Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-11-30
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.

John B. Cough, in the course of an ad
dress in Boston, proceeded to speak Of
drunkenness as the great hinderance in the
way of bringing the Gospel to bear upon
the hearts of a portion of the people. il.
lustrating his remarks by the following in
cident -
[ spoke in Dundee to the outcasts Of
that town. The Right Hon. Lord Kin
naird and his lady were instrumental in
getting up that meeting. 1t was such a
meeting, suppose, as you cannot see in
this country,-at least l never saw such a
one. If such an audience can be gathered
together here, | should like to see it, and
to address it. The town missionaries had
got together a large mass of men and
women, and you would almost have looked
il vain to find one lingering trace of hu.
man beauty left. 1t seemed as if the foul
hoof Of debauchery had dashed it out. 1t
was horrid sight to look at Rags, filth,
nakedness- fostering. steaming mass oI
purifying humanity. A woman sat at
my feet. and the place was so crowded
that / touched her; her nickname for
years had been Hell-fre" The boys
called her Fire" and she was known
by no other name in the vicinity of her
wretched residence. Fifty-three times
had she been convicted and sentenced for
from six days to four months impri-
sonment.
The Ex-Provost of the town, George
Rough, said, Il never sent one policeman
to take her. She was never mastered by
one man. She is muscular woman, and
she will hit right and left. She has been
dragged before me, time after time, with
the blood streaming from her face"
The Rev Mr.. Hanway and MIR. Rough
said to me, "If she kicks up row, as she
probably will, you will see one Of the
most comical rows you ever beheld. 1t is
dreadful, but there is . comicality about
it; she has such power with her tongue
that it's amazing.-We have seen men who
can stand any amount Of common swear
ing, run when Fire" begin to blaspheme "
She sat there at my feet, and as went
on, she interrupted me little. l told
that audience what they had been, and
what they might be, what God meant they
should be. l showed them that they were
thwarting Gods good designs towards eve
ry one of them. asked that mother if
she did not remember sending that half:
starved little child for q pennys worth Of
oatmeal and fourpence worth Of whiskey.
| asked that young man to remember
what he promised when he married thst
irl. and to 90 and look at her bed of rags
to which he had brought her. Some of
them lifted up their naked arms, and said.
"Oh that is all true"
BY and by, the woman at my feet look
ell up and said, "Where did you learn
that ?'' Then she looked as if she had
some important communication to make 70
the people, and she said, "the man kens all
about it. Would you give the likes O. me
the pledge p
''To be sure " H." said l.
"Oh no-no ~ said some; 'it wont do
for her to take the pledge"
II said, why not o.
'She can't keep it
GLOW do you know ?"
She'll be drunk before she goes to bed
tonight
"How do you know O.
Madam" | said to her, "there is a
gentleman who says you cannot keep the
pledge if you sign it ~
The woman few into rage
SAID l, 'beflre you fight about it, tell
me can you keep 1t g
The reply was, "If 1 say l will, can"
said, "then say you will
Il will"
"Give me your hand"
Il WILL
Then" said ], "put down your name. r"
After she had done it, 1 said, "give me
your hand again"
She did so, and said, Il will keep it."
Il know you will | said, "and shall
come back again and see you"
Come back when you WILL" said she,
"and you will find l have kept it,
Some three years afterwards l went
back. Lord Kinnaird presided over the
meeting The worman was there. After
the meeting, I introduced her to Lord
Kinnaird, not as Fire" but as Mrs
Archer, very respectable Scotch woman
She had on her white cap, and her shaw
pinned across her breast. He shook hand:
with her. l went to her house. l wish
could tell you what she told me. ! wish
could make you feel as she made me.
Il am poor body" she said. Il dim,
ken much and what little did ken, ha'
been about knocked out Of NE by tn,
slaves Of the policemen. They knocked mt
| Oh the head, sir. | dinna ken how to pray
| never went to Gods house these twenty
eight years I Gamma pray. but sometime
| I dream''-and then her eyes filed. g
! dream l am drunk, and [ Gamma pray bu
get out of my bed, sir, and kneel b,
the side Of it, and | never get back to /
till the day dawn and all can say is
God keep me :" l Gamma get drunk all.
more
Her daughter said, "Aye mon and
have heard my mother at dead Of night O
the bare floor, in the bitter winter time or
cut, "God keep me :" and [ said, rithel
go to your bed, and she said no bad
dream, and [ Gamma go and get drunk an
more"
That woman is now to be seen goin
every Sabbath day TO hear Gods wor
preachcd-she who had not entered God
house for twenty-eight years.
Teetotal.sm is not religion, but | than
God it has removed hindrance to many
man and woman hearing that truth whic
must believed
ANEW ORLEANS BARBECUE.
\ letter from French traveller