A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1778, 28 February 1888, Page 3

A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE.

lv hla Conference lecture, delivered at Wellington, on 25th January, tho Rev J. Williams, la speaking of " tho relation of tho Chnrch to Booial and public questions," referred to the temperance movement, and from a contemporary we call a few of his utterances :— About the middle of the last century there was the promise o! a much worthier relationship of the Oharch to the Temperance movement than that of leaving It to develop from without, ond maintaining towarda it for many years an attitude of antagonism. A man who was a born leader of men moved upon the stage of pablic life m England, small m stature, but strong m faith, and large m Ohrfstlike sympathies, As a religious reformer of an unconventional type, he soon found himself face to faoe with the hideous evil of drunkenness. Against that gigantic iniquity m the name of God he hurled a most vigorous protest. With char a tensile ooramonsense he recognised the fact that the facilities for the sale of strong drink were largely responsible for the curse of drunkeoness, and to the drink-sellers he gave %no quarter. He denounced them aa poisoners general of his Majesty's subjects, driving the people to hell like sheep. . . . . That man became the founder of a religious movement that has convulsed the whole world. It gave a quickening shock to all the Churches, and touohed with wholesome inflaenoe all varieties of English life. It crossed the Atlantic to find Us mightiest development In ooDnection with the marvellous growth of the American Republic. It moved eastward to gain a permanent foothold bb an evangelising force amid the decaying faith of the world's oldeat empires. It boldly pieicsd the thick darkness of the great African continent, and pushed its way onward to win its moat glorions triumphs amid the savages of the South Pacific' Borne aoroM the world on the crest of a movement like thl?, Temporaries, as a distinct moral Issue, would by this time have wrought wonders m the way of curtailing thellqnor traffic, and tho movement itself would have added a thousandfold to ita popularity and success. Bat we have to admit with shame that m this respect Methodism has been unfaithful to the pledge given it by John Wesley. It has done much for the world m the way of a nobler presentation of gospel truth, and has placed ali the Chut ches m Christendom under obligation by the infusion of a strong current of spiritual life. But m its majestic march through the world it haß allowed Wesley's banner of the fiery cross, with which he headed the crusade against intemperance, to drop from Kb hands, and only within recent years has It caught up the fallen standard and once more, m Wesley's spirit, hurled defiance at the accursed traffic m strong drink Dr Punshon once remarked that, if Methodism from the beginning had boldly identified itself with the Temperance movement, ft- would would have taken rank as the mi^hteet social force m the community, and nothing would have stood agalnßt it.

Let us Rive God thanks that at last the mind of Christ In relation to the use and sale of strong drink Is more worthily recognised by Churches of every nama. You can hardly mention a Ohurch now m whloh tho Band of Hopa doea not take Ita place by tho side of the Sunday Qohool ; In which the Temperance Society is cot dlßtinotly recognised as a branch of Ohristlan work. In the ranks of the Christian Ministry non-abatalneiH tire decidedly m the minority, and the pulpiio of Christendom are speaking ont with increasing number and ,force against the evils of intemperance. Whereas formerly nthe taunt was levelled against tho Ter-

perance movement that It* loaders were infidels and men lacking In moral force, today it is championed nicmt successfully by the moat falthfal and energetic workers m the Ohriatlan Ohurch. The world U girdled with a praying host who plead with God anceasina;ly for His blessings on the movement, and who rise up from their kneea to go forth m the strength of God to give battle to the most terrible social curse of oar times.