The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-07-23

his meetings he saw in them the Mnr
ply of the gutter and said to himself
'"The power that delivered me can de
liver even this poor creature" and he
went &c work with confidence for the
mans reformation. Would to God tina,
some of the men whom he was instru
mental in saving might take up his
work and that men might have reason
to say, the power of Elijah doth rest
Oh Elisha
But there was another fact about his
wonderful life that has made Francis
Murphy one Of the greatest temper
ance advocates of his time He not
only believed in man, but he was redtly
to thank God for all the divine bless
ings with which he was surrounded.
His whole life after his conversion and
conservation to the divine Master was
continual service Of praise He al
ways commenced his public services
with the coronation hymn. and he al
ways closed with the doxology of
praise God, from whom all blessings
f1ow." Wherever you met him, on the
street, or in the home, or in the church,
or anywhere, the two words which
were most often upon his lips were:
Thank God! Thank God. Thank
God" Sometimes. like a bashful boy,
he would slip into my meetings hoping
that should not see him. He seemed
to long sometimes to worship in the
Qn6ianan and no Ial 70 hn nj
pit. He would come in quietly and
stay hidden until some word of Scrip
ture or of prayer touched him. Then.
before he know it. a Thank God"
would be ringing from his church pew.
Then every one would smile and say.
THAT'S Francis Murphy" because no
one could ever say Thank God Just
as Francis Murphy did. During all his
last sickness. i'm his delirium, he would
keep rubbing his hands and with II
sweet smile keep murmuring. Thank
God.' Why. do you know. | have
heard him say Thank God" so much
that believe he has got me into The
same glorious habit of thanking God
for everything. And whereas | used
to count my troubles and name them
one by one, now. under the influence Of
that sainted spirit, l have begun to
count my blessings. And as my bless
ings are crowding me in multitudnous
am saying, Thank God"
The Secret Of His Strength.
But leaving aside these personal i'll
We would take Il step forward
and analyZe the direct cause of his.
work as Il temperance reformer How
did Francis Murphy win thousands
and tens of thousands to the better
life: Through continually. emphaticaI-
~ and overwhelmingly driving home
TO the sinful heart mans direct reSpon-
sibility to God. He was saving:
Christ came to save You. Christ will
save you. Christ will save you now.
BY his help will you come forward and
sign the pledge and make covenant
with Christi He did not bother
much about prohibitive laws He did
not work much through legislative
balls. But he tried to bring the sinful
heart Of man in close touch with low
ing and Il forgiving Saviour.
Now, we have been hearing a great
Zeal about the temperance work Of
this day We have heard about the
movement and the anti
saloon movement and the wOmen's tenn
1erance organizations. and they are all
good. No one wished all these differ
INT movements godspeed more than
lid Francis. Murphy. But, though
Francis Murphy was in sympathy with
my movement that would help stop
he liquor evil e put the chief en-
,hasis of his lab,"s upon bringing the
Individual man N touch with Christ
md saving man as an individual and
lot in the bulk. And Francis Murphy
vas right This world will never be
saved from the curse of intoxicating
rink through the legislative halls of
,ur state and national capitals. II it
S to be saved mt all il must be saved
~ the saving power of Christ and the
influence Of tho pledge. 10 yon sup
,ose you could make this Il Christian
la ton merely by passing strict Sab
,atic laws or by building new churches
N every street corner: No. TEN
,erance laws are right in themselves
But, after all. the mighticst work Of
he temperance reformcrs Of the future
s to do what John p. Cough did and
Jerry McAuley did and Samuel Had
ey did and Francis Murphy did, and
hat is to bring sinful man by the old
fashioned pledge in touch with the
aving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He Set Them to Work.
But there is one more thought that
orces itself upon us. Francis Murphy
became the successful temperance re-
ormer he was because no sooner did
le win a convert and get man to sign
he pledge than at once he got that
nan on his feet and brought him to
he platform and made him go to work
nd save other drunkards. No sooner
lid Francis Murphy get a Gospel grip
lpOn a man than at once he pulled him
lpon his feet and made him go to work
or temperance. My brother, can we
lot today learn that divine lesson?
IAN we not learn that we are develop