'^-TT^^'?'.*"-^'^-' ■-«' ■* ' '.. '' ■;- ; Tf ■' -«■■? ;H f^ "^-v /7UK^<:r ^"^"^^ '^ r Z^^eA-. '^Sik> ■'i^f't'' ^ 10 SIX HAPPY WEEKS AMONG THE AMEEICANS. 'I MES. M. E. PAEKEE, P.G.W.V.T., THE CLIFF, DUNDEE, Z:^ent4Uive of Grand Lodge of Scotland to the Riffht Worthy Grand Lodye Session, Bloomington, Illinois, May 2.5th, 1875; Representative of IHght Worthy Grand Lodge to National Temperance Convention, Chicago, June Ist, 1875 ; President of the Women's British Temperance Associafiou President of the Women's Interiiational Christinn Temperance Unio)). WITH AN INTKODUCTION BY THE REV. PEOFESSOR KIKK. Jn paper, One Shillhuj; in cloth. One Shillin'j and Hlxpenc ',•^^t:•■^ 4^_^. TO BE HAD OF THE AUTHOR. !»■"—*«• 3 n" ■■^i • t '■ EMMA^'Ua 1 63048 firifai«& TO ALIi TEMPERANCE WORKERS, AKL> ESPECIALLY TO THE 1 : GOOD TEMPLAE BRETHREN AND SISTERS^ OF SCOTLAND, WHOSE BEPBESSNTATIVE TO AMERICA I WAS, ANI> WHOSE EARNESTi;^ EXPRESSED WISHES HAVE CALLED FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THESE PAPERS. ..^ :a PEEFACE. It is with no little pleasure that I write a few lines of introduction to the following pages. I have read them with delight and great profit myself, and so would trust that many thousands of others may do the same. Tliey carry one thoroughly along with the writer in a most interesting journey, so as actually to make him feel as if he formed one of the company at the scenes and among the people whom she visited ; then these scenes are of the most intensely interesting character. Before we leave the green shores of old Ireland w^e are introduced to charming scenery, and those eighty- four children going with this good ship from Bir- mingham, where they were waifs and strays, to Canada, where they will be prized and their way opened in the world. Those children as described fill one's heart with sympathy, and do it real and lasting good. All the voyage and journey with all the people, great and smril, who are met with or seen in assemblies or otherwise, come before lis in their PREFACE. reality. Then the book gives us an idea of the tem- perance movement, which we confess we had not before. It is easy to heap up ilgures and speak of as- many thousands, and it is not difficult to describe in general terms the greatness of men and women who^ take part in a powerful reformation. It is a different thing to take us from one company to another till we are surrounded in spirit with the living masses, and to introduce us to men and women of the most admii- able power and character, so as to make us feel as ii* we had been personally in converse with them. But we have said enough. Our post is only to introduce the little volume by giving a very little notion of how the reading of it has impressed our own minds. He who reads it through in the right spirit will not be disappointed. JOHN KIRK. or ir V Edinburgh, 6th December, 1876, ' ^^^\ . A -''•*: J I^ CONTENTS. -— ♦ ~ *■ -1 ' " ... Chapter I. ' Liverpool to MoviUe — Mr. Middlemore's Children — Ice- bergs — Landing at Quebec — The Scandinavian, 9 Chapter II. First impression of Quebec — Our First Meeting — Montreal — Canadian Villages — Ottawa — Address of Welcome — Temperance and Christianity — Match and Wooden Paii Factory — Falls of Chandiere — Houses of Parlia- ment,, 14 Chapter III. Napanee — Address by Dr Lees — Toronto — London — Banquet to the Delegates — Detroit, 23 ^ ' Chapter IV. • ; Chicago — Reminiscences of the Great Fire — Lake Michigan Fresh Water Tunnel — Visit to the Pork-Curing Estab- lishment — The Churches and Sunday Schools, 32 ";V ;;::/:v.. .t.:.^.- --- Chapter V. ■,-.-...: .^ The Washingtonian Home for Inebriates — Banquet in the Palmer House — Second Visit to Chicago— The Lead- ing Chicago Journals, 39 * Chapter VI. v American Chivalry — Scarcity of Female Servants and its Results — Intemperance — Comfortable Railway Travelling — Liquor Traffic in Bad Repute, 44 Chapter VIL National Temperance Convention — The Hutchinson Family — Prominent Temperance Advocates — The Women's i Crusade — A Minister's Wife — The Crusade Dog, 51 Chapter VIII. ^^-"^^^^' "^ r I From Chicago to Buffalo — Railway Travelling in America — A Quiet Sabbath in the Wyoming Valley — Niagara, 58 d"; 8 CONTENTS. Chapter IX. i'aqft Back to Canada — Corduroy RoadL — A Canadian's Chief Bind — A Canadian Farm — Arcadian Life — Another Glimpse of American Home-Life — Woman in the Pulpit — Syracuse, •. 64 Chapter X. Hon. S. B. Chase — The Dwight House— Visit to the In- ebriates' Home, Binghampton — Temperance Meeting at Great Bend, 73^ '^ Chapter XL Philadelphia, the Quaker City — Visit to Chelton Hills — 7o Sketch of Lucretia Mott — ** The Quaker of the Olden Timte" — Description of Philadelphia — Mrs. Wytten- myer — A Women's Newspaper Office, 77 Chapter XIL American Steamers — Fall River — Boston — Wendell Phillips — Female Librarians — **The Cradle of Liberty " — William Lloyd Garrison, 85 .; . Chapter XIIL Dr. Dio Lewis — The Whisky War — Mother Stewart — Literary Women — Mrs. Lucy Stone — American Hospitality— Mrs. Lydia M. Child, 92 Chapter XIV. Portland — The new Post Office — Visit to General Neal Dow — Spirits below — Good Templar Banquet, 107 Chapter XV. Casco Bay and Peak's Island — An Island Pic-nic — The Liberality of American Life, llf)' Chapter XVI. Visit to a Cemetery — A Burial — Decoration Day, 1 21 j Chapter XVIL Leaving Portland — A True Husband and Father — The Polynesian — Leaving A merica — Home, 1241 A TEMPEEANGE TOUR -^ THROUGH CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. Liverpool to Moville — Mr. Middlemore's Children — Icebergs — Landing at Quebec — The Scandinavian. We embarked on board the s.s. Scandinavian, April 29th, a party of eight — Brpthei^s Gladstone, Malins, Pollard, Capper, and Dr. Lees, Sister Lees and myself. The Liverpool Good Templars, having entertained us to a public breakfast, came in a body to see us off*, and bid us goodrbye. As they left us to go back in the tender, we began to realise that we were leaving ' friends and home behind us. We had a pleasant sail to Moville, on the coast of Ireland, where we waited to take passengers from Londonderry. During the interval we had examined the vesael, and became acquainted with some of our fellow-voyagers. We were much interested in a group of 84 children, col- lected from the streets of Birmingham by Mr. Middlemore, a worthy Christian gentleman, who is 10 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH doing his Master's work in caring for these little ones. On going down to the steerage we were greeted by their sweet, childish voices singing " Sweet Hour of Prayer." They were all in their berths, and, as we passed the little rows of heads, they commenced sing- ing, " Safe in the Arms of Jesus." We felt it was a sweet word to pillow our heads on, as we each sought our own berths, to be " rocked in the cradle of the deep." At eleven next morning we anchored in Eough Foyle, off the coast of Ireland, and