Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-07-12
One or the Boys Heard From.
FOsTORIA, O., July Z, 1871.


ed reading your paper of the 9th, and
it affords me very great pleasure to see
you take so firm o stand in favor Of the
right, when 10 the minds OF q few
prejudiced bigots you may be in the
seeming wrong. 1t shows that the
day has come even in st. Clsirsyiile,
when the newspapers will take up the
good cause even against a minister (?)
OF the Gospel; and how true did the
pastor of the Presbyterian Church
make Mr.. S. A. Johnston's remarks,
when he allowed himself, directly sf-
ter receiving q needed chastisement, to
retort, and, as you say, probably lifted
the bowl of intoxiestion and ruin to the
lips of an hundred or more who were
under conviction, and would have be-
come Murphys, but who would natu-
rally 'return to their folly" when q
minister would as good as say thst
JohnstOn's labors were in the wrong
direction. 4aI lsi ta-is-5, i'is1g,
During the month of April / met
Gus on the B. d o. road, between this
point and Mansfield, and he and / had
q long talk on the Murphy move
ment. He was then just starting out
in the cause. He spoke of coming to
our town, and also st. Clsirsville. j
laughed at him, and made the remark
"that il Murphys would rain down on
our town as thick as Irish potatoes
from ten-acre lot, they could do nc
good. Iihad scarcely got back home,
until the movement was organized
here, and behold the RESULT Men,
whom we have looked upon as dead
to everything, who would sell the
bread of their starving families to OBJ
fain drink, have become honest and
hOnored citizens. Others; who would
go on weekly sprees, and spend their
weeks wages ia day of deDsuch have
Strengthened up, and are saving their
money. The saloons, 1--WE have some
eighteen or twenty,) are running and
that's all. And why this change? Sim
ply because work has at last cOmmen.
ced 10 the right direction. And to
these men-apd Ehave reason to know
that Johnston is one of the most hon.
[Ored in the Mansfield Lodge-is all the
glory and honor. One speech from
Johnston in st. Clairsville, i am salts
fed, would do more good than the
pulpit preachings of all her ministers
in six months; and although 1 did not
hear JOhnston's speech, know that
his remarks were only too true. He
and have run around st. G. together,
we have been Cn sprees together, and
v think we know who is t0 blame for
the great amount of intemperance In
the dear old town. A minister who
carries his head too high to speak to
the common drunkerd, or even the
occasional topper, is not the man thai
will save ONE from the ruin caused by
this great evil. The man of high
standing in the congregation, who will
turn up his nose and sneer, and say
''too far gone" when he passes boy
as Johnston has been, is not the man
to reform any one. But Johnston,
when the boys hear him, and think OF
the days gone by, and see the great
ch ange for the better in the speaker,
they know that bis labor is for their
own good; they know that his words
are meant and with firm purpose
they commence the better life. i7uT sd
You speak of Johnston probably re-
turning to his old love, as the effects
of Bro. Alexander's speech. think
not-I trust not. But il he does, woe
be unto him who started him on the
backward track. In our humble opin-
ion on his head would rest the blame;
but still, think Gus has got too far
along in the real life to return, and
from an old-time friend and compan-
ion I send him greeting, and say "God
speed you in your noble work." "with
malice toward none and charity for
ALL" %. s tr5. g = fr
70 the boys, and to those who have an
interest in the salvation of the poor ones
who have become slaves to drink, l
would say: Letnot this slight draw.
back be hindrance to the glorious
work of reform in your midst; aud if
il is disgrace to the pulpit of the
church to carry on the most noble
work Of God, then work independent
ly of the Church, and the greater will
be your reward, and brighter the stars
in your crown for each soul saved.
Carry on your meetings, and great
good will be done. None knows bet.
ter than johnson who are responsible
for the downfall of 30 many of your,
town boys. as he was one OF the far
thest down, and his salvation is evil
dence enough mat the cause Is good
one. Respectfully,
r. G. MEYER.