FATHER MATHEW.

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 518, 14 September 1875, Page 2

FATHER MATHEW.

j The Rev. J. Smith, of Cambridge, delivered an interesting lecture at the Court-house, Hamilton, on Friday eveniDg last, on the subject of " The Life and Labors of Father Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance." There was a moderate audience, At the opening of the proceedings the Rev J. Smith stated that Mr 0. O. Montrose hid consented to occupy the chair. The Chairman then gave out the Good Temp, lar ode " rWe friends of Temperance," which was auni by all present. The Chairman said he was deeply gratified at the compliment that had been paid to him in asking him to take the chair on this occasion Though an Episcopalian, and he hoped, a staunch churchman, he felt that there was not much difference of opinion between Episcopalians and Wesieyans. On all essential points of doctrine their beliefs were identical. He had read with much interest and proHt the biography of John Wes ey, whom he regarded as one of the chosen instruments of Providence for the accompliehmentof a great work. In 1730 the seeds of Wes leyanisw were sown by John Wesley with the aid of a few Oxford students, who were called Metho lists. In 1739 the foundation of the Wesleyan denomination was laid in London. The •labors of John Wesley were so favored by Providence that at the time of his death he had 80,000 followers, and at the present time, a little over a century and a quarter from the rise of Wesleyan. ism, the denomination numbered nearly three quarters of a million, with nearly 3,00 C Ministers. This was a remarkable instance of »be mighty influence which one earnest, God-fearing man could produce, not only upon the age he lived in, but upon p sterity. The great founder of Wesleyaniam anfl Father Mathew belonged to two widely different denominations, but they had each achieved lasting and great good. The lecturo was in aid of the fund for the purchase of a harmonium for the Wesleyan Chapel, Hamilton West, and was deserving of larger a measure of support than the present audience indicated. Music had always been recognised as a valuable aid in religious serrices. Sacred music was calculited *o r.iise the soul in purity of devotion to God, and to refine the heart. Other denominations made music an important element in their devotions and recognised its elevating influence! more fully than Protestants. He trusted the lecture to be delivered that evening would have a beneficial effect upon the minds of th* audience and wovld be instructive and profitable. With' these remarks he begged to introduce the Rev J Smith for whom he claimed a patient and intelligent hearing (applause.) B The Rev J. Smith, on ascendiog the platform I was received with loud appl*u B e. He opened blBb l8 lecture by referring briefly to the leading cba.-ac-t«iBt. CJ of the English, Irish, and Scotch, and the benefits of mutual good will and co-operation. He then referred to eminent men ia war.science literature, politics, and philanthropy whose birthplace was Ireland. Foremost amongst these w»s th«

