Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-07

bers had remained firm. III ed SUNDAY meetings.
which are well attended, aud the club Is stead ly
pressing on to cs conquests. Within the past
four months had added forty four to the general
pledge and eleven to the Ton-ciad
Mr.. Foye reported that The Gpiham club was
orgatiacd on the % Of December, aud now had
upwards Of one hundred m, mhers When they
commenced operations there were one cider ana
one beer shop in town; it bad been too hot for
them, and the, had left. The Ladies AID So
ciciy had been great help With the ASSISTANCE
Of the ladies and Of & 3D. they hop ID to III ,mph.
Mr.. SAWYER of the Wi low Vale club West Gar.
diner. leporei 300 names on their pledge. A -
had Ladies Aid, who ale aboring for Temperance
aud every other good cause. Tney had found ont
that run i tuiuous 10 every respect. aud ma
had s'gued the pledge. Me- tings are held Friday
evening", aud are well attended. We intend TO
go ion ward aid triumph by the grace of God.
Mr.. Cone of Bowdoinham, said the club had
beef 'rgat lied two years. They had met " TIA
adversely, but are now IN a most healthy coudl-
lion. Had bet Veen one hunltcd and two hundred
connected with the organization. Had one Of the
best Ladies Ala societies in New England No
liquor is sold IN town, even the Iquor agency is
abolished, aud people are surprised to see how lit
tie need they have for medicine Of that kind
They had been aill cted with men who came up
from Bath, With chests of rum, afterwards trans
feued to their pockets and then peddled out to
woIkmen on the ice and Others. Two have been
detected IN this nctariOus work, and are now
looking out from behind gates in the Wi-ca set
jail. The churches JOIN IN the public temperance
meetings, and the best citizens of the place join 10
the good work Of reform. Have an excellent hall,
but do not provide smoke AOuse for the mem
bers. There was not property enough to pay for
the grog that had been drank ia town; but no
liquor could he found IN town now, except that
which had ciept IN claLdestulv.
Mr.. Robinson of Lichfeld, spoke for the
Pleasant Pond club Organized year ago last
su inner, bat had been considerably run down by
several members Of the club going to Gardiner,
and falling there, being temp ed above that they
able to bear. But they had recupefsled,
and were now GU the mending hand, with 81
members. There are SIX clubs IN Litchheld, and
they manage to "cover the ground" He was
down on rum,elieIs thu are among the reformed
men like ioXts ia a flock OF turkeys.
Up to this tim, nearly II 900 iun-cl id iets had
been heard from, through the officer. of the va
rous cuns, aud ''the half had MT been told !"
after which the meeting adjourned until evening
EVENING.
prayer meeting, holding for an hour previous
10 the assembling of the convention pr PER, at
o'clock, va, led by j. X. O.good. There were
la'ge number of prayers and eXhcrtstious, in
tcr-persed wi h singing.
Al IA little past seven, the President, W.
Damn. called to order. There was singing by the
Choir. after which the Divine blessing va, IN
vokcd bv Rev. c. c. Cole OF b wdoinham. The
hall was filled ami the utmost entbus a-m was
manifested throughout the meeting etter was
received from EN-Gov D'ugley. rcgtetiug his ~
ability to be present, aud defining the position Of
the Alliance.
The address of welcome, in behalf of The Au-
gu,ta club, was IA ,de 10y j. >. Hobb.. E-q In
the name of the club lie welcomed his brother
reformer, to the goody city. Oul hearts and
our homes are opeu 10 YOU, and W. tiust that the
convention may be profitable to you and to
lie welcomed them f. the 9rea, amy of Reform
ers who ATE doing - much to rid the world of the
CURSE of rum He would recognize th, cause
the uBhIest tn AT a the attention uf IN Al
having IN II more of religion and morality than
any other cause. Tri, Is a glorious work IN
which we can see tokens of gratitude on
every hand, coming 10 from every
direction. All these tokens give Us joy. He
counted i an honor to be welcomed into the sf
feCtionate confidence of these to whom M had
pa; on taifer obes aud new Incentives Cad are
We TO see tins happy day-"lhe morning hight i
breaking, the darkness disappears, "-aui the
fact is being ACKNOWLEDGED that this the greatest
question thar can euli,t the attention of our
people. He referred to the druggists bill, "a an
attempt to SIT back the cause Of intemperance,
and he would say to the ladies who had sigued
the remon.trances Good bless YOU vonr IN
stncts ale right" He rejoiced in the onward
progress Of the cause, and asked his brothers to
press forward and take courage.
