Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-08-20
GOSPEL TEMPERANCE MEETINGS,
Now Being Conducted by Mr.. M. L. Hal
lcnhcclx I'm This City.


to half-past by the choir and congregation pre-
ceded after which Mr.. Hallenbech opened his
services with the hymn Coronation The Scrip
ture lesson selected was the 10th Psalm. Mr. W.
w. Hall then sang IA q solo Where Ia my wan
dcring boy tonight" with chorus by the choir and
congregation. Prayer followed. Tho speaker pro
faced the narrative of his experience by remark
ing upon the deep shame and humiliation he felt
at having to tell Of his own misery and disgrace;
but while he was ashamed of himself. he was no,
ashamed of Christ who had redeemed him, and
who ready and willing to save every one who
would put their trust in him. Leaving his home
on the Hudson he stnrted life In Now York City,
where for time he followed n Christian mothers
precepts, but through business associates was in
duced TO visit club. Here his first glass of liquor
was drunk. AT subsequent visit he made
member, from which time his downward career
was fastened till the year 1874, when he was in
iluenced by the Crusaders to iorego his evil
habits and companions. In order to break from
the scotis and jeers of associates he removed to
Chicago, where for time bis good resolutions
were maintained: but having so far depended on
his own strength, in evil hour he took again the
fatal glass that brought him TO the brink of
drunkards grave, aud but for the persistent efforts
of Mr.. Hawiey and the noon meetings in Farwcl
Hall he felt that he must have died for none but
the victims of strong drink have n faint con-
ception of the misery and torture he had to endure
lie felt that he was too vile for God to save; that
he had trampled under foot the Bible and neglected
his opportunities, and that there was hope of
pardon for him, till the last offer in the book of
Revelation was read 10 him, viz: " Whosoover will
may come and take the water of life freely" Then
and there he gave himself to Christ and found
peace to his soul, and from that hour the appetite
for strong drink was removed. Where il had gone
he did not know. lie had made n great mistake,
and many are doing the same thing to-day. They
think that God will have nothing to do with them
but this is not &c. for He who loved MS and bought
us with the precious blood of Christ stands ready
now to save all who will but seek him. After his
conversion his first impulse was TO write home and
tell loving father and mother that their prayers
had been answered. but the reply that he got from
his father was that while he was rejoiced ut the
prodisars return, i came too late TO gladden. the
the Ozark river and the very last words she said
were, " Continue TO pray for Martin Luther" Oh
the sorrow that filled his heart that IL was too late
to show her his repentance and bring her joy in
answer to her prayers, and kueelng beside her
grave in Greenwood Cemetery he consecrated him
self to this work to tell this story to help
others.
Throughout the narration many appeals were
made to the incorporate and young men to break
away from the snares that are drawing them
down to perdiiion, while parents were encouraged
TO continue faithful in prayer for their wandering
boys The service throughout was marked by i'm
pressiveness, and much sympathy was manifest.
On Monday evening the church was again well
filled to hear Mr.: Halenbeck's views on Glow
do Men Become Drunkards Z" The regular
vice opened with the familiar hymn, "Jesus, lover
of my SOUL" followed by reading tho 1O3d Psalm,
with remarks on the Sd, ith and 9th verses, where
we have not only the assurance of forgiveness but
healing, redemption, browning and satisfaction;
all that earth or angels in heaven can ask.
duet by Mrs. Simmons and Miss H. s. Judd,
Must go, and empty handed ?" with chorus by
choir and congregation, was well rendered and
impressive.
The subject was then taken up and illustrated
by many anecdotes showing that moderate drinkers
were the that went to swell the army of
| drunkards; not that they did so Intentionally for
many entered upon the course with the mistaken
idea of its mauliuess. but in which thew made
miserable failure.
