The blue ribbon badge was created by Francis Murphy

Francis Murphy (evangelist)

Francis Murphy was an American temperance evangelist, born in County Wexford, Ireland. He served in the Federal army during the Civil War. Beginning in 1870 at Portsmouth, N. H., he started temperance reform clubs throughout that state and was their first president...

, 1836-1907, who was a chief advocate of the temperance movement in America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and abroad in his generation. The badge was inspired by a verse in The Bible, Numbers 15:38-39, which says: "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments, throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue : and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them."

The ribbon was worn by those who agreed with a pledge of abstinence from alcohol consumption as a beverage, as advocated by Francis Murphy.

Mention of blue ribbon badge made in the book ABSOLUTE SURRENDER by Andrew Murray, published by The Fleming H. Revell Company, 1897, p. 24.