The New York herald., 1851-10-13

Father Mathew Aaminl sesrsna she Tenn.
psuanco Pledge.
UPWARDS OF Foua THOUSAND NEW MEMBERS EN-
ROLLED.
Yesterday, after the service OF high mass and sermon
preached by Bishop NcGin the very reverend Father
Mathew proceeded 70 administer the total abstinence
pledge In st. Psricks Cathedral those of the conge
cation who wshsd to enrol themselves under the banner
of the good and great apostle Of temperance The eddce
densey crowdsd and at the conclusion of the mass
Father Mathew cee to the front Of the altar and sd
dressed the congregation, beseeching them in very
earnest language to become members OF the total ahst
association He said LIDO not my beloved brethreu
administer the pledge remedy against drunkensess
but administer it to prevent drunkenness for pre-
venton better than cure Let 1t not be understood
therefore, that administer the pledge alone to drunk
ards administer 1t to those who never have fallen
under the fatal influences of intoxicating drinks Tenn
persnos Il the Oldest institution in creation may say
that the rst temperance society established by the
Almighty himself, in Psradse-our first parents were
total abstainers The Almighty God placed them in
total abstinence he gave them intoxicating drinks
be gave them the waters OF the spring of life
Believe my dear brethren there is not gratifc alton
worthy rational being and Christian that be
enjoyed without indulging in Intoxicating drinks No
man was ever born a drunksrd-no man was ever in
tended by nature or by natures God to be drunkard
Yet have drunks ts every where. We have
by his indulgence he has placed himself in the hands Of
the law, yet he an innocent little child and
was as free from guilt as any enc in this congregation
To all then abstinence fro Intoxicating drinks is
cefsary as preventive. The only who lay his
hard upon his heart, and say never will be that de-
graded thing drunkard Is he who takes and adheres to
the total abstinence pledge II is the Of intoxi-
eating drinks that wretchedness and crime; ab
stain from them and you will be saved much misery Il
secure you with the divine assistsnce from this
the greatest Of all caamies, that appear before you
feeble as now am Fourteen years have elapsed since
first saH and han
in my own beloved country i am now but a mere
wreck of the Father Mathew Yet do not reyre.
it, would cay more glory in the infrmy that has
befaen ne ia the service OF my Divine Master. The
Irish people who always rea5y to indulge In inoxi-
under the standard Of the temperance society UNTIL in
the courfe of five years. more than I'VE millions Of
my beloved countrymen took the total abstinence
pledge and then derfu change took place amongst
them. The prisons and the bridewes without
cuIans and the greatest of them entirely closed
The d, OF drunkenness banished, aud Ireland
had become the island Of saints But regret
to say that in coming to this country many have
lated the temperance pledge not direcy but they get
permission from physicians, and the engrants, when
leaving their native land think that they support
the fagres Of the voyage without strong drink They
then set permission to take It, and many OF them have
continued 10 do so to their own destruction IL Is
correct this great evil my beloved brethren that
wbstapding my feeble health, am amongs. you, and
know you will yourselves under the banner total
abstinence Since my arrival in this country upwards Of
fse hundred thousand have taken the temperance
pledge and am confident that you who take /. will
keep the solemn engagement you enter into. You
will take it, relying the Divine assistance;
d, believe Almighty refused to Il nd his
aid fer the smeoration the condition Of the suppan
will administer the pledge to those who disposed
to take it, will slso admir- liter il this evening" al every
morpirg during this week at eight O'clock and hope
that having renounced intoxicating drinks you
will return to them sgaiD but that you will
tain the fidelity to the obligation that your
tTynen and mine have preserved Let those who wish
TO take the pledge now CONT forward.
number OF postulsnt then advanced TO the foot
Of the altar and children eagerly thronged
towards the reverend gentleman Fathers brought for
ward Their years Old and mothers pre-
their about the age the shrine
OF perance which has saved millions from want Pc
nury destruction UuI dreds havins knet down Fa-
q Matthew cred the following pledge which
spondcd 10 by the postuants~I promise, with the Divine
assistance &c abstain from all intoxic aDg IL
ing co6ials cider and fruit uors; and prevent
much possible, by example, inemperancs in oshe-s
As each batch Of postuan.s thus pledged, they
tirei 10 the vestry where they enrolled thti-
names members OF the Total Abstinence Association
The reverend gentleman resumed his labors afer
peTs The cathedral again depsey crowded and his
mild persuasive eoquence listened to with
Attention. AT lite close the usual effects of this distn
yusbed man extraordinary influence at pe.
tptibe continued stream OF applicants poured in for
two hours, crowd after crowd successfully re-
itered and desI patched and at the departure Of our
reporter the number enrolled yesterday amounted
upwards Of four thousand Father Mathew will continue
his abors at the Cathedral every morning for the pre-
eut week