1t has been said by some that there are Chris
tian moderate drinkers. This he did not believe,
though he doubted not there were those whose
| names entered on the church records whose
influence was the side of moderate drinking;
| but God keeps different set of books from what
are kept on earth, and he did not believe that such
mems names would be found written in the
Lambs Book of Life. In relating his experience
| in temperance work i'll Goshen he met farmer
| who had been u drinking man for thirty years who
said that one drop OF alcohol will knock the
Holy Ghost out of a man quicker than thunder
| and lightning will knock humble bee off n mullen
stalk" Now we may laugh ut this. but there is
more truth than poetry in it,
| To moderate drinkers he would say drink if you
will drink if you raust, but don't say is right
that you have no responsibility, for while some
can maintain their moderation, Others, like him
self, make it failure. You say il is weak minded
ness; have it SO ii you WILL but it takes more
nerve in any man to fight against bad habits than
it does TO contract them. You say then that this
is radcalism He liked to be so, for to be radical
means thoroughness and he liked 10 be out in this
matter.
Drunknrds for the most part are victims of the
custom of society. IL is fashionable in many
places to pass the social glnss it becomes the
custom you meet on the street or in business to
step in and take drink, but oh. the fearful retr
button that isawaiing the tempter and his victim.
| He met man in of his visits toa Western
city, who in answer to approximations in the depth
of his misery, said Drinks my curse. "Ah my
friends this is tho sad vail that comes to us from
out the prison CELL Drinks my curse. From the
Insane Asylum. You hear the cry Drinks my
CURSE From the hospitals the same pitiful truth
| comes, Drinks my curse From tho bleeding
hearts of loving wives and innocent children
| Drinks my curse And it comes to us red hot
from the wrecks of manhood all over the land,
| Drinks my cursc. ,"
| The speaker made earnest appeals to all intern
| perate persons to break away from the evils that
| surround Them TO shun tho palaces of sin and
deus of iniquity that bcset them all sides, and
look to that source even Christ Jesus for strength
and salvation.
The services throughout were very interesting
and impressive, and the earnestness and eloquence
| Of MIR. Hailenbeck seem to DO growing IA he
warns up to the work. and we trust he will realize
the fruits OF his labor5.
On Tuesday evening the subject How do mon
become drunkards" was taken up, preceded by
reading portion of the 10th Psalm with remarks
upon its lessons. The speaker in illustrating his
subject maintained that we must get into SYM
plthy with. the intemperate and win their love,
and as coon can show them by putting our
selves in their place that we love them we gain
their sympathy and win them from their evil
| habits Tor Christ. IhiS was very fOrcibly Illus
trated by anecdotes bearing on the subject tho
| principal ono Of which the case of Mr.. Saw
yer who was reclaimed in Pou9hkeepsc, N. ", by
the sympathy and care OF lawyer IN that city
and has since been the blessed means of saving
many souls. They may turn deaf car to all oui
entreaties, may scoff ut appeals and spurn ouI
efforts, yet We reach them through the throne
of grace But We must have faith in God. Many
instances illustrative of answers TO prayers were
related and encouragement given to fathers ant
mothers To continue their petitions to n throne o.
grace for the salvation OF wandering boys.
wednesday, evening the Scripture lesson selected
was from the 9TH OF Mark with remarks thereon
and when the subject of the evening :" What i
Gospel Temperance was taken up, Mr.. Hallen
beck said he could imagine tho change that cant
over the home. Of the poor dcInoniac out OF whom
the Savior had cast legion of evil spirits when h
returned clothed and in his right mind. The evi
spirits wore probably no worse than the Hun
devils that take possession OF some men IN on
days. This change that came over him cal
regeneration. Now Gospel Temperance Is becon
ing-he was going to say, popular, but did not lik
tho term. he would say universal, for II began Il
prayer and will cnd IN thanksgiving, and 1t needa
| the effort 10 save 60,0O0 souls that annually q
down 70 a drunkard's grave. lie narrated hi
experience with Boss Reeves" wholesale mel
chant Of New York City, who from moderat
drnker had become such u slave 10 his appetit
that he was ashamed to DO seen going To tn
saloons and kept his supply always in his cnI