The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-06
Good company and good discourse
nrc the very sinc,vs of virtue.
Walton.
a LESSON ron THE BOYS.

A LESSON FOR THE BOYS
The career of Francis Murphy, the
Apostle of Temperance" who died re-
Gently in Los Angeles, and was buried
with honors, is unique He was ma
tive Of Ireland, but came to America
when he was sixteen years OF age and
celebrated his arrival with debauch.
He finally landed in Portland. Me-,
where he had a brother. There he
opened a bar-room of which he was
the best customer Crank Muir
phys saloon" became the most popu-
lar in town and its proprietor the
prince of good fellows.
On September 8, 1869, his brother.
Patrick Murphy, came into the saloon
when Murphy and another tried to
stop him Patrick fell downstairs.
struck on his head and died two days
later. Murphy was indicted for muir
der At the trial the plea of lack OF
malice was admitted, and when the for
nal question was puff he had any
thing to say why sentence should not
be passed upon him-he made such an
impassioned speech. coupled with the
dramatic telling of the story Of his
life, that the whole audience swept, and
Judge Goddard sentenced him to Jail
for only two months. On his release
he began his temperance work which
he had carried on unlnterruptedly and
SO successfully since that time. He
served In the Union Army during the
Civil War and served as chaplain In
the Spanish-Arlerican war.
The temperance movement started
by IL. Murphy spread rapidly from
State 10 State. and IN 1880 he cam
pztgrs5 IN ttss northern part Of Cali
.orzaz- 1aE.-sg many converts. IN 1881
he ~=ar Il s2proee. At TIE time of the
,E1raa-aez;tsa-..s,-c,-9-9;s Of the Metho-
Diff t,lsau-Gfl So great wgs the Inter
es, IN temperance that Re campaigned
4 sar teur years and obtained about Eve
,aiiaipn esienatures 10 his pledge.
When tls returned 10 New York he
was gtvan q great reception in Cooper
Union, Nhie;, was followed by series
OF receptions n Philadelphia and other
cities. ending tn Pittsburg, where he
LIVED for twenty-five years.
When the spaniRh-American War be-
gan Nj Murphy offered himself to the
Governor Of Pennsylvania, and was APP
pointed q chaplain of the Fifth Penn
Eylvania Volunteers. He went to Hon
5IEolr!u IN 1900 and held a great series
OF meetings there. He then went to
Australia. where he was also very sue
cessful. In 1901 he returned to Cali
fornia, and made tour Of that State,
and wound up at Los Angeles, where
he had since made his home. 1t is es-
timated that since he started out on
his work Mr.. Murphy induced six
teen million persons to sign his pledge.
On the day OF his funeral every sa-
loon In the city closed up in honor OF
his memory, and the whole popula-
ton paid tribute to his character and
his work.
There Is q note Of hopefulness and
measure OF encoura cement in this
narrative to all who are great sinners
"While the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return
g ut is never too late to menu.'
"A bad beginning may make a goo,
ending"
Frank Murphy's reform and success
ful work verify all these comfortin,
texts, But let us remember that til
chances Of success are with the ma,
who makes a good beginning. Til
man who starts l!fe with a debaucl
will end 1t with debauch-.-in nine GU
OF ten cases. The man who begins hi
M career with petty thieving will end hi
career in pr!son--in nine out OF te
cases. In contrast with the career @
Frank Murphy. reforWed. consider tn
career OF Harry orchAra, who, In Ii,
own account OF himself, says that h,
n first step towards ruin was a petit
act Of diynonesty. comIa!tted in HI
" early married life when lie and n
wife were running cheese factory.
Away with the doctrine that a your,
4 man must begin wrong in order to Ell