Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1882 — Mason Long. [ARTICLE]

Mason Long.

An honest, but rough-spoken citizen looked at the large postrait in Sears & Son’s show window, and after .reading aloud the legend: “Mason Long, the- gambler,” remarked in tones that evidently came from his heart, or some other vital organ, “converted! h—l, he’ll gamble as long as he lives, —longer too if he gets a chance.” An opinion in which the honest citzen was by no means singular, as experience has made the people rather skeptical on the subject of “ refbrmed ” reformers; but we do not believe that anyone could meet Mr. Long face to face, or hear him relate in his simple but v ery earnest and affecting manner, the story of his life and reformation without being convinced of his sincerity. Mr. Long gave three lectures—Saturday evening at the Court-house and Sunday afternoon and evening at the opera-house. He does not confine himself exclusively to the evils of intemperance but gives considerable attention to gambling and other social evils. We have seldom listened to a speaker who better held the attention of his audience, there was no out-break of deafening applause, but there was something more flattering to the speaker, an intense eagerness to hear every word of the lectures. His manner of speaking reminds one very strongly of the great evangelist, Moody. The ranting, stamping, shouting style common to the one million nine hundred thousand spouters at in America to day, finds no imitator in Mason Long. Although he is working under the auspices of the State tempeiance societies, he is obliged to pay his own expenses. While in Rensselaer he tried, for the first time, the plan of charging a small admittance fee for the last of the three lectures. Financially the plan was a success, but Mr. Long afterwarus stated that it made him feel so much as if he were running a minsti el show that he didn’t believe the experiment will bear repitition.

Mr. Robert McNegly, Hagerstown, Md., writes; “ I was reduced to a living skeleton by distressful ailments that completly exhausted me of all vitality. All the organs of my body: lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, sight, hearing, brain, nerves, etc., were in disorder, and each gave me trouble in a greater or less degree. I doctored for kidney complaint; I doctored for dyspepsia; I took consumption cures; 1 did every thing in my vain efforts to finti relief. Mr. Wells, clerking in Morris’ drug store, told* me to try Brown’s Iron Bitters. Two bottles have made me feel like a new person altogether, and I believe 1 am permanently cured of all my distress. I weigh twenty-four pounds more now than I did a month ago.” i) For Colds, Coughs, Bronchitis and all affections of the Lungs, take Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral. Special Announcement.— We are requested to announce tint the large clothing store and merchant tailoring establishment of E. Brown & Co., will hereafter be undei the direct supervision of Mr. Chas. Lyon, lately of Djglphi. Mr. Lyon lias had much experience in his line of business,and comes among us very highly recommended both as to private character and bus ness ability.