The Portland daily press., 1874-09-15
BALLY AT FREE
STREET CHURCH.
Voices from Chicago and Brooklyn.

The temperance rally at Free Street Church,
! last evening" called forth very large concourse
| of people, the church being literally packed.
| The speakers, the ladies especially, were warm
| ly received and <attentively listened to. There
was evidently al earnest feeling for the tenn
perance cause called forth, and the meeting, in
that particular at least, was very happy in its
effects.
Albion Little, ESQ.,, presided. After prayer
by the Rev. DR.. Champlin, the Rev. Dr. Ran
dolph, man with kindly, intellectual face,
and dark, enthusiastic eyes, was the first speak
er of the evening He is both strong and
pleasing speaker, and his remarks commanded
close attention. Talking temperance in Maine,
he said, seems much like taking Goals to Newcas-
tie. Considering intemperance to be the great
evil, as slavery was some years since, he called
for the building up of public sentiment
against it similar to that which broke the bonds
of the slave. In this work woman has most
blessed part to perform.
These remarks were followed by remarks
from Mrs. Mary E. Moore of the New York
League of Prayer. - Mrs. Moore is one OF those
earnest, deeply sincere speakers, whose every
word seems to come from the heart, and whose
remarks therefore, even if trifling, command
our attention She closed her remarks with
prayer.
MIR. E, johnson of Brooklyn, member of
the Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmage's church, followed
Mrs. Moore In few plain, simple remarks
he earnestly beseeched his auditors to wake up
to the evils of intemperance. He spoke, he
said, not as professional temperance lecturer,
but as a business man of Brooklyn. The
burden of his speech was eulogy of the work
done by women in the temperance cause.
Miss Frances E. Willard of Chicago, late
Dean of Northwestern University, who follow
ed Mr.. johnson, made the speech of the even
ing. In language remarkable for its unstudied
eloquence and simplicity, she told the story of
her first awakening to the need of wo men in
the battle now waging against intemperance,
of her alliance with the crusaders, and of the
wonderful results which followed. There was
an infinite pathos in some of the pictures she
drew, which deeply moved the audience. The
effect of her address, fine in itself and showing
the marks of high culture and great natural
talent, was added to by her fine presence. A
straight, elegant figure, an oval face and regu-
lar features, deep. earnest grey eyes, wealth
of light brown hair, and wonderfully clear.
bell-lke voce-all these combine to make her
a very effective platform speaker.
Mrs. Mary G. johnson, President of the
Brooklyn Women's Temperance Union. who
gave an interesting account Of the temperance
in that city and the part taken
therein by the women, was the next speaker.
The process by which the woman overcame
their natural timidity and their reluctance to
enter upon the mission in the saloons, was en-
tertainingly described. So effectual was the
work done in Brooklyn, said Mrs. johnson
with spice of sarcasm, that the name of sa-
loon has become unpopular there, and liquor
shops are now known as hotels and drug stores,
and billiard rooms and restaurants and oyster
houses. The assertion was made that drinking
saloons especially for women are to be found in
Brooklyn.
Mrs. Mary E. Hart of Brooklyn, followed
Mrs. johnson. She spoke but few moments,
warmly commencing prayer as great weapon
in the fight against intemperance.
Francis Murphy made very brief. but peril
nent and encouraging remarks. Capt. Sturdi
want also made short remarks, in which he
spoke of the good effects wrought by the re-
cent temperance camp-meeting. After the
singing of hymn, the exercises closed with
the benediction pronounced by DIR. Champlin.