The Portland daily press., 1875-10-12

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was sent to college and there educated to
priesthood. In that capacity he displayed the
utmost devotion and ZEAL He commenced the
building of magnificent church in Cork with
property which he inherited. He was conspic-
uous for his devotion to the welfare of the
poverty-stricken classes; and it is said that the
Quakers realizing his power with the poor be-
sought him to engage in the temperance re-
form. He turned his attention to the vice of
intemperance and his compassionate breast
was moved to engage in the work. This was
in 1888. He held his meetings in the Horse
Bazaar of Cork, and there among the degraded
and debauched began the work of saving men.
The first evening he pledged thirty-fve, but
each successive night brought large increase
to the temperance ranks. The following is the
Father Mathew pledge:
II promise, with the Divine assistance, as
long as continue a member of the Teetotal
Temperance Society, to abstain from all intox-
icating drinks except for medicinal or sacra-
mental purposes, and to prevent as much as
possible, by advice and example, drunkenness
in Others"
A year and half Father Mathew preached
temperance at that place, and so powerful and
persuasive was his eloquence that the people
focked to him by thousands. He travelled in
various parts of Ireland and toward the last of
his labors it is said that $4,000 took the pledge
a day for several days in succession. 1t is
computed that more than 100000 took the
pledge through his influence. In 1850 he came
to the United States where his success was 40
less remarkable.
1t was to celebrate the 85th anniversary of
the birth of this great Apostle of Temperance
that the Portland Temperance Catholic Union
nses in City Hall last evening. At o'clock,
the younger members of the Union, enrolled in
two companies, and uniformed in Zouave
suit of blue tastefully trimmed with white with
Zouave leggings and shoes, preceded by Chan
dler's Band, marched from the Cathedral down
Cumberland to Washington street. thence to
Congress and thence through the principal
streets in the lower part of the town to City
Hall. The band played "St. Patrick's Day in
the Morning." and the boys from 10 to IL years
of age. marched like veterans Their soldierly
bearing elected warm praise from those look
ing on. Each company numbered about fifty.
The following are the officers Co. A-Michael
Welch, Captain; Michael McDonIougb, LIST
Lieut.; James Cummings, I'd do. Co. B-Jo-
seph McCluskey, Capt; James Murphy, LIST
Lieut. Peter Devine, I'd do. At City Hall the
Cadets took seats on the platform and the au.
dience filed about half the seats. Chambers
people gave some of their best music, after
which Rev. Fathers Bradley, insolvency of
Bangor, O'Callahan of Augusta and several
other clergymen took seats upon the platform.
Father Bradley, the President of the Associa-
tlon, introduced Rev. Mr. insolvency as the
speaker for the occasion. Mr.. McSweeney's re-
marks were ey tempore and were characterized
by great power, earnestness, with frequent
eloquent passages. He began by saying that
the great temperance movement has become
well nigh universal within the past half dozen
years. 1t now has the active influence of the
clergy and all good men. Archbishop Manning
of England takes deep interest in his tenn
perance societies. Intemperance is the great
vice of the age In its wake follow the crimes,
the wretchedness, the woe of humanity. The
newspapers are crowded with evidences of the
ravages OF intemperance. We see its effects
everywhere. Intemperance stocks our prisons
and orphan asylums. Its ravages are to be
seen on all sides. Man was created in his
Makers image, his subilmest work, endowed
with reason. with intellectual powers; but in
temperance causes him to tread manhood un-
der his feet, and by taking his own reason by
the poison cup, he puts himself beyond the
pale of Gods mercy. The most sorrowful
scene is drunkard dying. There is hope for
the felon, the murderer even when they die, for
they have reason to ask for pardon, while the
drunkard bereft of reason by his own act goes
to meet his Maker without the capacity of
preparation.
The speaker then wildly portrayed the
drunkard in his relations as father, husband
and son, and declared that intemperance was
subtle moral poison which pervades the commu-
nifty, debasing the public conscience lowering
the standard of purity and deadening all the
better aspirations of our nature. There is but
one remedy and that total abstinence. Alcohol
is not required by the human constitution. 1t
contains no element needed by the we'll man.
He advocated total abstinence because it is
reasonable. necessary and in fact the only
means OF escape from intemperance.
The speaker then proceeded to give some ad-
vice to those who were members. The tenn
perance man couldn't afford to visit drinking
saloons, or go with Incorporate or even socially
drinking men. They must travel in the oppo-
site direction or else danger threatened. If
there was no danger, devotion to good cause
should impel them to do this for eonsistency's
sake.
AS to the rumseller, he had his own opinion
OF the part he was performing. He would not
1t isn't by legislation, but simply by the law Of
demand and supply. There will be no rum
shops when there is no one to buy. When all
the people stop drinking no man will attempt
to SELL
In conclusion the speaker plead for charity
and in an eloquent manner enforced upon his
hearers the idea that all right action must be
the result of fully developed religious charac-
ter.
The speaker was frequently and warmly ap-
plauded. The Union which was organized in
May or June numbers about .450 members and
is increasing every week. This happy result is
due to the efficient and faithful efforts of
Father Bradley, who is indeed pastor to his
naon1a