THE FOUNDATION STONE Of FATHER MATTHEW'S BRANCH OF THE PORT PHILLIP
TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY'S HALL W a s laid at Melbourne on this fifth day of October, A.D. 1846, By the V E R Y R E V E R E N D PATRICK B O N A V E N T U R E G E O H G E G A N , In the Tenth Year of the Reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Q U E E N VICTORIA. G O V E R N O R OF N E W S O U T H W A L E S ,
SIR C H A R L E S A. FITZROY. S U P E R I N T E N D E N T OF P O R T PHILLIP : His H O N O R C. J. L A T R O B E , ESQUIRE.
PRESIDENT : M R . DANIEL ROONEY. SECRETARY : M R . JOSEPH PELLEY. TREASURER: M R . H U G H CAIN.
The Rev. Mr. Cotham, a Van Diemonian visitor, delivered a suitable address, and, after a collection of ,£20 towards the Building Fund, the assemblage dispersed until evening, when there was a Society's Ball, at a new store in Queen Street, belonging to Messrs. Turnbtill, Orr and Co., and four hundred " ladies and gentlemen " enjoyed themselves until long after the cocks commenced crowing. Through great difficulties, and with a praiseworthy persistence, the erection of the Hall was proceeded with, and by various devices, justifiable under the circumstances, it wasfinished,though not until nearly twoand-a-half years had elapsed. At length, on the 12th March, 1849, it was opened by a public meeting, the chief feature of which was a truly excellent exhortation from the Rev. Dean Coffey, one of the staunchest friends it could possibly have. O n the succeeding St. Patrick's D a y the members marched in procession through the streets with band and banners. A n immense crowd accompanied, and Judge A'Beckett received the compliment of a serenade. A n d so the "Father Matthew" Society went its way, attracting by its good example many adherents to its ranks, and favourably regarded by the community as a moral agency through which m u c h good was effected. O n e of its last appearances in public was at the laying of the foundation stone of the R o m a n Catholic Church of St. Patrick, in April, 1850, where it formed the chief scenic attraction ; but decadence soon commenced, and its end was annihilation. Prior to the commencement of their building, the "Father Matthewites" were advised by prudent friends not to build their Hall on church land, to which it would not be possible to give them a legal tenure. T h e reserve was specially granted for the erection thereon of a place of worship, a minister's residence, and a school-house. N o one knew this better than Father Geoghegan, and it is difficult to imagine how a m a n of his sagacity and conscientiousness could have so far acted ultra vires as to permit any portion of the granted land to be devoted to the purpose of a temperance edifice. N o one who knew him would for a m o m e n t attribute any motive but the most thorough bond fides ; but there was an absence of prevision in his mind when he consented to the expenditure of funds raised for a special purpose. Certainly the foundation stone was laid before the appointment of a R o m a n Catholic Bishop, when Father Geoghegan was exercising the functions of Vicar-General, but this in reality could not materially affect the question. O n the assumption of his high office by Bishop Goold, the administration of the Diocese passed away from D r Geoghegan, and he consequently must be held blameless for what followed—that is, if any person were in reality blameworthy. N o full public explanation of what happened was, so far as I know, ever given, and, therefore there m a y have been circumstances in existence which, if known, might not only clear away doubts but completely exonerate those who were instrumental in transferring the "Father Matthew' Hall to a purpose for which, as was publicly believed, specifically it was not intended. All that was generally known was that when the place was required for a R o m a n Catholic School-house, its n a m e of " Father Matthew " was changed to that of St. Francis, and the Society had to turn out, like A d a m after his fall, " T h e world before it were to choose Its place of rest, and Providence its guide."
