The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-06
TWENTY-FIVE TALKS
ROUsING TEMPERANCE MEETING AT
MASONIC HALL LAST NIGHT.
Concluding Affair OF the Series Under
the Auspices of the Knights Of
Father Mathew.

The seventh and concluding temperance
entertainment Of the series given under the
auspices of the Knights of Father Mathew
took place at Masonic Hall last night. The
seating capacity OF the hall was taxed and
the crowd was so large that a great many
people stood up. and others, not being
able to get seats, returned to their homes.
Nearly every prominent temperance orator
in the city was present. A number of the
members Of the Murphy League sat on the
stage with the orators. Large portraits of
the late Father Mathew and Rev. Father
Bessonies occupied easels on the stage. The
portrait OF Father Bessonies was framed in
by the American flag and the good priest
sat near 1t. p. ]. Kelleher presided over
the meeting. Besides the speeches there
was entertainment by the Regal trio
Misses Alice Halpin, Jennie Briggs and Mr..
George ". Hess; either and guitar music
by Fremont Frey and Willis Scudder and
quartets and solos by other artists.
Twenty-Five men made brief but eloquent
temperance speeches during the evening.
One Of the most earnest appeals for the
cause was by Mrs. Lena Beck. of Blooming
ton, Ind. She brought the greetings OF the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union of
her city. Mrs Beck paid a high tribute to
the holy life OF Father Mathew, who organ
lied temperance crusade and died with
the knowledge that over two million men
and women had signed his pledge and wore
his badge. Mrs. Beck saw In the women of
the country the salvation Of the men. 1.-THE
girls" she said. They have 1t in their
power to purify the lives of the men, and
We mothers believe they will do it, Mrs.
Beck illustrated her interesting talk with
word pictures that were plain and each
held its lesson. Col. Eli Ritter. in a five
minutes speech. told of the temperance
work here In Indianapolis. He said that
every man in the Murphy League was a
member of a life-saving crew whose duty it
Ia to save those who are sinking to the
Gavisk. of St Johns Church talked of the
earnest work which the knights of Father
Mathew have taken up. He spoke of the
devastation made by strong drink and the
awful effects of liquor on the intellect. God
has given man reason" he said. land when
man deprives himself Of that reason he is
guilty of a SIM
Luther Benson delivered five minutes
speech. The good that the Knights of
Father Mathew have done and will do
he said, will never go out with time. The
is when he first begins to drink. Statistics
show that one drinking man in every thou
sand quite IF you ever s do do s save drunk
cit will be with love, with charity, with
patience and with kindness. Never say
that a man won't stick Let us make this
die to be missed"
Rev. Father Bessoines, much Of whose
life work has been in the interest OF the
temperance cause. received an ovation when
he stepped to the front Of the platform.
He talked but few minutes, but nearly
every sentence he uttered was punctuated
with applause. He advocated the building
and loan association az the safeguard
against the saloon. He believed that the
savings invested weekly in these associa-
tons were the means Of saving many men
from drink. Other speeches were made
by Rev Mr.. Rondthaler, Dew. Mr.. Carsten-
sen. George L. Knox, Samuel Johnston.
+. IT. McWhrter, Joseph Taggart, Frank
McGinnis and President Cleveland, of the
Murphy League.