Ellsworth American., 1908-04-08
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
E.siraing April f2. 1863.
Ey REV. $. II. DOYLE


Ey REV. s. II. DOYLE.
Topic.-Temperance meeting. Lessons
from the life CT John Il. Gough.-Ii sam.
xxi, 11-s7.
John Bartholomew Cough, one OF
the worlds greatest temperance or
ators. was born at SYNDICATE, Kent
county. England. Aug. 80. 1917 His
father was Il soldier AMI had served ii
the peninsular war, for which he re-
ceived pension. His mother was u
village schoolmStrcss. y hen but twelve
years of age Cough came to America
where he first worked on Il farm in
Oneida county. y. Y. In 1881 he wen.
to New York city and was employed IL
the binding department of the Metho-
dist Book Concern. He was mem
ber of the Methodist church He lost
this position Aroash dissipated hah-
its, and his means of livelihood came
from singing comic songs anu 3SNclng
in low grogshops. He was l.I.,g.'.ed
in 1889, but his habits became worse.
Through drink and delirium tremens
he was reduced to poverty and prob
ably through them caused the death OF
his wife and child. Through the infiu-
ence of Il Quaker he was led TO attend
Temperance meetings and signed the
pledge. He soon afterward decided to
give his life to the temperance cause.
He once relapsed into drink. but recov-
cred himself, and in America and Eng
land he was a most powerful advocate
Of temperance. He afterward wrote
books and acquired moderate for
tune through his lectures. He died at
Frankford. Pa, Feb. IS, 1886, after
having spent forty years in the tenn
perance work.
1. Coughs life. first of all, stands be-
fore us as an awful warning against
the drink habit. 1t is true that lie re-
formed and was used nightly of God
for good. but where he reformed many
never do. He was man of strong
will and character. and hence could do
what many others could not. and.
though reformed. he paid for every
drop of alcohol that he drank. He was
subject to delirium tremens. He lost
the wife that he loved SO dearly and
and spent years of his life in debauch-
cry and in sin that must afterward al
most have crushed the great. generous
nature which he possessed. He once
said. If all the money spent in the
temperance cause saved but one boy
II were well spent" Asked if this
were not too strong, he answered. mot
II 1t were my boy" This was his esti-
mate Of intemperance.
2. Coughs life is an inspiration. Ii
shows what can be done by the grace
Of God. 1t says to every drunkard, do
not despair" 1t says to every worker
for the incorporate, do not give up"
But it is not an inspiration to every
reformed drunkard to become tenn
perance orator. No one can do this
without great risk No one can de-
scribe the scenes of his drunken life
without arousing the old appetite with
In him. Cough was an unusually great
man and could do what hundreds of
others failed in attempting. If saved
from drink. keep as far away from II
as possible. Avoid the very appear
ance Of the evil"
The saloon seems doomed in on,
land. The people have apparently de.
termined that it shall so. But if il
does not go, young people, do not &C
to it. The law may permit it, but il
compels no one to visit it. The best
way to avoid drunkenness is to leave
It alone altogether.
BIBLE READINGS.
Lev. x. 8. 10; lisa. v. IL; xviii. IA
Joel l. 5; Mum. vi, LA; Nah. i, 10;
Cor. vi. 10; Gal. v. 1926; Eph. V, is;
Rev. xxi, 1915.