The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-02-19
TEMPERANCE.
JOHN B. COUGH.

r am passionately ford of eloquent publ
. speaking. and therefore felt great desire L
hear Mr. Cough, nor was my wish long un
gratifed. for the rain being lover and gone
sauntered down Chestnut street and in m,
way saw bill which announced that Mr. G
would address the people of Philadelphia il
. the First Baptist Church on the folIowin,
Sunday evening, and thither at the appointed
hour | repaired. expecting to be disappointed
for have generally found much-vaunted mer
to fall far short of the standard erected b,
their admirers.
Mr. Coughs fame having "lown before
him." the Church was, long before the appoin
ted time, crowded to OVERLOOKING. occupied
seat in the gallery, and in common with
hundreds waited anxiously for the appearance
of the second Father Mathew As seven
O'Clock drew near every eye was strained in
order to catch the first glimpse of him. Here
was perfect fuzor. Surely, thought he
must be something above the mark but stay.
The Minister who regularly officiates in the
church goes into the pulpit and sits down.
One or two persons behind me say it is after
seven O'Clock and very much fear that Mr.
Cough is not coming, and they are only going
to have sermon after all-presently there is
a stir near the door, and grave looking spec
tacled parsonage with hair
halfway
On the road from grizzle TO gray
is seen pushing with monstrous officially
through the crowd-he is followed by a young
man, or rather by young mans head, for
whether body belongs to it is doudtful-if
there be it bids fair to be SO fatty squeezed
as to render seeing it edgeways matter Of
1 .. I'll
and his companion push, and at length arrive
at the foot of the stairs leading 10 the pulpit.
There he goes that's Cough him with rhe
spectacles on whispers one to another as the
grave looking parsonage ascends the steps
no that cannot be the Orator for we are told
he is much younger. Another individual
mounts, and buZ geos round-again dis
appointment it is only the sexton who is
about TO regulate refractory gas burner. Per-
haps the Secretary flor such is the gentleman
with gray hair and spectaclesl is going TO
apologize for Mr. Coughs unexpected, una
voidable absence, &c. &c. Oh mono such
thing for you may see young man following
the Sexton, and all at once every eye is fixed
on him, for every body whispers TO every
body else-"That's him." and this time they
are right, for Mr. J. b. Cough it is.
brown over coat buttoned closely up TO his
chin, and looking so attenuated that tolera
bly, perseverine gust of wind would have had
no difficulty in putting him to any required
point Of the compass-fhat him who swayed
multiudes by his oratory. Made strong men
weep like little children, and women TO sob
as iftheir hearts would burst -Yes-look at
his large expressive eyes-mark every feature.
nd IL, Of
there. The young Apostle Of Temperance is
before us.
After brief address from Mr. Marsh, and
prayer from the Pastor of the church,
hymn was sung, and then Mr. Cough came
forward. had now better opportunity of
observing him. His face was pale and there
needed no very scrulinizing eve to detect on
the brow of youth, burrows which time and
trouble had prematurely ploughed there.
His cheeks were very pale, somewhat sunhen,
and their muscles were very distinctly mark
ed. The mouth, by far the most expressive
features of the face, was of benevolent for
nation, If may so describe it) and at times
a smils of inexpressible sweetness lurked a
bout it-a quantity of dark hair nearly cover
ed his forehead, yet leaving one temple bare
indicating brain of more than ordinary size.
black-taken altogether, have seldom at
first glance felt so lively an interest in any
celebrated man, land have seen many) as |
did in Mr.. Cough.
1t would be easy enough to give the matter
of Mr.. Coughs address, but TO convey any
thing except avery slender idea of his manner,
would be sheer impossibIlity, and / shall
not attempt so hopeless task. To be fully
l. Il,
ed by diSclaiming any intention of entering
on an argument, and said that he should MAIN
ly depend on facts, the results of his own ex-
perience, or those Of Others who had fallen
under his notice. He then described his own
career as an Incorporate man, and drew pic
lures of such terrific power, and yet so truth
full that his auditors shuddcred as they listen
ed to the dreadful details. To me, intemper-
ancc had never before appeared i'll all its hor
rble, startling hideousness. The impressions
made by Mr.. Cough Oh his audience seemed
to be profound; and many Of his pathetic
anecdotes drew "tears from eyes unused TO
weep"
1t being Sabbath evening, Mr.. Cough did
not indulge in any "reminiscences of a ludi-
crous nature, but confined himself TO delin-
cation of the awful features of intemperance,
as exhibited every hour in our daily paths
His illustrations were marvelously felicitous,
and most aptly introduced. Never did he ut
ter anything approaching 10 vulgarity, and
often his eloquence was ola high order. He
told us that he had never known the advania
ges of education, fact which none would
have suspected-that he bad left England at
- years of age, had suffered from poverty
and want in their direst forms, and had felt
when death had robbed him of all who made
life dear that he was utterly alone. 1t was
the most awfully interesting autobiography
ever listened to.
During that week and the week following !
Mr.GouSh lecturedto congregated thousands
in Philadelphia, and so fascinated was l by
his eloqueuce that with the exception OF two
meetings heard all his addresses. The ex-
element was tremendous-to obtain any
chance of hearing him seats were obliged to
be procured more than an hour and half
before the time of commencement. Gallery
and pulpit stairs, and aisles were thronged
with people of every class. shall never for
get the scene at the Chinese Museum, where
three thousand people paid 25 cents for the
priv;leqe7of hearing him on two occasions,