J.B. GOUGH, THE TEMPERANCE ORATOR.

Western Star, Issue 280, 18 January 1879, Page 7

J.B. GOUGH, THE TEMPERANCE ORATOR.

The Home correspondent of a contemporary, writing regarding the first of a series of leclu'es to be given in England by the famous Temperance orator, says ; An hour before the time the large building was crowded, although everyone had to buy a ticket, ranging from one sbdling to five shillings each. I was fortunate in getting a good seat. Sir Charles Head was chairman. On Gough risiug to speak there was an overwhelming and prolonged cheer. He is now 61 years of age, but bale and vigorous. I should sa}' that he does not possess all the oratorical power of his former days—at least 1 was rather disappointed. He spoke for an hour, and evoked tbunder’r'g applause. He is dramatic in his style, and very energetic in bis delivery. He is engaged by the National Temperance League to give twenty-one lectures in the great centies of population in England, and also to deliver ten lectures tor the United Kingdom Band of Hope Union. He will likely visit Ireland a* well, and there, as elsewhere, applications will come to him. His history is well known. He is a remarkable man, and

will, I hope, do much good. Like many other great men —for he is great in his way—be owes everything xinder God, to a good mother. He was cradled in poverty. His.father was a soldier. The mother struggled hard to get bread. One day she went from Sandgate to Dover to try and sell some lace she had worked. She had no success. Returning with an empty purse, a hungry stomach, and to a naked cupboard, she was sad indeed. But meanwhile a generous gentleman had given John the large sum of five shillings. That timely gift shed light on the darkened dwelling, At twelve years of age the lad emigrated to America, that he might earn his own living. At sixteen he found employment in a large Methodist publishing house. While here he joined the Methodist church, and bis mother and sister went out to him. The mother died, and John was stunned by the heavy loss. Soon after the bereavement he was led astray by bad company. Tie bad a good voice, and found bis way to the stage. At Boston the part alloted to him was, to be the keeper of a temperance house in a play which caricatured and ridiculed all the temperance men of the day. At the age of twenty-one he married. Bat be bad become a sot. Ho raved like a maniac in a drunkard’s home. Tie had an attack of delirium tremens and set his own bed on fire. His wife and child were lying dead and be drunk ! At this crisis, the object victim of his depraved passions, he was standing alone in the street, one day, when a procession of Band of Hope children passed by. That sight struck a chord in his heart and recalled to his memory, his own happy boyish days. He. wiss ill-clad, shivering, wrecked. A hand was placed on his shoulder. It was the hand of a kind friend. This was the turning point in his career. He was induced to sign (he pledge. The first speech Gough made was at a timprrance meetT’g, the next week, when he said, -l lam getting on very well, and feel a good deal betti-r than J did this time last week.” But gradually he became famous, and in Boston, Mass., he was paid as much as =£4oo fora series of four lectures. After Mr Gough commenced his lecturing career he was once overtaken bv bis old enemy, but by God’s mercy be was soon recovered, and from that time he has learned not to rely on bis own strength, but to look to God to keep him in the right path. At the age of twenty-six be married a second time. It is said that Mr Gough has delivered over seven thousand public addresses and some of them to audiences often thousand people —that he has travelled over a sufficient number of miles to have carried him twelve times round the globe—and that he baa secured over two hundred'thousand signatures to the pledge.