The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-04
HUNDREDS SIGN 1T.
Murphy Pledge Won Many
Adherents Last Night.
THE ARMoRY MAss-MEETlNG.
Thousands Sang in the Great Chorus
The Stories, the Applause,
Laughter and Tears.

Murray gospel temperance meeting On the
big platform sat the clergymen of the city ana
the members OF the Womsn's Christian Temper
ance Union. The audienc: was q miscelsa ne-
Gus one, composed OF people OF every grade OF
society from the wealthy ladies OF fashion
down to the humblest toiler. Hundreds OF boys
and girls were there, too.
The speaking appealed to all, for Francis
Murphy was very dramatic and literally acted
out the various stories that he told. 1t is i'm
possible effectively to reproduce in print what
he said for his mellow voice, with touch OF
Irish brogue, and his action constitute large
part OF his charm. But the people listened. in
tent to catch every world; they laughed they
shouted, stamped, clapped hands, cheered
and wept.
During the preliminary exercises there was
prayer and several songs-among them a solo by
Mrs. J. Lawrence Johnson. Mr. Murphy himself
read the familiar scripture lesson about the man
who lived in the tombs and cameNto Christ.
Then Rev. o. V. W. Chandler made brief ad-
dress, telling how in Tiffin, Ohio, his old home,
he had gone through two series OF meetings
with Mr. Murphy, who had done much good
there.
When Mr.. Chandler sat down Mr.. Murphy
started singing to the old tune which everyone
knew
"Jesus, lover of my SOUL"
and nearly all joined in the second line,
'Let me to thy bosom fly"
With the next words,
"Whle the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still Is hlgh,
the volume of sound swelled and swclled in
Tremendous chorus. With yet greater strength
a thousand voices took up the closing quartrain:
'Hide me- on my Savior hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide,
Oh, receive my soul at last
and the waves of music seemed almost to sway
the long festoons of red, white and blue bunt-
ing that hung from the high ceiling.
In the silence that followed Francis Murphy
began speaking, but his tone was only half
serious then. for he told how in the morning he
had gotten lost on the streets while he was
hunting for the MONDAY prayer meeting. Then
he called 10 the platform DR.. j. 5. Mcclure, who
had signed the pledge on Sunday night. The
doctor said he had begun as a moderate drinker,
but had gone from bad to worse and worst
Now, however, he had quit and would stick TO
the pledge. Moderation continued the
doctor
Moderation is botheration!r broke in Mr..
Murphy, and the crowd laughed and applauded
Mr.. Murphy went on with an amplitcation OF
the story OF the man who dwelt among the
tombs. "a great big man," said the speaker,
"a giant, "A iovial giant, VINO made every
body glad when he laughed or
when he sang; but he loved the
wine cup too much" Mr.. Murphy made dra-
ma OF the simple story, telling how the huge
fellow had sunk lower and lower, had been ar
rested and locked up, then scourged and driven
from the town an outcast. While wandering
far out in the mountains this wretch had heard
of Christ, had come to Him, and had been
saved.
AS the speaker grew more interested, every
eye III the house fixed on him and followed
each motion of his hands or his body while he
illustrated the parable. At the end of 1t he
saug:
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship OF kindred minds
Is like to that above
And the grand chorus rose before, shaking
the very rafters with the thunder OF the lines:
"Before our Fathers throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares"
Mr.. Murphy closed his talk with another story
of splendid English mechanic who had come
to Pittsourg to teach the Americans to make
Bessemer steel. This Englishman was
a hosptable entertainer, but he fell
to drinking, became unfit to work
and lost his place 'Bll-for that was
his name" said Mr. Murphy event into the
market one Saturday night dressed In rags The
owner OF the saloon where Bill had spent his
money also came in dressed in broadcoth This
man said TO the butcher, who bowed very low,
cut it pretty thick
''But when Bill came up to the counter, the
butcher gave glance OF scorn, and remarking
Il know what can do for YOU reached UP for a
piece OF liver.
"As Bill walked home he looked at the little
brown package and kept saying over to him
self
"'Five pounds OF tenderloin steak: cut it
thick-llyerp
AT this everyone in the audience laughed and
Mr.. Murphy went on 10 relate how Bill resolved
then and there never 10 drink again The next
Monday morning Bill went TO work shovelling
and on saturday night walked into the market.
Again the butcher reached Tor liver, but Bill
said Nor
No! Give me Eve pounds of tenderloin steak
and see that you cut Il thick, and give me
ham and some coffee ana tea ana 81 cents worth
OF oranges for the children.
"When all these things were sent 10 the
house the dear little English wife-as sweet a
woman rs you ever saw-wouldn't believe thew
were for her. She thought there must be some
mistake, and the two little haxeu-haired chill