Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-07-19
Gus johnston at Martins Ferry
From o. V. News, 18th inst.


An unusually interesting temperance meet
ing was held in Walnut Grove last Sabbath
Iternoon, the principal speaker being Mr.
Augustine Johnston, of st. Cl&iIsviHe. Mr..
johnston is the youngest son Of Rev. John
ston. who 50 ably filled the pulpit of the U. P.
church OF that town for MANY years. Ac.
coriing to all accounts Gus has been q way.
ward youth for the lset ten years, spending
his time in dissipation, but early in the CAM
paign the Murphyites captured him and he
has since been outspoken in behalf of temper
ance, or, as he puts it, total abstinence. Nr.
Johnston is clear, forcible, vigorous speaker,
and his address possessed an originality that
held his large audience to the co e. He,
wisely, we think, refrsined from giving his
experience. Too many Temperance lecturers
disgust their audience by relating minutely
their own infamy. Mr.. Johnston had more
important matters to speak OF, and too much
good taste to rehearse his own degradation.
There was marked absence of any attempt
to stigmatize either churches or individuals
for lack of zeal in the temperance cause, as he
is charged with having done ct St. Clairsville,
and from the tenor of all reports from that
place we are fully persuaded MIR. ]. was more
sinned against than SHINING, and yet we are
free to say that if the young friend had
charged that large number Of church men,
bers, and several preachers had been very
lukewarm on the subject of Temperance and
other reforms which have agitated the public,
his position would have been tepsble. II he
had asserted that on more than one question
of reform the world has drirea the church to
assume correct position, the assertion would
have been neither new nor untcnable. Nay,
more; if he had boldly asserted that ecclesi-
astical assemblies oftentimes acted without
either reason, justice or-shall we say it p
christianity. Brother Alexander would have
done well under all the circumstances to have
let pass, because the bare assertion is not BY
any means so bad as irrefutsble proof We
suspect that the truth Of MIR. Johnston's re-
marks in the St. Clairsville meeting was what
gave them peculiar sting, and we suggest
that the indignation of Rev. Alexander gives
color to the suspicion. At al events, from all
reports which have reached u we are COM
PEELED to believe that il q rebuke was necessa-
ry 1t was not administered in especially chris
tian manner.
IN WHEELING.
Intelligencer, Weduesday.l
A large and interested Temperance meeting
was held at Parker's Hall last night, and was
presided over by Rev. Snodgrass. After the
usual preliminaries Mr.. Gus Johnston, Of St.
Clairsville, was introduced. He is . fluent
and eloquent speaker, making his arguments
clear and pointed. He is . young man Of
twenty five or twenty-six, the son Of minis
ter, well reared, intelligent and educated,
who blighted his bright prospects by life of
dissipation, was reformed by the Murphy
movement, and he il now considered one Of
the most active and effective workers in the
cause. His speech was mainly drawn from
bis own experience. He spoke for nearly an
hour, receiving close attention and warm ap-
plause from the large audience present.
Mr.. Johnston will speak tonight at the
Zane Street Church, and on Friday night at
the Fourth Street Church. Those who enjoy
q good tempersn &C address viii not be disap-
pointed in hearing this young rcformer. 30
give him hearty reception while in the city.