My conclusion was, that we were all bound to raise our hands against that gigantic and implacable foe, whose arm was raised against every one of us. I presented the thrilling tableau of our friends, near and dear relations, and neighbors, fallen and destroyed around us; the thousands of orphans and widows, whose fathers and husbands had been slaughtered by strong drink. I brought before their minds the true picture of the starving children, the destitute widows and mothers, whose life had to be spent in tears, ignominy, desolation and unspeakable miseries, from the daily use of strong drink. I was not half through my address when tears flowed from every eye. The cries and sobs so much drowned my voice, that I had several times to stop speaking for a few minutes.
Then holding the crucifix, blessed and given to me by the Pope, I showed what Christ had suffered on the cross for sins engendered by the use of intoxicating drinks. And I requested them to listen to the voices of the thousands of desolate orphans, widows, wives, and mothers, coming from every corner of the land; the voices of their priests and their church; the voices of the angels, the Virgin Mary and the saints in heaven; the voice of Jesus Christ their Saviour, calling them to put an end to the deluge of evils and unspeakable iniquities caused by the use of those cursed drinks; “for,” said I, “those liquors are cursed by millions of mothers and children, widows and orphans, who owe to them a life of shame, tears, and untold desolation. They are cursed by the Virgin Mary and the angels who are the daily witnesses of the iniquities with which they deluge the world.
“They are cursed by the millions of souls which they have plunged into eternal misery.
“They are cursed by Jesus Christ, from whose hands they have wrenched untold millions of souls, for whom he died on Calvary.”
Every one of those truths, incontrovertible for Roman Catholics, were falling with irresistible power on that multitude of people. The distress and consternation were so profound and universal, that they reacted, at last, on the poor speaker, who several times could not express what he himself felt except with his tears and his sobs.
When I hoped that, by the great mercy of God, all resistances were subdued, the obstacles removed, the intelligences enlightened, the wills conquered, I closed the address, which had lasted more than two hours, by an ardent prayer to God, to grant us the grace to give up forever the use of those cursed poisons, and I requested every one to repeat with me, in their hearts, the solemn pledge of temperance in the following words:
“Adorable and dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to take away my sins and save my guilty soul, for thy glory, the good of my brethren and of my country, as well as for my own good, I promise, with thy help, never to drink, nor to give to anybody any intoxicating beverages; except when ordered by an honest physician.”
Our merciful God had visibly blessed the work and his unprofitable servant. The success was above our sanguine expectations. Two thousand three hundred citizens of Longueuil enrolled under the banners of temperance. Instead of inviting them to sign any written pledge, I asked them to come to the foot of the altar and kiss the crucifix I was holding, as the public and solemn pledge of their engagement.
The first thing done by the majority of the intelligent farmers of Longueuil, on the return from the church, was to break their decanters and their barrels, and spill the last drop of the accursed drink on the ground.
Seven days later, there were eighty requests in my hands to go and show the ravages of alcoholic liquors to many other parishes.