The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-08

dispensary law will produce much better
results than tho prohibitory law. We
therefore urge on the people the need OF
renewed atndy Of this subject Inc ADJ
vocates OF the South Carolina law claim
that IL has absolutely destroyed the sR-
loon in that state, that the restriction OF
sales has already decreased ffntoxication
and that nany OF It's former opponents
are now convinced Of Its efficacy"
This resolution precipitated another dis
cussion in which many participated.
The Rev. X. II. Aldrich objected to the
form Of tho resolution and declared his
faith.in the Prohibitory law.
The Rev. ID. p. Payne moved that the
resolution be recommitted TO the commit
tee with Instructions to report resolu-
ton in accord with the sentiment and
practice Of the Univsrsalist church Of
this country.
DR.. blanchard upheld the resolution.
he said that people talk good deal
about Prohibition when they in reality
mean total hbstinencs. He characterized
the present law ms an anomaly. inasmuch
as 1t makes the seller a criminal but 10
no way Furnishes the man who drinks the
liquor and offers temptation TO the
seller 10 sell. He admitted that the Pro-
hibitory law had worked well in many
small towns, but in the larger cities he
believed 1t promoted Hypocrisy, bribery,
corruption and general disregard Of law.
Thousands of people. he said, who are
in favor now Of trying some other way
of abolishing the rum traffic, are afraid
to stand up and say so because they are
afraid to stand up and be classed as in
favor OF rum selling. DIR. blanchard
closed BY. outlining the South Carolina
law.
The Rev. Mr.. Payne OF Westbrook said:
1.-THE Universalist church Of Maine don't
believe in liquor at all"
Rev. II. l.. Garfield of Dover then
offered the following resolution as sub
stituts to that ofs.Dr. Blanchard;
''Resolyed. that we re-affirm our ALE
glance 10 the Maine Prohibitory law, and
that IL Is our unalterable conviction that
the highest interests Of the state de-
mand its honest and vigorous enforce.
ment." As s2s stssasyi
"Fhat' siright, God bless. you, brother, /"
said an aged delegate, and the reading
of the substitute was received with great
applause.
Mr.. B. S. Kelley made an impassionsd
appeal to the convention to stand by the
Prohibitory law, as they stood by the
gospel of Christ.
DIR. Blanchard replied briefly to the
speeches against the resolution.
Row Mr.. Markley defended the rssolu.
ton of DIR. Blancha I'd.
Mrs. Oliver Newman of Lewiston
thought the time had come for the fol.
lowers of Christ to shy: "The law must
be- enforced" Christians of all denomi-
nations must stand together for this re-
form.
Rev. Mr.. Mead said the Universalist
church cannot be untrue to itself and to
Its Master. 1t must stand true to its
record andsfor the law.
Rev. Mr. Vail moved to adjourn until
1.30, but there were cries of Question, Z"
and his motion was not put.
Charles Dunn, a member of the COM
mittee ON resolutions. favored the substi-
tute. The Universalist church is strong
ly opposed to the liquor business.
The substitute resolution was adopted
"a to o, DIR. Blanchard remarking, sit
won't take long to count us, it seems"
The convention then adjourned until
afternoon.
THE AFTERNOON sESSION.
Dinner was served to the delegates In
the vestry of the church. and after dinnsr
occurred short business session, which
was devoted exclusively to the considera-
ton of routine matters. Then came the
women's meeting, the afternoon bsing
devoted to the Women's Missionary So
ciety. Mrs. W. NJ. Kimmel of Portland.
presided. Prayer was offered by Rev. +.
+. Eddy of Oakland. The report Of the
executive board lvas made by its score
tary, Miss Alice Blanchard OF Portland,
covering the work done by the. board dur
ing the past year. Mrs. &. II. Sargent,
treasurer of the society then made her
annual report showing that In all s481. 20
had been collected and all OF this amount
with the exception of Sos. SO had been
paid out. Reports from the secretaries of
various parts of the state were then made
In relation to the work done during the
past year. The following officers were
then elected: President Rev. Blanche
Wright Of Livermore Falls; vice presi-
dent, Mary K. Briggs OF Auburn; score
tary, Miss Alice Blanchard of Portland !;
treasurer. Mrs. L II. Sargent of Port
land. Members of the executive board,
Mrs Alfred Woodman of Portland, Mrs
Ara Cushman of Auburn and Mrs Henry
Lord of Bangor.
Then followed an address by Rev. &c r.
trude Earle of Gorham, N. H., on "The
Place of Fear in Universalist Thought. Z"
Rev. y. A. Hayden of Augusta then
spoke ON the work of the women in the
Uniyersalist church. Mrs. Q. A. Quin-
by, national president of the Women s
Missionary society delivered the oonclud-
ing address and sketched the objects of
the society, the means of raising money
and the objects for which it is expended.
The business session which was to have