The chairman, Mr.. Dunn responded in behalf
OF the convention He glad Of the treatment
received at the hands Of the people Of the city.
People had been surprised al the large meetiug>
of the Ref rm clubs, and that 20 many would
gather together to hear the old story OF temper
snce. But when we consider the magnitude of
the evil, then there IS occasion Tor earnest effort
We DO not begin to appreciate the enormity ot the
crime and to put it down i the peoples work,
who should unite aud frown down this terrible
evil Let it be known that rum sympathizers and
drinkers are the real enemies of society He again
thanked the people for their cordial welcome He
invoked sympathy and help Tor the Augusta club.
j. X. O-good OF Gardiner, was then introduced
a. the ia her of Reform Clubs. He was glad to
the peace and Joy besmng in the faces of his
brother rrfolmer-. He referred te the time when
he signed the pledge IN 1872, and persons had
predicted that he would fall. But thank God, he
had remained true to his pledge, and the reform
movement goes The rum power Is in it,
death Struggle. tie referred to those voting in
the legislature for The druggists bill belonging
to the family of the devil He presented resolves
endorsing the work Of Francis Murphy, aud wish
ing him od-speed. The resolutions were refer
red to the committee that subject.
A. X Z. Butlum OF Gardiner SAID he never felt
better IN his lic; he loved the work, and has rea-
son to- and so had all retOrmers. The idea of
making a man out of lost mao, i indeed noble
wo k. lie urged his b. Others to fight until the
dev il was dead. ftc didn't want the brethren to
be divided, but to have the utmost freedom. He
closed b, tcllin. vulgar story, which apparently
pleased the audience.
a. c. Od-. E.q.. of Winthrop, said he
earne stly engaged IN the cause. The field i
b. Dad one I'D one hardly knows where to CON.
mencc or leave of in the d. cussion of the question.
When this great reform movement started tic
motto was "chalily toward All and malice for
none" We ould stick to our text. We may
denounre IN terms the traffic in rumselling,
hut should not deuounce the rnmsel-
Ter. Having sQuarelv defeated the druggists bill
WHY pursue those who Jaw fit to differ from us
Let us exercise towards them the highest charity.
He thought the plan of denouucing ministers and
churches Il bad one. Our strongest AID broadest
woIk can he done upon the original platform.
Josiah Emery of Pennington, saia he had felt
the iron Of intemperance in his own soul. He he
gan tc diink IN Augusta, more than 81 years ago,
and since then had passed through sorrowful ex
peiiepce but within the pat two years his soul
had caught the inspiration of the work, and now
felt tina he redeemed man. lie glad
of the hles sed helps that were thrown around him.
Mr. Wilmington of Buckfied had come down
here to talk over the cause of total abstinence.
He was glad Of the grand reception accorded. We
disciples in this work. and go about eyhoiting
people to repent. He had kept the pledge to the
letter; thought he would have broke it had he
signed the duggl,ts' bill. His boys had signed
the pledge with him, and he was proud of them.
Let us educate our people up to the point of not
drinking.
Mr. Written of Pttsfeld, said that four year,
ago a reform club was organized n his place 1t
languished and ii ally died bnt through prayer
and earnest efforts, he had mtintained the iron
clad pledge. Through the efforts of Frank Ken
rick club was formed which thrives and
grows had th.- s,ipoort Of he ladies