Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-03-01

men Of strength. the men who have con-
victiors. and are brave In living them.
But there is difficulty present. The
moral power of our city Is not united. In
dividuals stand slone. There should be
consolidation. The moral power of our
city Is strong enough to make our city
what It ought to he. II that power could
only he made unit
How can this be accnmplishedS
There j. no great difficulty present. Il
need require no mass meetings. nor in
deed need it require an organization of
any kind, though one might be Of use In
individual cases.
I. We must be true o. our conuicti0ns tn ihe
little experiences and relations of life.
1t is 50 easy to pass lightly over sin.
which is little sin. We are brought In
contact with little ways of gambling and
though we recognize them we pass them
unnoticed or with a careless word This
Is danger often present In our social life
Let us be true TO our convictions. Then
there is the expression of our convictions
We are continuously in conversation.
Let Us take occssiou to make know
what we believe and where We stand IL
this matter. so that from our conyersa
iion strong force will 20 forth as the
sentiment Of our city. This is q chanc.
for n firm union. 1t has no Organization
hut gathers about single truth. By thi~
loyalty to convictions IN little things the
moral men of Ellsworth can create -enti
ment so strong that double number dare
not stand against 1t.
?. Ne must be loyal to our coHvietions in
our irddiag.
And | mean in brief this we believe
that gambling and Sunday tradug art
wrong For this reason We should with.
draw our trade from every place OF bn>i-
ness where gambling and Sunday trading
are allowed We cannot ne lnyal u or
convictions and give our patronage % one
who refuses Ia recognize t4e avs ~ ou,
State or to recognize the laws uf COG
It is funlI-hue>- Tor us to give our
money at sacrifice for missionary
work % aid the poorer sections OF onf
State aud then aid by our patronage
one who, by Example and hu>iur~-. during
the very hours when at church we gj,r
our money, i working AZ 3in>t law aud
morality. Il is worse than unhusIn.---
ike. II !s wrong for Us TO work through this
church 10 upiifi the morality Of our clN.
and tomorrow give our patronage 70 those
who. whiie We worship here, this very hour
are undolug the very work we are trying
10 do
Let me illustrate by an example; There
j. family 10 Ellsworth who are giving
this year a >um that Gusts them a sacrifice
To carry "n the work nf our churches
Ta"y are honest in thrtr sltt. But q f'w
wrrk~ ago | saw bfight b'S of tbs
family. with eager face. dropping HI / :,
one after the other, tutp a gamb.ing IN,
chine IN one of our st"res, taking his r->t
lesson IN gambling, and the mother ol
inst boy often enters that store tn trade.
l. it business or morality - give go !
the church spd u give Al the same time Ia
those who for the >akr Of money, would
tempt our boys. and ics.cfate our SAB .
hAtus
There {. another side to thI- question .
There sre places OF business 10 mi, cit,
w hose ptoprieturs refuse u break ihr
statutes OF Ms,ns aud 10 dr-rcrate lhr .
) sabbath. They stand by principe, though .
At cp>t They 10 not receive the money
gained b, illegal devices. They DO not .
receive the mnuey gained t,y Sunday trade .
Docs not loyalty 10 your conviction lead .
yuu tn trade with such?
We have been thuugh,ess of ihls thing.
Our power is not felt because We have (
" nrked on both sides.
make no charges against pcrsou-. .
only state principle.
Be- loyal to Your convictions III your
trade. Find tomorrow whether those with
" hom YOU trade are drfyug the statutes
pf Maine and the laws Of God. and II they
are. tell them your trade must Cease until
they change ,hcir methods
II ynu would elevate the tone ~ our
city be careful whore yon spend Your
money; though little IL j. power, ani yuu
must not be careless Of any power You
are responsible for tie power OF your
trade. to God.
; W. mast consolidate orr po,cer by 10y
atty 10 our coRrictioHS a The pois
Party has real right to our allegiance,
but never when opposed 10 mora principle
The principles uf our national parties do
not enter Into our municipal elections.
Here we want strong. judlcl1us and pure
government
any one Of the three parties tuli
stand IN the platform opposed ID gam
,lihg aEd Sunday trading THEN the Luty
4 every man With these convictions would
be- cl-ar. He would have ID De loyal to
lis convictions. even though be shrud
,haugr party for the time.
II the candidates for The coming election
have not made known the pfIuc pies for
IS hich they Will stand If elected, then IL Is
our duty to question them, that We may
know which viii hold Office and execute
aw according u our convictions Of right.
| am not attacking Any person. iudrt d
do not know the grounds on which the
-andidates have been nominated. But
im pleading for principle that must be
lbeyrd in order to consolidate lh- moral
strength Of our city.
tut = Int vi,
election: II am nnt mistaken Il /. this
We believe that gambling and Sabbath
trading should be suppressed. Then ii j.
pur duty 10 inquire Which party furnishes
The man who viii pledge himself To Do hi~
atm - to suppress these, then consolda
JUr votes. We need not organize for tint
Dur duty j. Ia question, and To vote, loyal
10 our Convictions.
| am not entering politics In these words,
am trying 10 reveal principle, and am
pleading for your allegiance To the law, If
Maine and the laws Of God.
I. We must be loyal d our coRrictions in
the use u our social I0toer.
Make character condition without
which no young man can enter Your social
circle. Give the young man whn CANDLES
clearly to understand that until he re-
1ounces that vice you will not suffer his
presence in your social circle. Y1u may
save your boy from dangerous iuhuences
By so doing. Yru may save your daugh-
Ter from the misfortunes of gamblers
home. BY your firm position YOU can do
more than you thiuk. Let the moral
strength Of Ellsworth consolidate in loy-
Atty to this principle, ahd hundreds Will
forsake In haste their gambling habits.
Be loyal u your convictions in your
social life. You have a power in that for
which God holds you responsible.
5. II is necessary in certain places and IN
der certain conditions 10 organize cui.
Gems league.
This league should meet as occasion de-
mands, freely discuss municipal dangers
Or evils, and as body act against them.
Such a league would be we'll adapted to
our city. Our citizens hesitate to take the
initiative in any reform. There may be
reasons in some instances why this would
be unwise. But league acting unitedly
would relieve the individual from all re-
sponsibility in the matter and would act
with better judgment, and enforce its de-
cision with greater strength. Such q
league, though it might not contain more
than small fraction of the moral strength
Of our city, would lead the whole and tend
to consolidate the whole. | need not
speak further of this. The organization
Is simple and should be effected.
l have spoken as plainly as | could
against two definite evils in our city. Let
me call your attention to what said in
the beginning. l have not spoken against
| have spoken against sin.