plulmj rppbte and self-aaqrifioiag Father Mathew, toe great Apn.tle of Tfcmperanoe in Irela d, who o< longed to all nmnkind rather than to any tect party, or nation in particular. He owed t.u influenc» over his fellow men to hif «eal, hi* purity, nnd pewowl worbh. In early y«an Father Mathew aspired fo do Mod to mankind. The lecturer sketched with « happy mixture of humour ancj pathos the scenes of the Father's enrly life, traciDg hi* ministerial labors in tha Cork worknouse^where^ associated with William Martin, tv« ecoentrie quarer, he fir*t beheld the "evils of intemperance whichjwere spreading destitution, !l£ ™ Tl 7 amoD ? Bt *»• f e]low countrymen. He quaker to Patter Mathew to enter tfflM&ework of social reform, and the scene, to JSGSSKZ referred t n°»^ qnently dr » wn ' The lecturer then whs then regarded as a specie, of j£n?t" £ J direct flying iQ the face of Providence, the* Roman Catholics regarded the Protestant Tern, perance organizations as an attempt to proseletiza tlwir people. Father Mathew did not decide upon becoming an Apostle of Temperance with-^ out long and anxious deliberation. He earefullv reflected upon the difficulties he was about to encounter his own Htness f Jr the work, and the chances of success. The rererend lecturer then T? I ' « rft P hiol "»««»«sethe final resolution of Father Mathew to undertake the work his sending for his friend the Quaker, on an evening in April, 1838, and the iov of Mr. Martin upon learning hi 3 decision. With Father Mathevr to decide wa« to act. He at, once .threw himself mfo the work with all the energy and ability at his command. By his friends his action w»s regarded as a tudden freak, or a yielding to tha importunities of the Temperance party., On the 10th April, 1838, he commenced his mjsiion by holding a public meeiicg, and id the presence of the spectators he signed the pledge with the exclamation " fl«re goes, i a the name of God." After that his house was frequented by crowds of people all anxious to receive the pledge at his hands and his public meeiogs were attended by/ thousands, Tfte lecturer referred to the aid rendered by the Quaker, William Martin. More, however, was accomplished by Father Mathew in a few weeks in furthering the cause ofjtemperance in Cork than had been done for many years. He, held meetings in the Howe Baz;iar where as many as 4,000 persons assembled on many occasions The thousands became tens of thousands, and the tens of thousands hundred of thousands. In three months the pledge had been given to 25,000 persons, and in fire months to 131,000, and in less ihen nine months the number hid increased to 156,000. The Ternpe-ance movement swelled like the tide till it swept all before it like a torrent. The lecturer related raany humourous anecdote? conoeraing Billy Martin, the Grandfather of Temperance. "When he. signed the pledge be was 68 years of age, and a** he was wont to say of himself "a8 strong as an elephant, and as active as a horse." He was foremost also as a Negro-Emancipator, an advocate for the abolition of capital punishment, and he now became one of Father Mathew's litvtenants in the Temperance movement. In his shop, the Quaker was in the habit of exhibiting exaggerated pictures representing the evils of drunkenness. He held that if argument! ciuld not convince, the public must be frightened out of intemperate habits. There were pictures of a drunkard striking his wife with a poker. In another there were a brewery and distillery under the direct personal management of Satan, who was represented with hoofs and horns. The lecturer graphically described the horror sf two American Quakers, who, attracted by tha fame of Father Mathew came over to listen to his addresses, when William Martin a^ked and answered questions in this form. — "What doe 3 the race-borne drink ? Water. What does tha elephant drink. ? Water. What does the lvn 1 drink? Water. It is good for man, beist, and Imd." The reveren-1 gentleman gave some fun her illustrations of the Quaker's eccentric style, an t hahin. In January of the following year Father Mathew. had gfven the pled ae_to 200,000 persons, who had signed their r^»«*. In the expenses incurred by his pilgrim«% through Cork, the Mecca of Temperance, h* h)Bt £1,500. The lecturer narrated many humouroui ancc lo y es of the manners and conversation of the people who came to Father Mathew to sign tha pledge, as to the diminution of crime caused by the spread of temperance in Cork, the increased attendance at the schools, the air of improved comfort of the people. He then sketched Father Mathew's missionary labors in the course of Temperance. He visited. America, and iafourdaysaiministored the pledge to 150,000 persons. In December, 1839, ho-, visited Waterford, where 80,000 persons took the pledge in three days. In 1810, he visited Dublin, when many students of Trinity College took the pledge, and in the Koyal^ Exchange 50D ladies enrolled themselves underthe banner of Total Abstinence Father Mathew became every inch t!\e leader of 2.000,000 of his countrymen. He next turned bis attention to the College of Maynpolb, where 35,000 people, 8 professors, and 250 students signed the pledge. The Marquis of Weetmeath called attention in the Hauso of Lords to tha labors of Father Mathew, where they were tha theme of many high compliment*. In 1840 his iervices were publicly recognised by some of the highest men in GreU Britain. The Marquis of Landsdowne sent him £100 to be expended as he thought desirable, accompanied with a flattering letter in wh.ch he recognised the improved appearance of the peasantry in j parts of the country which he had visited owing to the spread -of the Temperance movement: Father Mathew received much support from the Press, and encouragement in the North of Ireland. He received invitations to extend hia efforts to all parts of Ireland from priests, and nobleman. Judges in their charges to the Grant Juries congratulated them upon the diminution in crime consequent upoa the npread of total abstinence. The official records of thosa times furnished abundant p-oofof the beneficial results of his labors. In 1839, 12,000 prisoners were committed for trial; in 1845, only 7,100. In 1839, 66 persons were condemned to capital punishment, in 1846, only 14. In 1839, 916 persons were sentenced to transportation ; in 1841, 643 ;in 1846, 504 ; in 1847, only 51. This was a pioof that national drunkenness was the chief can«e of crime. In 1839, duty was paid upon 12,290*000 gallons of spirits ; in 1844, upjn only 5,000,546 ga.'lona. Father Hathaw's own relatives were engaged in a distillery business, but he was accustomed to say that " Wnen the glory of God was in que-iti n the ties of flesh and blood were nothing." His eminent services were reoognizejJ by the leading men of America, who- X referred to the " great m >ral revolution that was proceeding across the Atlantic." All kinds of extravagant eulogies were passed upan Father Mathew. He was likened to Julius Cceiar, Napoleon, Brian Boru, and other famous men. The lecturer related an amusing anecdote of the effects of drinking cordial*, and warned Good Templars against the seductive and deadly influences of those mixtures. An address was sent to father Mathew by 2,000 ladies of Edinburgh, and in 1842 he visited that city, where he was welcomed at a public demonstration. On the first day he administered the pledge to 1,000 persons, on the next to 1,500, and on the following Tuesday t» 10,000 people. On the following day the number was so large as to defy calculation. He was enthusiastically welcomed on hi» return to Cork, by 100,000 persons, la 1813, Father Malhew visited Lancashire Yorkshire, and London, meeting Lord Brougham at the latter place. He pressed th*t noblemac to btcome a total abstainer, and induced him to accept a medal and ribbon. Lord Brougham went to the House and met a certain noble lord who was notorious for his habitual drunkenness. He presented thit nobleman with the medal and ribbon, baying " Here is a present from Father Mathew." " Then I'll tell you what," said the . noblemnn, "I'll keep sober this evening out of respect for him," and he did so to the astonishment of his friends. The lecturer described the in terview between Kather 4 Mathenr and the Duke of Wellington, and the eulogiums paised upon Father Mathew by Dean Stanley. The marked impression which Father Matbew left ©n th© soil of England were not yet oblitera'ed. Mr JSmith then in verj humourous terxai dwribli tht

