During the winter of 1893 Rev. J.L. Bennett, of the St. Patrick's Church, first broached the subject of organizaing a temperance society for the benefit of the members of the Catholic Church in order to make a strong and united effort to check the spread of the soul
destroying vice of liquor-drinking, and with a view to promote brotherly love and friendship among those of the Catholic denomination. The idea was a most happy one, and on January 14, 1894, the Fathe Mathew Temperance Society was organized with seventeen charter members. The first officers of this organization were E.F. Rourk, President, L.J. Green, Vice-President; M.A. Williams, Financial Secretary; A.J. Frank, Recording Secretary; Dennis O'Hair, Treasurer; Rev. J.J. Bennett, Spiritual Director.
On February
14, 1894, by a unanimous vote of the society,the name was changed to "Father Bennett Total Abstinance Society." At that time the subject of establishing permanent club rooms was talked of for the purpose of giving the members social and literary recreation and entertainment of he proper kind, and on the 4th of March, 1894, the club room was established and on the 10th of October, 1894, those rooms, situated in the Academy Block, over the post office, were formally dedicated in honor of Father Mathew, with a membership of seventy persons.
On the 12th of August 1894, a new constitution was adopted and the name of the organization changed to "Father Bennett's Temperance Society Club," and on September 3, 1895, the Society was incorporated under the laws of the State. The Club members at about this time were able to secure Father Hagan, one of America's greates temperance orators, to give a lecture under their auspices, and on November 15, 1895, that gentleman spoke to a crowded house at the Academy of Music.
On the 1st of January, 1896, the C.T.A.U. of Illinois and C.T.A.U. of America, were amalgamated, which made the F.B.T.A.S. a branch organization of the bodies. The club rooms now occupied by the club having become too small for the increased membership, the old I.O.O.F. rooms in the Academy of Music Block, were secured, and the Club moved in its new quarters February 13, 1896. The present quarters are exceedingly pleasant, being supplied with everything for pleasant and innocent recreation, and plenty of good reading matter.
Last May the society sent a delegation to the meeting of the C.T.A.U. of Illinois, instructed to use all honorable means to bring the next State meeting to this city. The delegation was successful, and it is with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction, that not only the Father Bennett Total Abstinence Society, but the citizens of Sterling in general, welcome the members of the State body in convention today.
The present officers of the Society are M.C. Ward, President; E. McGinn, Vice-President; M.C. Williams, Financial Secretary; J.H. Schmitz, Recording Secretary; E.F. Rourk, Treasurer;
Rev. J.J. Bennett, Spiritual Director; Rev. Father Fegers, Rev. J.J. Bennett, James McGinnis,
Peter O'Hair, E.B. Daly, honorary members; M.C. Ward, J.M. Gallagher, M.C. Williams, F.B. Daly, A.M. Clavin, J.H. Schultz and W.D. Tyne, Incorporators
