The Columbian fountain., 1845-12-04
TEMPERANCE MEETING.

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TEMPERANCE MEETING.
ssThe United Brothers of Temperance"
of Association No l, held public meeting
agreeable to notice on Wednesday evening
last at the Baptist Church on 4. Street The
audience was highly respectable one,
whether considered individually, collective
ly or numerically. Not as large, its true,
as when the gifted (well nigh martyred)
Cough spoke there. Not as large as it
would have been upon any other evening of
the week. 1t was Thanksgiving Eve and
many were engaged in preparations for the
morrow who would otherwise, we know,
have been there. The speaking was excel
lent. The writer of this has been for nearly
five years cold water man and has attended
many Temperance meetings, but seldom, if
ever, has he been regaled with feast of in
tellectual edibles, SO rich, so varied and so
ample, as was offered upon this occasion.
The meeting was opened with prayer by
the Rev. Mr. Hendrickson, pastor Of the Bap-
tist Church upon the Navy Yard Hill. This
petition was every thing an address to the
Throne of Grace should be; in language,
choice yet simple, in style, strong, yet beau
tiful, in manner, fervent yet humble and sub
dued-this beautiful prayer bespoke the
favor of his audience for the address which
followed it. And rarely have | heard a
speech SO full of pathos, wit, energy and
intellect. 1t needs not the spirit of prophe-
cy, truly to foretell, that if this young gen
tleman should live but to middle age, and
stick to his Holy calling and cold water, he
will win high and honorable name. His
style of delivery strongly resembles that Of
Mr.. Cough. A friend remarked that he Mr.
| H. had made Mr.. G. his model. hope he
will study no mans manner. He has origi-
nality of thought, expression and elocution
Enthusiastically indicative of genius, and may
without presumption aspire to be something
more than an imitator. We know not if his
powers will be acknowledged or his merits
appreciated, while laboring in the cause Of
Temperance, but let him persevere, and we
do know that for him angels will raise, the
:. golden trumpets Of eternal praise"
To the Rev. Mr.. Hendrickson, the Rev.
Mr.. Matchett succeeded, and for half an
hour, in a speech delightfully."- discursive, en-
chained the attention of his audience. The
peculiarly of Mr.. Ms style is, that in the
most amusing manner and by the most hui
morous sayings, he conveys the most i'm
pressive truths to the minds of his hearers.
In his liveliest sallies there is depth of mo-
raj meaning which when mirth has subsi-
ded, is sure to lead to wholesome reflection
From grave to gay, from lively to severe"
his speeches are 81 for useful mirth and salu-
tary wo."
To the Reverend Mr.. Matchet succeeded
the Rev. Matthew Hale Smith, gentleman,
who, for some time past, has filled no in
considerable space, in the eye of the reli-
gious world. Mr.. S. commenced by saying
that he appeared before the audience as a
substitute for one who would, he knew be
far more acceptable to them than himself
That he had reluctantly (bcause wholly un-
prepared yielded to the request of his friend,
the Rev. Mr.. Sprole, Whose name had been
announced, but who was indsposed,) to
submit few remarks in his stead. He
further stated his simple purpose to be,
6 to give brief narrative of the progress,
and present state of the Temperance cause
in the state from which he came Massachu-
setts-old Massachusetts-the Temperance
State--yes, emphatically, the Temperance
State of the Union--the State in which the
pledged friends Of Temperance were in a
decided majority--the State, of which no
man, not even George Briggs, unsurpassed,
as he is, in all estimable qualities, could be
Governor, if he were not pledged friend
of the cause.
/. The very circumscribed limits which this
gentleman had determined for himself, pre-
cluded the exercise Of those fine reasoning
powers which he is known to possess. His
manner is marked by peculiar softness,
beauty, and propriety, strongly reminding
us of that of the Hon. Edward Everett
Next came one, whose sledge-hammei
blows upon the hydra-headed monster have
oft resounded throughout the District the
+ Rev. French S. Evans. The lateness of the
hour imposed brevity upon the gentleman