Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1889-04-25

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store, shop and office, on the rostrum, in
the pulpit, in the prisoners cell, behind the
| judges desk.
In this state Of moral degradation, 50
widespread and deplorable, "a note Of warn
Ing, voice Of reproach a cry for help
came up from the very sediment of >occ-
ty. Out of the rottenness and wreck of
the moral elements the flower Of moral
truth began to germinatc and spring forth
BY the process of moral evolution life was
rising from the tomb of death.
lntemperance, dark. grim and miserable
had cast its spectral shadow over the
hearts and homes of the people But at
last the pleasure and inspiration it had i'm
parted was being turned to pain and an
gui>h. The music and revelry Of this car
nval of the rum age vas being mingled
with the cries Of its bruised and helpless
victims, the sighs Of widows and orphans,
and a it were, the rcbuke Of tile very elc-
mcnts of nature
Eminent scientists began to investigate
VIZ tH''tN ~ al'ohbI upon tHc phN~lCai
system of man. Throlo.ian- began 10 an
alyze with more kecuncss the teachings
of holy writ upon the subject of alcoholic
lntoNicants. Political economists began
to study the relation Of the drnkin. hab-
it, of the people to the material prosperity
and welfare Of the nation. The moral
sentiment and >clf-rc>pcct NJ thu class Of
moderate drinkers We're turning with dix
gust from scenes of dcbauchrry hca>tly
degradation, crime ami ahjtct poverty re-
>ulting from that terrible evil of intrmpcr-
ancc
From the bottom stratum Of the rum
classes an occasional rrcr1it joined the
army of temperance 10 fight calamity for
the cause. This Nero had slain hi> victim,
high and low with such rockies, cruelty
and had absorbed the material resources
with such an cNtravaGant appetite that hls
own servants were plotting hi> dc>truc-
tion
hr iir>t temperance society was organ
izcd in lSoS III Al obscure town III the
state % New lnrk. ~ membership was
composed nf thr Srry irc-> uf rhr rum
classes II object VA sclfrvfnrm. 1t
spread over limited territory AMI lived
but fourteen years, without achieving
AIRY very important revolution in the
driukin. custom, OF thu people IT..
made drunkenness an uGrn~e punishable
by fine of twenty i've cents. It was
very gentle and cautious move in the d.
rrction Of reform. and It was little wonder
tina; in that a-r Of wide spread !ntrmprr-
ance Ii ran - soon Into contempt aul THEN
int history Hut THU Clcryy of Nav Fu.-
land were bcin. awakened w their moral
ant religious responsibility III thr matter.
an III 80 a temperance society wa Start
ci in Boston called The American Temper
anrc society. Win the atoN,,l purpose, in
view. a. expressed In their constitution.
TO restrain ami prevent the Incorporate
use Of Intoxicating liquors Tia, was
about A. far A. the most advanced tenn
pcrauc.. thought dared To- ,.utur. at that
stage of history
.rh, ,,,,r,,. Ill.,, ,i,,,,,,.t h., ,r,,...I
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., -..-..r,., ,h.. t...,,.. ,n.r..ra,. lu,,.1
in., .tr.,.i....I,,, ,.,.. ,.,,l
the dfunkar,I aud hrId tht rnn h,ttl.. IN
tie tirnt .rlp nf Till. other. Th,, seemed
10 think ,lat III. ,runkard MA, likr an
oycr-hGrd,uc,I >hip That ncr,ir.ionly 10
throw overheard a ct.ttain amount Of bal
last to be- kept Hight >i.r up Drunken
uc>, wa, condemned a, a violation of good
taste. but moderate drinking wa, To be.
approved aud ,.Nto!!cd ~ an exhibition of
moral STRENGTH
Later on rau, other trmpcraucr or.,tlf-
latinus taking advanced SION, In IN. line
Of -uppr,>,ip. th,.u,c DR. abu,r Of iutnx
icant~ notably thu Spns III Trmurrauce
which admitted women L, ,rrt,in RIGHTS
but >tiu adhered /, thr theory tha, t.hjl-
Ir,n Lad nd ,,la,... w 4 t4rnr,nr,nr, nrraui-
1,,i,u Thi. -,,.i,.ry .,r.,I NV ar,i ,yi,i,.
.ny,r th..I-uir-,i s,s,,. ,oJ \. .,,I .rrnnY
in many ,,.,r,for. III ,h,. I+ui,n
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