The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-05-17
Father Matthew Total Abstinence
Society.
An Excellent Entertainment!
SOCIAL REUNIONS.
INTRODUCTORY.


was organized Feb. 20, 1871, by Rev. Fathers
Heating and Terry but VIC believe keV. fa'her
Heating receives the credit for bringing it up TO
its present high standard.
The society started under more than inc
usual difficulties. 1t had no rich man to cnao"
il, give ii library or start it on the road to sue
cess with handsome cash donation Senator
Reddick gave it the first practical encourage
men, nv offering 1t hall in his block free OF rent
This was a grand point gained, but where were
thc funds TO come from to obtain furnlture,
books, &c? Those sought for as members were
necessarily young men, all hborers ana every
one poor. Subscription papers II was thouSh'
would bring in but small returns, and yet the
projectors were determined to go ahead, even
though on small beginning. They fixed the
admission fee nj a small sum, and added % cents
pcr month as dues. We need not gointo further
details than to give the present condition oil It's
affairs
The society now numbers eighty members mas
ohout 200 volumes of good books-no cheap
books or trash, and will add POO more volumes
during the coming fall, making in all 'oo choice
standard works, carefully selected ana III variety
excellence and real value will not be cqualeo oy
anv library similar in size in the state. The rooms
are open free to all on Tuesday, Thursday ana
sunday evening, of each week, the library free
to the members, and the newspapers, &c, 10
Others
The officers ut present are: NJ o. Crowley
President; " Noonan Vice President; j. Ford,
Recording Secretary; W. Lawless, Correspond
I han TTpu Peter
Hannaghan, Librarian; NJ Farrell, Assistant.
THE soCIABLE.
On Monday evening last, the society and frIehds
10 the number of one hundred and MY persons
were present at the hall in Rcddicks bioch 10
witness an entertainment such as is given by inc
members once every two weeks
The exercises consisted among other Things Oh
music by some young ladies and gentlemen
The leaders were Miss Hickey, who presided at
the organ, and Miss Lena Rhicl and Mr. Neil
Brown, who are pupils ut the Academy OF Music
The manner in which they acquitted themselves
and the loud applause with which each OF their
efforts wa, received, shows the merits of the
musical training which they are receiving at the
Academy Of Music.
THE harp that once through Tara'S hail. as
sung was greeted with loud applause
As there were number of strangers present.
Rev Father Heating explained that once every
two weeks the society had an entertainment like
the present consisting of music, reading, decia-
nations, dc
lie then read poem, "Thc Bark of Peter,
which was greeted with applause.
The vocalis- again sang beautiful piece
Mr. 0. Crowley announced that he had intend
ed to dcclaim and read on this evening, but
want of time to practice he feared would render
his performance very imperfect, However, he
read Moore's "Gcncyra," and acquitted himself
most creditably.
Mr. Neil Brown, of the vocalsts, sang Mollic
Darling" so well that the audience would gladly |
have cncored him, as they tried to, but the
length of the programme prevented.
Father Heating followed this by dcclaimng
the celebrated poem, Fontenoy,' prcfacing it
with an cXtemporc historical Introductory. This
was very interesting, and when he acclaimed the
grand old poem, the hall rang with plaedits.
The ladies, Miss Lena Rhiel and Miss Mary
Hickey followed with Il duet, $50 where the
mists are slccping.' This was gem, in which
the lady yocalists distinguished themselves.
Mr.. O'Crowlcy sang in a capital manner Beau
tiful Isle Of tht Sea-" and was loudly applauded. /
FATHER KEATING's REMARKS
Father Heating said in substance: "AIl here have
heard me often that you will scarcely care to
hear me now but 80 great is our wish to forward
the holy causc of temperance, that we can hardly
keep silent We should not neither Us an indi-
yidual or Il society refrain from urging onward
the great cauac Of temperance. As one means
we have gotten up these social unions in this
hall, where not only we but our friends may come
and be welcome, ~ is the case tonight
at is our duty rs men and women, duty we
owe TO society as well rs to ourselves, to leave
nothing mGune ihat lies in our power that shall
be for thc advancement Of the great cause.
History informs II, that among all nations since
the beginning, mtcmpcrmcc has been the cause
of their downfall and ruin. 1t is true well
among nations as men that drunkenness has
ruined every noble enterprise or people or sub
cct that has fallen He called attention to =
bound volume Of the Emerald" which he had
before him lie had read with deep pain the
many instance, of great and good men were
ruined by incompetence. In 119S when the pco
pie of all Europe seemed determined to ris'
against their tyrlnnical Empcrors, Kings an'
other dcspot', ireland arose among the numbc
10 attempt To shake oil despotisnA but owing Il
drunken leader, their efforts failed. Rcmcmbe
The fate OF the brave lrishmcn ut Wexford, wht
had driven the opprcssors from their gates to thu
-ru. when through drunkenness, bribery ant
corruption the enemy returned successfully. |
he Irish, a, . nation, would ever succeed, the,
mu>t abandon intoxicating drink In Ottawa
young men say they are temperate and do mo-
drink to excess, and therefore why should they
DIN societies: There is always danger in falin.
uto the habit II grows impercepubly little by
little. Look al the wonderful genius, Benjamin
franklin, who brought down lightning from tn
clouds. In lis carly youth he was tota
abstinence boy. and remained so till in his rip
manhood, whc4 he gave way, so that in Us;
when messenger was sent to notify him of hi
appointment peace commissioners 10 settl
he war with England, he was found sick froi