Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-23

Address by Rev. c. B. Ford-A Dele- gation From West Haven. The regular meeting of the Prohibitory club at Good Samaritans' hall on Orange street was addressed last evening by Rev. C.. B. Ford of the George street Methodist church. There was good attendance, fea- ture of the meeting being the presence of a delegation from a kindred organization in West Haven. After prayer by President Rogers, Rev. MT. Ford was introduced and during his address said: Although busily en- gagged in making arrangements for the change soon to take place in my pastorate incident to our system, l could not refuse the invitation to say word on the subject of temperance. I have been a total abstainer for thirty years. I have prayed for the anni- hi1ation of the rum traffic and have acted as years the prohibition ticket. During the touched by some incidents told me by ex- temperance workers of Brooklyn of the ex- perience and falling of one whom I knew well, young man of great promise and one holding high position in the work of our church. His experience and downfall showed more plainly than ever brought to my mind before the subtle influence of this demon of drink. That experience showed that one is safe after once passing beyond the gate of total abstinence. We should be abstainers, not for ourselves alone, but for the influence upon our fellow men. The speaker then passed to consider the questions of license and prohibition, and said: There are two ways of dealing with this question, one by license and the other by prohibition. There is no intelligent man in these days who advocates free rum; it is the general verdict that it is dangerous and must be regulated by law and many men who claim to be intelligen t say that the license fee is simply fine. A fine however, is a penalty for violated law, but the sale of liquor under the restrictio ns of the law is not violation of the law. It is simply sale of indulgence, permit to commit sin, as was common in the Catholic church just before the Reformation. Others say that the license fee is used to pay the expenses caused by rumselling. But the fees do not pay one-tenth of the expense caused by liquor. If is is right to tax the rum seller to pay one-tenth it is just as right to tax him to pay the whole. It would be just as consistent to license brothels or any other sin to support public institutions as to tax the rum traffic for that purpose. The only safe and consistent course is % prohibit the sale of rum. Should a proposition be made to license the entry of infected rags in 10 this country to spread contagious disease there would be unanimous cry go up against it. Prohibit it would be the demand, and yet the rum traffic is doing more dam age than any infected rags that were ever imported into any country. There is not a church in this city that would admit to it's membership one of these liquor sellers. They would demand that he should give up his business before becoming Q brother in the church, and yet these very church mem bers making this demand will go to the bal lot boxes and deposit their ballots for men and measures which they know will bring about the licensing of these very men to carry on their business. The cause of prohibition is the cause of God and of righteousness, and must succeed. Either the rum power or the power of righteousness is to rule this nation. It is every thing to have God on our side, but it is much more important, as President Lincoln said, to be on Gods side.
 The following resolutions were adopted in memory of Anson L. Swift, a member of the organization.
 Whereas, In the providence of Almighty God Brother Anson L. Swift, one of the original mem bers of this club has been suddenly and unexpect- edly called to his reward;
 Resolved. That we mourn the loss of a beloved and trusted member whose prayers and labors the Prohibition club and the Prohibition party ill afford to spare, brother whose heart was in the cause and who dared to stand by his colors.
 Resolved, That in our sorrow we gratefully re- call how much Brother Swift was permitted to do in the church and the community to forward the God and of humanity.
 Resolved That we tender our heartfelt sympathy to the widow and children of brother, com mendng them to him who doeth all things well anu who is able to comfort them and in this hour of affiiction.
 Resolved, That these resolutions be given to the press for publication and be sprea upon the rec ords of the club, and that a copy be sent to the family of the deceased.