The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-01
Ferry Village.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY QUARTERLY
CONVENTION OF REFORM CLUBS.
Second Days Proceedings

The proceedings of the second day of the
convention began at 8 o'clock yesterday by
praise meeting of an hour, led by the Rev.
John Allen.
AT 10 o'clock the Convention proceeded to
hold its regular session, Free from the law
was sung, and the Rev. John Allen repeated
selections from the Scripture and offered
prayer.
The attendance at the opening of the Con
vention was very good. fr
Mr.. George W. Murch moved that a COM
mittee of five on resolutions be appointed and
G. w. Murch of Portland, S. f. Libby of Gray,
Coleman Harding of Gorham, Thomas Curran
OF Ferry Village and r. H. Murphy of Port
land were appointed.
Reports from clubs were called for, and Mr..
Collins of Gray said that his club was in
fiourishing condition; meetings were well at
tended; six hundred names are on the list, but
this list would have to be reduced some
what The first member Of his club that he
had seen drunk was this morning in Portland.
Mr. Henry Foster of Dry Mills reported
tiourishing club; meetings we'll attended.
There are 200 ''iron-clads' and 600 regular
members.
G.. w. Murch reported for the Portland
club that there are 50 active members, and be-
tween eight and nine thousand names on the
general pledge. 1t has not been considered
best to hold public meetings and little has been
done.
Mr. Rolfe of East Raymond hoped that
every man who reported for his club would
tell the truth There are 105 names on the
''iron-clad' and ITO on the general pledge.
Mr.. Wentworth of Knightville reported
that for the past three years they have held
their meetings constantly. They have so
names on the "iron-clad' and between 600
and 700 on the general pledge.
M. A. r. Mitchell of Yarmouth said that his
club was formed by seventeen all hard
drinkers. The most discouraging circum-
stance with them is that the young men have
fallen back in too many cases. From the time
OF the holding of the Gray convention public
sentiment has done much to correct this; still
there are some 20 of the ''iron-clad" men who
are resolved to keep up the Friday meetings.
eve shall keep our club lights burning, and
SO long as our men can see that light there will
not be a single rum shop open. They know
what will become of them
Walter Southworth appeared for the Reform
Club and the Ladies' Aid Society of Naples
The ladies have raised $1GO. They have
bought their club building. The club have so
"iron-clad' and 100 general members.
7. G. Hutchins of Ferry Village reported for
his club, which has been formed two years:
The club has 100 'iron,clad" and 800 general
members. The club meetings were we'll at
tended till about a year ago. Since then the
attendance has fallen off. We have not been
with one accord in one place, we have ladies'
aid society at Ferry Village and they are do
ing all they can for the good cause.
care you coming home tonight was then
sung.
The President called on Campmeeting John
Allen to make his report as a delegate at
large. He counselled encouraging the clubs
to do their BEST even where it is felt that
there has been falling back. Members must
stand firm. Politicians are letting the cause
alone. They say 81 want to be elected to the
Legislature, and | must let these temperance
people Alone What cowardice. Why if I'm
not elected chaplain again for 500 years I'll
stick to the cause, I'm devoted to the Christian
work of which this is part.
Walter Southworth of Naples said that in
stead of the reform boys going to the churches
the churches go to them and say, "Come in
and help us, or we shant have any church,
Mr.. Allen said, eff the brother will allow
me remark, I will say that the Christian
church existed before you gentlemen were
born" Oaughter.)
S. III. Mayberry OF Saccarappa reported
there had been division in his club. 1t had
been said that there must be "holiness in the
club and the club was reduced to eight mem
bers ON account of its being insisted that the
members should take the Lord for leader.
Saccarappa is worse than Portland as far as
rum is concerned. 1t is everywhere. At pres
ent we have % on the ''iron-cad", and $50 on
the general pledge. Club flourishing.
Colonel Harding OF GOrham believed that
man ought to be iron-clad or nothing. Cor
ham is free from rum. There are three clubs
in the town and 211 on the ''iron-clad" pledge.
"Wil he find us waiting?" was then sung.
Mr.. w. I'll. Files of Saccarappa, Mr.. John
Edmunds of Gorham and Mr.. Samuel Wood
side of Knightvile made brief remarks. i'''
blessed river" was then sung.
Mr.. Samuel Woodside of Knightville was
resolved to talk temperance, live temperance,
and hoped finally to meet all in heaven.
Mr.. Hodsdon of West Poland said the re-
form movement had done something in
West Poland. Baptist church which had
been reduced from 200 members to has been
revived and made good and lively.
Mr.. A. w. Aver of Knightville was called
on by Mr.. Woodside and responded in an
able address. There is q standing army of
100000 of drunkards, and of that vast crowd
ten per cent. fall yearly. In the 800 liquor
shops of Portlund recruiting is today going on,
and while this is so, can the temperance Ques-
ton ever grow old? Crime is caused to the
extent of at least two-thirds by intoxication
and if this is so can it be said that the temper
ance question can ever grow old?
The Rev. Mr.. Freeman of Kennebunkport
was invited to speak, but declined ON account
of illness.
Mr.. McVay of Portland moved that the
| speakers be restricted to 10 minutes each. Car
| ried.
| Mr.. G. ID. Starbird of Portland made an
| earnest speech, advocating the putting down of
the sale of Intoxicating liquors wherever
| found.
| F. G. Rich, Esq, of the Living Issue asked
| if temperance men appreciated the importance
| of the work Some give their whole time to
| the building of their own order, and are apt to
| underestimate the influences at work outside
| helping to carry ON the cause to its final and
| eliminating triumph. The speaker thought
| that in Portland there is an increase of rum
| selling, and even in Cape Elizabeth open bars
| can be found, and this ought to give us renew
| ed zeal. We ought to get mad sometimes and
| make it hot for the rum-SellerS. (Applause)
| Let us go back to the clubs and go to work. Let
| us not be afraid to carry the Maine Law into
| our clubs. 1t is a burning disgrace that a rum
| seller dares to carry on his business, and it
| must stop. (Applause.) know that it is the
| mighty arm of the law that saves me. 1t is
| our duty to stand by the prohibitory law and
see that it is enforced. We must see that the
| law is so strengthened that it will reach the
club room; (Applause)
| Mr.. l.. w. A. johnson of Portland urged
drinking and in furnishing the seller.
Mr.. r. A. Wentworth said that Mr.. Jewell,
| q reformed man and reformed rum-seller of
| Gorham, n. H., was present and would speak,
| Mr.. Jewell said that if man when he was 40
| years old had told him that liquor would beat
| him he should have thought that he knew
| more about his business that he did himself.
| He was savedby lecture delivered by Mr..
| Pearson. the evangelist. No man who drinks
| ever tells his wife truthfully where he has
been. Haughter.) The speaker is not a pray
| ing man. but is working to make men So He
| is president of the Gorham Reform Club of
| 1900 active members, and has cleaned out the
| gin mills there. There has been more rum
| sold and drunk in GorEam for six smonths past
| than for thirty years previous. The temper
ance cause will triumph in the end if for no
| other reasen than because the ladies were en-
listed in the cause, and, as he told Senator
| Hamln in 1860, cause which has the ladies
on its side will triumph in the end
| The convention adjourned at II o'clock to
| meet at half past one o'clock.
| Dinner served nv the ladies of the Ferry