Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-24
Mas. state Temperance Convention.

ioi, pui uob' NtTf Tt3ul 10 Ttpoft
Mr.. Jacob made some remarks, in which he
strongly advocated the cause of Temperance and did
not believe In ministers churches who took no in
terest in the question.
Rev :. L. Smith then addressed the meeting He
believed In and wns thoroughly Identified with the
cause OF temperance. lie thought more deinitcnes
on the question should come from the pulpits This
was the first mass convention he had ever attended,
and was much pleased thus far.
Prof Harper of Pennington, was interested In the
Reform clubs. He thought the reform work had
especial need of leadership. He thought the field of
labor in reform better than It is to-day.
Mr.. Jacob then read the following address of the
kenncbcc Valley Temperance Association to the
churches of the United States. II WAS endorsed by
the convention:
To the sererdi Christian Churches Of he United
States (irrespeCffre Of deh0miHdfiOnJ Greeting:
BrethreH:- The various annual church conferences
of the state of Maine having from to year. pass
ed strong resolutions In favor of total abstinence
the circulation and influence of these views has, of
necessity, been local rather than national. We de
sire to address you in regard TO topic second in i'm
portance 10 no other at this time to the welfare of
the Christian church.
1t was AN axiom of Dcmosthcncs, that every address
must be based ON an incontroN crtbe truth Gods
word declares with eloquent power (Ez,k. xxx ND
"If the Waterman see the sword come, and blow not
'the trumpet, and the people be- not warned, If the
"sw ord come aud take any person from among them
she is taken away in his niquity, his ttood. rM IRE
"qaire at tie UdtchmdH's hdndr'
The church of Christ Is 'per Sc Gods Waterman
Around Us We see the curse of intemperance
sweeping GO,UD souls annually 10 II drunkards doom
Their ranks to be replenished from IA standing army
oil half million inrbfiatcs land. Around
US, the walls of countless widows and orphans, of
liear broken wives and wreichcd, trembling little
ones, are piercing heaven with cries, less for ven
gence than for protection and deiy GRANGE from that
curse of earihs curses which has robbed their desc
late home of parent brother child. furnished their
name and left them n boundess legacy of misery
poverty aud woe. Waichmen, does our cry resound
from hilltop and valley Does the house of God re-
sound it'll cries of warning? Does your pulpit give
uttcfance to thunder tones of alarm God has said
their blood will require at your hand. Alas, the
rum tend lays lis hand too often ON him who stands
before the fock ms an ambassador for Christ. Bing
hamptOns list of fallen pastors is "a counterpart ofthe
record Of every incbriate asylum in the land! The
fall of many of her ministers has aroused England
Her archbshops are both presidents of her newly
Ranizcl "thnrch Of England Temperance Society"
which Is shaking the church aud nation. The appa
ing statement of Newman Hall that "3O. OO0 members
~ The fhurch of EHgittHd' yearly ill drunkards
graves, sounded timely alarm. scotland l. aroused
ON sunday Dec. Is. ISIS, the Free Church of scotland
ordered every minister to preach sermon leveled
the of drink. The undaunted John Bright has
addressed the ministry Of the Presbyterian church Of
scotland, warning them If they would stay the moral
ruin of scotland to "banish the spirits from their
cupboards and put the Spirit into their sermons"
The ~achnen of Europe are arousing to the fact
that "1he bio0ti ~ the d,unkdrd TH be required
at the direlict UdfrhmitH's hdHd."
Immense effort has been put forth by the churches
of Maine. Tod has blessed our word and work: our
pupiis and hocks ARE To great extent clear of the
curse hundreds of our ministers from the pulpit and
platform are battling noblv the foe BY word deed
boldly denouncing the traffic and pleading with and
for the incbriue. Throughout our land thous sands
once our sabbath Schnol Scholars are inmates of our
jail In the Leeds eng Jail ls0 Of the 223 inmates
hal been sabbath School scholars and &c Sabbath
School teachers.
Ministers of the Gospel of Christ, blow We the
trumpet the the hearts of the children and the
Young point them to the keeping power oft Redeemer
for safety Impress upon their hearts the Lords thrill
ing warnings against the foe Of our race, that bites
serpent and sting ~ an adder. John Bright
Statesman and philanthropist and the late Albert
Barnes as minister of Christ, both utter the same
truth The churci-of Christ can and must move, a.
