Smyrna times., 1885-09-30

The Centennial Conference of Tenn
perance Workers, held in Philadelphia
last week was grand success. The
Philadelphia Times, in speaking of one
of the night meetings, says;
" Last night was an epoch in the his
tory of temperance work. 1t was the
elimination of the Centennial Con-
ference in an exhibition of forces
aligned in battle array and shouting the
war-cry of total abstinence. The
Academy of Music was crowded and
the overflow crowded Association Hall.
Four thousand men and women packed
the seats, the windows, the dOorways
and the aisles of the vast Academy
and the stage and wings were jammed
with an interested thrOng. Every gas
Jet in the house was lighted and the
great pendant chandelier at the dome
was ablaze with hundred lights and
the iridescence of sparkling prisms.
The auditorium below was no denser
in its human occupancy than the
three tiers which circled above.
Away up in the gallery men and wo-
men were clinging to the roof and sup
ports and leaning over the rails to catch
the words of the speakers. The lights,
the faces, the ringing notes of the
orators, the applause prOlOnging the
echo into Il roar of confirmation and
the swell of music, tempering all with
sweetness, made u magnificent whole,
a proud testimonial to the belief and
conviction of the vast cOEcOurse. The
Centennial Conference had been in ses-
sion two days, and the delegates to it
occupied the stage at the meeting in
the Academy. Below was the orches-
ira and far out to the steps stretched
the mammoth audience in sympathy
with the work. General Wagner made
short speech and was followed by
Colonel George w. Balm, of Kentucky,
who delivered fervid address, in
which he alluded to the absence of Sec
tionalism and sectarianisn in the bat
tie of the temperance workers against
the liquor traffic.
"When Colonel Balm had concluded
John Hutchinson sang motto song
and General Wagner introduced Rev
Father Cleary, of Wisconsin, as The
| first Catholic clergyman who had ever
stood in such a presence and so pub
licly allied himself with the movement
Father Cleary, he said, is the Presiden
| of the Catholic Total Abstinence So.
ciety of America. The great crOwC
burst into greeting of applause as thu
priest stepped to a table near tht
front. He raised glass of water t
his lips with a scarcely perceptible ges
ture of significance, and the applaus
was renewed and prolonged into a rOa
of spontaneous enthusiasm. Then, a
by common impulse, the thousand
rose to their feet. In n calm vOic
which reached to the far corners of tn
edifice, in the silence which followed
Father Cleary said he was glad t,
shake hands with the men who, thOugl
not his brothers in religion, wer
such in the great cause of hu
manity. In this cause no religion, H.
politics clashed, but they stood shOul
der to shoulder to fight the monste
which corrupted politics, entaile
social suffering and blighted home
and souls.
Father Cleary declared himself a
in favor of total abstinence, but did nc
believe prohibition could be accom-
plished. He thought the demon {
drink and its sale should be starve
out by the imposition of heavy pena
ties which would place it under th
ban of the law.
Miss Francs f. Willard, presideI
of the Women's Christian Temperate
Union, followed in one of her chal
acteristic speeches, picturing ruine
homes, blighted lives and disgracefl
deaths.
THE meeting closed by the entiI
audience joining in the hymn, NJ
Country, 'Tis of Thee
J Association Hall was also crowde
to its utmost capacity. The meetiu
was presided over by Mr.. Metcalf,
Rhode Island, and the speakers we
= Rev. DIR. POulson, of Maryland MI
, c. B. Buell., of Connecticut, and Ge
eral Reilly, of Buffalo.
John B. Cough, who was expecte
was unable to attend on account
sickness and a telegram of syI
: pathy was sent to him and Ne
! Dow"