The Portland daily press., 1895-12-30
FREE ST. CHURCH.
The Temperance Sermon by Rev. Mr.. Sam
son.

Last evening at Free street Baptist
church, Rev. Mr.. Samson preached the
fist of series of sermons to be delivered
by the pastors of the different churches,
at the request of the ladies OF, the w ON
ans Christian Temperance Union, In pc
half of temperance. There was good al
tendance, mostly ladies' The preliminary
exercises all had bearing on the mat
ter at issue. Among the hymns were
" Rescue the Perlshing," and In thy
Name,' and the prayer was a teryent
appeal for aid from a higher power.
Mr.. Samson commenced his address by
saying that the subject of temperance is
one of the most vital that fleets us as
parents and citizens and it want to give
it temperance DISCUSSION. People are
apt to be led into extravaganza when
speaking Of such topics and the speaker
trusted that he might keep within the
bounds on this occasion. Mr.. Samson
then took up tho matter Of drunkenness
from Statistical. standpoint. 1t is esti-
mated that there are 600, 600 drunkards
in the United States. Let us suppose
labor of 100000 people is lost TO the
country If each of these people earn $500
year, and that is not an extravaganza
estimate, the country loses annual
ly $3.50, OO0,0 600. There are 40, 900, 900,
bushels of grain, each bnshel
weighing 30 pounds used annually II
the brewing Of liquor. The 53 pounds
of grain would make 60 four pouna
loaves of bread. So that six hundred
million four-pound loaves of bread, or
70 loaves to every family is lost yearly
in this country. Through the cursed
drink habit while the country has been
growing richer, many thousands OF peo-
pie have been growing poorer, supported
by public or private benevolence. There
must always be a close connection be-
tween drinking and pauperism. There
were SO, 900 women left widows wholly
from strong drink last year. He woul
say to the working man that if he would
strike to advantage, the way of doing
it is to save money and then It the en-
ployer won't give fair wages, with the
money he has saved he will be in an in
dependent position and better condition
to make good terms for himself.
1t was by the will Of the people that
such an evil condition OF things exist.
as is shown by the statistics Of the drink
habit. We are the sovereign people, and
If we should use our influence to abate, or
IIi New York, under Parkhurst's
efforts was instanoed, with its thousands
of saloons, which had been closed. Nine
tenths of the crime of the country oigi-
nate in drink.
DRILL SOll Uu0u u6 WOu1u Qlfl
people into throe classes, the total
abstainers, the moderate drinkers and the
habitual incorporates. He urged the
total abstainers not to pride themselves
on that account. They resisted tempta-
tion because it was not a temptation to
them, but the time might come when
they would fall. There is great deal
IN companionship. You may fall through
social companinonship. The speaker
wished there were clubs of sober men and
women in the city who would make a
habit of extending we leone to the vic
Tins of intemperance, like the
Good Samaritan. AS to the moderate
drinkers, the speaker would not say they
were doomed to predition, or would be-
come drunkards if they kept on. But
second glass often follows a first. AT
any rate self-denial should be practiced
for the sake of the brother whose Will is
not as strong. The moderate drinker
is in great danger. For expediency' s
sake, if no higher motive, it is we'll to be
total absainer There is host of
respectable we'll dressed people attending
the Catholic and Protestant churches
IN this city today. whose united power
in this direction could accomplish Won
ders In regard to the last class, the
habitual incorporate, the speaker became
very eloquent. He drew striking pictures
of those he had known who had gone
down under the curse. He ured every
joy for sorrow, hope for despair, health
for sickness, rest for unrest, heaven fol
| hill. We are close upon the threshold OF
the New Year Let rs take the step now
that will do so much to realize the end
ilwa all hone for