Gods appointed means. The Mass. State Alliance
tot. elr h,... tl.,r
cited and compromised by the patrons of dram shops
sin their own membership. and wine drinking pro
fessors who wink n the traffic AMI puraly the right
farm of the church,
True hearted members of the church, TO YOU we
appeal Arouse and in the name of the Lord arouse
vigorously. and manfully and praverfullv, to Roll
away the reproach from the fair heritage ofthe Lord"
The latent and reserved POKER of the church today i
tremendous, infinitely greater than its exerted pow
er With membership of over II millions, and
ministry Of $1,000, but half its aggregate pow.
exerted in good earnest, the foe that bights
the cause of religion robs heaven of souls, acerates
human hearts, the foe of foes, the of curses,
must fall In 1885,. Father 1heobad Matthew blew
the trumpet The church rallied round him; 10000
joined the ranks, and in 1910 the of aggravated
crime in Ireland were l73, against la,0e6 under the
rum sway of 1857.
God has blessed church effort to rid churches of the
curse. One christian denomination today in our
land of d 900 members has dealer manufacturer
on its church book aud its membership almost uni.
versay arraved on the side Of total abstinence In
the name Of the Lord we entreat you, brethren,
alarmed by the above dread facts, and cheered by
Gods promise to lead his hosts to victory. We would
appeal to YOU, shall We remain silent and inert
longer. God aud humanity answer No, Blow then the
trumpet, sound the alarm To pastors and members
alike in the churches the STERN aw full and unchan
word of Jehovah Is "TIIElR BLOOD WILL. REQUIRE
At TIE W TtHMASs HAND"
A. the father OF Hannibal made him swear eter-
nal enmtv to Rome. teach the children of our land
to eternal enmity to the abhorren of drink
Brethren, there are churches in the land which
the liquor dealers revenue and patronage do much
TO support whose ministers lips are silenced by the
fact. God grant your church may not be of the num-
Der. The Priests spurned at the hand of the
traitor Judas the ..prce ofbood :" the lauor dealers,
revenue which he proers to the Temple to-day is as
reriIg he pri = Of biood as the Offering of Iscarot
Rather let the church crumbe to DUST and the pas
tors voice be sienced forever, than appropriate the
profits of Saan's Kingdom 10 upbuild the Lords
Zion. Light has no union with darkness, God no
concord with Belial.
Blow We the trumpet to alarm the sinking and
tempted Waterman The "Sword" has come, and Is
still descending on our most gifted ministers. our
Senator'S our men Of lofty genius. The tempter
and shrill to alarm these. Sound II in the lowy cot
also the toll worn and weary need the alarm Sound
il in the sanctuary The late DIR. Guthrie tells us,
"Ten clergymen with whom have sat down to the
Lords table, have fallen through drink" Sound ii,
met seventeen clergymen who had been suspended
through drink" Sound the trumpet in New Eng
land in one Of our license law States four ministers
of of our large cities almost simultaneously
the victims of delirium tremens. Sound the alarm
from the Senate chamber Of our Capitol to
the lowest den of infalny. Let the trumpet give no
thema, mo drnHkard can inherit the Kingdom OF
cod" Hold up to the perishing the one sure and
only refuge, Christ Jesus, the sinners ptying Friend
and Savior. To the church paramount belongs the
mission of the redemption of the world
Mr.. Randnll said that he had listened to the ad.
dress with much interest, but he had detected AN eX.
preston that he did not like. The paper referred
the 'drunken Senate of the United States" and he
did not believe II was right statement. Some of
the most noble of the country In the Senate.
He thought the words should be changed.
Rev. Mr.. Lel.acheur said II might be well to amend
by saving 1.-THE drunkards In the senate"
Mr.. Jacob said that every one remembered the
drunken revelry. and the place then called the
drunken Senate chamber"
Mr. Dunn thought it would be well To strike out
the word drunken" which amendment agreed
to.
Dr. Warren said there were two verbal errors in
the address which corrected, and the paper
than accepted bv the convention.
The following constitution was read by Rev. Mr..
LeI.acheur, and accepted
ART. !. This Society shall be called the Maine
State Temperance Society.
ART. .. Its officers shall he President, one Vice
President from each county In the state, Secretary.
Treasurer, and Executive Committee, composed of the
President Secretary aud Treasurer ocio and one
from each Congressional Representative District,
who shall be elected annually.
ART. III. Its regular session shall be held annu-
ally at the state Capital, and during the session of
the Legislature
ART. ". The Executive Committee shall have
full control of the business and affairs of the Society
Inc l.ny af tut. hall .iuyit