Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-25
THE CRUSADERS. 4. 4. SOCIETY.
A Splendid Demonstration at Pfeifer'l
Hall Last Evening.


A Splendid Demonstration at Pfeifer's
Hall Last Evening.
One of the most successful as we'll as the
most interesting meetings ever witnessed in
st. Paul took place last night in Pfeifer's hall,
which was crowded in every part by an en-
thusiastic audience of both old and young,
interested In the great temperance movement
for which st. Paul Is now so we'll known.
Some few weeks ago the Crusaders T. A. 30
ciety was organized in St. Paul by the exer-
tions of Father Stanley, who wished to gather
the Catholic young men OF the city together
in an organization, the main feature OF which
would be its temperance principles, designed
to elevate both morally and socially the well
being OF the Catholic young manhood Of the
city.
Already the success OF the organization is
assured. Over fifty members have enrolled
themselves in the ranks, and one OF the first
steps they took to make their society attractive
was the meeting OF last night.
MR.. JOHN D. o'BRIEN.
The first speaker introduced by Mr.. Muir
name, president of the society, was Mr.. John
D. O'Briep.
"It is sometimes foolishly remarked" said
he, "that the subject OF temperance is
an told on, one BY people ,.,p who :. forget
how Widespread and fatal are its effects, and
how recent is the movement towards abating
it. Seventy years ago the first popular move
ment for the repression of intemperance
began, but the evil then first encountered had
| its origin before the dawn of civilization, and
| increased and crept on imperceptibly, as the
| ocean tide creeps upon the careless loIterer,
suddenly engulfing the human race in its
fo1r, iy, oil 1,fs Df n
bury ing them in its deep9stfolds. Seventy years
ago people first learned that in this country
alone there were 400, 900 confirmed drunk arde;
| that four ffths of the crimes committed,
| three-fourths of the pauperism AMI two
| thirds OF the insanity existing was directly
| traceable to habits of incompetence. 1t was
the want. of understanding that made, and
| still makes the difficulties in the way of tenn
perance reform. Strange as it might appear,
the prime difficulty experienced by the
| FIRST reformers was in convincing the world
| that intemperance was an evil at all. The
habit of drunkenness, INDUCED in by the
highest grades Of society, and sung of in
| sweetest numbers by such poet as Moore,
was considered rather as an accomplishment
than vice.
All great reforms were characterized by
growing strength. and temperance was great
reform. "The society which bad just been
| organized was one OF the workers in this
great reform, but had this particular feature
about it, that instead of retaining those that
had fallen, it sought to prevent the young
| men from ever falling. The figure of these
young men arming themselves for the am-
| bushes Of youth was sight beyond words to
express. Such men as they God had not made
| in vain, and their power OF accomplishing all
| that was great and good in life, was beyond
doubt something grand.
Mr.. O'Brien wound up by asking the
| assistance of every Catholic in st. Paul in
encouraging and sustaining the society which
had just sprung up in their midst.
- FATHER DENNEHY,
who was the next speaker, said he regarded
| that meeting as an expression of the honor in
which the movement was held. Mans natur-
al wants drive him inc society; he could not
exist alone, but was dependent in one way OF
another CD his neighbor, and this necessary
mutual dependence was called civil society
| AS men grew up, other societies also grew MP
| with them, SO that here we had the state OF
| Minnesota which was a society; within it
| their parish which was also society; and
/ within their parish other societies of which
the crusaders was the latest and perhaps, all
| things considered, promising to become the
most fourishing. This was not merely
a temperance society; it was something
more; it was society for the young men OF
| the parish to advance their moral wel-belng
| by bringing them together, and, by emulating
| good example, make them worthy men in
| every respect. He had had an opportunity OF
observing how much good was done by soci-
| cites, and he found that where they fonrished
all was good, and where they did not exist all
| was bad. Temperance was the societys main
| feature now, but in the course of time it
| would have others. 1t sought at present to
elevate the moral standard of its members, but
how could it accomplish this unless the strict
| rules of temperance were epjoined on its mem
bers. In no business was reliance placed in those
| who were addicted to drink neither could they
| put any trust in society which admitted into
| its ranks Incorporate members. Their idea
| was to bring all that was moral, intellectual
and cultured in the parish into their soci ETY.,
| but they did not mean to muzze any man nor
force upon him any pledge, When a man
| was so far gone as to be unable to restrain
| himself his case was hopeless; they could do
| nothing with him. But they were justified
in asking men to give up the use of alcohol
altogether, for scientists who had given their
attention to the question had lound that no
| nutriment was to be found in alcohol what
ever. Father Danuehy in conclusion urged
| the young men of the parish to give the SO
| ciety this support and it would become the
means of effecting the greatest possible good.
MUSICAL PROGRAMME
The musical part Of the programme con-
sisted of trio by Miss Annie Schonarth, Mr..
John Leehan and Mr.. John Domaine; a piano
| duet by Miss Zenzis and Miss Mealy; also a
solo by Miss Schonarth, and recitations by
Miss Minnie Troy and Mr.. j. G. Nolan, with
all of which the audience was highly pleased.
Father Stanley wound up the proceedings By
few humorous and appropriate remarks, and
strongly urged the swelling of the society by
the addition of many new names. He also
announced that q special meeting of the