The Portland daily press., 1877-12-10
TEN PERANCE.
The Meeting at City Hall East Evening"
Speech OF Hon. Lot M. Morrill,.

half an hour before the appointed time fol
the opening of the exercises last evening, City
Hall was filled to overfowDg The services
were opened by singing from Gospel Hymns,
followed by prayer Mayor Butler then took
the chair with some very interesting remarks
relative to the subject under consideration.
Hon. Lot M. Morrill, then addressed the assem-
bly,, prefaciug his remarks by saying that a
/ severe cold prevented him from beiog very
lengthy. He said:
| I have hestated, ladies and gentlemen, in
making my appearance here tonight, because,
contrary to my desires, happen to be subject
10 a severe indisposition. | see splendid aud
fence before me, and L say it is good thing to
| be here. L hail ii ss a good omen. No such
audience as this can ids be gathered here
| You may rely upon it, there is sentiment, a
| principle, purpose that brings you here to-
night, You have not come out to see iced
| shaken in the wind. Now what is the infer
| ence to BIS drawnsfrom such an audience as this
| gathered together ia this beautiful city under
| these circumstances, not ia the face of aoy
| great public calamity, not under circumstances
when some great question is to be decided and
| is moving the public heart and conscience
Seeing such an audience as this SO intelligent,
what is to be presumed? Well, precisely what
is the fact and that is that the American peo-
people have come to know something about
temperance, and believe something in it, aud
to view the facts perhaps in regard to it. That
Is what brings ycu here, tnat is what is carry
ing this great cause over tbe land everywhere.
That principle which went into the Maine
law something less than half century ago,
more than quarter, is making its Way over
the lano, entering INTO the statutes OF tie
country every wbere-the sentiment, convic-
tons and principles of the American people,
The taow grouGd of temperance has already
been broken. Now you want to infuse the sem
timent into the American people Temperance
leeds TO b. defined There is great deal in
defining things There is great deal 10 max
lug things specific and certain, SO that you are
sure you know what it is. We hear it some
times stated that temperance is well enough,
very good thing. 1t is a higher thing altogeth-
en-. 1t is not only good thing, but an essen
tial III the economy of the universe. Temper
ance is moderation in all things. 1t is in all
respects divine. 1t is one of the great elemental
forces OF the universe, let me tell you. The
man who does not moderate his life by the
laws OF temperance, is in Infinite peril every
day. You are all Christian as well as tenn
perance people, and being Christians you are
inevitably temperate.
Now let me see if little Incident of history
CdUUOt llluSLrdub WudG l. m66U tO say ABOUT
temperance. Let us go back say 1900 years
and get an Incident The great apostle to the
Gentlles preaching to the heather the Christ
aud Hin crucifed, was asked the meaning of
the new dspensaton Of God to man He was
arraigned by Herod. By the Jews he was de-
rfounced as a pestilent fellow for bis doctrines.
He was accused before Felix and Felix sent
for him and said he would hear him upon the
question concerning Christ, whom he was
preaching. The good book says that Paul
~ IL
about? He had asked him TO tell concerning
Christ and Paul undertook to reason with
Felix, and he reasoned of Righteousness, tenn
perance and judgment-these three and these
three oDly-and be reasoned upon these as the
sum and substance of the new dlspensation.
You will perceive in the category of essentials
of religion the secoud is temperance, therefore
It is part ofsthe plan of religious as well as
moral dufy.
What was the effect of that reasoning upon
Felix? That was new doctrine that temper
ance was divine; that it was so related to man.
kind that without it there could be no Chris
tiauity. Well it is said that he trembed.
What did he tremble about? Paul was under
arrest, was prisoner, what was there fnghtfnl
about it? He was in no physical danger. As
be heard the explanation as it came
from the bnrning lips of Paul preaching
of righteousness, temperance and judgment TO
come he could see plainly enough that temper
ance, moderation, was duty whieh Paul
urOuSut up u HIS ulDu, LIE Uuly Ol every man
llving-that is, TO govern his passions. He
who violated this law of his being, of his maxi
er, he, indeed had reason to trembe. think
from what | see tonight that the people OF
Portland are becoming to believe that temper
ance is as essential to religious as well as TO
moral duty. All persons are nominally tenn
perate. Every, man, woman or child gathered
here will assent that temperance is a good
thing. have tried to push it one step further
and say that it is divine thing.
There is one other subject of which / would
have been glad to have spoken-not the only
one-in regard to the controversy 10 the world
as to methods. My friend says temperance is
a very good thing, am in favor of it, but not
the method used, the method do not believe
in. The first thing is to convince the people OF
what is right, what ought to be done.
Society goes forward comm AIDING what is
right, prohibiting what is wrong, that is the
Office of the law. 1t has been determined in
this country by popular judgment, by physi-
claDs, by medical science, that liquor taken
toto the stomach of healthy man is in every
instance injurious.
Now, my friends, it divides into two great
propositions and only two The first consider
IS trabe only at the forum of conscience; that
ls to say whether man shall drink alcoholic
liquors or not is question to be determined
only by himself. AS he knows the tendency
of it; as he knows bis obligation to the Creator,
to the Nation, the obligation to live in harmo
ny with the law of temperance which is in
uarmouy Win Ine law OF MS De1ng, tDen the
only thing we can do is to refer him to the
judgment of Paul. The pulpit, the Sabbath
school, the platform, the press, the college. the
bone fireslde, all moral and religious forces
can be brought to bear upon him. These are
the projections thrown around all men SO uh-
fortunate. But when we come TO the question
OF those men who deal in ardent spirlls
for gain l have no compassion for them.
When you come to that, the law with its
penalties, the law with its memorable demands
70 the only rule for that l have 30 doubt but
that the public sense and Judgment are coming
rapidly TO that opinion. am glad to see the
young people, the lads, the girls, all interested
in this matter. Brought into connection with
this subject, as they grow up it will grow with
them and they whit.
And now, my friends, with these few desul-
tory remarks, thanking you for your attention,
and trusting that ar some future time when |
have better voice and strength shall meet you
again, wish you all a very good night.
After Mr.. Morrill, had concluded his speech
a collection was taken for the benefit OF the
cause and another selection from Gospel
hymns was sung. Mr.. Eaton of Cape Eliza
beth then spoke very eloquently and ably and
was listened to with close attention. The SER
vices were concluded by Hon. Neal Dow, who
addressed the audience in few well chosen