Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-02-03
DIR. REYNOLDS.

make the meetings a success.
The Temple Of Honor kindly loaned
it's organ, at which Miss Hattie
PhiIleo presided. W. B. Riggs, an
able musician, assisted with his violin,
while large choir composed of our
finest singers lead the crowded
audiences in the service of song.
The DR.. held four successive meet
lngs during his three days stay among
US, in our largest hall. They were a
grand success the interest continuing
to deepen and widen to the last.
Between three and four hundred
signed the pledge and put on the red
and white ribbons.
DR.. Reynolds is man possessing a
fine physique and a vigorous intellect.
a large soul and an honest heart. He
is full of kindly sympathy and that
peculiar magnetic force which attracts,
controls and moves an audience. His
views are broad, clear and fully up to
the times AS ia speaker he is able,
ready and entirely fearless. He is
not an orator Of the spread eagle type,
and is nevertheless truly eloquent,
telling with all his might what he
believes with all his heart, frequently
moving his hearers to laughter or tears,
as the ludicrous or pathetic side of
the question came up. He does not,
in sophmoric style, lead audiences
through garden Of flowers, nor by
meandering streams, but straight along
the paths stern facts and unaDswerable
truth. as they are related to the liquor
traffic. His logic, lit up with oc'
casional wit and humor. is irresistible.
He has no faith in prayers for the
success of the temperance cause that
are not answered at least in part by
the right kind of voting, but he
evidently believes in patience with and
hope for the worst drunkard in the
world.
His platform. judging from his
utterances while here, is prohibition
by law, Of the manufacture and sale
of intoxicants.
He believes, without the shadow o:
doubt, in the omnipotence of truth
and right, in the ultimate triumph OF
temperance principles.
During his short stay with US he
made hest Of friends, who will ever
follow him with best wishes. at the
last meeting quite sum of money
was given as a substantial token OF
the hearty appreciation on the part of
our people, Of the valuable services
rendered by him while here.
On the whole it was the grandest
temperance campaign ever held in this
place. lifting public sentiment much
higher than it was before, and where
we hope it will abide.
At the last meeting, which was
Sunday evening, there was not less
than six hundred in the hall and many
came to the door and were obliged to
return home for want of room to even
stand inside The hall was packed.
The community is much indebted to
the choir for singing and to Miss
Hattie Philleo, aud to W. B. Riggs
for furnishing instrumental music.
That little wicked fiddle has surely
been soundly converted, as we'll as its
owner, its sweet tones led off on the
soprano finely, and added much to the
general effect.
The success of the meetings is
largely due to the untiring efforts of
the executive committee, Messrs,
Collins, Riggs and Morris.
The Lecturer was Hospitality enter
tanned by Mr. and Mrs. j. D. Witter.
In fact everyone seemed to rally and
combine to make it, as it was, the
grandest success, in the way of temper
ance meetings, ever known in this
section.
The following is list of signers:
J n Brundage, Fred Padgham,
L Fontaine. Elmer Burr,
Fannie Balderston, r D Bronson,
May Purdy, II G Bronson,