The Portland daily press., 1879-07-17
ga Methodist Rum Convention.

To the Editor Of the Press:
Our worthy Governor has unwittingly done
the temperance cause a great favor. For a
number of years Maine has been in the eyes of
all temperance workers the cold-water Mecca.
Friendly and jealous eyes alike have closely
watched every onward step. remember while
engaged in temperance work in neighboring
State, being informed by persons who claimed
to speak from personal knowledge, that prohi-
bition was failure, because in Maine CHARS
were open, liquor ran free as water, and the
cause of temperance was retarded by legal en-
actments in its behalf" thought it strange
at the time and have not seen any reason yet
to change my mind, why liquor sellers and
drinkers who are not supposed to be remarka-
bly, interested in the spread of temperance are
so bitterly opposed to prohibition. The re-
markable interview which has immortalized
our accidental Governor, is one of the most
noteworthy temperance documents of this gen.
Grafton. Its startling statements have been
copied far and wide by the secular press; liquor
conventions and addresses quote from it liber-
ally. Thousands now are saying: 81 told you
so; l knew prohibition was a failure; the Gov
ernor of Maine says so.'
Temperance papers, conventions and speak
ers will direct attention to the facts now, in
self-defence, and the lie will be stamped out of
sight. 1t is true it is rather delicate matter
to impeach the intelligence and veracity of
gentleman occupying so high position, but
truth is merciless Already the seed is bring
ing forth fruit. Many articles have been writ
ten stating what none but the blind in Maine
can fail to see, that prohibition of liquor sell
ing is no more failure than prohibition of
stealing or murder. In your paper of July 14th
l noticed short communication signed N. D.
which comparing the present temperance SEN
timent of the State with that of the past, said:
AT a recent temperance convention good
old Deacon Stickney gave some of his recollec-
tions. He said in the old rum time he was at
Methodist convention, large one, upon that
same ground. He thought every family pres
ent had jug OF rum among their provisions"
Without knowing anything of the facts l
venture to say the good Deacon was mistaken.
1t is one of the things our Church congratu-
lateS itself most upon, that from its very origin
1t was total abstinence society. Without
seeking to draw any invidious COMPARISONS, it
is no more than fair to say that when we were
small people and contemptuously regarded as
very peculiar sect, one OF our peculiarities
was standing squarely on a temperance plat
form. When you hear 'recollections' of drink.
ing at religious conventions, or ministerial tip
pling, assume neither can be credited to us and
invariably you will be right. In 1880, before
our Church was organized, the representatives
OF the few struggling societies assembled in
Conference resolved; 'To disapprove the prac-
tice of distilling grain into liquor and disown
all who would not renounce it,
In 1888 the Conference declared ''the manu.
tacture or sale or use of intoxicating liquors as
drains to be wrong in its nature and conse-
quence, and ordered its preachers to teach the
people to put away this evil.'' This was be-
fore the organization of the Church. Our
discipline has ever been very stringent in its
restrictions with regard to this evil 1t is inn
possible to imagine that in the face of this SEN
timent, legislation and rigid disciplinary re-
quirements there could be a Methodist conven-
ton held and every family rejoicing in the
possession of jug of rum among their provis-
ions.
1t is barely possible that the convention may
have been camp-meeting and the rum NAV
have been in the tents of the families which
hung the outskirts, then, as now, and by
no means part of the encampment, and for
whose deviltry the convention should not be
held responsible. Yours respectfully,
). BENSON HAMILTON.