The Portland daily press., 1893-04-22
UNITARIAN WoMEN,s ALLIANCE
Have a Word to Say About the Agency.

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At meeting of the Unitarian Wom-
ems Alliance, recently held in the Parish
mouse, there were present Mrs. Jordan,
Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. King,
Mrs. Marshall, Mrs. Perry, Mrs. Pearson,
Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Cox and Mrs. Proc
tor misses Dyer, Day, Donnell, Burgess,
oymonds, Fox, Winchester, Phelan and
Mclntlre, who took part in the discus
sion OF the principal Of total absti-
hence.
undoubtedly, many persons cannot
indulge at all in stimulants with safety.
Are Others under a moral obligation,
for the sake of these, to give up whatev-
er benefit or pleasure they may derive
from their occasional use, which they
do not consider wrong in itself?
Not in itself wrong; but in this coun-
try with its stimulating climate and the
excitable temperament of its people,
the use of liquor is largely dangerous.
The only safety of the many lies in
rigid abstinence. The law of love would
seem to require that they who feel little
fear of habit of self-indulgence should
| join the ranks of the weaker by way of
moral support.
! Organization is useful and effective.
but the individual feeling of response
bility and consequent influence was en-
phasized as most important.
The appeal to the aesthetic sense was
spoken of as a powerful factor in retain
ing social customs which have the pres
tige of tradition to make them attract
i've.
Beauty of color and form have such a
charm that they are not readily given
up. The social influence of stimulants,
their exhilarating effect and the fascina-
ting portrayal of convivial scenes in po-
etry and fiction, have d great charm for
young people who do not see the lurking
danger till a fatal habit is formed.
The responsibility Of women, for their
own entertainments and the manifest
wrong of adding intoxicants to apparl
emily innocent drinks for the sake of
piquancy was admitted, and hopeful
change in social customs noted. Wines
and liquors are not SO frequently seen on
fashionable tables.
While conceding personal freedom full
" and deprecating aggressive measures,
women, whose hearts are SO wrung by
the physical and moral deterioration Of
those dear to them, must feel themselves
bound by example and their moulding
restraining infiuence-over the Young to
check this enormous evil.
Children must be instructed in the eff
fects and dangers of alcoholic drinks
and helped to habits of self-controI in
all things.
Public cooking schools for the in
struction OF ignorant women iii the art
of making palatable dishes3from plain.
inexpensive materials and in household
economy and domestic comfort, were
advocated as a means of temperance re-
form. For the same end, wholesome.
popular an1usements for the MANY who
have no facility in reading were spoken
of.
The notorious abuses of the Liouor
Agency were stated, and the right and
duty of every citizen to insist that its
traffic shall be strictly limited to its os-
tensible purposes, were earnestly dis
cussed. Ii liquors must be sold for med
icinal and mecanical purposes, the peo-
pie should declare that their municipal
government must be restrained within
these limits.
Finally the practical question for each
one is: What is our individual feeling
and action on this subject SO vital to the
well being of all?
At the next meeting Of the Alliance.
April 2Sth, the pastor, Rev. Mr.. Perkins,
will lead in the continued discussion Of
hisNquestion.