Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-13
Father Wizards Lecture.-Ev-

cry available seat in the Catholic
Church was filled by an attentive au-
dience last Sabbath evening to hear
the great apostle of temperance,
Father Willard. The aisles were flied
with improvised seats, and chairs were
brought into requisition. and yet the
gallery also was crowded with listeners
who remained to the close of the re-
marks of this eloquent champion of the
temperance cause.
The Reverend Father began his dis
course by showing the evils of intem-
perance accruing to the individual, the
home, the community and the state.
Portraying the benefits accrnin. from
the practice oftemperance. as a moral,
social, and religious virtue, he con-
trasted the evils growing out of tn. op-
posite of this virtue, intemperance. SO
clearly and logically that all were con-
strained to admit that intemperance i:
an evil that calls for the most earnest
activity of all who have an interest in
the welfare of communities and care fol-
the well being Of the great brother hood
of man. There is no sin so degrading
as incompetence. A man may steal
may lie, may murder his brother man.
and he is not by such act so positioned
as to exclude divine grace. By lntox
ication he destroys the likeness of the
Godike within him, and utterly de-
thrones his reason SO that there is moth
ing left upon which God can act tt
save him from eternal death he has
not even the instinct of the brute, il
intoxication, but repeses in the gutter
when a brute's instinct would direct i
to spot of cleanliness and comfort
1t is a God-given requirement thai
man should care for the we'll being o
his brother man. To this end those
who claim that they can withstand the
temptation of drink should feel 1t in
cumbent upon them to pledge them
selves to abstain from the use of al
intoxicating drinks in order to b.
the strength and support Of their les
strong brothers who are being threat
ened with soul ruin by the monste
vice of intemperance. We nave M
space to give other than this brie
summary of the Fathers discourse
Many excellent points were made tina
told with the large audience who re
manned to the close Of the lecture. A
total abstinence society was organ
lied, as many as forty takin. the
pledge. Father Willard does not be-
lieve in prohibition. and has little faitf
in legislative enactments for the sup
preston Of the evil of intemp erance
He believes in erecting superstruct
ure on divine foundation and holding
men by force of principle rather thar
through compulsion.
We believe Father Willard is an ex
cellent man and faithful worker
That he has done much good among
those of his sect cannot Be denied
and we wish him 4 God-spaed in his
good work.
In order to show the estimation in
which Father Willard Is held where he
has formerly lived we append the fol
lowing which is clipped from one OF
the state journals.
The Fond du Lac Commonwealth
of last evening has the following con.
corning Rev. Father Willard: "Rev.
Father Willard. for nearly eight years
the pastor of St. Joseph's parish in
this city, on Sunday morning and
evening preached his farewell sermons
to two of the largest congregations
ever In the church edefce. AS the
gentleman dwelt upon his farewell
theme his listeners were led to tears,
and his voice became almost inaudible
in his emotion. 1t was an affecting
sight, and one in which the entire
community has interest. Father Will
lard, while resident of this city made
none but friends, and his departure is
as sincerely regretted by every one as
it is by the most devout Pensioners.
He did for the church and the con-
gregation what few priests have at
tempted, and his presence will be
missed. He goes to take a professor
ship IN the St. Francis seminary, aud
a more active share Of his duties as
editor of the Catholic Citizen, Of Mil
waukee.
ParOdieS.-The Stevens Point
Journal publishes fifteen parodies on
Longfellow's Excelsior" which were
written and read before the Library