The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-21
IN HONOR OF NEAL DOW.
Union Service Held in Bethany Church
Addresses by Local Pastors and Others
The Apostle of Temperance Honored in
Speech and Song.

Chioh StrNict III Dttnhhy
Addresses by Local Pastors and Others
The Apostle of Temperance Honored in
Speech and Song.
The ninetieth birthday OF General Neal
Dow, which occurred on Tuesday, was
commemorated in Montpelier last Sunday
evening by union service in Bethany
church. The large auditorium was nearly
filed, and the exercises throughout were
replete with interest. The choir Of the
Church of the Messiah assisted in the mu-
sical selections, which included solos by
Mrs w. A. Briggs, Mrs. Hattie Willard. FL.
d. Hopkins and f. w. Bancroft. Prayer
was offered by Rev. L. L. Beeman, the
Methodist presiding elder of the Montpelier
district.
Rev. j. Edward Wright was first intro
duced by Rev. Dr. Seaver. Mr.. Wright said
they had met to testify their appreciation
edged leader in the enterprise so dear to US
in the line of moral reform. Not, happily,
to honor memory. but to honor an
epoch-making man who is still with us,
whose achievements in the far East have
spread to the remotest West. But is lip
service all we are to give Neal Dow? This
man, whose work they had met to consider,
the speaker believed would say, II you
honor me, carry out the work to which
have devoted most of the years of my
adalt life" Vermont has prohibitory
law that has been maintained with re-
markable steadfastness for more than forty
years. 1t is said that prohibition does not
prohibit in Vermont, but such is not the
case when the prohibitory law is backed by
public sentiment and private activity.
This law wins respect when enforced,
and gains contempt when it is not. With
this law in Vermont is needed personal
wat ,hfulness and personal service. In his
own experience, the speaker was tired of
so much talk from himself and others
from which he had seen so few results, and
he could hardly stand before such rep
resentative audience and not say that work
as well as talk was needed Never were
conditions more favorable in Montpelier
than the present time for striking blow
against the saloon The public mind and
the actions of courts and officials show this
to be a peculiarly opportune time Tor con-
centrated action like that OF Neal Dow
But when the states attorney comes to the
GOO people gathered there and asks them to
do something, and $50 of them begin to
make excuses, then such congregation Is
not in a position to honor the life service of
Neal Dow.
Hon. Joseph Poland was glad to join in
honoring the grand old man from Maine
who was passing the ninetieth milestone of
his earthly life. Mr.. Poland gave an inter-
esting sketch OF the prohibitory law that
was born in Maine over sixty years ago.
He paid grateful tribute to DR.. Leslie K.
Keeley and the work he is doing, and pre-
dcted the final and complete success OF the
prohibitory movement,
Rev. Dr. E. NJ. Smith, principal of YER
mont Methodist Seminary, was the next
speaker. During his residence in Maine
the face of Neal Dow was very familiar to
him. He had often seen and heard him,
and il was pleasure to pay tribute TO
him. DR.. Smiths estimate OF Neal DOW
was that he is a consistent and sensible
radical, without being fool. To his credit
be it said, he framed the Maine law and the
original draft passed both houses OF the leg
islature and was signed by the governor
| unchanged in single word General DOW
was then mayor of Portland and, greatly to
his credit, he enforced that law in that
city. With one or two exceptions since, no
political party has dared oppose 1t, Neal
Dow is an all-around man. He believes in
applying the law TO the manufacturers, the
seller and the driDker; but still he knew
that something besides legal suasion was
necessary 10 secure victory, and so he spent
years of his life travelling up and down the
state of Maine lecturing and educating the
people in regard to it, doing more than any
ten men, living or dead, To create public
sentiment in favor of it. The speaker emu
merated some of the results OF the law in
Maine. First, the entire discontinnance of
the manufacture of alcoholic liquors in the
state. There has not been a distilery in
the state for years. Second, the prohibi-
ton and discontinuance, in very large de-
gree, of the sale Of Intoxicating liquors; and,
thirdly Neal Dow has not merely stopped
its sale. but he has in a large degree stopped
ltS use UY btlHpeTduto pIlu-
ciples. He deserves to be honored. Long
may he live TO enjoy the fruits OF his labors.
Rev g. o, Webster, when called upon,
spoke few earnest words regarding that
which Neal Dow had spent a life work to
combat. The Bible tells us to abhor that
which is evil, and Intoxicating liquor is the
most prolific source of every evil under the
sun One great trouble is that the rum
habit has grown upon us 80 quietly and
steadily that We have come to look AT 1t
as necessary evil. Rum is murderer,
and the Scriptural injunction Thou shalt
not kill applies alike TO the saloon, the
hotel, the dive, the drug store, the town
agency, and the home, Would TO God that
the words OF Mr.. Wright touching the need
OF activity along these lines might b
needed
Rev A. II. Webb esteemed it AN honor to
take some humble part in placing crown
upon the brow of one who so well deserves
1t. 'Tis well that while the hero lives he
should know that he is appreciated by his
countrymen and the people OF the civilized
world. We cannot appreciate the difficult
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