took a boat to II Moville, a lovely green spot of the Emerald Isle. We were all glad to feel terra f/rma under our feet, and stand as long as we could on this green spot, some of us wishing that we had not to go back to that unwieldy ship, which was to be our home for so many days, and with which, as yet, we were not specially enamoured. We lingered till three p.m., and regretfully took the boat, which conveyed us to the vessel. We had gathered a quantity of primroses and flowers, which we distributed among Mr. Middle- more's children. They were all arranged on the deck. It was a very pretty sight ; the little girls all lia^dng scarlet hoods, comfortable waterproof cloaks, and wincey frocks, all alike; the boys equally comfortable and uniformly dressed. They were in excellent spirits, anticipating good homes in Canada. The boats now began to arrive from Londonderry. Among the passengers was Sister Partington, who i^ r L i CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 11 was returning home after her two years* sojourn among the Good Templars of Great Britain. I need not recount our daily experience, nor how soon we all succumbed to the miseries of sea-sickness. A heavy ground swell caused a more unpleasant motion than good, honest breakers would have done. We had about three days of this miserable state, but only one of our party gave vent to his feelings by saying, " What a fool I was to come here ; I wish I was at home " — a very natural wish, but impossible to accomplish just then. We had a number of religious services on board, and various temperance meetings. I think during the twelve days' passage we held at least thirteen meetings of one kind or another. On approaching the shores of IS ewfoundland we encoun- tered vast blocks of ice floating for miles around us, which came with great force against our iron vessel, making us shut off steam, and sometimes stop the engine altogether. It was a beautiful sight to see the icebergs glittering with the loveliest colours — ^yellow, deep-blue, and green — where the sea washed over them. They were, however, dangerous enough neigh- bours to cause the captain to go up into the mainmast and remain there, anxiously directing our course, during the whole night. We felt a sense of security in knowing that our Good Templar brother. Captain Button, had none of his senses clouded by alcohol. Still the sense of fear caused some of us to remain in our state-rooms all night without undressing, watch- 12 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH ing the large fields of ice, piling one mass on another as far as the eye could reach, some thirty or forty feet in thickness, knocking against the poor iron ship, and making us fear that the plates would be torn off. It was calculated that we came through three hundred miles of ice. I remembered gratefully my little boy saying to me, " Mamma, don't be frightened when you are in the big ship. IVe asked God to take care of you, and not let any storms come while you are there, or big whales : and," he added, with a look of con- fidence, " I know he won't, for he always hears chil- dren's prayers." I told the captain, and he said, " God bless the boy. I'd rather have his prayers for my ship than half the churches." On Sunday, the 9th of May, we came into clear atmosphere, with lovely blue Canadian skies above us. The sun had shone on the ice so much that it was now soft and glittering, and, being covered with the whitest of snow, reflected the colours of the rainbow. It was a day of keen enjoyment to us all. We saw a whale spouting in the distance, and also some seals, and observed many traces of them also on the snow-covered blocks of ice as we passed. The sun remained bright all day, lighting up the snow caverns with gorgeous colours; stalactites and stalagmites of ice glittering and looking fairy-like as we bounded past them. We all agreed that a few hours like this was compensation for all the sickness and other discomforts we had endured. Sister Partington addressed Mr. Middle- CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 13 morels children in the morning; Bro. Pollard and myself in the afternoon. Bro. Gladstone preached in the dining saloon — which was crowded — ^in the evening. On Tuesday, 11th May, we landed at Quebec ; and here let me say, before leaving the vessel, that the arrangements on board the Scandinavian were excel- lent. The steward and stewardess and all the servants attentive ; and the food for aU classes of passengers as good as it could be. We saw the food cooked for the emigrants, and it was in all respects as good as that provided for the cabin passengers. Indeed, every- thing connected with the Allan Line of steamers is all that can be desired. The chief steward conducted us through his vast store-rooms, and showed us the quality of all the various kinds of provisions ; and no expense seemed to be spared to have everything of the very best description. I should always choose to go on this line of steamers if I had to cross the Atlantic again. We now found ourselves standing on the wharf at Quebec, surrounded by our luggage, wliich had to pass the custom-house officers. Presently we were greeted by our good Canadian brethren, headed by Bro. Rev. John Cattanach, and on receiv- ing the warm Templar grip and words of welcome we realised that we were not strangers or foreigners, but fellow-citizens of one beautiful, "fraternal home." Here we received an address, and the friends in every way loaded us with kindness. liilli 14 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH CHAPTER 11. V First impression of Quebec — Our First Meeting — Montreal — Canadian Villages — Ottawa — Address of Welcome — Temperance and Christianity — Match and Wooden Pail Factory — Falls of Chandiere — Houses of Parliament. The first impression a stranger receives of Quebec is not at all prepossessing. An amusing exemplification of this came under my notice. A gentleman and his wife left a comfortable farm in IN^orfolk with the inten- tion of purchasing one in Minnesota, but on landing they disliked the appearance of Quebec and the insub- ordination of the servants so much that they came back home a few days afterwards without penetrating farther into the country. We were located by the kindness of our friends in a comfortable hotel in the best part of this old-fashioned French town. We saw ourselves advertised to address a public meeting the evening we arrived. They had only two hours* notice of our arrival ; but we found we had got into a land of quick despatch. The meeting was a good one, and an address of welcome was presented, to which we all responded. A number of ministers were there ; and further experience through the country showed them to be universally true, both in precept and example, on the great temperance ques- tion, and that the church there feels it her duty to throw the shadow of her wing over the cause. After the meeting a number