The New York herald., 1878-11-12
7HH TEMPERANCE REVIVAL.
Jhauncey' Shafer Defines Mr.. Muir
phys Position and His Own.
NO PROFANE WORDS USED.
The Good Work Continued in the Seventh
Street Methodist Episcopal Church.


vival meeting held in the Seventh Street Methodist
Church on Sunday afternoon last having given rise
70 some talk among temperance people. HERALD re-
porter yesterday called upon of the chief actors
MI Chauncey Shaer, first vice president of the Amer
lean Temperance Union and of the trustees OF the
Seventh Street Church. in order to get his version Of
the affair. Mr.. Shnffcr found immersed in bus-
ness in his Office in the Bennett Building but found
time to respond to some inquiries In answer to ques
tions regarding the history Of the American Temper
snce Union and the troubles Of Sunday last, Mr. Shat
fer said
The American Temperance Union is an old institu-
ion. dating back about quarter Of q century and
having pape- called by that name. Just before Dr.
Marsh's death. the National temperance Union. Of
which Mr.. William E. Dodge is president, bought out
he American Temperance Unon subscription list. and
everything pertaining to the paper During Dr.
Marsh's life the American Temperance Union had OBJ
aimed good name throughout the country. When
t was bought out by the National Temperance Union
did not hear anything more Of it until quite re-
;eptly.
NOT WHAT THOUGHT.
Last winter was invited to speak before the Amer
,an Temperance Union. Believing it to be the same
I'D organization very readily complied, gave them
,ne speech in Cooper Union and afterward became
certificate member. thinking all the while that
IN the good old track. Last month spoke again,
~ invitation, at Tammany Hall. on which occasion
hey asked the use of portion Of Seventh Street
Jhurch for meeting to elect their officers Being
trustee Of that church. consented At that meeting
was elected first vice president. and afterward, to
expense, consented, with the concurrence Of
my friends in the Board to let them have the church
hold their meetings in on Sunday afternoons, they
u return, appropriating at meeting Of their Execu
ivnO Onu a. ro
ars week. which to them considerable
aving. Being vice president was member of
he Executive Committee. and finding that they
straitened in their began to stir around
mong the temperance people to help them. In
the course of my inquiries I ascertained that
they were not the original American Temper
,nce Union, but that the president and others
had incorporated themselves or claimed to have done
as the American Temperance Union. This discov-
cry. to my mind accounted for the want of milk in
The cocoanut." Before making this discovery. how
ever, informed that they were about to secure
The services Of Mr.. Francis Murphy, and the iny
taton of some of the committee 1 called on him at
the Everett House. and thcre he most generously-as
then thought and still think-oered to serve gratu-
tously the Union. defrayng the expenses Of himself
and secretary and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson while here and
furnishing places for holding meetings.
LOOKING AROUND FOR AID.
About the first thing that did, after being brought
into the Executive Committee. was to impress the
members Of the necessity Of at once providing
to meet those expenses. No means at hand.
The president thought that he could have funds
placed at his disposal by distinguished temperance
along the line. On the 23d Of October be wrote to
MIR. Murphy letter. which the latter showed tn me
little over woek ago. and this morning. at my
quest furnished me with copy, which compared
with the original It is follows, omitting
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AMERICAN TEN-
PEnAScE UNION TO MR. MURPHY.
NEW YoHK, Oct. %, 1873.
FRANCIS MuRrnY, Esq. =.
posed efforts. lie write: this A. n Do consider
yourself bound to us : =.
This. continued Mr.. shaffer, was putting Mr..
Murphy in dilemma. He came to New York and
had an interview with about the matter. He said
that he considered the failure Of the president Of the
American Temperance Union, stated in his letter,
. providential circumstance inasmuch as his coming
here nndcr the auspices of any society in New York
OF his services. in which view my brief experience
compelled me to more than coincide. thereupon
like myself believed that Mr. Murphy was lust the
70 work in New York to advantage, and that
city would be vastly benefited by his efforts. We
unanimous that he should come ut the time and
place designated, FREQ and untrammelled.
RELIEVED RRsPoNsrBrLLTY
At . meeting Of the Executive Committee of the
American Temperance Union. informed them and
also informed various members as met them. that
Mr.. Murphy was coming TO labor longer or shorter
nected with any temperance organization whatever;
that they consequently relieved from all pecuni
AIRY obligations or other responsioility. This ap,
others. wholly disconnected with and tndepen-
dent Of the American Temperance Union. made prcpar
suons for Mr.. Murphy's work. On his arrival in
last Thursday. he and myself made several calls
upon temperance friends aud received words Of
IN He desired me o ~Ga h te %
the audience on Sunday, and state that he here
uuconnected with any organization. and that lie in
was well understood and did not mistrust anything
10 the contrary until reached the church, little
before three o'clock on sunday. when was informed
and very few others Ineditating kind Of
coup d'staf which did not comprehend until I
further informed that the collection baskets had been
removed by some OF them and that they were bound
to have collection 1t had been previously arranged
by the trustees of the church that no collection should
was generally known TO the Executive Committee.
NO COLLECTION TO BE TAKEN.
called upon the little knot Of people in the front
part of tho church and requested them to put back
the baskets, reminding them that collection would
be taken They pitched into me pretty generally and
them arrested by the police and finish tho matter
without further ceremony.
~. RKsonrEn-pid n you use any profane language at
Mr.. sHAFrEn-No came just about a. near to il as
this is:Several Of them cried out, '.Mr. shafer what
does this mean2" replied, 1T means that the devil
Is in some of you, wide awake" I was mortified be-
yond measure and did the best could under tho
shis caused me to make bunder at q later stage
Of the meeting. Knowing that the Union was short
IN its a. noes aud soincwhat in debt, II occurred
to have collection taken for their benefit and
thus deprive them Of all for cavil and hal
resolved in my own mind not to have any further
connection with organization containing such ma
terial, directed the collection to be taken for the
benefit Of the Union and expressly stated at the
tirne.
DIDN'T DAMN"
REPoRrrR--Have You read the statements concern
ing yourself contained in some OF the morning
papers?
Mr.. sHAFrRR--I have. and my answer In contained
In the foregoing relation Of facts. simply add that
did not say .Damn you;' perhaps ought 10 have
said it, did not usurp the presidency " that meet
ing IL was not meeting Of the American Temper
Union ut all. took the chair mt the request of
Mr.. Murphy, Ia order to state definitely the crcum-
stances OF his visit here and its object, ~ have
stated above Mr.. Murphy and myself had been adj
vse,l 20 let the public know explicitly under what
dag he sailed
RLroRTga--Arc you still connected with the Aneri-
can Temperance Unon2
Mr.. sHapFEa--I am technically. but not in reality,
becauso have this morning written note Of with.
drawL
ron THr HExrrrr OF ALL.