Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-08-03
From lSarain's Magazine for August
Father Mathew.


onen,ly now in the seth year Of his age Hay
inc been early LEFT an orphan by the loss OF po.n
h;s parents he was adopted by kinswoman, tns
LADY Elizabeth Mathew. BY Der he was placed
under the tuition of the Rev. Denn,s " Dohneil
the parish priest of Tallasa, IN inc county .,
Waterford. At the age '"'I TEL ~ W." rsO,s;n
To the Academy ut KilI4nny' lhere ne remain
"a .ovan sosr. and was great favoriie with
~. prn,!,al n, Rev. Patrick Magraih. AT
, ,ran,x he M, I'd MAynooth in pursuit of theo
io,,;cJ .,ud;e- While at Maynooth he was in.
5rcsa to yecome member of the order Of Ca
l:- lie was oruAineu IN tota. He is d. |
hy Mr. Madden as being at that time very \
scr..Rful in appearance, and strikingly handsome.
Va was about the middle stature, active, and
well formed in body, with comey and ingra-
tiating presence, and a countenance aud dspo-
sition in which natural courtesy and religious
feeling stroye for predcminance. lie had
manly complexion, ey es large, bright, and sweet
in expression, slightly curved nose, rounded
cheeks, and black hair To great suavity OF
manners, which was prominent characteristic
in his department. he joined dignity Of carriage,
and a composed serenity of mind A steady
selEcontrol presided over all bis acts and emo
tions. A cordial poliieness and unyarying ala
bility distinguished him. To the higher classes
he was respectful, and was always considered
by them as one of their order. To the poor he
was 80 gentle in his bearing, patient of their
little requests and petitions, so earnest in plead.
ing their cause, and what was better than kind
words, so practically useful and humane, that
they also (the more Christian complmenD re-
CARRIED hlm AS one OF themselves
Ims handsome, courteous ana popular youne
fnar hrst attracted puoic Mteht'on 10 Iork
where he commenced preaching more than thir-
ty years since. His fiiary soon became the
place of general resort Thither the devout
belle went to enjoy mass later by an hour than
it could be heard in any other chapel in the city.
Inc most iasnionaole anu poNsheu OF Tue Oa,no
lie society might Always DC seen 'nere' pu'
while ms mnstratons were eagerly sought oy
the rich and gay, no CONFESSIONAL was oes'sged
by the poor with the same ardor as ihat where
their own rather Slaihew sat 70 administer
spiritual advice and consolation; In the opinion
OF MIR Madden, Vrom whose chapters We nave
condensed sIese no VIA, SnOc ;0 0,s
:; H. o.,sfa..;o,,sI IL ,ho s,n,a .r,..o 81
,;ue as ali Mr. Ms,be,~
such was Tho man n whom the friend. Of
temperance applied in 1888. Temperance So
cietites had been originally formed in that coun.
try. as thew were here, OF, the prnciple of mod
sration-allowinp either A moderate use of in
toxicating drinks. or the unres,rained use OF
w;ne and malt LIQUORS. torbi,tlns only "ar,lent
shirts" The societies formed on this plan proy-
ed a comnle,e failure. Some few temnerance
men had come to The conclusion to Change the
pledpe tolbat Of total abstinence. But ms thew
had not tho means to command social influence
they could moi arrest the attention of the people
nj large. MANY public meetings were held. but
the moderates and The tetotalers handled argu
m.nts with about canal s.ccess Under these
circums,ances the advocates Of tho new nr;ncinie
looked about them for some one who could g,,ye
efIser To their views, Tbev resolved 10 br;ng
their nr;ncinIe nn,ler the notice If Father Ma,L
ew. A deputation was accordingly sent 10 him.
asking Of him his adoption and advocacy of their
views Mr. Mathew renl;cd ,ba, he wonld tnke
he matter into consdcra,;on. md requested
hem 10 call again on a day named. The deuu-
t,tion called. and were ,nformed that he had
.,cceded 10 their request a meetinc was held
accordingly. on the 10th Of .April, 1883. when
he enrolled his mama 20 The Total abstinence
ledge, and was made President Of the new So
,atx : Great MAS iha astop; al,s.,. 6,o,l. q.
me ,o.1~' s uay -" 1890 PTbons.nds
"e heA1 =. .no si.i'a,;a'-aS ,roronnced !, ,
laugnsu, sheereu, uispehefeu' P'o'0u"e'N
'llsehood' hnmoug'
Thirty members took the pledge at the hands
# Father Mathew at the fret public meeting
Vt the second meeting three hundred and thirty
serc enrolled. From that time till the 26th Of
,dne, no less than 10000 persons OF all demon
atoms took the pledge at his hands, and before
december the number was swelled 10 the enor
'.ous sum of 100000 The mos. intense excite
.ent pervaded the whole city. Mulutudes Hook
! TO Cork to take part IN the movement IRON
ii parts of the adjacent country, coming twenty
'rty, forty, even sixty miles for this purpose
December he accepted an invitation to Lam
.ek, to preach tetotalism and administer The
sdge in that vicinity. This may be considered
.s the point Of hi- popular installation IS the
apostle OF Temperance" From that time &c
ne present he has been engaged almost without
Interruption, in exciting and guiding, throughout
ireianu' INA. popular in9veneH', ~h,en = mu'
one VI 'ne g,ca.es' Wohpers ..
amoveneh' oes'ue "nich even .ns' VI Honne
becomes secohd ra'e-"hen leu nNe ii'i,ons VI
the most drunken population on ,he elooe 70
take ana reiig'oasiy 10 keep piedge o. .o'a
abstinence from intoxicating drinks-whcn 10
three years reduced the consumption oil whlskey
IN Ireland from Twelve miiiions ana quarter o.
gallons to SIX millions and hai,-.whlrh IN 'me
years caused decrease IN me aIues on sp'rl'
OF half a million stering--whch Obliged INC
ohsneeilor OF the Esrhe1nsr, IN The l,nrsr,a
rarhamen' 70 aler nus a"nuai on"sS' ~ 80
nae o. ;ne e1un ~ as ns :" ~ ,h;r, INV,
auv, oehs an:eu " ."J ~, a,, =, q IN
pei. cenr-mnsh a., ~ wv 49,. ~ ' .ns
grave uishitiries oi 'ne ia"' 1 a.s ~ 'o :
NeheruOic maBstrhlesi On 'uS HSnSs' pe"e"