The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-17
FOR TOTAL ABSTINENCE.
FATHER FOLEY TALKS TO CATHO-
Lies ON TEMPERANCE.

stinence Movement is Accomplish
ing-The Duty of Catholics and All
Church People to Rid the World of
HStrong Drink.
Catholic Library hall was crowded last
night to its utmost seating capacity by an
audience Of men and women who had
assembled to listen to the temperance ad-
dress of Father M F. Foley OF Baltimore.
The reverend gentleman's fame as an orator
had preceded him to Savannah, and the
large crowd was not disappointed. as the
address was one of the most learned and
scholarly that has been heard in this city
for long time. Father Foley has an
earnest. winning way Of speaking, which
attracts the attention of his auditors at once,
and holds their interest until the conclusloaA
On the stage we're Rev. Edward Cafferty,
vicar general; Rev. p. II. MoMahon, Rev.
W. A. Mccarthy, NJ. J. O'Leary, captain
of the Savannah Total Abstinence Guard;
James L. Gallagher, John w. Reynolds,
John M. Mcbride, NJ. J. Barrett and John
j. Foley.
FATHER FoLEY's INTRODUCTION.
Vicar General Cafferty in a neat speech,
extolling the virtues Of temperance, intro
duced Father Foley. He was received with
applause. aud spoke for nearly an hour.
The Catholic Total Abstinence Movement"
was the subject, and Father Foley congratu-
lated the Catholics of Savannah in showing
by their presence in such large numbers
that they are interested in the great Ques-
ton of temperance, that is now confronting
America and the whole world.
THE Catholic total abstinence move
meat" said the speaker, began fifty-two
years ago, when Father Matthew. that
great apostle of temperance, brooding over
the evils. both temporal and eternal, that
wore hanging over his countrymen from
their habits of incompetence, began the
crusade that has made his name famous in
every civilized country.
FATHER MATTHEW'S WORK.
"At the sound of his great voice the
demon of incompetence fled, and full and
plenty succeeded what had before been
misery and poverty. All over Ireland
fervent thanks went up to God for the
deliverance of his people from a tyrant
worse than English rule has ever been.
I'VE know the results of Father
Matthew'S work in America. Everything
seemed to fight him, even to plague and
pestilence, but he went on with his noble
mission and eventually triumphed. Thank
God, Father Matthew's work has not per-
ished. and his name never can or will be
forgotten"
Father Foley proceeded to show the great
results of united effort to crush out the evil
of drunkenness. "Does any one doubt" he
asked, "the need of organization to meet
this foe! To doubt the need of organization
would be to doubt the fact of the existence
OF intemperance itself.
EGO wnere you will in our great cities.
and see what horrible results of intemper-
ance greet the eye. Look at the wrecks Of
what were once the fairest of women! Look
at the sad picture of what was once a
handsome and intelligent man. See the
vast number of old, tottering, gray-haired
parents going down in grief TO their graves
at the loss of their loved children from
this horrible vice. Then tell me there is no
need of organization for the salvation of
mankind.
THE COMPANIONS OF DRUNKENNESS.
wherever you find drunkenness there
you will also find its satellites of muir
der, lust and rapine. What fills our jails
and scaffolds but intemperance. God
created man little less than the angels, but
Wien that man becomes the victim of the
demon drink, be becomes as low as the
brute, and drags bis crown of glory in the
mlre OF whisky and infamy. He becomes
lower in his habits even tnan swine.
II cannot understand how any one who is
lover of God or his fellow man can be
otherwise than an enemy to drink. Catho-
lies particularly should be leaders in this
great reform movement, for if even there
was not al iota of intemperancs among
them the Church Universal is the acknowl-
edged means of saving souls from Satan.
but 1t is sad truth that no people on
earth have suffered more from the evils of
intemperance than Catholics. and / say it
with shame.
''Far above all the temporal consequences
of drink, we must look to the terrible con-
sequences awaiting drunkard in eternity.
God has said plainly NO drunkard shall
enter into the kingdom of heavenr and he
means it."
WORD FOR SALOON MEN.
Father Foley spoke in scathing terms of
saloons and saloon keepers. Saloons, " said
he, ARE the principal factors in causing iu-
temperance. They are standing tempta-
ton and menace to the public good.
While the selling Of liquor in itself may not
be legally unlawful, who is it that dares
deny that it is a moral wronga The
saloon power of America is allied with
everything that is morally socially and
politically corrupt Show me the man who
says the saloon has made him better
father, better or more loving husband, or
better citizen"
The speaker appealed to all Catholics to
get out Of the vicious business of keeping
saloons, which are not only the enemy
of the individual but the enemy of their
God, their country and their church. He
appealed TO all Catholics, particularly the
young men, to join the total abstinence
movement and help by their deeds and ex-
ample to throttle the demon which is suck
ing the life blood of America
THE TOTAL ABSTINENCE UNION.
Father Foley spoke in terms of praise of
the Catholic Total Abstinence Union Of
America, which, he said has at present 55,-
900 members, and was organized to carry
out the work of Father Matthew. He then
won't into detailed account of its work
ings and the many benefits to be received
by members.
He was quite severe on moderate drink
ing, which generally leads to greater excess
as time goes by. Temperance organizations,
be said, are a necessity to lift man back to
his proper place, from which he is often
carried down by drunkenness He
had no doubt but that there were some
people listening to him last night, to whom
total abstinence pledge was dire neces-
| sity, and to them he particularly appealed
to stop before it was too late. people
say" said Father Foley. that there is no
necessity to join a temperance So
not not drink. To- them would
say, join for self-protection. Many man
who is to-day filling drunkard's grave said
the same thing in years gone by. when he
thought that he was endowed with an un-