of Scotch people gathered round CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 15 to shake hands, and one brother presented me with a poem of his own composition. We left next day for Montreal in one of the Palace steamers which ply on the St. Lawrence. These steamers were a novelty to us, and very magnificent ; they generally have three decks, each having elegantly -^ furnished saloons, with luxurious carpets, sofas, chairs, &c. There is also a piano for amusement, varied litera- ture, and photographic views for sale. All the inside painting is pure white, relieved with gilt, which has a very pleasing effect. Each passenger is provided with a key to a state-room containing a sleeping berth, which is very convenient, as the journeys are often very long. It took fifteen hours to reach Montreal, where we were again welcomed by our Good Templar Brethren, and driven to a beautiful hotel. Here we had our first experience of a real American breakfast ; the number of dishes amazed us ; all sorts of meat and fish, eggs differently cooked, potatoes boiled and fried, hot bread, hot buckwheat cakes, and maple syrup ; it reminded us of reading of these in Mrs. Stowe's and other works. We were served by coloured waiters ; these I prefer to all others, as they seem to be able to anticipate your wants, which relieves you from the trouble of asking for things. At ten a.m., our Good Templar friends provided us with three handsome carriages, with each a pair of horses, to take us through the city. One of the brethren accompanied each party to point out the chief places of interest. We went first to Notre Dame, 16 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH a fine Cathedral, but not much to those who have seen the one from which it derives its name in Paris. Then to the church of Bon Secours, which they told us, with great pride, was one hundred years old. This is con- sidered old in this new country. Here we saw a number of devout Catholics kneeling and counting their beads before the various altars erected to the Virgin Mary and other saints. We drove through handsome streets to the office of the Fire Brigade ; a most wonderful place. When a fire occurs (which it does almost every day), it is telegraphed to the head office from batteries placed in almost every street. The same electric power which sends the message to where the engines are, strikes an alarm-bell, stops the clock to show when the message arrived, lights the gas, unlooses the horses (they being trained to place themselves to the engine), and throws open the gates. The official in charge said that the average time from the striking of the bell to the engines being on their way was only seven seconds. They kindly let us see the process gone through, so we had an opportunity of ourselves judging of its rapidity. We recorded our names in a book kept for that purpose, and left, filled with wonder. Montreal contains 160,000 inhabitants, and is charm- ingly situated on the St. Lawrence. The beautiful Victoria Bridge, built by the Grand Trunk Railway Company, connects the city with the opposite shore. This bridge will only be rivalled in length by the one CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 17 now in course of erection over the river Tay. It is 9196 feet, wMe the Tay Bridge will be 10,321 feet. We then drove to the two principal cemeteries, which are very beautiful. Here the surroundings of death are less gloomy than in our own country ; shrubs and flowers are much cultivated, and everything about it tends to make one more hopeful and less sad. It is right to remember that they are "not here" — they ** are risen." We saw Mount Koyal, and had a lovely view from it, and returned to our hotel at 3 p.m., highly gratified by what we had seen. There was a public reception at four. We all re- sponded to the hearty welcome extended to us by the temperance friends of various sections. The same evening there was a large public meeting in the hand- some hall of the Young Men's Christian Association. A large and appreciative audience assembled to hear the delegates of England and Scotland, who all spoke. Brother Gladstone left for Texas that same night, and we did not meet him again till we reached Bloom- ington. . .^ - . . We left the beautiful city of Montreal with regret, having been treated by our Good Templar friends with the greatest hospitality and kindness. Proceeding by steamer, on the Ottawa river, to the new capital of the Dominion, we passed a number of quaint Canadian villages. We called at most of them to land and em- bark passengers, and our advent seemed to create the greatest interest in these quiet places. At one of them 18 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH we landed the furniture for a house; and as the diff- erent suites for each room were put on the landing stage, the people gathered round to admire and help to remove it. No one seemdd above lending a hand. This element of helpfulness and absence of convention- ality was to me a pleasing feature all through America. We passed St. Ann's, rendered famous in the Canadian boat song in the line, "We'll smg at St. Ann's our parting hymn." The scenery was wild and interesting. A number of rafts, with men and boys on them, floated past us. In this way the timber is carried, in great quantities, as far as Quebec. Some of these rafts are so large as to look like floating villages (as indeed they are), as the people in charge build huts on them, in which they live all the way down the rivers. These rafts are broken up, and the timber sold, on arrival at Montreal or Quebec. The quantity of timber here was amazing to us, and forms a great part of the wealth of the country. A large number of saw-mills stud the banks of the rivers ; these are driven by water power, and go day and night, and employ large numbers of men cutting and arranging hundreds and thousands of logs of wood. We passed through the rapids ; but, as they were not swollen, we did not perceive any altera- tion in the speed of our vessel. Ottawa is beautifully situated, being on the edge of rocks, over which the river rushes, giving a fine effect. Hundreds of rafts studded the river, which gave it an animated appearance. Our Good Templar friends, as usual, welcomed us. CANADA AXD THE UNITED STATES. 