BLUE RIBBON MISSION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1024, 17 August 1883, Page 2

BLUE RIBBON MISSION.

The promoters of the Gospel Temperamce movement in Ashburton have good reason to be gratified with the success of the initial meeting held last night, if a capital attendance, enthusiasm and a fair number of fresh adherents to the temperance cause, are any guide in the matter. The Town Hall was well filled, the speakers secured keen attention, and apparently had the sympathies of the audience from start to finish. Mr Alfred Saunders occupied the chair, and with him on the platform were Messrs I. Scott, David Brown, R. Murray, senr., Gavin Smith, Rilworth, R. Alcorn, with Revs J. Nixon and Taylor. Two tables, each presided over by a lady and gentleman respectively, were placed just below the platform, on which were the indispensible pledge books and cushions ornamented with the now familiar bits of blue ribbon. The choir, numbering about 30 or 40 voices, with several members of the Orchestral Society, discoursed some capital music during the evening, though it was evident sufficient time for rehearsal had not been given. After the opening hymn, and prayer by the Rev J. Nixon,

The chairman delivered a I short address, preceding it by a pretty compliment to the choir, and an equally graceful one to the speakers who would follow him. Mr Saunders said that prior to entering the hall he had heard two persons conversing in the street. In reply to a question put by one as to what was going on, the other answered, “ Oh, it’s only a temperance meeting. ” Taking this reply as the basis of his speech, the chairman wont on to observe that sentiments such as that expressed were unfortunately too common, and showed how familiar they were with drunkenness, and how little the evil impressed itself on the community. They were met there that night to cope with the greatest evil that ever afflicted an Englishspeaking people. (Applause.) In whatever way it was looked at, intemperance was a groat and formidable evil. Referring to John Howard’s philanthropic work, the speaker observed that the opposition met with from the tyrants cf Europe was nothing compared to the appetite for strong drink which Howard bad to contend with amongst the criminal classes, while the Bishop of London with Earl Shaftesbury had stated that the charity of London was quite sufficient to deal with the poverty and wretchedness of that great city, but all philanthropic efforts were powerless to deal with those who worshipped the god of strong drink. An eminent lady had said that the City Arabs of London had often been clothed and fed by her, but the children had been as frequently stripped by their mothers and the garments pawned for the

purpose of obtaining liquor. The question was—Were they met to propose anything like a remedy for the evil? It had been said that they held too extreme views, but if any better remedy were propounded they were quite willing to adopt it. Had any other remedy been successful than that of “ Touch not; taste not; handle not ” the accursed thing ? and he contended that they were met to grapple with the evil in the best possible way. Referring to the advance which the temperance movement had made, the speaker said that for the last fifty years their efforts were taxed to prevent an increase in the consumption of liquor, but it would encourage them to know that the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his last Budget had intimated that the revenue derived from the crink traffic last year was 1-5,000,000 less than formerly, and this result did not diminish the total revenue, as during the last three years there was such an increase that the Government had been able to reduce the National Debt by twenty millions sterling. In closing an instructive speech; Mr Saunders said there were two classes of the audience who had the power to deal very effectually with the evil of intemperance—the ladies and professors of religion, and he trusted succeeding speakers would address themselves particularly to these two classes..

After one of Sankey’s hymns had been sung,

Mr Smith addressed the meeting at considerable length, his preliminary remarks being a resume of the life of Francis Murphy, a reformed drunkard, who was credited with having originated the Blue Ribbon movement, in the first instance in America. His methods were to commence the meetings with singing a hymn, reading a portion of the Scriptures, and prayer, and then rehearsing the story of his life—a life full of thrilling incident, of degradation from drink, but of ultimate reformation At the close of Murphy’s meetings the people were asked to sign the pledge, and subsequently it was suggested to the reformer that those who thus gave in their adherence to total abstinence principles should adopt a badge, and this was the origin of the bit of blue ribben. • The speaker did not, however, state what other objects were to be gained by donning the ribbon, but possibly more may be said on this unique phase of the mission before it comes to a close. Mr Smith went on to observe that Mr R. T. Booth, who had commenced the Blue Ribbon movement in England, was a convert of Francis Murphy’s son, and the American reformer himself had recently visited England, meeting with a princely reception, and extending the movement with marvellous success.

The Rev Mr Taylor then delivered a most telling address. Though it was possible nothing new could be said on the well-worn subject of temperance, yet it would only do for them to relax their efforts when the evil as well as the temptations was removed. They had, as ministers and members of churches, been very remiss in the past, as was seen by the result of the licensing elections in Sydenham and Christchurch. But they were now awaking up ; they were organising ; and he ventured to say that at the next election in Sydenham a very different tale would be told. He was glad that Ashburton had set a good example, and had raised its voice against any increase of public-houses. To show the strides the cause of temperance was making, the rev gentlemanstatedthatrecentlyat Newcastle 24,000 had donned the blue ribbon, while 24 public-houses and three breweries were closed. Two magnificent hotels in, London, each worth L 30,000, were both empty, no customers could be found for them, and the owners had even offered them fiee of rent, but no one would take them. After giving some statistics of banki up toy cases io which those engaged in the drink traffic largely predominated, the speaker repeated a statement which he had made at Sydenham, and which had gained for him a certain notoriety, to the effect that as a rule they were sorry when people had to go through the Bankruptcy Court, but they would not regret it if every publican in New Zealand had to close his house for the want of a customer. This had been termed uncharitable. But he would immediately cease work in the temperance cause if he did not hope to close the publichouses, as the prosperity of the publican meant the immorality and poverty of his customers. Where, he asked, was the philanthropist who would not wish to see the hotels closed if the result attained was the welfare of the community? The rev. gentleman then went on to speak on “ what was a drunkard,” affirming that it was extremely difficult to draw the line separating moderation from drunkenness, and characterising the conduct of a man who got once intoxicated as sinful as that of an individual who only committed one act of thieving or other like crime. At any rate it was so in the eys of God, no matter how man viewed it. The rev. gentleman’s speech was interspersed with several anecdotes, which he told with excellent effect, and resumed his seat amidst much applause. On the motion of Mr D. H. Brown, a vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman, and the Rev. Mr Taylor pronounced the benediction. Before dispersing the audience was invited to sign the pledge, and we are informed that 146 responded to the invitation and assumed the badge of the cause.