The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-27
THE CRUSADE.

Nesting ut Warrington Hall Last
Ntrhi-Undiminish Interest or
Atfenda1ce-Addre by Reys.
Fisher and Mcclure, DE, dc.
Washington Hall was again crowded
last night by the friends Of temperance,
every seat on the floor and in the gal
leries being occup led by an audience
composed principally OF our best citi-
zena. The ladies, as Of course they
should be, being in the majority.
The meeting was opened by singing
several hymns, among them
There Is fountain filed with blood,
Drawn from Immsnuel's veinR."
And
Am / soldier OF the cross,
A follower ofthe Lamb"
followed by prayer by Mrs. Ball. The
hymu,
"Roek OF Ages c.elt for me,
Let me hide myselfin Thee
was then sung. after which q request
Was made that i: Rev Fisher was in
the audience that be would come
on the platform, with which that
gentleman, being present, complied.
The request was further extended to it,
clude all ministers present, two or three
complying with it. Mrs. President
Hsgans called forward and introduced
REV. D. W. FlsHER,
who proceeded to address the audience
BE said that before he commenced
speaking he had one request to make
of bis hearers, viz: that they would
not applaud anything he should say, as
his remarks were Intended for their
heads and hearts, and not for their
heels. He then preceded to say that
for thirteen years he had baen living
and laboriug among the people OF
Wheeling, and in position that
brought him before the public COM
stautly, and he knew that their testi"
mouy would be that he had pursued a
uniform course, and had always been on
the side of temperance; but they could
also testify that be had never
peen harsh or unreasonable, and he
intended to pursue the same course to-
night. He said that if with one word
or one stroke OF his pen he could close
every saloon and reform all drunkards,
he would instantly do it. But he could
not, because ever since the flood drunk
enness has existed and will continue,
until it is banished by religion. This
society O. women, he said. had adopted
total abstinence. and he agreed with
them and adopted it for two reasons
first, because the only safety TO some
lies in it and second, because OF the
good influence OF such an example 10
others. He said he did not believe that
persons who refused to sign the pledge
on account OF conscientious sCruples
should be denounced
He said that he had heard it said
and iutimated time and again that the
church has failed to do its duty. He
denied the assertion. For years The
church has been battling against in
tenn perance, and with such success tina
the very society in whose Interests hC
spoke owed its existence TO the efforts
OF the church. He said that persons
are expected to differ as TO the means
10 be employed 10 accomplish the ends
desired, and lie thought it was abou
time to hear the other side OF the ques
ton in regard to street praying. Abou
the only argument in favor OF Thu
method, is that it is q success. He die
not consider success any criterion, 70,
fit was, it would be an easy matter Il
obtain body Of strong men who
would go to the ssloons and close then
in much less time than it would take
the ladies by praying. But then it re-
ally had not been success. he salc
he considered it very probable that th'
saloons that had been closed il
Ohio, would be opened AGAR
in less than SIX months, unles'
some other methods were adopted t
keep them closed. He said there were
better meara and why not use them? hi
was afraid that in some way evil would
result from the street praying; he die
not know in exactly what way it would
come, but somehow he had present.
ment that it would. He then gave TIT
substance OF DR.. Dio Lewis statemen
to the ministers OF New York, and sale
that DR.. Lewis had expressed the opin
ion that silent prayer did more goCC
and closed more saloons than stree
praying. DR.. Lewis also said tina
be did not think the ladies bad appear
ed on the streets more than three hun
dred times in the whole OF the State 0
Ohio. Mr.. Fisher said he was oppos
ed to street praying, but was almos
afraid 10 say so in public because i
might be wrongly interpreted By tn
enemies Of temperance. He said N
might urge great many reasons il
private that he would not venture Il
give in public be said, however, tina
he was opposed TO it on the grounds 0