19 and took us all to different private homes. We had travelled twelve hours, b it there was no rest for us. We had barely lime to get tea before we went to the mass meeting in a large Presbyterian Church — the Hon. Malcolm Cameron in the chair. A number of ministers were present, one cf whom presented the following address:— > , **To Joseph Mahns, G.W.C.T., England; Dr F. E. Lees, G.W.V.T., England; Joshua Pollard, D.D.Master, Eng- land, and Mrs. M. E. Parker, G.W.M., Scotland. "Dearly Beloved and Honoured Brethren and Sisters, — We welcome you to our city, our hearts, and our homes. We hail with dehght your visit to this country and continent. As champions of the temperance movement in the Old World, your names are as familiar to us as household words. **In you we recognise the leaders of our Israel. Slowly, it may be, but not the less certainly and steadily are you con- ducting them beneath the guiding piUar of cloud and fire to the promised land. **We are not insensible to the colossal power of strong drink in the Mother Country, but we measrjpe not the arm of God by the finger of man. There may be difficulties to over- come, but they are not insurmountable ; there may be strong- holds to storm, but they are not impregnable ; there may be giants to combat, but they cannot stand before the Lord of Hosts. * For right is right, since God is God, ^ nd right the day must win ; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin.* ** We trace with the eagnemess of desire the progress of the conflict in which you are engaged, rejoicing in each new success, and ever praying that the God of battles imiy nerve you for the strife, until the banner of temperance, floating in 20 A TEMPERAKCE TOUR THROUGH every, breeze shall proclaim in the palace of Royalty, in the mansion of wealth, and in the cottage of the common people, that your motto is love, purity, and fidelity, faith, hope, and charity. ** In this young Dominion we are seeking to lay the founda- tions of Empire upon a basis firm as the Rock of Ages. "Throughout the length and breadth of this land there exists in the hearts of our people an undying attachment and loyalty to the British Queen and British institutions. Palsied be the hand that would sever this tie of afifection and loyalty. ** With an extent of country, healthful in climate and fertile in soil, capable of accommodating many millions of inhabitants — with free institutions, pure laws, and a common school system second to none in the world, we enter upon our national career with cheerfulness and hope. ** The one blot on our escutcheon is the foul stain of intem- perance, and this, under God, we are determined to remove. ** Already, through the voice of the people, the attention of Parliament has been called to the subject of prohibition in such a manner as to manifest the fact that no Government or party can ignore the question without imperilling its own existence. Here, in the capital of the Dominion, the cause of temperance is perhaps stronger than at any other point, while in every part of the country Christian Churches and ministers of religion unite vnth the various temperance societies in praying for the suppression of the liquor traffic. ** Under these circiunstances your visit is to us doubly gra- tifying. ** We pray that you may be protected in all your journey- ings, blessed in all your labours, and live to see the glorious word victory perched upon all your banners and ours. ** In the name of the temperance people of Ottawa we give you * a hundred thousand welcomes. ' ** Signed in behalf of the Committee, '* Ottawa, May 14th, 1875." **W. J. Hunter. CANADA AND xHE UNITED STATES. 21 All the delegates responded to this addi^ess. The tone of the meeting very pleasingly demonstrated to us that here the cause of temperance is closely identi- fied with the Christianity of the country, and recog- nised to be of vital importance as an agency to remove the stumbling-blocks out of the way of the gospel. And thus temperance work is made a part of Christian work — a forerunner preparing the way in the wilder- ness for the coming of the Holy One — a, stepping-stone to something higher and better. As the bodies of men become weaned from intoxicating drinks their souls are often led to seek the pure fountains of living water. It was a significant fact that through all our joumeyings it was the Church and the ministers who welcomed us quite as much as our Good Templar friends. Would that in our own country we could give a similar testimony regarding all the Churches. Next day we went to see the match and wooden pail factory. The matches are made by machinery. A square block of wood is put into a machine, and it comes out cut into beautiful square spills, double the length of the match. They are carried on by machinery, and gathered up into a large wheel, and then dipped at each end with sulphur. The machine then cuts them in two, and girls gather them up and put them in paper boxes ready prepared. The velocity with which the girls put exactly the Tight quantity into the box is marvellous. These paper boxes are made outside the factory, and employ about 900 £)() A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH > : people. We then went into tlie department where the wooden pails are made by machinery. It seemed like magic. They are sold wholesale at 6s. per doz. Eighteen hundred are made daily by the firm of Messrs. Eddy & Co., who are Good Templars. Close by are the Falls of Chandiere, and, although smaller, were more interesting to me than Niagara. These boiling waters were covered with logs of timber, and, as they rolled and bolted over, carried with tre- mendous velocity, the scene was quite animating. We noticed that all the logs were marked, so that they could be claimed by their owners on arrival at their destination. The new Hoiises of Parliament at Ottawa are nearly completed, and very fine structures they are, rivalling those at Westminster. They are built on an eminence, which gives them an imposing appearance, and the extensive grounds around are b .ing laid out with great taste. This comparatively new city has every pros- pect of being one day of some importance. We left at 11.15 p.m. for ISTapanee, where we arrived at 6 a.m. next morning. This place I reserve for another chapter. CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 23 CHAPTER III. Napanee — Address by Dr. Lees — Toronto — London — Banquet to the Delegates — Detroit. On our arrival at Napanee we were received by W. S. Williams, Esq., Mayor of the town, and E..W.G.S. Here Colonel Hickman, R.W.G.T., and his lady joined us, also Hon. Mrs. M. B. 0. Donnel, E-.W.G.S. J., and a number of other delegates, on their way like our- selves to Bloomington. Next day being Sunday, all the churches were placed at our disposal. In the morning Bro. Pollard, D.D., of Bradford, preached in the C. M. Church, which was crowded ; at the same time Bro. the Rev. M. Burgoyne, of Nova Scotia, preached in the Methodist Episcopal Church ; in the afternoon, Sister Partington addressed the large Sun- day School in the Wesleyan Church j and in the evening the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches omitted their regular services to attend the Episcopal Church, which, though very large, was packed in every part to hear Bro. Dr. F. R. Lees, F.S. A., and G.W. V.T. of England, preach on " Bible Temperance." As all the utterances of Dr. Lees are good, I give the fol- lowing report from the Canadian Casket : — ** BIBLE TEMPERANCE. "The learned lecturer opened by saying that a principle of prime importance commonly ignored was