The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-02
w. c. T. U.
Proceedings of the Closing Day of
the Maine Society's Meeting.
Large Audiences Present and Much
Interest Manifested.

The morning session opened with devo-
tional service led by Mrs. 1. c. Hamilton.
The time was well occupied in singing, pray
ing, personal testimonies of the worth.
preelousness and unfailing security of the
DIVINE promises. One had not far to seek to
md the source of that energetic work, that
pushing power that has wrought so much
| good in the communities where these pray
ing, Bible reading women have been labor
ing.
The regular work of the convention COM
menced at 10 O'Clock, Mrs. L. NJ N. Stevens
occupying the chair.
| Mrs Trott reported the work done in Sag
adahoc. She reflected with great severity on
the municipal government of Bath for their
unfaithfulness in the execution of the Maine
law and spoke of the difficulty of securing
practical relief from the State government.
Mrs Pember of California presented the
report on temperance literature, urging its
wide distribution. She reported about 3d.
600 pages of tracts distributed, and over
$500 expended by the agent.
| Mrs. W. Ell. Stickney reported on Sunday
school work, suggesting that it is one of the
most important fields in the Unions work,
and stating that interest in this field is grad
ually increasing, there being now fourteen
| temperance societies in the Sunday schools
| of this State.
Mrs. Croker reported on the use of un-
fermented sacramento wine. The use of
such wine for the communion is gradually
extending
Mrs. F. G. Ware reported on juvenile
work and gave most encouraging statistics
| of results in this field and recommended the
| appointment of an agent who can devote her
whole time to the work.
| Mrs. IL. M. IN. Stevens reported on legisla-
| tive work She referred to the decisive vote
for State constitutional prohibition, and
congratulated the convention on Judge
| Webb's decicion that the Soldiers Home at
| Togus is under the State law as regards SELL
| ing liquor.
Mrs. Fl. N. Jones reported on evangelistic
work, and stated that the conviction is grow
ing in the State among temperance workers
| that the religion of Jesus Christ, our
Savior, is the only sure foundation stone
| of true temperance reform.
The president announced the presence of
Miss Willard of Chicago and she was escort
ed to the pulpit platform and received with
| clapping of hands and waving of handker-
| chiefs.
| Rev. Mr.. Hayden of Portland was intro
duced and briefly addressed the convention,
| expressing his sympathy with their work
| and urging them to labor on in the convic-
ton that success was sureebecause the power
and cVnnafhu nf
working with them.
Rev. Mr.. Waterhouse of Newfeld spoke
briefly of his pleasure and interest in being
present.
Rev. Mr.. French of Vassalboro spoke a
pleasant word to the convention, and Rev.
Mr.. Munson spoke in the same strain.
Rev. Mr.. Crosser of Portland, was intro
duced, and expressed his interest in the
cause, and his qualification at living in city
| where the public sentiment was so thorough
| ly temperance as he found to be the case
| here.
| A telegram was received from the Ver-
mont Woman's c. T. Union, now in session
| conveying the fraternal greeting of that
body; and fitting reply was voted to be
prepared by Mrs Snow.
Mrs. Porter, through Mrs. Clark of Carl
bou, reported on press work, and urged es-
| pecially county organization for availing
| themselves of this agency.
Mrs. W. c. Spaulding reported on Scien-
tific Temperance Instruction. She recount
ed the work done by the Union to secure
| the law recently enacted by our Legislature
| to secure this object and gave some of the re-
suits already achieved. She stated that the
action of school supervisors has often been
great hindrance to the successful operation
| of the law. Inquiries were made by various
ladies, how to meet and obviate the opposi-
ton of district officers and boards to temper
ance instruction in schools Miss Willard
| suggested that reliable temperance men
| should be put in the school boards. Miss
| Willard thought that many supervisors stood
| aloof through fear that women would exer-
| else too much influence in school matters.
| Miss Willard spoke Of the cunning but secret
| efforts of the liquor dealers to render this
law nugatory, because they fear its influence
against them. The president requested the
| audience to spend moment in silent prayer
and then Miss Hamilton offered audible
| prayer
| Miss Hunt reported on a reformatory pris-
on for women, and gave the history and pro-
gress of the effort to secure such an institu-
| ton. She suggested the necessity of effort
to secure separate prisons for female crimi-
mails and female attendants for such persons
in our prisons.
Miss Abbie Leayitt reported ON prison and
| Jail work. She spoke of its Importance and
of the difficulty of securing efficient workers
| in this branch of service. Of the thirteen
| jails in the State, nine have regular care from
workers under the auspices of the Union.
| The morning session closed with singing
the Doxology and the benediction was pro-
nounced by Rev. Mr.. French of Vassalboro.
AFTERNOON.
A season of devotional exercises was OBJ
| served, Mrs. Adams of Eastport presiding.
| The regular business commenced at half past
two o'clock, Mrs. Stevens in the chair. A
letter to the Union was read from Hon.
Neal Dow as follows:
| PORTLAND, Sept. 30 1885.
| Mr.. Dear Mrs. SteUens:
| have been for some time expecting sum-
mons from Ohio to go and help in the great cam
| paign now going on there, but supposed should
have sufficient notice to enable me to make nv
| preparations at leisure.
The summons came this afternoon, making 1t
| necessaryfo me to go off immedately-soI have
| the great disappointment of not being able to
| meet the ladies of the Maine w. C. T. u, as !
| hoped and expected to do.
Win you please to say to them from me that the
| National Oh. T. Union now occupies so inn
portant place in our warfare against the liquor
traffic, that might well despair of success with
out its active, earnest and efficient cooperation.
The work is so arduous and SO thankiess that
when the Union was formed | thought the ladies'
would tire of it, but on the contrary their zeal and
courage seem to go on increasing every year, and
we are sure that the Union will never disband nor
relax its efforts until the work shall be accom-
| plished.
The Union has been prompt to see that the
cause has now advanced to the last stage preced-
| ing the final triumph, to wit: the appeal to the
ballot box, from which SO many intelligent men
| shrink, while they ought to know that we can
never win without an emphatic decision in our
| favor from that tribunal-to freemen--the court
| of last resort.
| The day is not far distant when women will be
! enfranchsed from the bondage which has come
| down to them from the old Roman law, when they
| were chattels-litte better than the slaves Of
| their fathers and husbands, having no rights ex-
&c pxpnrn wi tn Tharo