Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-07-15
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning July 10, 1908.
BY REV. S. II. DOYLE

r. r. -. II. III.
Topic. meeting. r,ow to
promote total abstinence---Gal v. l6-a
The temperance question is one of
the uppermost problems occupying the
minds of thinking men today. The is
sue between temperance and intemper
ance Is becoming more direct every
day. The fight is on, and the prospect
for success along temperance lines was
never more promising than today
Over one-half of the United States is
already under some kind of prohibit.
ton law, and there is no question
that many other states will in time
give the people a local option law, car
rying with it the right of the majority
to decide for or against the liquor traf-
fic. Every one who favors this prin-
ciple has cause for gratitude and hope
and may even dream of the day in the
no distant future when the sale of in
toxica ting liquors as 4 beverage will be
abolished in our entire land. If such
a day should ever come land let us
pray and work for it, long stride will
be made toward total abstinence. This
will be particularly so among the
young In spite of the best laws the
poor unfortunate men who have form
ed the strong drink habit may find
some way of obtaining it in some form.
But the young at least will have a
much better chance of growing up to-
tai abstainers. The open saloon is the
supreme place of temptation. Close ii
and the temptation to become moder-
ate or incorporate drinker will largely
be done away with.
But. while doing all we can through
the law. the usual methods of promot-
ing total abstinence should be empha-
sized, only with greater force.
First.-Publie opinion must be arous
ed and kept aroused. The advocates of
the saloon are ever busy They plead
their business interest. But what
right has any man to engage in
business that makes many others unfit
to attend their business, and as con-
sequence their wives and children suf-
fer? They harp on the money that
they pay for licenses and the revenue
that goes from them to the govern
ment. They have even been so bold as
to declare that the United States gov
eminent would become bankrupt with
out the income received from the
liquor traffic. All such arguments are
nonsense and so understood by think
ing people But so MANY people let
Others do their thinking for them that
they really believe what is said. Such
false claims should be answered nv
reasonable arguments and the facts In
the case. Every one who viii visit a
prison will find that the large maiori-
ty Of the prisoners are there through
intemperanee. Paupers insane per-
sons. orphans and most of those who
have to be supported hy the state are
products of the same traffic Put the
saloon and liouor business off tbe
earth and governments and STATES
would be financially benefited rather
than weakened. The people must be
made to see these things. and when
they do they will rise and drive this
curse of all curses from the earth.
Second.--The homes, the church and
the Sunday school must continue thei,
good work. The public schools shoulG
be included in this list. Training in to
tai abstinence should begin in the home
both by precept and example. No mat
ter what parents have been able to do.
they have no moral right to tempt
their children. The son of a father
who drinks moderately at home may
fill a drunkards grave. In thousands
Of cases has it proved so. and fathers
have deeply repented of their careless
ness. The church and Sunday school
are the greatest temperance organiza-
lions in the world. Here moral sua-
sion and pledged total abstinence find
their greatest opportunities The edu-
cation now given in our public schools
is also advancing the number of total
abstainers.
Pity the drunkard. Do not make his