A PROTEST FROM THE PULPIT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1715, 19 November 1887, Page 2

A PROTEST FROM THE PULPIT

If you will Bell liquor, Id the name of God and for the aake of religion sell it away from the hallowed preolnota of the sasrad heart. I have worked too hard, and this congregation has made too many Baorifioea m building np this beautiful ohnrch property to hava it now defsoad and disgraced by oaloooa without an emphatic protest upon my part and yours. Mr life is devoted to the lifting op of my people into respeotability, education, honor and iDfluenoe, that they may the better save their Boula. I find one enemy dragging them down everywhere, holding them m poverty, degrada tlon and disgrace— and this is Intemperance ; and the ways that lead to rain, the places where thia vice is contracted, are controlled by my own people. I confess to a sense of mortification thai while we labor to build up, others labor to tear down. When will the hard working man learn to be wise ; and to hold on to his hard earned nlcklea, and not uqaander them m drink ? Were it not that no many are foolish we would ' not be called upon to protest againat the nilecent ha^to with which men ami iroraeu stand ready i- pa/ high rates o< Uoeuao In oraer to <sel iqujii. Y>a ul kuow my <>piciun uu iVuij-ujranoo an i on license as a means to ounirol the ttamo aud promote Tomperauoe. fitn I vroulci be rtcreant to the dictates of my oodBoienoe, and a coward to my duty were I to remain silent to day. I have nothing to do with the laws nor their enforcement, but I have a groat deal to do with this congregation, and I propose to apeak plainly and fearlessly when abuses present themselves or dangers threaten you, 1 have my duty to perform and yoa have youra, and we muat both answer to Almighty God. As your paator I Bpeak plainly to-day, and I protest strongly tgainst what I am Bare ail consider a abuse. 1 speak In chari.y and not m *nger, that I may advise nil to qulc this business which all kuuw ts fui( ot danger to soul and body, and bo injurious tv character; my sense of duty to you impolls me to express my regret and sorrow m the spaotaole of bo many of this oongrega tion rushing into the business, <~Rqv f>tlpr CtoilAtyJ .........v^^^.