The Portland daily press., 1897-01-11
pearing in native costume and will speak
on the Armys work in India and Ceylon.
THE WASHINGTONIANS.
A Rousing Meeting in Gospel Mission
Hall.

Gospel Mission hall was crowded as
usual last night to listen to addresses
by Rev. s. T. Pearson and Capt. George
Fl. Blake on Washingtonian temperance.
Indications are apparent on every hand
that the interest In this momentous sub
Ject is deepening and broadening.
The meeting was opened by Rev. ID.
F. Dexter, who read portion of Scrip
ture and offered prayer.
Capt. George Fl. Blake who was the
first speaker, said: We know what a
brave man physically is. We call him a
nero when in defence of country, he
forgets he has life to loose and thinks
only of defending the sacred trusts
com mitted to his charge. At the battle
of Gettysburg, during our war OF the
rebellion, on the second day of the fight
General Warren ordered few regiments
to a hill call Little Round Top, and told
them TO hold that position at all haz-
ards. This bloody fight proved the key
to the whole battle. The oficerR in
charge of the few Union regiments,
fell severely wounded, but he "hsld the
fort'' and saved the day. This is ply
sioal bravery of the heroic type.
Jesus Christ gave to the world another
type of bravery. He dared to say and
do what he believed to be right in the
face of the whole Jewish nation. He
taught "He that conquereth his own
nature is greater than he that tRketh a
city, This is moral bravery that fsl-
tiers not in the face Of obliquy, denunci-
alton and threatened death. Do you
think the man who has been under the
dominion of the habit of strong drink
for ten or twenty Years has an easy
thing to do when he decides to break
this habie and sign the pledge. Let me
tell you that man is moral hero. The
people who never used intoxicants know
nothing of the struggle, the agony that
man undergoes. Why shouldn't the whole
moral force of this city be freely given
to such menP Why should not they be
made to understand that they do not
stand alone in their fearful battle
against the power Of habit in them and
the demon of drink outside of them, but
have the profound sympathy and cheer
ing words of all the ministers and all
the churches and all the people who be-
lievs in noble character. elevated de sires
and clean, sober lives?
Mr.. Blake made an earnest appeal to
all present to begin the effort Of re-
claiming self from the dominion of the
dangerous habit of using. .intoxicants.
AT the close of Capt. Blakes impress
sive address, "Scatter Seeds of Kind
ness" was sung, and the Rev. s. f..
Pearson addressed the meeting and pre-
sented the Washingtonian pledge. He
said in part: The Washingtonian pledge
signed and kept, means deliverancs to
all who are now building record of
suffering, restitution and disgrace. 1t
means man and womanhood elevated,
enobled; it meansIpoverty banished, and
sunshine, thrift and prosperity invited
and welcomed to the abode of poverty,
Indebtedness and woe. Mr.. Pearson
painted in.vivid oolors many touching
word pictures which have but recent
ly come to his notice in the several
branches of his work In the city, and at
the close of his address, large num-
Der of names were signed to the Wash
ingtonian pledge.