St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-29
FRANCIS MURPHY.
His First Appearance in Minneapolis and
the Successful Meeting of Yesterday.

HIS First appearance in Minneapolis and
the Successful Meeting of Yesterday.
The first appearance of Francis Murphy in
Minneapolis yesterday, at Market hall, was a
grand success. The house was densely packed
when the meeting began, and people continued
to come until the place, standing room and all,
was packed.
Honorable George a. Pillsbury called the meet
ing to order, and after singing by Prof. Robert
sons chorus choir. reading of the scriptures by
Rev. Mr.. Tice and prayer by Rev. DR.. Wagner,
the chairman spoke substantially as follows:
Ladies OF the Christian Temperance Union, I am
| proud to be called upon TO introduce the great
! temperance advocate, Francis Murphy. l have
| known the gentleman for many years. His
reputation is world wide as a reformer.
! BE has taken men from the gutter and saved
! them. hope that the Christian people of this
! city and all reformers win cooperate with him
| and should funds be needed let Us put our hands
! into our pockets and give literally. AIr. Murphy
| s a gentleman who will commend himself to the
| Christian part Of the community and TO the peo-
/ pie generally. He will even commend himself TO
the saloon keeper himself for he will visi: among
! them ana try to do them good. l now have the
| pleasure to introduce Francis Murphy.
After the applause which followed
! died Uway, Mr. Murphy spoke substantially as
! follows:
| cord, n IL. lie was then starting ont to tell the
world his sad experience and the great disgrace
whisky had brought upon him He was glad TO
commence his work in Minneapolis, and hoped
| God would strengthen him in his efforts to do
| good. lie mad found many old friends among
Them Gen. Nettleton, Mayor Pillsbury and Rev.
DR.. Wagner, and inasmuch as Mir. Pillsbury
was father of the city govern
nent he felt very much at home.
His subject, ''Real Life was then dwelt upon
in mastery manner for thr9e- quarters of an
hour. Should words escape his lips to cause
| offense, 10 the saloon keeper, he wanted to
say III advance that such words were not intended.
IL men wanted 10 free the land from whisky they
must stop buying. If men were to pay even
| twenty-five cents a day into a bank they became
| stockholders. II they were to pay that amount
daily to their wives instead of spending it, great
happiness would result. Real life had fur
nished stranger stories than fiction Thousands
Of men started out in life biindly and were often
wrecked like ship destitute of a safe pilot.
! The speaker then encouraged men TO cultivate
an honest pride for labor, and discouraged the
! tendency 10 fashion which he considered the
| bane OF society to-day. 1t was far better to be
! seen on the street with tattered garments than
with a tattered character. II we could reform
! the culinary department in our fashionable
homes much OF temptation would be taken
away His mother had fed him on food con-
tanning liquors, which cultivated an appetite for
strong drink.
Here the speaker detailed the chief difference
between social customs here and in Europe and
made an earnest and eloquent appeal for the
rights of children. Home should be made
the gateway TO heaven. Here he
referred to the Irish as a race and to their pecu
lar habits of drinking, and then thanked God for
a Father Matthews who had gone out into the
streets and converted millions of his countrymen
to temperance. Father Ireland was doing a like
good work here in the northwest. Applause
John Courtney, a Scotchman had lifted him up
when intemperance had brought him to the bit
ter end, and had hired him out to a real New En-
gland Yankee. His experience in learning
how to conquer the prejudices
of the OK were very laughable
but his application CT the lesson there learned,
to saving men, was impressive. When he lad
fallen into trouble and been imprisoned his heart
was touched by missionary workers who visited
| the prison and sang GAN hail the power" Cap
tain Sturteyant a reformed sea captain, had
taken deep interest in his (Murphy's) case and
labored with him until he saw himself in the
light of reformed life. He never had told this
story of his degradation without the blush Of
shame upon his cheek.
The speaker invoked Gods blessing upon the
mayor in his efforts to reform the city and hoped
the time would come when every saloon would
be closed.