that of the com- mand to rightly divide the word of truth, so as [properly to apply its lessons to the circumstances and needs of man. 24 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH Neglecting this, men twisted the most monstrous things from the Bible, and among them that poisonous drink is a good creature of God, citing everything in the Bible as being expressive of the divine mind, and therefore not dividing it rightly. Give him the premisses, and he could prove any con- clusion upon unwarrantable reasoning. The doctor wished them all to distinctly comprehend and note every word of the statement that he was about to make — namely, that nowhere in Scripture is the element of divine truth, by way of sanction or approval, associated with the dietetic use of intoxicating wine. He then proceeded to prove that those passages in which wine was mentioned as bringing a blessing, un-intoxi- cating, as the context proves, is meant. No doubt God, who permits evils, permitted the use of intoxicating wine, but nowhere does he sanction its use. He took three propositions for showing that the Bible comprehends completely all the principles of the temperance societies of the present day — * That the seers and prophets of the Bible, in their character as such, teach that intoxicating wine is bad. ' This first pro- position was most lucidly argued, and wonderfully brought out a remarkable mine of study and information, as the lec- turer told of the allegorical method of teaching, as suited to the early world, by symbolism founded on nature, and how from first to last in Scripture intoxicating wine is the selected symbol of evil. The second proposition affirmed that the Bible represents that intoxicatmg drink is evil by direct, descriptive, or ethic teaching, in which it was shown by citing the writings of men of other nations than the Jewish, but con- temporaneous with them, that without contradiction in every age of the world there has been a total abstinence movement. Solomon characterised wine as a mocker, strong drink as full of violence, and warns us against being deceived by them, and in his day accurately described the fermenting process of wine as now stated by Liebig. Our readers, at least all Good Templars, are familiar with the passage, * Look not thou upon CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 25 the wine when it is red,' &c. — the whole passage harmonising with Liebig's analysis of grape juice. The third proposition was that the Bible as a book of history, which is * philosophy teaching by example, ' represents the use of strong drink as being seductive in its nature and corrupting in its conse- quences. It does this by its biographic notices and by its national annals. He instanced its curse to Noah, to the previous pure and just Lot, to Nadab and Abihu, and to priest, prophet, and patriarch, and, on the other hand, its blessing to- the self-denying Nazarite. In the beginning God establisheil the most perfect of diets in Eden. In the case of Samson, the angel of Jehovah twice appeared to his mother, commanding her to abstain from strong drink. The mother of Samuel had pledged her son as a N azarite, a total abstainer. The doctor next dwelt upon the origin and present numerical standing of the Recha- bites, of whom Jehovah said, * There shall not fail in the line of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, men to stand before me for ever, ' and who, proselytes to the Jewish religion, an Arabian and nomadic tribe, now flourish in increasing numbers, the noblest chivalry of the East. He then stated that the Bible implies that teetotalism is a physiological law. In this con- nection he illustrated the case of Daniel nourished on pulse and pure water, so that, as our readers will remember the incident, he was, after ten days, fairer and fatter in flesh than all the youths that ate the King's food. The Bible, he said, represents abstinence as a divinely appointed physical preparation for the highest spiritual life, and that Christ did not come in the fidness, or fitness, of time, until the people Avere prepared by abstinence to receive him. We must give but one more illustration, one taken from records entirely extraneous to the Bible and proving the abstinence vein that ran through other nations than the Jewish. In the Hieratic Papyria, taken from tombs as old a^a 2000 years B.C., there was a letter found from the priest Amen-eman to his pupil '2G A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH im Penta-om in which this passage occurs : — *It has been told me that thou hast forsaken books, and devoted thyself to pleasure ; that thou goest from tavern to tavern smelling of beer at eventide. If beer gets into thee, it overcomes thy head. If thou wieldest the rod of office, men shun thee. Thou knowest that wine is an abomination ; thou hast taken a pledge concerning strong drink, that thou wouldst not put such hquor into thee — hast thou forgotten thy promise?' We have endeavoured to place the facts of the lecture in the same order in which they were given, but thoughts we have skipped and principles we have overlooked keep continually entering our mind as we now close, which, of course, would not here be in their proper place. Already sufficient is given to show the * texture and style' of the learned address, but not enough for a fair conception to those absent of the real force, profound learning, and astute reasoning of the truly great man. Dr. Lees has impregnated the mass with leaven- ing principles that shall work in the fermenting process until the pure and unmixed conviction of the truth of Bible Tem- perance shall result in the complete establishment of its principles. He has scattered the seeds of the Bible granary with a lavish hand, and for years to come the fruit will crop out here and there ready for use when needed. " Next day (Monday) two meetings were held, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening, which latter was of such an enthusiastic and demonstrative character as to call for special notice. Long before the time of meeting the spacious church in which it was held was crammed to the door, and hundreds had to go away, being unable to gain admission. The church was decorated with flags of the I.O.G.T., inter- twined with the Union Jack of Britain and the Stars CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 27 and Stripes of America. The large carpeted platform was filled with velvet-covered chairs, which were occu- pied by the various delegates, who now numbered about fifty. Various addresses of welcome were pre- sented from the Good Templars, the working men, and tlie sisters of Picton, which latter was presented by Mrs. Youmans, and claimed by myself for the sistei^s of Scotland. I was much interested in hearing that these noble women, learning that strong drink was sold in the steamer that plied between Picton and ISTapanee, chartered one for themselves, that they might be freed from the companionship of alcohol. Tii3 account of this spirited conduct, on being men- tioned in the meeting by the chairman, was greeted with a storm of applause. Such was the enthusiasm of the people that the meeting was not broken up till after eleven. We next proceeded to Toronto, where a similar pro- gramme was gone through, with the addition of a banquet held in honour of our visit. The city is beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Ontario. The streets are wide and handsome, the houses sub- stantial and elegant, and altogether the town bears the appearance of a well-to-do, rising place. It happened that the funeral of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Mr. Crawford, took place the day we arrived. The whole city seemed to have turned out to attend it. The shops were closed, and public business was for the day suspended. 