Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-01-14
THE MURPHY MEETINGS
AN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING
OF TEMPERANCE CAMPAIGN
One Hundred and Twenty five Pledg-
ed TO Abstain from Drink--Cen-
trail Union church Crowd
ed Last Night.

Stormy weather prevailed all day
Sunday with little or no moderation ia
the evening Yet Central Union church
was crowded for the first meeting in
the series of Mr.. Francis Murphy's
visit. At Misses Alderman and Muir
cults meeting at Kawaiahao church IN
the afternoon Mr.. Murphy had given a
short talk.
At Central Union church the great
teetotal advocate had everything to
himself The result proved that his
method of a'rocacy-a plain appeal
from man TO man of the folly and
danger of drink for drinks sake and
sociability-is one of great power.
Mr.. Murphy was harder on the hos
pitable sideboard and decanter than on
the saloon. Habituated drunkards were
challenged to deny that they were not
dissatisfied themselves, and young fell
lows just entered on the course assur-
ed, by one who had been through the
mill, that the habit was not a smart
thing at all.
AS sample of the pleading of this
veteran fisher Of men take the follow
ing:
why, II you want to get the best po-
sition and the best pay. you have got to
stay sober. And when you have got
ten over all the temptations and are
saved from drink, don't you know It's
a glorious thing-the consciousness OF
being free from such vile bondage?
All, it's the victories we have won that
make us feel good-the victories We
have won-and, II we have lost, the VIC
tories We have lost are very bitter. my
friends. Some old poet has said, We
only know the life we have lived and
how true, how true 1t Is! Some people
start out and everything they touch
seems to turn to gold. and others, alas,
everything they touch turns to ashes.
All, II we do our best, no matter what
misfortune comes to us, we have got
that great reward-the glorious con-
seriousness that we have done the very
best we could and that means much
And wealth is not everything anyway;
when wealth comes. why fashion often
comes along. and fashion is a touchv
thing. II sometimes stands in the way
| of the souls salvation. don't know II
any Of you here tonight are very veal
thy, or II you are troubled with fash
ion. don't see much evidence Of
either; you are plain, sensible-look
ing crowd. Thank God for the simpli-
city of love. / am not sure but that
fashion has not done as much harm TO
, the church of God as anything else in
have seen men whoop 1t up for votes
how they will run about and send out
carriages to bring a man In to vote,
and give him five dollars sometimes
to jolly him along. Why don't you 10
that, you fellows, when you want some
body to come to church? Send out your
carriages. you that have them, and
bring people to church, why not? tell
you that when you want to catch fish
you go where the fish are. When ynu
want to catch people, why don't you
go where the people are? They are lots
easier to catch. People want to be
sympathized with; they want to he
loved: of course they do; why don't
you just love them? That's the way TO
save them! oh, the simplicity of love!
| There, maybe, are among you some no.
BILE men, Odd Fellows, knights of Py-
thias and other lodges; why don't you
\ organize to come to church sometime?
Why don't you come pouring In here
and surprise us? What a revival there
would be II you only would, and how
we would rejoice!"
In conclusion, he made this simple
appeal, and then went through the
alsles shaking hands with people:
Now I have told you part of what
! have to tell you but will say no more
tonight. Say, want you to sign this
pledge. Don't leave me-.
While the hymn Throw out the life
line" was being sung, men went for
ward to sign the pledge to the number
of hundred and twenty-five. Each
signer was invested with blue ribbon
The Central Union choir was an eX-
cellent musical interspersing of the ex-
ercises, Prof. ingalls, accompanying or
the organ and H. +. Wichman singing
solo.
The meetings continue nightly for
two weeks, with special Saturday