The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-18
JOHN B. COUGH AND HIS TINES.
Tbe Story of the Great Temperance Reform
er's Life as Told by Mrs. LivermOre.

In introducing Mrs. Mary A. Livermore 10 the
| audience at Plymouth Church. last evening,
Rev. o. c. McCulloch announced that on next
Sunday morning she would occupy the pulpit of
that church, and speak on 1.-THE Perils of the
Republic He also said that he had received a
telegram from Rev. Myron Reed, saying that,
on account of too much politics, be would not be
here to FIJI his lecture engagement next week,
but would come in January or February. Rev.
p. s. Henson, of Chicago, has been substituted
for Mr.. Reeds evening next week.
Mrs. Livermores subject last evening was,
John B. Cough and His Times" She told of
Coughs early lfe-how a boy twelve years old,
he had been apprenticed to family and brought
from his home at SYNDICATE, County of Kent,
England, to Oneida, N. Y. The family utterly
failed to keep their promises. He was never
sent to school, and at the end Of two years-a
boy fourteen years old-he went to New York to
seek his fortune. He went to publishing
house. Another boy, poor and friend
same tine Cough was put into
the book bindery as an errand boy and the other
lad was placed in the Office where he found
friends. He became great Greek scholar, lived
Rev. DR.. McClntock. Cough dropped among
those who had no sympathy with him. He
dropped into the midst of temptation was
steadily lured away. He had great natural
gifts He had wonderful Evolutionary
and dramatic power, marvellous MIN
icry and was a fine vocalist He
was much sought after as a good fellow. He
drank heavily and soon began to go down Two
years after he took service in the book bindery,
his mother and sister had come over. The son
on whom she depended was going down. Mother
and daughter were lacking food, lacking shelter.
When the mother died she had no shroud. and
was absolutely tossed into an unstained box and
thrown into grave in the potters field.
Mrs Llvermore told of his first marriage and
the death of his wife and child, and how,
broken wretch filed with remorse and hoping
for death, he one night entered temperance
meeting during the Washingtonan excitement,
Joel Stratton being the man wbc invited him.
She heard the first speech he made in the city of
Boston, and glowingly described how the hearts
of the audience went out to him, and there was
a feeling that everything that could be done
ought to be done TO save him from drink. He
was wanted everywhere. and he asked
the book-b;ndery. Some Bibles that he was to
bind. for he was beautiful workman, were left
until he should FILL his engagements. He never
worked at the book binders bench afterward, ex
cept for himself in his leisure moments and the
library of three thousand volumes that he left
contained many specimens of his skill as q work.
man. Five months after he signed the pledge
he broke it. 1t was during an illness,
and his physician, among the pre-
scriptions, had given one containing
alcohol. It aroused the old appetite
in him. He went out and wandered from grog
shop to grog shop. He never dared trust him
self even to smell liquor. Two years before his
death he said, that if in church when fermsnted
wine was passed around, ne would leave in
stantly as he said, he would not dare face the
devil in the sacramental wine"
The lecturer spoke at length upon bis great
work in Great Britain as we'll as in the United
States his untiring energy, his wonderful sef:.15s
his modesty and his never-ending remorse for
the sins of his early life