New-York tribune., 1878-11-22
PLEADING FOR TEMPERANCE
SCENES AT THE MURPHY MEETINGS.
AN EARNEST SPEECH BY THURLow wEED-hoCh
ENTHUSIASM SHOWN, AND MANY sIGNERs OF

SCENES AT THE MURPHY MEETINGS.
AN EARNEST SPEECH BY THURLow wEED-MUCH
ENTHUSIASM SHOWN, AND MANY sIGNERs OF
THE PLEDGE.
InfOrmallty but not irreverence, Is notice
able characteristic OF Mr. Murphy. At the noon service
yesterday in the Seventh Street Church. when occasion
required his leaving platform he threw his legs over
the communion rail; and he as frank In speech with
the clergymen as with the drunkards The latter class
was well represented, to judge from the haggard ana
british faces visible everywhere or the ministers
present 1t is enough say their name was legion IL Is
strange fact that coored persons ever appear at the
services. Mr.. Murphy read the Sermon on the Mount
and made comments. Then Mrs Wilson gave. " My Ola
Tunde-bed" Many ladies present wiped their eyes and
while the plaintive air recalled tender memories Mr
Murphy proceeded to tell Of his old mother coming to
this country to find her wandering son. She crossed
yonder ocean find me said he and then she crossed
the River of Death to find her Saviour At this moment
few men In tattered clothes skuked into the church by
the side door, Come in my men, come iu" he cried,
You can't he lower than was when my mother found
me-"
ThurOw Weed then rose. and after receiving ap-
plause, said: have only strength enough to show how
deeply am affected by your welcome, and by this meeting
am OF opinion that in this effort Of Mr. Murphy we have
found very great means OF mitigating the miseries OF
tntemperance. have seen failure in previous attempts
because wrong plans were adopted: After the eXpe-
renCe of more than half century, reach the cOncu-
sion that there Is nothing that viii save the drunkard
except work OF this character To speak however, ls
not my profession have been docr while 1t lay In my
power shall take an early opportunity OF imprcssng
upon my fcOw-CitiZcns. IN my accustomed Way, the
necessity Of cooperation these services which be-
hcve are proving most sueccsstul" loud a!paIseI
A short address made by the Rev. Mr.. Wood
ruff after which pledge sCning began. The reporters
had to give up their tables, so great was the crush
SAID Mr. Murphy: | don't know for my lite where we
going to put our audiences, they grow so large"
Last evening it difficult to obtain seat in the
church even at au early hour When TIE service began
thick fringe Of stauding men effectively set OF the
~ white faces turned toward the platform Not
an inch OF vacant In the galleries After sing
ing by Mr. and MrsWllson. and prayer by the Rev Mr
Woodruff. the collection was taken up :. Let the
tide run high, INV friends" exclaimed Mr.. Murphy as
the ushers We nj round. Ecces Robinson spoke few
words would my right arm" he said. a." only to
I'VE had a distinguished citizen OF NewYork here This
morning." said Murphy. His name is ThurlOw Weed
Applause. think he is vet in the Summer OF life.
lie has attended the funeral OF slavery III ths co-
try and believe he will attend the funeral OF lntoXi-
eating liquor. He has set noble examne to public
men, ana am confident they will do mo the justice OF
their support am willing to be criticised On the re-
suits OF TINS movement"
Judge Pittman said: "a liquor dealer remarked to
me to-day that he thought that fellow Murphy had bet
ter be shut no. He was worse than the police raids
They would have to 90 to Albany ana get laws enaGe9
won't hurt me They want to get out OF the business,
The men who came forward for pledgesigning were
put e I'm order 10 avoid the crush and confusion OF
IN toward the tables. Mr. Murphy gently led for;
ward an enacated man. who had his coat collar pinned
up IN the neck 10 conceal MS lack OF n sulrt
r. L. Parker said: 81 will tell yOu OF nv emancipation
lady 10 and said ought to sign tie pledge
said certain whether would be good thlngfor
ne not. Al last, tor pOleness sake. came up here
with her tApplause. But now TN going to be polite
10 God. and I'll keep my vow, lie helping me" Jap
pause
Chauhcey shafrer then pledged himself to stand stand by
Murphy while that temperance pioneer" labOred IN
this cItv. morning paper had stated that they had
quarrel.ed. II was mistake. Iney we're closer knit
together than ever .
j. Gallagher, Of Connecticut, provoked laughter by his
amusing pleas for the temperance cause He spoke
warmly Of the noble spirits who had supported pre-
vious agltLtlOns. and instanced grand Old Horace
Greeley"
After another speech by Murphy the meeting broke up
Many persons signed the pledge after the exercises