The Evening critic., 1882-03-27
pAsHAwAY REFORM CLUB.
AIdrcss of Rey. M. \. McKennny,

lnerc was large audience Mt Lincoln Hall
last evening, the occasion being the regular
meeting Of the Dashaway Reform Club. The
exercises were conducted by Mr.. c. NJ. Nye,
president Of the club, while Mr.. Galliher led
the singing. The principal address OF tho
evening was that delivered by the Rev. W. l.
McKcnney, who spoke rs follows:
am glad to have the opportunity OF address
ing you for several reasons. First, because
recognize in this gathering an effort to accom-
plish good. am In full sympathy with any
and every movement whose object IL is to lift
up fallen humanity and to make men better.
am glad again, because years ago conse-
Grated my life TO this work OF recommending
to others the religion that has saved me. do
not therefore speak OF n theory simply, or an
untri cd experiment. have proved It, tested
Its merits, and know whereof affirm. Stand
Ing where1 do to-day, IL have made of my
self anything, Il have any influence or stands
ing in this world am compelled to say, with
st. Paul, "By the grace OF God am what am"
And do not feel Il TO be an irksome task, but
n pleasure TO direct the attention OF men to
power that Will reach and save, and lift them
up and place their feet securely upon tho
crock Of Ages"
look tonight into the faces of my breth.
rem. recognize in every man l meet my
brother. We have sprung from one common
parentage. The same hopes and fears alternate
In our bosom; joys or sorrows elate or depress
us nike, and we are heirs Of the same immor-
tally. Whether, therefore, we dwell in pal
aces or hovels, whether we be clad In rags or
in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously
every day, whether we be unlearned or phi
losophers, we are brethren.
long to see every man and woman stand
where God, in His wisdom, intended they
should. When God creates a human being he
has some niche in the temple of human life
for him TO nll-some duties for him to per-
form, some destiny to work out. The Creator
does nothing superfiuous Not a drop of
water that forms the seas, not n grain of sand
that forms the globe on which we tread, not a
star that twinkles in the blue vault of heaven
1s useless. II this be true of inanmate nature,
how much more so is II OF man. Created in the
Image and likeness of God. with the seal az
Immortality stamped upon him, he has a mis-
sion and destiny. The grandest object on
whose character Is without, guile, well
rounded, symmetrical, beautiful. And there
are few persons who do not desire to become
If there lives in ones head q spark of ambi-
ton there is also q desire to emulate the good
deeds and characters OF the great and good.
AS the youth stands at the base OF life's ac-
clivity, and gazes along and up its rugged side,
he desires TO stand at last upon Its loftiest
peak and to attain life's utmost possibilities.
In doing this there are grave dangers to be- en-
countered, difficulties To surmount aud temp.
tations to overcome. The ship that swings out
Into the harbor, and turns Its prov toward the
open sea may have fair winds and a clear sky
to-day, but on the morrow clouds will gather
and overspread the sky, fierce winds will
and rage, and every timber of the ship will
creak and groan In the fury of the blast. SO
we embark our youth upon the treacherous
sea OF human life knowing that storms and
tempest await them.
When we look around us at the temptations
that exist appealing with terrific force to the
depraved natures of men, 1t is not to be Won
dered at that they fall, but tho wonder is that
SO many stand. The gilded gin-palace, the
gambling hell, the brothel on every hand. 1t
is not my purpose tonight to discuss why
these places are here, or why they are per-
mitted to continue. Perhaps the day may
come when the Same public sentiment that
forced from the Congress OF the United States
a law to wipe out polygamy, that foul blot that
has too long stained the escutcheon of our ma
tion, may also extort from 1t law that shall
abolish the license system, and free tho land
Of this awful curse. God grant that 1t may
speedily come. And it will II we are true to
ourselves and to tho interest of our race. The
system Of legaliZing tho sale OF strong drink is
the most suicidal policy in existance on the
face Of the globe. 1t is receiving revenues
from the tears and groans and sufrerings OF its
citizens, and sends a hundred thousand souls
annually to q drunkards grave and q drunk
ards hell.
II can not continue and the Nations life be
saved. By the help and grace Of God these
chains shall be shattered and the Nation for
ever set free. We love our liberty. Freedom
is the talismanic word of an American citizen.
We sing