remarkable conversion to total abstinence uf Re i Donuii, who bad been a notorious He next referred to Father MatheWfc toffffetarv difficulties, the depressing effeot jfc N Jproduoed "upon his mind ; how h» was in danger of arr«st for a debt of £7,000, which to the credit of fcis > friends in England and Ireland, was defrayed by public Bubjcripiioo. Ho then referred to the •lauderous accusation* that weTe levelled against leather Mathew, and to his indignant denial of the calumny Chat he had profited by the tale of medals, showing that out of the thousands who* Binned the pledgo, only a few hundreds paid for the medals, Tiie lecturer next described the energy of Father Mathew in alleviating distress during tlia famine in Ireland. In 1847 Father Mathew rsoeired/fromi red/ from Her Majesty the Quc«n, x*pen=>ios"olt-f£OD a-jear. la 1848 he w«is attaojieuJ^frtir^rartkljsis, brought on by exposure, la 1849 -he visited Amerrca, and obtained 600,000 <lisciplea of total abstinence. Mr Smith described the oalmneoa urith which Fa her Malhew contemplated death, the crowds who attended •hii funeral in December, 1856 ; and concluded by exhorting the Good Templars, who had before them a noble \rork, and belonged to a movement •calculated to raise up a, oobicr b>md of Elnights than Ihe Knight Templars of former days. The lecture wa« throughout characterised by masterly «lo(judnce, humour and pathos happily b ended >l^and contrasted, with an impressive delivery, and the lecturer was frequently applaudid. The ihiirman then called lor a vote of thanks to the .eoturer, expressing a hope that so maater*y a couiposuion; would be printed and circulated. Ihe Tote was accorded by acclamation, and the proceedings were appropriately closed by the singißg of a Good le molar ode. '

Aieec T&jupe. — The Airec Troupe, having {returned irom a successful tour through Te Awamutu, Kihikihi and Alexandra^ gave another entertainment in the Hamilton Hall, last evening, to a crowded house. This excellent company improve by acquaintance, and their performances last evening were decidedly the best they have given in Hamilton. Mr Alexander gave several character songs in an inimitable style. Indeed he is ■one of the best comic vocalists we have ever Aheard in the colony. In a song the name of which we did not catch, he gives a remarkably graphic and intensely humourous sketch of a trial in court, introducing extraordinary imitation of an intoxicated Irishman, of his wife in a similar condition, a policeman, and ■a Scotch magistrate— Bendigo Mac we presume. This is one of the most clever specimens of comic 4otmg, wonderful facial expression, and rich humour we have ever seen. Mr Alexander is about the cleverest vocalist io. this line we have seen for many years Professor Jacobs introduced general new and elegant tricks, and his ventriloquil entertainment was more finished and amusing than erer. Airec, surpassed his exploits on ■the flying trapeze, r and proved himself a master in his .peculiar line; In the class of very difficult feats which, he performs he reigns without a rh al in the world. The Troupe will appear aHJambnge this evening, and at Ohaupo on Thursday evening, jheir entertainments are interesting, instructive, humourous; goodiPbr dyspepsia and hypochondria ; aud their pluck in making tue round of" the Waikato is deserving of hearty support. We trust that the settlers will aflord such patronage to this excellent Troupe as will attract other Companies to the district.