO fasten themselves to-
gether, in ascending the mountains. If
the rope breaks, one or two above the
break may be saved, but none below.
There are many who profess to be Tenn
perance men, but who do not identify
themselves with the movement. You can
not be neutral. In movements like this,
the line is drawn, and you must be OH one
side or the other, either for rum, or against
it. Those who are not for US. the rumsel-
lers who have been forced to quit. and
who will commence again at the first oppor-
tunity,) claim as their friends. and applaud
every word they say. He closed by relat-
ing the following incident in the life of
Christmas Evans, the Temperance lecturer.
/ Mr.. Evans was in a certain city lectu-ing,
and one man there, he desired to reach if
| possible, and persuade him to sign the
! pledge, and so related an anecdote, BY
which it seemed, that Satan not much
alarmed at the foundation of missionary
and Bible Societies while liquor could be
had in abundance, was very much grieyed
when many Teetotal Societies were FORM
ed. but he had one solace, and that was.
that many prominent public men were not
taking this pledge and so were really lead
ing his forces.
Mr.. Mcdonald then read the pledges
and asked for signers.
Rev. Mr.. Lyon said that one leading ar.
gument made against Temperance men.
was that they were fanatics and bigots.
and perhaps W. may learn something
from the criticisms of the enemy. The
aim of this movement was to diminish, and
if possible, TO abolish the sale of liquor ia
this city, and he saw no signs of fanati-
cism in that. We intend to use two meth
DDS in accomplishing this result. The frs,
is to do it legally. We have strict pro-
hibitory law on our statue books. and we
demand its enforcement. Ii should not be
mere mockery. If 1t is right. let Us enforce
il. and if not. let us test it, and find out for
ourselves. Ii Dot enforced it causes a gen
eral disregard of all laws. and then there
is no security in any community. The Sec
ond method was moral suasion, by a direct
appeal to every Individual heart and con.
science. We claim that every man should
sign the pledge, or make VOW of Tota
Abstinence because it is right. Alcoho
might at some times be of some benefit, bul
when he thought OF it there were two sides
presented to him. On the one. was a little
temporary tickling o! the palate. a little
artificial excitement. and on the other, wa.
the possible destruction OF all happiness in
this life, and the life to come. Is there any
ianaticism in the spirit in which this caus.
mas progressed ? 1t is natural in move.
ments like this. when people are terri bly,
IN earnest. that some harsh things should
have been said, but worse things by far
: have been said of us by our enemies than
We have said OF them. But he did not in.
= tend to excuse or defend these. We believe
: ourselves to be 10 the right, and we should
have for our motto, malice toward none
charity toward ALL Thus we can strike thi.
t terrible monster, which has been moving
3 through our city. All should work with III
for We propose to do, not to talk. We ash