Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-20
From Mondays Daily.

vocate Of Concord, N. H., had arriv.
cd, called forth . moderate number
Of the enthusiastic workers, who met
at the Presby torian church that eve.
ming and perfected an organization
which seems, under the management
Of Mr.. Drew, to be producing a won.
derful interest in the cause Of tenn.
perance. The first meeting of the Sc.
ries, now but fairly begun, was held
in the City Hall, Saturday evening, al
which very large concourse of PEG.
pie assembled, many to assist in sue.
cessfully organizing the movement
and many from motives, perhaps, Of
curiosity, and others again hoping to
be benefited by the proceedings.
Rev. Mr.. Mcdonald, of the First
NJ. E. Church, opened the meeting
with q very earnest prayer, after
which Mr.. Drew took the stand and
stated briefly that "he had come to
this city to do what he could for the
cause Of temperance, to assist in the
elevation of the human kind; was
not here in the interest Of any church
of whatever name, nor in in the in.
terest Of any political party whatev.
err; had no fights with any man on
account of his business, but wished to
do what he could by love and kind
ness, and to labor alone for the cause
Of temperance and humanity"
Mr.. Drew is not an eloquent speak
er in the general acceptation of the
torn, but his distinct pronunciation,
a practical acquaintance with his sub
ject and an earnest purpose, soon in
terests an audience and stamps him
as very entertaining speaker. He
is not one Of those people who by
hard and methodical logic under
takes to make . point, but rather
chooses to adopt the more cheerful
and entertaining plan of telling sto-
ry by way of illustration and making
his points clear by application.
He talked but q short time Satur-
day night before he had the audience
interested, and before the close he
had won their good will to such an
extent that the success of his meet
ings were well assured.
After talking for perhaps an hour
he gave way to Mr.. Getchel of Des
Moines, who only spoke for few
moments, when people we're invited
to come forward and sign the pledge.
People flocked up by the score, both
old and young and before the meet
ing closed 264 names had been en-
rolled. At late hour the meeting
adjourned to meet at the Opera
House yesterday at 2 80.
The meeting yesterday afternoon
was very large one indeed, stand
ing room being difficult to obtain.
This meeting, after the usual open
ing services, was also addressed by
Mr.. Drew and Mr.. Getchel, the latter
giving a history, of himself and his
struggles with intemperance. This
meeting resulted in increasing the
total enrolment to six hundred and
twenty. A meeting was appointed
for the Opera House and also one at
the Main street Church in the even
ing, both houses being uncomforta.
bly, filled, many being unable to gain
admission.
The meeting at the Opera House
was addressed by Mr.. Drew and that
at the church by Mr.. Getchell. These
meetings resulted in making the total
number of persons signing the pledge
1925. The meetings are growing in
interest and it is thought that fail
commencement has hardly been made
From Tuesdays Daily.
Were held last evening at the City
Hall and First M. E. Church as pre-
viously announced. Both places were
packed full of people and many wen
away who could not find even stand
ing room. Mr.. Drew addressed tn,
meeting at the City Hall with his usu
al force and effectiveness. This meet
ing was also addressed by james
Hawley and Mr.. H. H. Croker, wht
related their experiences and elected
the sympathy of all who heard them
The prayers and good wishes of eve
ry worthy citizen will be with thos,
who are earnestly trying to reform
and none certainly will be SO vile a
to try to tempt them from the path O.
sobriety in which they are now try
ing to walk. Quite q number hav,
signed the pledge who have been de
graded by the sin and shame of in
temperance and they should be en-
couraged by all good people, to re
ligiously keep their vows.
The meeting at the First M. E
church was eloquently addressed By
Mr.. Getchell and Rev. 1. p. Teter
and the result of the two meeting
was that over 400 names were adde1
to the pledge, making the total blu'
ribbon army of Ottumwa now mum
Der over 1,4O0.