The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-10-15
1sVAi Abstinence sAlly
FATHER MATTHEW'S BIRTH
DAY
Celebrated in an Appropriate
Manner by the Whining
ton Union.

ASHLAND, DEL, Oct 15.-The one hum
Idred and fourth anniversary OF the
birth of Father Matthew. the apostle.
of total abstinence. was celebrated
Yesterday at St Patriek's Church
ihsre by the Catholic Total Abstin.
once Union OF the Diocese OF Whining
ton.
Shortly after . O'Clock teams con-
;; veying the friends Of the cause began
Ito arrive. BY three O'Clock the church
was packed to overfiowing. as one
half OF 1t was filled with members OF
the different I. A. Is. Societies OF the
4 Union. Among the societies represent.
ed were: st. Mary's L. A. Il. Society.
st, Mary's Pioneer Corps, st. AIMS 1.
A. b. and ST. Aloyslu5 Cadets OF vii.
tmingt on; st. Peter's Il. A. b.. New
Castle; st. Patrlck's Meme and Ladies'.
lT. A. b. Societies Of Kenneth Sqnare;
list. Johns r. A. b., Hockessin and st.
Patrick's L A. b. Society OF this place
wore their handsome badges.
/ The Brownson Library and the
Shields Library of Wilmington were
also well represented.
The first speaker was Rev. Francis
Farley, the spiritual director OF the
society who extended hearty well
come to all present. He did not In.
tend to make speech. He Just want
ed to show what side he was on. He
related some of the sights he witnessed
In the poor house and penitentiary of
New York. while he was chaplain and
which were all attributed to drunken.
ness. The man who drinks finds 1t 80
hard to do good. The young man will
Ience OF liquor that he went first 10
,lthat place where his shadow should
Ilnot enter and tasted Sin by the infiu-
ence of drink. Drink is the curse of
I 1.-The country. It leads to dishonesty.
, 1T destroys friendship.
4 1t makes the husband strike the wife
,lof his heart.
God bless you for your regard oil
Father Matthew. James f. McIvor,
president OF the Union was the next
.Ispeaker. In the course of half an hour
he delivered q thrilling address OH the
effects OF drink and the necessity oil
: Iall ages being Joined In the cause.
John r. Dorney. q prominent mem.
lber of st. Mary's Il. A. b. Society said
: lit was customary for men to gather 10
celebrate the birthdays Of great heroes
who left their tracks In the sands OF
time and he felt delighted at seeing
such q gathering to honor the memo
of Father Matthews for no greater
man has ever trod the earth.
He dealt deserved rebuke to the
men with Irish names who plaster
them over the doors of Infamous rum
mills, and sometimes go so far as to
/ even place the harp and shamrock
'Ialso above the doors OF the internal
'ldens OF infamy.
He related some OF his experiences
,,among the people OF Wilmington, and
etold an amusing yet instructive story
labout the taYernkeeper who told the
man who drank for years his earnings
at his saloon to buy his own cherries,
Rev. ID. j. Flynn, the spiritual direc
tor of the Union and pastor of St
FIPatrick's Church, Wilmington, was
9 the next speaker. He said there was
! no name gathered more lustre thar
! that OF Iheobald Matthew. He re-
viewed how Father Matthew and Q
9 Protestant gentleman, Mr.. Martin. In
Iaugurated the great movement oil
! total abstinence. They knew how the
b time.honored curse held down ths
Irish race. and then 1t was that the
franciscan monk said, Here goes, 10
1.-THE name OF God. l will write my name
:, Ito abstain from all.intoxicating drink.
,. Heroes OF the past have been honored
Hannibal. Cesar, Napoleon and Wash
Iington have been justly honored, but
they all pale away and are not Visible
lat all.
One name alone stands out before
the world because he loved his God
and his neighbor, and that name was
that OF Theohald Matthew.
Father Flynn reviewed the progress
. lof the cause, the excuses made fol
J. using drink, and scored the iiquol
}, traffic In general. A choir composed
a of Messrs. Preston, MeCullin. Misses
% Connor and McNulty. with Miss Agnel
rCurley ac6ompanlst rendered excel
i, lent music on the occasion. The loca
j. society Is delighted with the result.