The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-22
Temperance Reform.
County Stirred up-Thirteen Reform
Clubs i'm Council, etc., etc,
SKowuEcAN Anril % l97

SKQWHEGAN, April ~, 1876.
A notice appeared in the Reporter last week
stating that the club room Of the Reform Club
would be dedicated Thursday, the Goth, and an
invitation was extended to the clubs in the vi
cinity to join in the exercises.
The interest in the reform movement has as
sumed such proportions in Somerset county
that before the day arrived the boys found that
large numbers of their friends and brothers
were coming to join in their Fast Day meet
ings. The services of dedication were there
fore observed Wednesday evening, and today
given up entirely to the "grand rally" of the
clubs at Coburn Hall. The Ladies Aid Society
who have already done SO much to help on the
work, took a strong hold in the preparations of
the day, and made plans to provide all visiting
clubs with meals at the hail.
The day was pleasant, and when the special
train arrived from Watervlle large crowd
had gathered at the station to meet the friends
who came from Waterville, Fairfield West
Watervlle and Somerset Mills This train,
with the regular trains, brought over four hum
dred people to participate in the days rejoicing
over the great reformation. Thirteen reform
clubs, all but two from Somerset county, were
represented, viz Skowhegan, Fairfield, Water
vile, West Watervlle Somerset Mills, Bing-
ham, Athens, Scion, Pttsfeld, Norridgewock,
Hartland, Smithfeld, North Arson.
AT the hour for the morning session fifteen
hundred people were gathered in Coburn Hall,
to hear the heartfelt expressions of the boys
who have during the past winter thrown off
the shackles of their own appetite.
President Webb of Skowhegan, presided
throughout the day. The address of welcome
was by DR.. M. d. johnson of Skowhegan, and
after that the morning session was taken up
by short speeches by the Presidents of the diff
ferent clubs.
The afternoon session found an audience as
large as in the morning, and the interest in
creasing. The hours of this meeting were TAX
en- up by twenty-five speakers from all parts of
the county. We cannot, for want of space,
particularize, neither can we give the names of
all those who by their heartfelt expressions of
sincerity and honesty of devotion to this noble
reform, won the hearts and called forth earnest
applause from the audience. Every speaker by
his manner carried home to the hearts of the
listener the conviction that he was in earnest
in this move-that his heart was pledged to it.
We all felt, as we listened, that they, in put
ting their names to the iron-clad pledge did so
with the conviction of need OF higher power
to help them, and this feeling of dependence
upon God for strength was manifest in the re-
marks of all. This is felt to be the reason why
such success is attending their labors
The evening session gave evidence of an in.
terest still increasing, and tho speeches were all
of the same experiences, and gave evidaHce of
the same determination as those of the day. A
bountiful dinner and supper was furnished to
all members and their ladies by the people of
Skowhegan. To the noble women of this
thriving village belongs the success of the great
meeting.
The original poem, written and read by DR..
T. L. Bradford of Skowhegan, at the dedca-
ton Of the hall was by urgent request, read by
the Doctor at the opening of the evening ses-
sion. We hope to see it in print, and so give
no extracts from it.
At the close of the evening session the hall
was cleared and an hour spent in a social man
ner. The singing of the odes and hymns by
the audience, and the quartettes given by the
Skowhegan singers very materially added to
to make especial mention of the songs by
Mrs. DR.. Haynes. In the old and familiar
song,
"Father, dear father, come home with me now,'
known probably to all the audience. new beau
ties were seen, as she sang with so much ex-
preston and feeling.
The result of the days meetings no one can
calculate; the influence of this coming together
no one can measure. 1t can but be productive
of great good to all who attended. God speed
the noble work in Somerset county and through
out our state We believe it to be the true spir-
it of reform that will win men from the paths
of sin and degradation to paths of sobriety and
honesty, Of truth and peace. The hearts and
hands of all lovers of good society should be
open to help on this work; for upon its triumph
rests our success as people. If the spirit
manifested thus far in our county can be kept
in the foreground, we believe that the coming
years will bring greater degree of prosperity
to our people than we have ever enjoyed.