The Portland daily press., 1886-02-17
THE MgTHoplsrs.
What the Ministerial Association has
to Say on Temperance.

ger. the business of the Association was pro-
| ceeded with.
The first topic, 'What position shall the
NJ. E. Church take when the license and pro-
hibition of the liquor traffic are involved in
the action of the political parties?" occupied
nearly all of the morning and afternoon ses-
sion. The time of the speakers was indef-
| nitely extended, and in the discussion which
| followed the five-minute rule was suspended.
The topic was opened by Rev. John Collins
in paper of some length, presenting statis-
| ties to show the evils of the liquor traffic,
arraigning both the Democratic and Repub-
| lican parties for their free rum principles,
and offering remedy in the third, or prohi-
bition party. 1t is the duty of the M. E.
Church to support this party, he said, be-
cause its temperance principles are identical
with the discipline of the church relating to
temperance, viz. "and believes in the COM
| plete legal prohibition of the traffic in alco-
holic drinks as the duty of all civil govern
| ment The Democrats believe in low license
and no sumptuary law The Republicans III
| high license and regulation of taxation, both
| practically the same thing-natlonal Tree
rum. By party 1 do not mean the rank ana
| file, but the leaders Quotations followed
from various political leaders.
Rev. S. F. Wetherbee followed with care
| fully prepared paper, in which he took a
position Numerically opposite to that OF
| Mr.. Collins. Though a strong Prohibitionist
| he did not believe in the third party. This
party starts out with a single issue, and no
party can live founded on an issue so narrow.
| A man may know nothing of any other sub
iect of national interest; if he is all right on
| the prohibition question, trust him. You
NAV know that by the candidates they setup
in this vicinity. My deep, earnest convic-
ton is that this third party will end only in
disaster and will work untold mischief. Our
duty as church is to work with the Repub-
lican party.
Rev. E. T. Adams, third on the list, ex-
pressed his sympathy with the last speaker
and begged to yield his time to the gentle
men from out of town.
Rev. F. A. Bragdon said he was temper
ance man to the back bone, but he thought
the third party was opposed to the best in
terests of temperance. We must exercise
judgment and common sense. If l cannot
get the whole loaf / will take slice. If /
cannot build banks at once high enough to
check the food, l will not tear down what
has been built. We must learn to differ
and be friends. Let us use more charity.
Bitter denunciations do more harm than
good.
Rev. A. Ell. Waterhouse, the last speaker,
referred sympathetically to the cause which
has made Mr. Collins so radical,a express
ed his unqualified appreciation of the course
taken by the prohibition or so called third
party.
The question was then thrown open for
discussion.
Rev. Messrs. Atkinson, Berry, Bashford,
Martin, Morse, Munger, Pendexter, Barber.
Hamilton, Corey, Cook, Gerrish, Ford,
Hatch, Parsons and Pearson gave their un-
qualified approval of the principles and pol
icy of the third party, while Messrs. Wood
bury, Luce, Patterson, Freeman, Grovenor,
Kimball, Lindsay and Saunderson, though
claiming to be thorough prohibitionists,
were against the third-party movement Rev.
Mr.. Allen said, 81 would be very sorry to
build up, even on the broad basis of Chris
tianity, a political party. Christ says, My
| kingdom is not of this world Our help
must come from Him and not from any po-
| litical party"
Elder Jones thought the question was not
being touched. The members were making
| it a question Of individual duty, while the
| topic was the duty of the NJ E. church. In
my opinion the church has no business with
the political aspect of any question. 1t is
! only in the moral aspect that she has a right
to instruct and advise
Rev. Mr.. Stackpole believed in voting ac-
eording to conscience.
Rev. Perry Chandler feared the time for a
| third party had not yet come.
| Messrs. Rand, Lord and Eastman, from
| the laymen, spoke briefly
Rev. DR.. Bashford then offered the follow
| ing resolution as a substitute for the resolu-
tions of the morning:
| Whereas Our discipline forbids the using or
selling of intoxicating liquors as beverage, or III
any other way knowingly aiding others so to do;
Whereas, The Prohibition party, that proposes
the destruction OF the saloon business, IS ID mar
mony with the advice of our disc1pline therefore
Resotced, That for the present, so far as we
influence with that party, whose character and
platform promises the best practical embodiment
| Of prohibition.
Rev. S. f. Wetherbee moved that the res
olutions be laid on the table. The yeas and
nays were called by Rev. DR.. Bashford. The
motion to lay the resolutions on the table
was lost on tie vote.
Yeas-Rev. Messrs. Adams, Bsby, Brown, Drag
| don Chandler, Freeman, w. S. Jones, Kimball,
and Woodbury..
Nays-Rev Messrs Atkinson, Bashford, Bar
Der, Berry, Collins, Hatch. Hamilton, z F. Jones;
Morse, Munger, Pendexter, Parsons, Strout and
WaterhOuse.
The question was then referred to the
| June meeting, and on motion of Mr.. Bash
ford was assigned the first place on the pro-
| gramme.
On motion of Rev. NJ. c. Pendexter the
Association passed to topic 5, Criticism
| of the Monday Sermon" by HI. F. A. Patter-
| son.
The criticism was favorable on the. whole,
the chief fault being the profuse illustra-
| tions
Mr. Patterson recommended that illus
| trations be drawn as far as possible from the
| Bible
Topic was then taken up. Rev. j. B.
Lapham read an essay, in which he ex-
| planned his belief that the days OF
miracles were not passed, and that the child
rem of God had the right to ask for bodily
| healing.
During the afternoon the association re-
| ceived an invitation to attend the address by
| Miss Yates, from the North China mission,
| before the auxiliary. A recess was voted and
the association attended in body.
Rev. Ezra Tinker of North Conway preach
| ed an eloquent sermon at 7.30 O'Clock on the
"Blessedness of Faith without Sight" John
| Xxx. %.
The meetings were well attended through
out the day. The remaining topics will be
taken up today as follows;
2-The necessity and utility of mutual cooper
alton among itinerant ministers for the success Of
! their ministry. c. j. Clark, d. D., B. Freeman, e
| K Colby and A. Turner.
| A review of DR.. A. McKeown's "mtermedi-
| ate State''. as per lions Herald. G. f. Bisbee.
$50 cnticise the sermon of Tuesday evening
| A. Hatch.
6-The expedency of our employing confer
| ence evangelist. E. Martin, w. F. Berry, I. p
| Adams j. H. Snow and j. NJ. Woodbury..
| What means can we best employ to lead our
| young people to Christ? 7. F. Jones, j. w. Bash
ford, Howard Clifford j. Cobb, P. Chandler and j.
| A. Corey.
8-The best methods of conducting prayer meet
| ings. G. Munger, G. w. Bunker, w. F. Marshall
| A. Hamilton, A. Cook, s. d. Brown, W. I. Mer
| rill and M. B. Greenhaigh.
| 6-Exercses of l. Peter, 3:19-20. j. H. Trask.
| 1O--Madam Jezebel and her friends. G. Nun