The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-13

perance to which he dedicated his
life with the memorable words,
Here goes, in the name Of God. !"
This decisive step was not taken
hastily. He had deliberated and
prayed for long time before
placing himself in such direct OPP
position to the long-cherished Gus
toms Of the Irish people. He had
almost attained his forty -eighth
year and had exercised the sacred
ministry for twenty-four years in
the city Of Cork before he felt it
incumbent upon him to undertake
this total abstinence crusade. Dur
ing the years of his priesthood,
especially, he had become familiar
with the misery and crime that
owed their origin to the drink
loving propensities of the people
among whom he labored. He had
tried to improve their condition by
pleading for greater temperance
in the use Of intoxicants, but with
out success. When the idea of
total abstinence was suggested to
him by his Quaker friend, William
Martin, he recoiled at the thought.
He regarded it as the impractical
BILE suggestion of a dreamer-this
idea of making total abstinence
the rule Of life Of a people who
had so long cherished, but not
practiced, moderation as a safe
guard against drunkenness. But
when he finally announced his de-
cision, on April 10, 1888, the cause
Of total abstinence gained cham
pion who never paused to reckon
the cost when there was question
Of wrestling a soul from the grasp
Of the tempter Thenceforth he
was the Apostle of Total Abstin-
ence. From the comparative OBJ
security of his parish he emerged to
assume the leadership Of an army
which gathered strength as the
years went by until it's serried
ranks marshalled millions of men
beneath it's standard. In two years
after he began his crusade two
million people signed the total alb
stinence pledge in Ireland alone.
Later on he visited Scotland and
England and met with equally
gratifying success.
His visit to the United States,
which lasted from July 2, 1849, to
the close of 1851, was equally pro-
life Of results. He visited twenty
five states Of the union, admins
tered the pledge in over three
hundred Of the principal towns
and cities and added more than
half million to the long muster
roll Of his disciples 1t was the
last important journey he under
took in fulflment Of his mission.
Soon after his return to. Ireland a
stroke Of apoplexy rendered him
an invalid and on December s,
1856, he passed to his eternal re-
ward.
Father Mathew may justly be
styled the Father of the Total Alb
stinence Movement. Anything
like organized activity Of such a
drastic character was unknown
prior to his time. Nature seems to
have fitted him for the Inaugural
ton of this important work. His
enthusiastic devotion to the cause,
and his personal magnetism and
unselfsh interest in the welfare of
his fellowmen were important fac
tors in the success with which he
prosecuted his work.
Mr.. Justin Mccarthy, the his
torian, has said that Father Mat
hew had neither eloquence nor
learning, nor genius, but only en-
thusiasm and noble purpose, and
yet he stirred the hearts of the
population in the cause Of temper
ance as thoroughly as Peter the
Hermit might have stirred the
hearts of people to a crusade. !"
The secret of his success, of the
marvellous power for good which
he exercised over the minds and
hearts Of all who came within the
radius of his influence must be
sought for in the sincerity, kind
ness and enthusiasm which were
the dominant notes of his intense
activity. Nor must it be forgotten
that he laid the greatest stress
upon the influence Of religion as a
determining agent and safeguard
in the keeping Of the total alb
stinence pledge.
The results of his work are man.
ifest in the world today despite
the lapse Of almost three-quarters
/ af a IL