Connecticut western news., 1878-05-02
Murphy's Life Story.

Francis Murphy the temperance ad- vocate, gave at recent lecture the story of his life. He was born in Ireland. His mother was widow, and his early life was one of poverty, but subsequent ly a moderate amount of property came to his mother by inheritance. Although she could i'll afford it, rather than brave public opinion, she conforme7 to the custom of giving "public dinners in the little cottage. At these dinners liquor was always on the board, for to withhold 1t was to be considered mean and stingy. Like all children 1n the old country, the son was banished from these feasts until on one occasion fla vored guest called him to his side, and there he acquired the habit of using liquor. Liquor on the board, he de- clared, was the greatest of drunkard- makers if the Excise Commission should clean out the wine-cellars uptown, and give the liquor sellers rest for time, they would accomplish much for tenn peraDce.
 At the age of thirteen, the speaker said, he was under the influence of liquors at sixteen, he left home to come | to America, attracted by the report of gold in California, but remained in New York, and acquired worse habits of in- toxlcation, soon falling into the new custom of setting 'em up." Finally he was sent to the home of temperate New England farmer by wealthy Scotch friend of his, and there he got sober and remained so many years. His friend loved glass, but cit makes difference who gets drunk, even in New York, ," said MT. Murphy "the rich drunkard is taken home by the police and nobody knows anything about it, while the man least able to pay the fine has to do it. " The friendly ways of the liquor sellers were dwelt upon, and their cordiality was commended for the imitation of Christian men. The cold reception of strangers in the churches repelled them. If the old members would welcome the young men to their churches and homes, it would sweep away the rum traffic.
 MT. Murphy next described his life as owner of hotel at Portland, Me. De- spite his wife's opposition, he engaged in the business fell again into drinking habits, and in few years, failed in busi- ness and was confined in the county jail as an habitual drunkard. After that time 1 he met Captain Sturtevant, who was holding gospel temperance meetings, and was converted. MT. Murphy con- sidered the gospel strong agency in re- forming drunkards. Every man, he de- clared, must feel his personal import ance in the army of total abstainers. Every one had something to do, and a responsibility rested on him. MT. Mur .phy here made an impassioned appeal for the efforts of men of influence in rolling back intemperance. In closing, all the speakers intensity of feeling seemed to be concentrated in his appeal for the suppression of the liquor traffic. "The Congress of the United States has declared that there shall be no reduction of taxes in it's favor, and the manu- lecturers urged, 'The industry will die.' Then let it die, replied Con- gress, and all the people say amen. " He ikened intemperance and the liquor traffic to a monstrous serpent, declared his bitter, undying hatred for that ser pent, and in imagination trampled it under foot. The action and utterance of the speaker were vigorous and earnest in the highest degree, and called out the plaudits of the audience. At the close of the meeting many pressed forward to take the "gospel temperance pledge " and receive blue ribbons.