28 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH ^ The temperance friends in Toronto seemed to vie with each other to do us honour. We were entertained in elegant private rooms, and handsome carriages were provided to take us through the city. Toronto is the capital of Ontario, and the most flourishing city in the province. It has a population of 80,000, and is situated on a beautiful circular bay, on the north shore of Lake Ontario. During navigation vessels ply to all the ports on this extensive lake. A number of manu- factures are carried on here — iron foundries, pai)er mills, candle, soap, starch, and oil cloth. Toronto has live daily, six semi-weekly, twelve weekly, and eight monthly papers. The editor of the Toronto Globe is the Hon. George Brown, a Scotchman, and native of Frfe. The cause of temperance is here, as elsewhere in Canada, a popular one, and a recognised power for good. Our presence was hailed everywhere by the Christian public and the friends of temperance (and it seemed to me that the two were identical) with enthu- siasm. I had a brother-in-law within 70 miles of this city, and I wished much to break off from the party here and visit his family, but Bro. Malins protested against it strongly, saying that I was the only Scotch delegate, and I must stay to represent Scotland. I yielded, but it took me several hundreds of miles extra travelh ig to reach it from the States in coming home. The distances are so great that it takes a European a long time to realise the vastness of the country. I have CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 29 been amused since my return in thinking how imio- ceiitlj I imagined that I could easily slip across to California from Illinois. I found that slipping across involved five days and five nights continuous railway travelling, and £60 railway fare. I naturally gave it up. \ . We left Toronto with reluctance, and proceeded to London, where we were welcomed by Marcus Knowlton, Esq., G.W.C.T. for Ontario, and other friends, and taken to the Tecumseh Hotel. Here a magnificent banquet was provided by the G.W.TT., a wealthy and generous brother. I suppose the guests numbered about sixty ; and the variety of dishes, rare and costly creams, ices, fruits of many kinds, showed that the beauty, elegance, and enjoyments of the table -are not dependent on the presence of wines, (fee, for here they had no existence. Indeed, in all our travels we never saw intoxicants, and were never insulted by having them offered. After the banquet we proceeded to the meeting. I was much pleased to see that the juvenile Templars, all dressed in white, were ranged at the back of the spacious platform, and their sweet childish voices greeted us on entering. It must have been pleasing to Sister the Hon. Mrs. O'Donnell, R.W.G.S. of juveniles — her heart is so thoroughly engaged in the juvenile work. One cannot help seeing the fitness of having mothers for the little ones — to gather them into, as well as keep them in, the fold. Our Good Templar Order is destined to develop and 30 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH bring into use a vast amount of buried talent among the sisters in our lodges. The Almighty Lawgiver has committed the keeping of the young mostly into the hands of women, and he makes no mistakes. Her patience, tact, and intuitive perceptions make her the fittest ruling officer and president in the juvenile lodges. The meeting was crowded and enthusiastic. Colonel Hickman, R..W.G.T., gave a brilliant address. He is a noble champion of the temperance cause, being justly proud of having never taken intoxicating liquors, tobacco, or snuff. A noble and commanding figure ^ along with a gentlemanly and courtly bearing, fit him to be a leader in our order. We started next day for Detroit, arriving about 7 p.m. Here our luggage was again subjected to the custom-house officers, who, on learning that we were temperance delegates, " guessed " that temperance people were mostly good, and the search was only nominal. Our good brother, the Rev. John Russel, P.R.W.G.T., met us at the station, and took us to a comfortable hotel. I had seen him as a delegate in London (England), and we met as old friends. We had barely time to swallow a hasty tea, when we were taken to a meeting in the largest church we had yet seen. It was filled with a respectable a\idience, among whom were a number of coloured people. The even- ing was warm, and I noticed that all the men and women had fans and used them. American churches^ ai*e much more comfortable and ornamental than ours* CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 31 Cushioned seats, stained-glass windows, flowers, and, in winter, evergreens, add much to the attractiveness of the churches. There is almost always a large plat form instead of the pulpit. This church was called the Tabernacle of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Brother Hussel presented a beautifully worded address, wel- coming us not only to Detroit, but to the State and country, as representatives of sacred, philosophical, social, and moral principles, upon the practical appli- cation of which the future welfare of the human race very largely depends. He remarked that " strong drink is the most destructive and implacable foe of mankind. Science asserts alcohol to be poison to the # healthy human system, and that total abstinence from it is the only safe and consistent rule of personal duty. Social science and political economy correctly taught, show us that the entire alcoholic drink trade is an illegitimate branch of commerce, an unmitigated public nuisance, that consequently all moral, social, and poli- tical agencies should combine for the complete extir- ' pation of the business." Brother Russel is a keen and accurate logician, and the whole address, though de-/ livered extemporaneously, bore evidence of this. Our delegates suitably replied. The meeting was almost like a leligious service — singing and prayer inter- spersing the speeches. The hymns were prepared for the occasion. Detroit is situated