The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-03
MR.. MURPHY'S CONVERTS
Three OF Them Talk to an Audi
once Of Men at Ming's Opera
House.
Everyone Had q Good Time, Even
Those Who Did Not Sign
the Pledge.
An Ex-pueiiist aud Two Actors Tell Their
Expericncss-What saved Francis
Murphy.

Francis Murphy talked to the men ut
Ming's opera house yesterday afternoon.
On the stage with Bishop W. w. Duncan,
Rev. f. D.. Kelsey and other clergymen,
were Billy Searles, an ex-puRilist and two
mon who had at one time trod the boards
for a living. After one of tho hymns in
which everybody joined, Mr.. Murphy called
on Searles to talk to the boys" IL il II
scientific boxer but tangle-foot whisky will
knock out anybody. Billy came to the
meeting on upper Main at! eet last night
and signed tho pledge. God bless his big
English heart" Billy was received with "A
storm of applause. Mr.. Murphy led him
to tie footlights. Billy folded his hands
behind him, smiled at the audience and
said he did not know what to say.
Say anything Billy" came from Nj.
Murphy. Mr.. Searles told of his
experience with drink and his adventures in
gambling houses and how he and his money
were soop parted. "After wear the ribbon
a while longer perhaps ! can tell you more.
! know as long as | wear the blue ribbon l
will keep sober and I'll neither gamble or
fight" He took his seat amid another
burst of applause. Mr.. Smith. president OF
the Helena Painters union, also made a
brief address. He was not SURPRISED that
Mr.. Murphy called on him for he did it
wherever he met him. He said he ought to
feel at home here for he had been with
Jack Langrishe, the old time comedian,
for two years md had played with him in
the Black Hills, and the greatest kick he
ever got on the downward path was when
he struck the hills. From that time he
traced his downfall. While there he got
married and now has seven children. or
the misery of a drunkard's homo he could
relate many incidents full of hearta ches
for his wife and children. MANY times
had lie sworn off and once he was
an officer in the Good Templars. For
four wears he kept the pledge and then
broke it, This was because he had not
placed his trust in the right place. After
this he never drew a sober breath for fifteen
and took another pledge and in four years
made a comfortable home for his family.
Mr.. Murphy shook his hand when he fin
ished. II saw the little wife last night"
he said. land the roses ale IN her cheeks
once more"
Sitting to the left of the stage near the
wings was Mr.. Jordan, a big, hearty-look-
ing man, who has been before the public
| for half his life. "While sitting here listen
ing l almost expected to hear the bones
~rattle'' and the audience gave Il slight patter
! of applause at his opening sentence. Like
Mr.. Smith he thought he never could have
any fun unless he got drunk. He thought
he could quit any time he wanted to and
kept right on that way for twenty years.
Three drinks a day was his init. Alter a
while he took MORE, until he lost All reck-
oning of how many he WAS IN the h&Glt OF
using. Some times he could tell by the
way he felt the next morning. For the last
TIL go years he had been thinking of quit
ting. But no strong man could control him
self by himself. lie had prayed to God to
keep him from drink; Some men had done
the same thing and the next thing they did
would be to go into a saloon sit down ana
wait for some one to ask them to have a
drink. He knew lots of bright men whose
lives had been much rs his own. He used
to think that all bright men used liquor.
but that was perhaps because he never as
sociated with any but drinking men. II
have seen them go down until they either
went to hell or the poorhouse unless stop
ped by some Find hand. " have never
sworn off before bat l have now for good.
Last Saturday night 1 had been drinking
not sign the pledge unless sober. Monday
night | went to him and he prayed for me.
l had been looking for work. When / came
away Il man stopped me on the street and
gave me something to do. l believe he was
sent by Cod
lnlop w " lIAhSNht NAo 10 AH~
tho Methodist conference here, spoke for
about ten minutes with great feeling. He
said it was a great p ivilege to him to meet
an hour like this in the journey Nf life.
The defect of modern Christianity, he
he thought, was its lack of sympathy for
fallen men and women. We have not
enough OF Christ to go down into the alleys
and cutters with a helping hand and to
chase the clouds away from homes. Il
tried everything" said Mr.. Murphy, but
Christ. 1t was difficult for me to believe.
| was dying for love and sympathy. God
sent me II friend. Some men say drinking
men don't love their families. 1t is a mis-
take. When l got down on my knees and
my family came and knelt by my side | was
saved. Give up the use of this unhallowed
thing. There is IA remedy-the grace of Je-
sus Christ" The audience stood up and
sang RESCUE the Perishing." Mr.. Murphy
then read the pledge. A number walked
down the ais!e to a table where
ribbons as the pledges were signed.
While the singing was going on and the
men we're putting their signatures to the
small cards, Mr.. Murphy walked from one
side of the stage to the other clapping his
hands and shouting out words of encour-
agenent.
Two meetings were also held during the
evening, one on upper Main street at 1880
and at st. Paul's at eight, both of which
were we'll attended. The use of the opera
house for the afternoon meeting was given
to Mr.. Murphy by Manager Remington
without charge.
Ministers, Lawyers, teachers, and others whose
occupation gives but little exercise. should use
Carter's Little Liver ills for torpid liver and
billiousness. One is a dose. Try them.