Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-08
Another Criticism of MIR. Doutney.

Editors kennebec Journal:
Please allow me to make a few COM
Eents on the lectures given at the City
Hail by Mr.. Doutney.
There is no doubt that Mr. Doutney,
tie self-appointed Champion OF re-
submission in our State, is the first
great, ideal Christian temperance
worker in the line. 1t would he i'm
possible to doubt this for we certainly
have his word for it. l had the
privilege of listening to this gentleman
for an hour and a half on Sunday even
ing He attacked and insulted our
ministers by calling them hypocrites and
ir,DOstOrs, for he said their chief call
was Il call to higher salary. If this is
true, they are hypOcrites and impostors.
He insults their intellect, for he claiids
they are ignorant of life and only able
20 see one side of the question and that
the wrong side. I fully believe that if
argument consists in dencuncing and
insulting our ministers and churches
and every thing good, Mr.. Doutney
has unusually strong arsumentative
powers. The only sure way to judge Il
man. is by the friends he does not
make. The safest way to judge a
cause is to ascertain who are its OPP
poccrs. Every reasonable person
admits that the church CT God is the
ona. cause of all civilization and pro-
;:ress. No sane person could wish to
live in IL land where there were no
churches, and when Mr.. Doutney
fights against the church ard the
Wonans Christian Temperance Union,
he is an open rebellion against the
church, against all civilization, and
against God. Let us hope it is because
he only sees one side of the question
and that, the wrong side.
No calling requires Il greater knowl-
edge of life or a more thorough under
standing of human nature than that of
the minister. No life is more full OF
encouragement and hard work. Any
man who has talent and intellect
enough to make n successful! minister
in town like Augusta, could make
great deal more money in some other
profession or business. Men seldom
enter the ministry for ease or for
salary. and those who DO soon discover
that they have missed their calling.
According to MIR. Doutneys logic the
only persons capable of bringing about
temperance reform are those who have
been drunkards and rumsellers That
the best way to do away with drunken
ness. is to make ru.nseliing re-
spectacle business, giving everybody
an opportunity of getting all they can
drink with the least possible trouble.
In short that the best possible way to
prohibit any thing. is to license it. He
advises the WOman'S Christian Tom
perance Union to take the money, now
used to pay the expenses of the Tenn
perance lecturers and workers of the
Society. and buy bread for the poor.
And yet he asks the people of Maine
to pay his expenses through the rural
districts, that he may corrupt the
morals of those people. and bring high
license into the State. Such logic
naturally gives q great shock to the
mind of the citizen of Maine who is in
a normal mental condition
Possibly there was more christianity
in Mr.. Doutney's lecture than in ali
the sermons ever preached since the
time of Christ but when he empha
sises MS own virtues by charging on
the faiIings of our ministers and best
citizens such talk does not resemble
tnc brlying OF horse.
JOHN S. SHUTE.