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Father Matthew was the face of William Martin’s Cork Total Abstinence Society in Ireland, which was founded in 1835. He was a powerful priest with sermons against excessive drinking. He did sermon touring in Ireland and England before going to America. He wanted people to be abstinent from alcohol but he understood that the willpower of most was not strong enough to completely shun alcohol, so, he promoted temperance. Temperance meant that alcohol would be consumed in moderation. He believed that the only societies without crime were without alcohol too. Alcohol was an evil. He thought that Americans were drinking too much alcohol, which made factories more dangerous, increased violence, and ruined families.
 * Father Theobald Matthew **
 * Criticisms of America/Goals: **

Father Matthew was chosen president of the Cork Total Abstinence Society. On the first day, around sixty people took the pledge of abstinence. Within five months, he got 150,000 people to also take the pledge. This was in Ireland. After his reform spread across Ireland, he went to England to do the same. When he was finished there, he went to America. He delivered powerful sermons across America, beginning with New York in July of 1849, explaining the evils of alcohol. He called for Americans to reduce their alcohol intake; a reachable goal. Many went beyond this and took pledges of abstinence. Each pledge signed their name in a huge book Father Matthew traveled with.
 * Methods Used To Improve America:**

He was given a seat in Congress for his work, which was a high honor because he was only the second foreigner to receive a seat. Lafayette was the first. During his farewell address, Father Matthew said that he administered 600,000 pledges in America. The estimate for total abstinence pledges across the world is 7,000,000 people. With his sermons, Father Matthew got many people to drink less or give up drinking altogether.
 * Evaluation of Success in Promoting Reform: **

Father Matthew had a practical goal because he understood the human mind and behavior. He knew that it would be crazy and discouraging to demand people to give up alcohol completely. Instead, he called for people to reduce their intake. This was a simpler, reachable goal so numerous people did reduce their intake. Many people even took the pledge of abstinence, giving up alcohol completely. He presented sermons explaining the evils of alcohol.
 * Practicality: **

Money from government would be really helpful for Father Matthew’s cause because he went into debt from his sermon touring even after receiving a pension from the queen. Money would allow Father Matthew to travel to even more places so he could spread the word. People did not understand what alcohol was doing to them; that it was so dangerous. With money, Father Matthew would be able to reach more people to educate them on temperance. The money would not be wasted because Father Matthew’s alcohol reform had already spread across Ireland and England. He would be able to help a lot of people with the money.
 * Federal Government Help:**


 * References:**
 * Doctor Sylvester Graham was an American health reformist. He was disgusted by their unhealthy behavior, including their great consumption of alcohol. Father Matthew was an alcohol reformist and one of his reasons against alcohol was its unhealthy side affects. **
 * Neal Dow, “the Father of Prohibition”, was an alcohol reformist like Father Matthew. He was completely against the consumption of alcohol and believed that it was the job of legislation to get rid of alcohol. He backed the Maine Law of 1851 which prohibited the manufacturing and selling of intoxicating liquor. Some other northern states followed this example. **

"Theobald Mathew." //Hall of North and South Americans//. Virtualology. Web. 06 Oct. 2009. <[]>.
 * Bibliograghy:**

"Theobald Mathew." //New Advent//. Web. 06 Oct. 2009. <[]>.

// The Website Of Father Mathew //. Web. 06 Oct. 2009. .