Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-12
STIRRING SERMON
By Rev. H. E. Dunnack on
Prohibition in Maine."
Good-sized Audience Greatly interest
ed at Green Street Church.
An Able and Careful Discussion of the
Subject.

Sunday morning services at Green
Street Methodist church We're held in
the vesuy, on account of the cold
weather making it Impossible to prop
erly heat the main audience room. A
goodly congregation filed the vestry,
and listened with interest to spirit
ed sermon by the pastor, Rev. Henry
E. Dunnack, on the temperance ques-
ton. We give the sermon in full:
Text: Matthew vi:10-Thy Kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it IS
in heaven. Subject: Prohibition IN
Maine"
IN Maine we are face to face with the
enemy. the battle is on, the contest is
between the forces that make for good
citizenship and the forces that destroy
government by and for the people,
This is not a time for the teachers hers, Of
and politics to Keep silent. The pupiic
conscience must be aroused, the people
must DC taught that the saloon evil IS
chief among all evils, that it must not
only be cutlawed but be destroyed. Maine
has done the first, she is doing the Sec
ond.
There is a struggle for today to have have
making gain and traffic with temptation
and vice.
Someone has said: mo man has a,
right to be good friends with iniqultY IL
a wicked world, the only people VINO are
justified in peaceful living are the people
in the Graveyards. In an age like ours
only men of mush and moonshine can be
friends with everybody. In view OF the
crime, poverty and ignorance of our age.
for man to live so that his friend can
truthfully write on hrs tombstone, he
never had an enemy IS Tor MN 10 pc
never be guilty of showing his face IN
heaven for he will find that the angels at
least are MS enemies"
In ouc own State, things have moved
with a rapidity that amazes everyone.
The time is ripe. The call is imperative.
To longer tolerate the liquor trafilc VIII
be the greatest Of chimes. With the DOM
inant. political party Of the State, the
Governor of Maine and the sheriff of oar
own county all declaring for enforcement,
all speaking out fair and honest for law
and Sood government, this traffic OF heil
must ne annihilated We are no longer
palsied and helpless. 1t is the hour of
our triumph and the hour of danger.
VICTORY IS NOT SECURE.
The danger thar confronts us is that VIC
will become careless and Indifferent and
while we sI.ep the liquor that passed
the back door and the old business VIII
go on We must 80 forward in this WORK.
The voter, especially the Christian voter,
can see a light in the silver stars OF Inc
old flag and a depth in its crimson bars
visible to no other eyes. He, more tnat.
others. can estimate the inspiration, The
moral energy, the suffering, the maSnlfi-
cent careers tha- nave brought Us 20 our
present place in the history of these
states on the liquor question. ours IS an
inheritance of courage, OF manllness, or
impershable love OF liberty, and OF indy
ing fidelity to principle.
The voter of today is not satisfied, If
he be a true son of the past The dream
of the Pilgrim burns like an immortal
daybreak in the early days, and the fuii
IL. to TO, GnDhDTl
in the declaration of independence is sIl
unrealized The deepest and truest forces,
| the profound and noble ideas AZ the bases
of our institutions, have not found eX
| nression We see in our State ignorance
of true life, ot home, of thrift, Of moral
necessities. ignorance that blinds and
warps and kills Men are everywhere
who can walk through Libraries unen-
riched. and under starry skies uninspired
and over mountains with eyes unraised
and across valley without expanding
heart, who receive no thrill from sunrise
no song from the voices OF little children
What is our duty as citizens? Iou read
it in the preamble in the constitution
1--WE. the people of Maine, in order to eS-
tablish Justice. insure tranquility, pro-
vide for our mutual defence, promote our
common welfare, and secure to ourselves
and our rosterity the blessings of liberty
justice. tranquility. mutual defence, libel
ali Nov tell me which one of these thu
rum traffic does rot strike down,
Is it not clear then. to the unprejudiced
that the liquoc traffic is our bitter 100
one that should receive no quarterE
Now / take it a Christian may remain
Christian and vote on either side of the
money question OF the tariff question, but
10 vote with the rum party or to vote
blank on the saloon question is to betray
The State of Maine into the hands of its
enemies.
The duty of the Christian citizen Is
clear He must oppose the saloon. This
is especially the duty of the Christia1
voter | think it is. a fact that the neart
of the church is as true as tempered steel,
but at times her hands tremble. sht
flames in public meetings, but fumbles at
election times. Said lawyer: ''Ih"
church secs, too, often the judge, the
county attorney and the sheriff at game
of blind mans buff and mistakes 1t iof
justice
THE MAINE LAW.
For almost half century the prohibit
tory law mas been upon the statute books
of Maine. 1t has driven every brewery
| and distillery out of the State, saved Ia
| told suffering II thousands of homes, IN p
| creased the savings of common people
| far beyond those of the same class in 9th
| err states. made Maine the synonym of
| sobriety and virtue, and. wherever faith
fully enforced. has proved an unmiXeu
blessing to the community.
| IN 1893 the Maine Legislature amended
| the general law applying to persons
| brought before the courts so that it now
when it is provided that he shall be
! punished by imprisonment or fine and Ill
addition thereto Imprisonment he may DC
sentenced to either or both" Qeevised
Statutes Chap. 1iS. amending Chap. 1851
| This gives officials a good opportunity
| to let common sellers off with a small
fine instead of imprisonment as prpvided
| in a previous section of the law:
| ION every subsequent conviction lie
| shall be fined one hundred dollars and
stand committed until the fine and costs
1 -. nj