Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-10-25

Ireland ot to-day. He llved a life ot eX- emplary retirement from political turmoil of the time, subsisted upon the hrmblest fare, dwelt in an unpretending house in an obscure corner of the city; began work at in the morning and retired to rest at II at night.
 In year after this gifted man com menced there was perceptible improve ment in the condition of Ireland; distil- leries and saloons were closed. He even shut up his own brothers both of whom were in the trade, one at Coshel and the other at Cork. The success of Father Mathews mission is best illustrated by the fact that in 1888, when he commenced work there were l2,200,0O0 gallons of whisky distilled in Ireland, and in lS44, when he practically ceased, the amount was only 5546, ,4S3 or considerably over 100 per cent of decrease. In the same year when he commenced Father Mathew found in Cork 60 total abstainers. ln three months afterward this number in- creased to 25,000 in five months to 131,- 001, in nine months to 156,000 in twelve months to 100000.
 His method of procedure was to preach to the people and to administer to each pledge in the presence of his nelghbor and his God to abstain from strong drink and to encourage the same habit in oth- CTS. He gave each card and medal, on one side of which were an artisan and his wife supporting shield on which was engraved lamb and the emblem of mans salvation at their feet were two children and on the obverse side of the medal was the following pledge in the form also of q cross "I promise that so long as l con tinue a member of the teetotal temper ance society to abstain from all intoxicat- ing liquors except incidentally, and by advice and example to discountenance the cause and practice of intemperance in others" Around the pledge was the name of the Cork Total Abstinence So- ciety, Very Rev. T, Mathew, President"
 THE PLEDdE WAS ADMINISTERED
 to the people while kneeling in the chapels and when the pledge had been thus taken in each others presence Fath- CT Mathew added. May God sustain you in keeping it." Whenever the topper { broke the pledge he was obliged to re- turn the card and medal; and the strength of faith in and of association and sample was SD great that the pledge was gener- ally kept and whenever it was broken the | people revered the man So much that | public opinion insisted upon the return of the medal. This of Father Mathews was one of the most remarkable religious | revivals ever known, and would doubtless | be possible again if the example of simple 1 faith and self-sacriiice and devotion in | spired men once more as in bygone days. | The world can best be reformed yet by utilizing the bonds and influences of re l hgion, but it is doubtful if the world will ever witness again such successful in- roads made on the minds and affections and lives of men as were made in Ireland
 fifty years ago by Father Mathew.
 The advent of the famine years in Ire
 land broke up the people, impaired the organization which Father Mathew found ed, closed up the temperance rooms, and
 there has been no man since his day able to successfully combat the evil, or if able is not ready or willing to do so. Had the
 Father Mathew movement been carried out and encouraged Loyalty from his day
 to ours it is impossible to forecast what
 might be the destiny of the Irish race at
 home and abroad But it is regrettable
 to think that the great and gifted instru-
 ment of Gods will who had done so much
 for virtue and for Ireland was allowed
 to be arrested for debt and had in his
 declining years to apply to the British
 crown through Sir Robert Peel for a
 miserable stipend of $500 year, to
 keep body and soul together
 LIKE HoMER WHO BEGGED HIS BREAD
 in the streets of Troy, and for whom seven
 cities fought for the honor of possessing
 his remains, marble statues are now raised
 to commemorate the piety and virtues of
 Father Mathew, but when on the death
 of the Dr. Murphy, Bishop of Cork, the
 name of the great apostle was submitted
 to Rome by the Catholic clergy, as the
 man most worthy to succeed to the see, : the name of Father Mathew was sum-
 marily set side for diplomatic reasons , at the Vatican, thus effectually discourag-
 ing any other man from following in his sacred footsteps, or initiating the noble example of his remarkable life. As a
 kind of compensation for this slight : Father Mathew was invited to Rome and , refused to go, but came to America in } 1S49, enrolled 600,000 members in the cause of temperance He was enthusias. tically received in New York, and pub . licly feted and entertained by the Presi. dent in the White House; and for ages tC
 come, his name and services to God and I to humanity will live in all noble and | generous hearts, and at the mention o ' Fathew Mathews name, mems minds vii a involuntarily revert to the labors, exam pie and the lives of the Apostles.
 ~ ! PAT GpANTT