688 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
lie lield during four successive terms of two years each, thus 
outranking any other treasurer of* the state in length of service, 
and perhaps equaling any in the efficiency of the service. This 
period, too, extended over those trying years of the civil war 
when the resources of the state were taxed, in every sense, to 
their utmost. 
But Mr. Hastings was never ambitious for political prefer¬ 
ment. He was a true lover of mankind, and, as such, he stood 
ready to enlist in every movement which he believed was cal¬ 
culated to serve humanity. He was a leading spirit in the or¬ 
ganization of the national board of charities and reform, and 
also of the Wisconsin state board of charities of which he was 
for several years the efficient secretary. 
But it is, perhaps, in connection with temperance reform 
that Mr. Hastings’ name is most closely associated and most 
widely known. He enlisted early in this cause, and never for 
a moment permitted his zeal to flag or his courage to falter. 
He became identified with all the great temperance organiza¬ 
tions, national and international. He assisted in organizing 
the “Hational Temperance Society and Publication House,” 
with headquarters at Hew York City, and served as its vice- 
president from the inception of the organization: until his death. 
He was a member of the national order of the “Sons of Tem¬ 
perance,” and was for several years the chief officer of the Wis¬ 
consin branch of that body. He was also a, member of the “In¬ 
dependent Order of Good Templars,” and for six years he held 
the highest office in the gift of this international organization. 
In the interest of these orders, and of the general cause of 
temperance, he lectured through every county of Wisconsin, in 
nearly every state of the Union, and also in Canada, England, 
Scotland and Ireland. Ini this work of lecturing and organiz¬ 
ing he crossed the Atlantic six times, made two trips around 
the world, and spent sixteen months in Australia, Hew Zealand 
and Tasmania. He assisted in organizing the “Prohibition” 
party, and was a member and the treasurer of its national ex¬ 
ecutive committee for twenty years. He was also his party’s 
candidate in Wisconsin for member of congress, in 1882, and 
for governor of the state in 1884. 
It is hardly necessary to add, what is clearly implied in the 
sketch already given, that Mr. Hastings was, throughout his 
life, an earnest Christian. It was the very catholic spirit of his 
