Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-15
BOWD0IN CONFERENCE.
Two Days Session Closes Alter Yer, Inter
esting Meeting.

dom conference of Free Baptist churcbe
was called to order, Thursday morning. a
$40 o'clock, and ministers conference,
held, at which the various methods O
church work was discussed.
The discussion ON the topic of EQUITY
ing District" was opened by Rev. jaime.
Boyd, and followed by Deacon Brown O.
Auburn, N. S. Purinton, Bowdoinbam
). o. Purinton, Rev. Mr.. Blaisdell. DR.
Summerbell, DR.. Penney, Rev. Mr.
Kicker and Rev. Mr.. Nickerson.
The remarks of fraternal greeting from
the local pastors were made by Rev. ]
NJ. Wyman, Rev. C. S. Cummings and
Rev. j. S. Williamson.
The sermon in the forenoon was
preached by Rev. Mr. Blake of Phillips
1t was urged that the churches visit the
other bodies when requested to do so
The committee appointed to nominate
delegates was made up of W. NJ. Dense,
), A. Blaisdell and s. W. Cook. The re-
port of the East Otisfeld meeting was
made by Rev. Mr. Hathaway.
The afternoon session began by prayer
service led by Bro r. f. Wood Of Rich.
mond. The A. F. c. programme took up
long portion of the afternoon and was
full of good suggestions. A number OF
resolutions were passed.
At the evening session Hon. r. W. Shaw
spoke interestingly on 1.-The Advantages
of Prohibition to the State and Prof.
Anthony on 'Licensc--Why Not:" When
these speakers had finished Speaker
Powers Of the House of Representatives
spoke on SIS the Prohibitory Law Fail
urcy''
Mr.. Powers said that he had always
been in favor of prohibition and temper
ance and the putting down of temper
ance. He said that when he was elected
prosecuting attorney Of AroostOok he be
gan to have the grocery stores place the
liquor in the back of the shops and the
groceries in the front, exactly the oppo-
site to the prevailing custom. The great
cause of SO much crime sin and vice to-
day is largely due to the curse of liquor.
The question of Kidding the community
and country with it was large one and
commanded the kcenest attention of our
ablest men.
Is the law failure? Mr.. Powers said
that he would as leave ask the question,
Is the Christian religion failure? Has
any effort to benefit humanity been a
failure? 1t is the greed of gain on one
hand, and the intense appetite on the
other, that make this liquor curse such
an evil. To ascertain if the law has been
q failure can be determined by looking
over the country, and especially the
State, for several years back. The time
was when men would not think anything
of drinking openly, while now they sneak
Preventions have been effected to allay
the danger of SO many young men falling
into the vice as used to prevail. The
greatest amount of drinking in Maine is
in the larger towns, and in the smaller
ones very little is drank. Let the grand
march be onward for a more vigorous
reform and stimulating of public senti-
ment on the temperance questions. 1t
has been 10 centuries that the Christian
religion has been in vogue, and
yet but a small population of the
world accept it. The Buddhist ex-
coed the number of followers of Christ
and so we need not become inpatient if
the temperance movement does not ac-
complish all we may expect at once. The
prohibition movement in Maine the past
so years has done wonders. He said that
portions of the prohibition law need re
modelling 1t is not the certainty OF a
law but the severity that makes it felt.
Mr.. Powers said that the law was not a
failure and that more public sentiment is
needed. His remarks were very able and
interesting.