Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-11-08
CHRISTIAN TENOEAyOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. II, 1911.

Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. II, 1911.
Topic.-The case against the saloon. =
lisa ". lbs. Temperance meetingp Ed
tied BY Rev Sherman II. Doyle. d. D,
The saloon is a gigantic evil and a
positive curse. 1t is an evil to its
owner and to those who deal out its
life destroying poisons. Woe unto
him that giveth his neighbor drink.
that puttest the bottle to him and max
eth him drunken" Ii is an evil to its
patrons. 1t destroys body, mind and
soul. It breeds shame and disgrace
and disappointment and disaster. Woe
unto them that rise up early in the
morning that they may follow strong
drink: that continue until night. till
wine infiame them" 1t is the saloon
generally that makes such woes pos
sible. 1t Is curse to The home. to
society. to industry and to the state.
Intemperance is the national sin OF
America. and 1t is the saloon that
makes widespread intemperance and
drunkenness possible. Such being the
devastating influences of the saloon. we
should both avoid it and do all in our
power to overthrow it.
The saloon Is absolutely indefensibIe.
II alcohol Is necessary as medicine
1t should be prescribed by physicians
and used as other medicines. The plea
that legislation depriving a man Of his
right to drink what he pleases is an
interference with his personal liberty
is Illogical and inconsistent Law for
the good of the individual. Of society
and of the state deprives many men OF
the privilege and power Of doing what
they would like to do. and IL in these
cases 1t is no infraction upon our per
sonal liberty how Illogical to argue
that it is when 1t comes to drinking
alcoholic drinks.
The claim that the saloon is neces-
sary for the revenue that it brings to
the state is most foolish and absurd.
The evils resultant from the existence
of the saloon cost the state many
times the amount of revenue received
from liquor licenses. In a southern
state it has been estimated that 1t
costs $20O00,000 to pay for 100000
received as a saloon tax. The saloon
Is largely responsible for the expenses
Of our courts. officers of the law. for
our penitentiaries, our almshouses and
our asylums. Add to all this the de-
struction of the money making power
of the victims OF the saloon. and we
can readily see that from the sordid
standpoint Of dollars and cents the
saloon is a curse to the state and in
defensible as producer of taxes and
revenues. No argument can be brought
forward in defense Of the saloon that
is just or reasonable. Alcohol in no
form, as beverage. Is necessary to
human health or happiness. 1t de-
stroys both and In doing so forfeits
all claim to the right to exist
The saloon must go. 1t is an unmiti-
gated curse. 1t is an indefensible evil.
1t has no legal or moral right to exist.
and 1t must be abolished. Every
Christian and every American citizen
should do all In his power to abol-
ish the saloon. In no shape or form
should we patronize 1t. We should pc
tition against it. pray against 1t, speak
against 1t, work against 1t and vote
against it. In every way possible. to
the greatest extent possible. our influ-
ence should be against the saloon, and
It will 60. Polygamy was once strong
" intrenched. but it was an evil. and II
went Slavery seemed all powerful.
but 1t was a curse. and It was destroy
ed The saloon is doomed. In Gods
own time. in Gods own way. It viii
70. May He speed the glorious day,