Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-09-27


in poverty, degradation and misery" lie had
even ceased to correspond with his sister, the
only relative he had remaining. And ali this
time he would resolve and re-resovc n drink
no more-yearning for sympathy and finding
only MISUNDERSTANDING every promise to him
self and others-stil sinking lower and low
er.
On Sunday evening. in October. 1879, as
he was wandering along the streets. pondcring
on his misery" houseless, aimless. and almost
hopeless"-a strange hand tapped him on The
shoulder. He could scarcely believe his own
senses when he turned and met kind look
1t was the :rsl touch OF Kindness he had known
for months, and il went straight to his heart.
The stTangeT-it turned out TO be Mr. Joel
Siraiion, (''ihe Lord keep his memory green, y
spoke kindly to him Of his condition, and
asked him to GO To temperance meeting with
him the next night, aud sign the pledge lie
promised to do so-and kept his PROMISE
There, in the Town Hall Of Worcester. he
made bis frs, speech, "elad in an old brown
suriout closely butioned to his chin, 50 that his
ragged under-habiimen,s might no, be seen. %
He was invited to the stand, lifted bis culver.
log hand, and then and there told what run
had done for him. lie related how he had
once been respectable and happy, and had a
home but that now be was homeless. misera-
BILE, scaIhed, diseased and blgh,ed ouicasi from
society. In his palsed band he will difficulty
grasPed the pen, signed the total abstinence
pledge, and resolved to free himself from the
inexorable tyrani-rgmi The day after he
signed the pledge be discovered thai he va,
doomed to another fearful encounter with the
horrors Of maHiad-pom. Fearful was thu
struggle, and for long time life and deztt
seemed to sit IN the dust OF the balance so close
ly poised, that a breath might torn the scale
He slowly recovered-and for five months bat
tied successfully with the enemy-but in az
unguaFded moment lie again fell, through th,
maehlns,ious Of the areh-tempier in the guise
Of false friends. Bot IL was only for an hoai
he saw his error, uemblingly viewed the gull
again opened before him, and fed forever from
the pursuing ruin. lie nobly confessed hi,
fault, was treated kindly by his new friends
and stood up an emanciaplied man
His talent for addressing popular assemblies
was discovered, and he was at once impressed
into the service. With the exception OF about
three or four weeks in the summer Of 1913 h,
has labored INCREASINGLY since that year ia be-
half OF the temperance cause, his sphere of use
iulness and popularity becoming more extended
lie came 10 New York In 1874, and since iaa
time his name has become the property Of III,
whole world. He has addressed larger nun
Der Of people than any man of his years in ih,
world-and even FIVE years ago DR.. Coyler es
timated that be had achieved greater triumph
OF popular ,i"quenee than any young man sine,
the days OF the lmenied >ummerfell. Up u
that period he had lrasel ed over seventy thous
and miles, or what is equal to going three time,
around the globe Under his appeals, during
the first six yeafs Of his labors, more than one
hundred and seventy thousand had signed lh'
Pledge-of whom 10000 gave their names il
the year 1850
lie married his second wife al Worcester, OF
the 9th Of Nov, 1913. She is still lnlng
the happy sharsr Of bis affection, his fame, an,
his Interesting travels. lie has delivered NOR,
addresses in the same place, on the same sub
jecl without repeating the same matter, thai
any other man His late tour in England an,
Scotland was one continuous iriumphal march
The Temperance Alliance, after paying hiu
literally toF his services, had 100000 left fo
the reform fund; and they have again engaged
him for three years al a salary Of $4,000 pc
annum, besides expenses. Who that has eve
been moved by his eloquence viii not accumpa
ny him with their earnest prayers for his s5iet
and continual success in his ''lsbOrs Of love .
Who, in the langnsge Of reverend writer al
ready quoted, will not unite in the sincere pray
er thu, such a life may be long preserved; an
that abundant grace may be vouehsafed to hil
for his lofty and ardGous work His peril
are great, bot his work is noble. What a viev
we gain Of the value OF a well spent life whe
we contrast his early wasted wears with the las
twelve years of sell-denyng toll How inefra
BILE appears the luxury of doing good. Whe
such laborer for God and humanity goes Il
his rest, he leaves something mure behind hiu
than a mere tomb--there is a fragrant perfum
lingering about his memary-there is trail q
ligh, that attends his luminous pathway whe
he has departed. A true philanthropis, neve
dies ohildless. No sou Or daughter may atien
him TO HE resting place; bus his works d
follow hin." These make up his invisible
procession-ihe g are his long Posterity--the
live forever in the siars that sparkle in tbs
crown Of his enduring glory.