on the river of the same name ; it is seven miles below Lake St. Clare, and 18 miles 32 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH above Lake Erie, and the most important town of the Stat« of Michigan. It has 100,000 inhabitants, and one of the best harbours in the United States, with all the requisite facilities for an extensive commerce. This town formed the terminus to our Canadian tour, and our entrance into the States, a twelve hours' journey from here, brought us to the wonderful city of Chicago, the description of which I reserve for another chapter. ^ CHAPTER lY. Chicago — Reminiscences of the Great Fire — Lake Michigan Fresh Water Tunnel — Visit to the Pork-Curing Estab- hshment — The Churches and Sunday Schools. Twelve hours' travelling brought us to Chicago. By some mistake, we did not anticipate a meeting that night ; but, on arrival, we found that a large meeting was assembled and impatiently waiting our coming ; so we were hurried off without food or rest, except what we had got in the train, and found an immense hall filled with people whom the friends had had hard work to retain until our arrival. It was well that the number of delegates was so large, and only thres- minute speeches were expected of us. We found on the platform our Good Templar brother, the Hon. William Fox, M.A., ex-Premier of New Zealand. A CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 33 local committee gathered round us after the meeting, and appointed all to comfortable homes or hotels, pro- viding an escort. It was my good fortune to be the guest of C. N. Holden, Esq. ; and in going there I realised something of the size of the city — my escort telling me that the street we were going on was sixteen miles long, and the horse cars, or tramways (as we call them), run all the way. We, Sister Partington and myself, were kindly welcomed by our host and two brothers (Cana- dians). It w^as very late, and w^e did not see our hostess till next morning. She enquired particularly concerning the success of Mr. Moody in Great Britain, and told us that her son was married to Mrs. Moody's sister. I had much pleasure in telling her that the half had not been told. The American papers had copied from our own, and she asked if the wonderful accounts were true. I was able to confirm them in full. Mr. Holden's house was built of white marble up to the roof— the first of the kind I had seen. The pure white marble had a very imposing efiect. Chicago is the most wonderful city of the West. Less than half a century ago it was merely a station for trading with the Indians ; now it has a population of 450,000, and is rapidly increasing. One interesting fiict is that the grade of the first city was several feet below what it is now. The new buildings being more elevated, the streets were filled up to accord with them ; and w hat is strange to us in this country, 34 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH • whole streets of tlie old houses were raised by hydraulic power to the same level. It is very com - mon to move the most solid buildings from one part of the city to another. This is mostly done during the night, in order not to interrupt the traffic. Nothing seems too hard for the enterprise of the people. If only they see that a thing is deplrable, they seem to laugh at impossibilities, and straightway go and do it. It is at once the most philanthropic and the most extravagant city. Its private homes are perfect 2)alaces ; its charitable institutions are on a magnificent scale ; its hotels are not excelled by any in the world. It has streets sixteen miles long, being the length of the city, while its breadth is eight miles. Our Goi^d Templar friends brought eleven handsome carriages to show us some of its wonders. We drove from ten in the morning till foirr in the afternoon, going twenty- five miles, and did not see one-third. Among the princely residences we saw that of George Pulman, Esq., the inventor of the palace railway cars, and royalty itself need not disdain such a home. The traffic in the streets is so great that, to relieve it some- what, a tunnel has been constructed luider the Chicasfo river. It is so built that there are three carriage roads in it, separated by arches. It is lighted brilliantly, day and night, with gas. Mr. Holden told me that during the great fire many people ran into this tunnel for safety; but so intense and furious was the fire that the flames seemed to be sucked by the wind right CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 3^/ througli this long tunnel, and they perished. I listened with deep interest to his descriptions as an eye-witness of that terrible disaster. Solid stone churches were quite consumed by the intensity of the heat. Thou- sands of families were rendered homeless, and bereft o? everything; but the magnanimous character of the people rose to the emergency, and for a long time it was as in the days of the early disciples, " they had all things in common." Those who escaped opened their doors day and night, and kept a free table for the houseless ones. They made beds in every available corner, which the wanderer was more than welcome to occupy. It glorifies our poor human nature that at such a time a God-like charity found such beautiful expression. Mr. Holden said that nothing was more common than for one business man to say to another who had lost his all, " Here, my friend, take this cheque" (it might be for a thousand or more dollars) ^ " and if it is not enough, come to me for more," and they never looked for repayment. All honour to such practical Christianity. Would it were more common. It is true that it was bom under a pressing need, but it has a divine afflatus, which makes one exult in the recital. Another great engineering enterprise is the tunnel introduced into the centre of Lake Michigan for sup- plying Chicago with pure water. It is about two miles from the shore, and the water is pumped by four engines of twelve hundred horse-power each to the top 36 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH of a high tower, from which it supplies the city plenti- We visited the famous pork-curing establishment, where the animals literally walk in alive at one end, and come out at the other as cured pork. This place occupies one thousand acres, and is like a large horrible estate. The hundreds of men who are employed live on it witii their families. If any one wishes to turn vegetarian, let him come here; he will obey the Jewish hiw with regard to pork ever after. Every man has his o^vn department. The poor animals are caught up by the hind legs by a hook worked by machinery and swung up. These hooks are fastened to iron wheels, which run along a kind of elevated railway, and, as they pass, each man stands ready to perform his share of the horrible work ; and they said that, during the season, one man (who stands with knife in hand) kills three thousand a-day; but the details