Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-03-10
WINE AND ITS EVILS.
hon. t. r. Sfmonton Of Maine Lectures
in Tremcnt Temple.

~"' H. n SAmOntOn OF Maine Lectures
in Trement Temple.
A most appreciative and cultivated audi
ence gathered at an early hour in fremont
Temple yesterday afternoon, it having been
advertised that the state senator from Maine,
Hon. T r. Simonton of Camden, would give
his lecture upon wine and its Evils" Mr..
Simonton is a thorough, stanch, reliable tenn
perance advocate. chairman of the committee
on temperance legislation in the Maine Leg
lslature, and hundreds who had heard of the
eloquent lawyer crowded the seats and aisles
until there was scarce standing room. The
music by the Park family was especially fine,
the accomplished LADY cOrnetist receiving a
hearty encore. "Our Native Land" BY Prof.
MITCHELL was happily appreciated. Rev. FIR.
Allen conducted the devotional exercises.
and Chairman Roberts prefaced the address
by an eloquent introduction, closing with the
quotation from Hon. Charles Sumner THAT a
man to meet with the greatest success in life
must possess three important quail
ties first, back bone; second, backbone;
third, backbone" and he was happy
to Introduce to Boston audience a man who
possessed that important requisite man
who was prohibitionist 1854 days in the year,
and republican the 365th; a man who was
not afraid to proclaim his principles from the
platform Of the Senate chamber; a LAWYER
who was christian and dared to oppose the
rumseller. Hon. T. r. Simonton of Maine.
Mr.. SimontOn opened his lecture with an al
fusion to the grand thought of Napoleon just
before he went out to the conquest of Egypt,
that, "If you would prevent an inundaiiOn,
you must shut of the streams at their source"
1t was, he said. great military thought and
the key to all of Napoleon's marvellous vic
tories. He never waited for the enemy to
come upon him with irresistible force, but
met the enemy at the sources of their power
and turned them aside and scattered them.
Soft is good thought in this great temper
ance work to meet the tide of intemperance
at its sOurce-at the social board around which
so many of our first class society people sit
and pour the sparkling, ruby wine into the
jewelled cup. little thinking of the serpent
that Turks within eager to sting with its vene-
nous poison the fairest and noblest of the
earth. He cOntrasted the statement of DR..
Howard Crosby, the Christian DR.. of d.
vinity. made in Boston few years ago, that
che would not call that poison which Christ
blessed" with King Cyrus opinion of wine
after witnessing its effects at the birthday
festival Of hi. grandfather, King Astyages.
He then went on to show that the Bible, bv
command. precept and example, was against
wine drinking, that the history of the world,
and all experience showed wine poison and
a dangerous thing, giving many interesting
and happily rendered illustrations. Mr..
Simonton was not severe and denun-
ciatory. but backed up his the
DRY with soundly logical arguments,
spiced with many graphic and telling anec-
dotes and examples taken from ancient and
modern history. His closing illustration of
the atrocious deeds of the inhuman boy fiend,
Jesse Pomeroy, and his comparison to the
rumseller, and the application of the same
was verv effective, and the cheer upon cheer
which echoed through the grand old temple
demonstrated more fully than words of ours
could do the hearty appreciation and sympa-
thy of the attentive audience with the speak.
Boston Herald.