Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-06

II UeE lIuuh.
ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING The fourth of
the series of Irish temperance meetings, under
the auspices of the Father Mathew society, was
held last evening, in the vestry of the church of
st. Anne. The yestry was densely packed, hun
dreds being unable to obtain admission. The
space around the open windows was also crowd
ed with persons DESTROYS of hearing the remarks
of the speakers Mr.. p. Diggins, president of
the society, occupied the chair, aud the platform
contained members of the society in regalia, and
other friends of temperance, including T. X.
Earle, NJ. S. johnson, NJ. Mecorney and Others
Mr. johnson first spoke, taking up the subject
of temperance in general way. Addison Palm
err then spoke, congratulating the audience
that the movement now in progress was init
ated and carried on by the people themselves.
Mr.. Mecorney made characteristic speech,
thanking the Father Mathew society, in the
name of all friends of temperance, for their
present efforts.
Father John Power was then introduced, and,
in a calm and effective manner. gave a most ex-
cellent address, He divided men into three
classes: Those, who, knowing that the use of
drink is injurious, are total abstainers; those
who occasionally drink; and those who are
drunkards. He believed that the principal in
terest centured in the first two classes. For the
third, inasmuch as the habit is an occasion of
sin, there can be but one course-total absti-
nenc6. He believed that the other two classes
should be appealed to, and he asked that those
classeS-although they might not be in danger
themselves, would exercise a degree of that
virtue which he would call herosm, a virtue
that calls on men to perform acts which the
necessities of the case do not demand, but which
tend to benefit their fellow men.
He called upon such, for the sake of their eX-
ample, to come forward and place themselves
under the banner of Father Mathew. The peo-
pie of Irish blood had cause enough to blush for
the sin, which, to such a terrible degree is a
shame and disgrace, and he impressed upon
his hearers the fact that, as people, they would
be elevated and made better by the abolition of
drinking habits. He made no war upon the
sellers; reform should begin with the drinkers.
He started with the proposition that man had
right to sell if he chose; so, too, on similar
grounds, a man has an absolute right to go to
hell; he did not make the assertion that every
seller would 60 to hell but from every consider
alton of justice and right, he would never adj
wise man to sell liquor, but would even use his
influence to prevent such a course. He feared
that reformers erred in taking extreme ground,
and he cautioned the society under whose au-
spices the meeting was held, to avoid such meas
ures. Temperance, he said, did not originate
with Father Mathew, nor was it created by his
followers. They, indeed, had done a noble work
in calling attention to the matter; but every
Catholic knew that temperance was one of the
four cardinal virtues inculcated by their religion
He closed by inviting those who desired to come
forward and take the pledge. He desired that
their so doing might not be the result of any
excitement caused by the circumstances of the
hour; he wished that none would take upon
their lips the solemn words of the pledge who
would be sorry on the morrow for the act; but
all who were guided by sense of the evil of the
habit, or by a conscientious belief in the duty
and propriety OF the act of taking the pledge,
would be welcome. Thirty-one men responded,
and, kneeling upon the platform, repeated the
pledge of total abstinence. The meeting was
then adjourned, to meet at the Catholic insti-
tute, on Temple street, next Sunday evening.