Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1843-08-31
FATHER MAFrHEw.

l
Lewis Tappan's lecture at Brooklyn.
met man who knew Father Matthew
in Cork, and who was a temperance man
aud an abolitionist. He told me that Father
Matthew was pastor of Catholic church in
| Cork. There was man named William
Martin residing in his neighborhood,. who
got'him TO read some Of the temperance pa
ters, and consequently to take the temper
ance pledge. He then commenced preach
ing temperance and getting the members Of
his aock to take the pledge-which increas
ed to other individuals, and in short time il
| required all his time 10 administer the pledge.
lie went TO Limerick, short distance from
Cork, tor the purpose Of administering the
| pledge, expecting TO find about 500 people
there. instead Of which, 10000 had collected
all anxious to have the pledge administered
| to them. Father Matthew was overpowere,l
with the excess Of his happy emotions. He
| said it was the Lords doing, and there was
| co greater proof Of it than his having select.
ed such humble individual as himself for
the task. His Bishop went to him soon af.
forwards, and demonstrating at his depart
ing from the legitimate course of his relig-,
ious duties. He said, don't you know that
the publicans in the country 90 more to sus-
tain our religion than any others. Yes
was the reply of Father Matthew, Il do; and
!! know also that your brother is one Of the
largest distillers in the country Father
Matthew, aware that he would be the object
of clerical censure, and perhaps removal,
wrote TO the Pope at Rome, and got COM
mission sent back TO him as Vicar Apostolic,
which took him out of the hands of the
Bishop in Great Britain and Ireland. The
Pope said to him, you look to me and will
look to you,' SO that we have to commend
the Pope for one good thing at any rate
Father Matthew now travels free wherever
he chooses to 60, as no one thinks Of charg.
ing him any thing. He has been charged
with parsimony in taking shilling each
for medals, but lie Is not amenable to the
| censure, as the amount is not more than cost.
HE is independent as to pecuniary circun.
stances, as he enjoys f90O year, which he
inherited from his father, and which for
single man, as from his situation he necessa.
rily is, furnishes an abundance for his sup.
port.
saw Father Matthew at Liverpool, and
little party WIS made up for him 10 dine
with US. Dinner was waiting, but he could
not come, because he said If he did, twelve
hundred persons would 60 away without Ia.
king the pledge. We went up to the Cath.
Ollie Chapel and saw number of men and
boys crying out and selling Father Mat.
thew's Temperance Sermon Of last Sunday. |
On coming to where Father Matthew was,
we found him administering the pledge to
sixty and hundred persons at time. His
mode Of doing so was 10 make them kneel
down and repeat the pledge as no pronoun.
ced it. was introduced to him as from the
United States. He took hold of both my
hands, and said he was always glad to see
any one from the United States, and asked
me as 10 Mr.. Delevan and others. In 1916. |
CAV. "a, the first pledge 70 favor Of Temper
thew q Sat effect ss, e Father Mat
minister it to me alone, and did so, at the |
same time giving me his medal
The hair of Father Matthew il little grey. |
He told me that he was about fifty -four years
of age. He wears a long surtout, which |
comes about half way between his knees and
ankles, and old.fashioned boots over his
pan:aloons. He shakes hands with so many
that his hands and face usually show the
effects Of it. He is no way particular, kiss 7
ing the faces Of the little children which the
mothers hold up 10 him, whether clean or
dirty. He administers the pledge to large
number at once. He then gives them what
he calls the sign of the cross. which is little I
dab on the forehead, and Il is incredible
how fast he gets through with them, com.
pletiDg probably thirty in a minute. BY re.
quest then addressed the people--told them
my maternal ancestors belonged TO ireland.
Hurrah for Ireland, was the loud applause.
then told them that if Father Matthew
came to New York, fifty thousand Irishmen
would assemble with him 10 the Park to take ?
he pledge. Hurrah for New York was the
feply. And thus they con tinued greeting in
/ good-humored manner what advanced.
A LE.. 4,