Ellsworth American., 1878-06-20
Usie. Temperance Sueesiss.

The usual meeting was held =, Temperance
Hall. Sunday, June 18th. Prsyer was offered
| by Mr.. ID. q. Cook Of Preslue Isle.
The first speaker was VIM. ?. Joy no made
fowery speech, In which-if We understood
the speAker-he expressed himself a. pleased
that the temperance work had q beginning;
that VIC could read the history OF the work from
that ,ime to the present. and that IL sas alive
to-day; but what made him the more hopeful
WAS that this work had eliminated In = move.
meni which would eventually carry everything
before IL.
Mr.. J. c. Chco,i felt tbs; II Was fitting ,ha;
mention should be made OF him. who. during
the past week had! len his earthly home aad
friends. He who was an example for temper
Snce men and women, for those who had re-
| formed and those who were thinking Of better
| things, for those who were advanced In years,
but particularly for the young, for William
Cullen Bryaa, was = true man 10 every pariic-
ular. Mr.. Chiioo,t gave n brief sketch Of the
life OF the poet, and quoted from two OF his
poems, and closed by saying that Mr.. Bryant
had commeoced life with the determination TO
make the most Of himself mentally, physically
and morally. We could no, hope 10 be wha, be
he was physically, but each and every one
could be what he WAS moray,-a true man,
worthy the respect. admiration and imitation
OF every one. The speaker knew and cared
nothing for the religious views OF the poet, !,
was enough that be stroye TO imi, ate the Mas
ter, and went Abou, doing good"
Mr.. Cook told Of the Temperance work in
Aroostook County also spoke Of the change In
Ellsworth since be was resident Of the city.
Then the number Of inhabitants was much
smaller. but the amount Of drinking greater
than be saw IL now. The speaker felt that the
law had done much, but il was agitation that
had made 1t possible to iniorce the law.
Mr.. Oakes said 1t eemed needless to talk to
sensible people about this matter. for all know
that there Is but one way. Perhaps every man
will not sign the pledge and help in this work,
but there /. not one bu, wha, knows 1t is his
duty TO do this.
VIM. p. Joy spoke Of The remark which was
often made by men to the effect that II they had
not signed the pledge they shonld have become
drunkards and every man who has thought
upon the subject realizes the truth OF this re-
mark Many OF the best and strongest men 10
the Reform Club feel and acknowledge that
but for the pledge they should have drank,
aud when the pledge is broken the sup
port is gone. The spe aker was fast growing
10 think that the advance ment in this cause
which is spoken OF so often Is no advancement
at all, so long as there is rum-sellins allowed.
There is Il law the Sts,ute books which II
enforced would stop sll the rum-selling in the
state OF Maine in twenty minutes. II proper
attention was given to this law there would be
no need Of meeting Sunday ailer Sunday aud
week after week and the speaker thought that
the thing TO do was to talk OF. and consider this
question OF enforcing the law.
Mr.. Hamilton Joy knew that the law vas 3
help and = power to the temperance people.
but If these meetings should be given up, II We
should cease to agitste this question We should
find that he law would be enforced less and
less often. This is true, not only Of our city
but every place. 1t is these meetings, this talk
which make the people see and feel the neces-
sity Of the prohibitory law.
Mr.. Oskes felt thst there was no doubt but
what the law was q great help 20 the temper
Ance workers. II . seizure Is made during the
week, we see many more At the Sunday meet
ing than there would otherwise have been. but
this is but one Of the many ways In which II
aids the temperance people.
President Aiken urged all to remember the
meetings.
The meeting closed with singing.
G. X. P.