Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-18
TIE TEMPERANCE WAVE.

Il Eighth Meeting at the First Baptist
Church--A Large Number of Siguers.
Another audience of twelve or thirteen
hundred people-as many, at all events, as
could crowd into the building-assembled
at the First Baptist church, last evening, to
renew the temperance work so successfully
conducted in our midst by Mr. Murphy, un
der the auspices of the Women's Christian
Association. After a hymn had been sung
by the choir, an impressive prayer wa
offered by MIR. Polk Walsh. During tn
process Of taking up the collection, which
followed, Mr.. Charles T. Reed sang u solo
Where is My Boy Tonight Rev. DR..
Smith then took the subject of the song for
the text of brief address, detailing an in.
terview he had had with a heart.broken
mother yesterday afternoon, whose sorrow
and deep distress was caused by the depart
ure of her first born from the paths Of teu-
perance and happiness and upright
ness. Where is my boy to.nightT'
was the fearful enquiry of many a mother
tonight. Some of them, thank God, were
at this meeting, but very many were else
where. He called on the young men to for
sake evil ways and come forward aud sign
the pledge and be men in every sense Of the
word, concluding amid applause.
Mr.. William Mortified, who signed the
pledge Monday night, then came to the
front Of the platform and thanked God
that he had at last been placed on the right
road. Ten years ago be was q gentleman
now, because Of whisky, he was nothing.
His fellow lawyers had twitted him with
having been seen riding his crutch along
the public streets-thst meant that he was
drunk, depraved, regardless Of his manhood,
of his family, of himself. But o he in
tended to do better, and he called on the
Christian people before him to lend him a
helping hand in the battle he was about to
when he had concluded his remarks.
Rev. Mr.. Shot followed with a brief ad-
dress, and then Mr.. Murphy began his ad.
dress. lie said the audience before him
was a magnificent one, and he hoped God
would put words into his mouth meet for the
occasion. He once met, he SAID, in the
course of his work in Ireland, a very beau
tiful girl, who had a bad habit of taking
q drop row and then" He approached
her, and asked her to sign the pledge. She
was a very influential lady, and a whole host
of friends and acquaintance would initiate
her example. He talked to her, aud told
her to write her name on a Murphy card,
but she firmly refused. He asked her why.
well, Misther Murphy she said "Af
yez phase, sir, l have a wskeness." "a
wbatT' said he. "a wakenesS Of yez
Place" "And what Is your weakness hkeY'
We'll, if yez must now, there are certain
days whin me heart stops like q clock, but
Just the least drop in the worruld starts it
up again" That was what was the matter
with q coed many men. They have a
weakness" The moderate drinkers
were the people he was after. That highly
respectable man who dropped into the
saloons, tooks morning cocktail or an even
irg nightcap, paid for it out Of full purse
wiped bis lips on q silk handkerchief, and
thanked God that be Rss not as other men,
was the kind OF sinner be was after. How
long would the saloonists keep open if
their only custom came FROM the hsbitual
drunkard? Not long.
Another point he touched upon ws' the
practice Of thro sing diet at the saloon
keepers People, through their city councils
ard State Legislatures, would license
HFsftIa1I auJ (~.rofesaHe. and Of