are too brutal and revolting. Most of us recorded a vow never to touch pork again. If I had known where they were taking us, nothing would have induced me to go. Even to this day the sight of pork in the shop windows brings up visions I would gladly forego. It was a great relief to turn into the magnificent parks, which remind one of the Champs Elysees of Paris. Miles of artificial beauty ; lakes with islands, cind pleasure-boats on them, and foreign birds ; and carriage drives which seem endless. Chicago has the largest timber trade in the world, the largest wheat CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 37 and grain export, and also the largest cattle ex])orty both alive and as beef. The churches are numerous and elegant. Tlieir great size impresses the stranger, and their internal beauty and comfort is very pleasing. Mrs. Partington and myself went to one of the Methodist Episcopal Churches (Dr. Peck's) which seats 2500. Festoons of evergreens w^re hung right across the church from the pillars and stained-glass windows. They had been there since Christmas, and still looked fresh and pleasing. There was a platform instead of a pulpit. It happened to be the mis- sionary services, and Bishop Foster preached — Dr. Peck being on the platform with him. After the sermon a collection was made in a novel way to us. Dr. Peck said they hoped to raise 2000 dollars that morning, and asked who. would give 200 of it. He then stationed tellers in all parts of the church, and asked a brother to come up and act as secretary, and as the tellers called out the names and sums sub- scribed, they were noted down, and soon the 2000 dollars were given or promised ; then, to crown all, plates were handed round for those who did not wish to announce their amounts — a novel but certainly effectual way of taking up a collection. Another novelty was a remark made by Bishop Foster during his sermon. In speaking of the value of the labours of Christian women in the churches, he said, " Two^ thirds of all the faith, hope, and charity in the world, dwell in the hearts of women.*' I coidd not hijlp 38 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH wishing that all our Good Templar brethren could have heard him, because these are the watchwords of our Order, and the principles by which we profess to be governed. In the afternoon we went to the Sunday School connected with the church — a most pleasing sight. Eleven hundred attend it ; the adults meeting in the body of the church, and the children in an elegant schoolroom below. The floors are richly carpeted, the seats cushioned ; everything looked the essence of <;omfort ; and the walls were bright with pictures and texts. Ko wonder Mr. Moody grumbled at our dull- looking schools after being accustomed to the attrac- tiveness of American ones. The infants have a room shut ofi" by folding doors. It was the prettiest sight imaginable to see the little things, some of them not more than two years old, sitting on seats made purposely for them with cushions, and a rail to rest their little feet on. Truly the lambs are cared for here. They are taught by women, motherly-looking and refined, mostly ladies from luxurious homes, where their own children had developed motherly a-nd Christ-like patience. The same lesson is uniform through all the classes and in all the churches throughout the land, and the tact of the teachers simplified it to the little ones ; and every two or three minutes they sang lively tunes. I noticed that classes of young men were mostly taught by women, And vice versa. Dr. Peck asked Mrs. Partington CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 39 to address them, which she did. He invited me to address the adults in the church, but I had not courage ; but I rejoiced to find a minister liberal enough to ask women to take part in his services. He said he believed the church was shorn of more than half her power by ignoring her fittest workers. The religion of Jesus Christ is essentially feminine in principle ; its doctrines can be best preached, as they are best exemplified, in the lives of women. CHAPTER Y. The Washingtonian Home for Inebriates — Banquet in the Palmer House — Second Visit to Chicago — The Leading Chicago Journals. One of the many benevolent institutions of Chicago is the Washingtonian Home for reclaiming inebriates, which owes its origin to a few earnest, zealous, and benevolent Good Templars. These noble few who consecrated their influence, time, energies, and money, twelve years ago, to this end, have good reason to be proud of the noble institution of which they were the real founders. They are reaping the golden fruits of their labours and sacrifices. Up to the present time the institution has become more and more important, and its influence more widely spread. It has been a 40 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH blessing in many a home desolated by strong drink, not only in this garden city of the West, but through- out the State and nation. Upwards of 1500 have passed through its walls from all parts. Of these about 20 per cent, are considered hopeless. It is under very efficient management, having a president, three vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, consulting phy- sician, resident physician, a large board of directors, an executive committee, a superintendent and matron, a committee on admissions and discharges; and last, but not least, a ladies' committee, to whom it owes a large share of its success. These indefatigable workers not only contribute and collect funds to sustain the institu- tion (for two-thirds of the inmates are received and cared for free of charge), but they seek out the most apparently hopeless cases with a zeal and devotion which never wearies. They have established experi- ence meetings for Sunday evenings. We had the delight of attending one of these, and the touching recitals of real experiences in the lives of these poor fellows, told in their own language, often with accents showing them to be from far distant lands, is thrilling, and the tone of earnest gratitude for the benefits of the Home most pleasing. Only three minutes are allowed for each speaker, and the chairman strikes a bell if any exceed that time. The conviction was forced upon me that " prevention is better than cure," when I heard these poor fellows describe the struggles they had with the terrible appetite for drink. Blessed be all the agencies CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 41 which place a barrier between the intoxicating cup and the unpolluted lip ! Our band of hope and juvenile lodges are like stars in the dark. When will our country cease to license a traffic which underlies so much of the misery, desolation, and crime she suffers from? The present Home being inadequate, a ne\. building is in course of erection, which will contain on the first storey 90 rooms, besides reading room, gymnasium, service room,