Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-04-20
FRANCIS MURPHY.
RY FRANcEs 3 wuLARp.

SELVES Ol lnc kluu lufllablou 10 at
tend National Temperance Camp
Meeting, at Old Orchard Beach
Among them were Mary c. johnson
and Mary E. Hartt Of Brooklyn,
Mrs. Denman of New Jersey, and
the present chronieler. Gov. Ding
ley, who made the opening speech,
was introduced by a man of muscu-
lar figure, medium height, hair pre-
maturely streaked with gray, face of
great kindness, moustache of gener-
Gus dimensions, and voice of mel
low tone. In reply to the very nat
ural question, "Who is he?" Port
land lady whispered, "That is Fran
els Murphy, a reformed saloon keep
er and inebriate, and the inventor of
the Gospel Temperance Camp Meet
ing"
Following up the subject, the chief
facts concerning this mans history
were easily found out. His boy
hoods home was In County Wex-
ford, Ireland. By birth he was
peasant and Romanist, and in ear
ly life almost his only teachers were
the fields and trees, the birds and
sky. Born with brave and gentle
soul, much of romance and poetry
lay wrapped up in his brain and
heart, which the ministry of nature
was well fitted to conserve. Twen-
ty-fve years ago, when but sixteen,
he came to seek his fortune in Amer
lea. He did not find here any phi
lanthropist in public or in private
life, to take him by the hand and
guide bin to the Church and school,
but he did find, instead, no lack of
invitations to the gambling house
and bar-room. Ignorant, daring and
of sympathetic nature, he sought
companionship at all hazards, and
passed through the gradations, rapid
and well defined, which bind the
soul in the slavery of appetite and
passion.
Landing in New York, he was in
duced by an acquaintance to 60 to
Quebec, Canada. Not finding work
here, he went on to Montreal and Sc
cured a place in a hotel, which,
through his drinking habits, he sub
sequently forfeited. He then went
! to New York State, and in the quiet
of farm life, succeeded in control
ling his appetite for intoxicating IL
quors. Here he remained six years,
retrieving his character, and meet
ing his first great good fortune in
the noble christian woman who be-
came his wife. Next he removed to
Portland, Maine, and became pro-
prietor of a hotel there, remaining
for ten years. Under the renewed
temptations of this occupation, which
he entered upon in spite of the tear
full protest of his wife, he again be-
gan to drink. The sequel of his dis
sipated habits is well known in
Maine, and Mr.. Murphy has never
sought to conceal it. Over this most
grievous chapter of his life we draw
the curtain of charity as gentle as
he ever manifests towards those who
like himself have sinned and suffer
ed. Soon after this turning point in
his history, the wife he loved went
home to heaven, but not until he had
declared to her his change of pur-
pose and of heart. The first earnest
invitation to become disciple of the
Lord Jesus, that was ever personal
ly made to Mr.. Murphy, came from
Capt. Cyrus Sturdivant of Portland,
and it was at once accepted. If this
good friend is interested for me, l
shall make an effort to be a sober
man, said Mr. Murphy to himself, as
the noble Captain left his prison cell
'sAnd So" as we have often heard
him say, 81 was saved to a redeem
ed life and pure manhood, by the
kind touch of chistian hand"
Encouraged by good people, Mr..
Murphy, who has natural gift of
oratory, began to speak on temper
ance, his first lecture being given
April 8, 1870, in the City Hall of
Portland. He told his story with
streaming ewes and trembling voice,
and there was in it that ''touch of
nature which makes the whole world
kim" The great audience wept with
him over his griefs and rejoiced with
him in his victory. From that time
he has gone steadily forward, lead
ing an earnest, prayerful, christian
life, leaving off the use of liquor and
tobacco, and setting before him in
all things, "the new man in Christ
Jesus, created unto good works" as
his only standard and example; with
such divine force projected into
his life, Francis Murphy could not
fail to be successful in the truest
sense. He lectured in Maine, Rhode
Island and Massachusetts, and al
ways with excellent results. Going
West in November, 1874, by invita-
tion of the Chicago Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union, he held large
meetings in Chicago, and in all the
chief towns of Illinois and Iowa, ev-
erywhere inducing drinking men to
renounce their habit and "seek the
Lord behind the pledge" He re-
ceived in one year thirteen hundred
applications to lecture, and his en-
gagements kept him speaking every
night in the week.
He was, in almost every instance,
engaged by the Women's Temper
ance Unions, our temperance work
ers, with the ministers of all denom-
nations, cordially cooperating in his
meetings, which were always of a
strongly religious character. In
Monmouth, ILL.,, he secured in fifteen
days, fifteen hundred signatures to
his pledge. In Sterling, where he
gave eight lectures, fourteen saloon
keepers voluntarily closed their
doors. As a result of the temper
ance revival begun, through Gods
blessing on his western labors, nu-
merous reform clubs were establish
ed, and thousands added to the
Church of Christ.
In November last, by invitation of
Chancellor Woods of Pittsburgh,
Pa. Mr. Murnhv went IN the esmo-