WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TENIPRANCE UNION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1779, 29 February 1888, Page 2

WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TENIPRANCE UNION.

A very successful tea meeting m cdnnec'ion with tho s cond anivereary of the Ashburton branch of the Women's Ohris- , tiaa Temperance Union trok place last evening m tho Oddfellows' UaJl. The tableß were liberally supp'ied by the caterer, Mr Grubb, with all sorts of good things, which were done full justice to., tho attendance being so large that the se;.tsw.ro more than twice filled, those who first safe down giving pi ice to others. Altogether fully 400 persons nmst have partaken of tea, the ladie3 who prosided beiDg kept busy for nearly two hours. At about 8 o'clock the tables were removed and »lje seats arranged forth© public meeting which was presided over by Major r.taward, M.H It. The proceedings commeccorl with tho singing of tho hymn <l Koacue the Perishing" followed by tho offering of prayer by the Ray Mr Beatcie. j Mr Gamble then sang very pleasingly th • \ beautiful sacred aoiig " Ooasider the | Llies " after which the Otuirman m a few opening remarks adverted to *he work of the ladies connected with tho Temperance Union, who he said had improve! upon the advice contained m the popular tong "Wait till the Clouds roll by" by endeavoring to roli away themselves some of those clouda which ovarshadovred many a horne — he meant the o'onda of sorrow which were caused by Inbita of Intemperance. He alao referred to the o!oud of depression 'which was the constant, complaint of businessmen and pointed ont that if only the people could be persuaded to devote the millions now spent m fermented and other liquors to a national faad there would be plenty of money to spend m public works without the necsß stty of raising million loans at 4 or 5 per oent and without increasing tho taxation of the people. In hia place In Parliament he had always donß what lay m his power to secure to the people the control of the liquor traffic, and as a matter of fast the oiause m the Act of 1873 which gave a measure of local option was moved by himself, immediately upon the rejection of that proposed by Sir William For, and only two yeara ago ha had aaco^eded In getting the affirmation of the principle that adult women should have a vote at local option pofis. And here he might add that he looked upon it as a matter for congratulation that there waa so larga a proportion of ladies aud children preoent that-night, for If they only ouooeeded In getting all the ladles on their side the other half of humanity would soon follow, while if they made all the rising generation teetotallers their cause was B»fe for all time. A pianoforte duet by Miss and Master Orr followed, after which, M-s Oivrson read tho following : — " Report of the Ashbniton branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. M MrB Judge Ward two years ago, on Janna y JL?« inaugurated this branch of the Women's Ohrlatian Temperance Union. There, had been a Prayer Union m ezi'tenoe for over three yeara, Instituted by Mrs Hempaon In 1882, but which had gradually fallen off and almost died ont for want of a more general interest taken In it when Mrs Ward wrote to a friend to say she wai willing and anxious to come and Inaugurate on temperance lines, and having the consent of the few remaining members, she cima and addressed a representative audience In the Primitive Methodist Church, putting before them the claims of the Union and the work it was proposed to take up. A resolution being pat to the meeting that a branch be formed, it waa carried unanimously, and fourteen names were enrolled, three of whom wore elected office-bearers, President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Others were aftersrardselected, as ocoasioa required such aa vioe-presl dents and superintendents of departments. Two public meetings wero held during the first year, and me during the Becond. The amount -of work dons iiuu nut bu«n quite up to our expectations, bat some good haß resulted, At our first public meeting twenty signed tho pledge, and a few others have joined aa members during the past year ; yet we have to report some leases by deaths and removal, amounting to about ox, ao that «vo are jast whire we started as regards membership The work done has consisted of our regular weekly prayer meeting, every , Wednesday aftornoon, and meetings for transacting business; alao a cottage prayer i meeting: which la continued once a fort night; these meeting* have been a means cf blonaing and strengthening the workers and all who attend; also tract distribution, Several of the ladies have taken np districts and Gospel and temperance traoiß havo been scattered like goad Beed, which wo hope and pray will one day bring forth much fruit and we earnestly desire the co-opera lon of Christian womea In this good work. Visiting the sick has been tak'en np, and practloal sympathy and help been afforded m Borne oaßes. Very much more might be done m this direction also, if we had more willing helpers, The department of social parity has done good work under its superintendent, three having been rescued from a probable or impending evil course, and restored to friends, or placed In situations, so yon Bee. ire have cause of gratitude to God, and of encouragement for the future. " Tho Rev Mr Baattie then m a kindly and pleasant oddreas gave his reasons for being a total abstainer, which were that it was best for the physical, moral and spiritual wellbelng, that it was a safeguard against temptation, and that it was a helpful example foe others. Ho dwelt very convincingly upon the advantage to young men of avoiding the intoxicating pap and pointed oat the evil often unintentionally wrought by well-meaning persons m persuading others to partake from mistaken motives of hospitality. Mrs Crisp then sang very nharmicgly "The Great City " and Mrs Colonul Paoke, President of the New Zealand National Women's Christian Temperance Union, next came forward and waa reoelved with hearty ap. plause, and that lady then proceded to give a lengthy and very Interesting account of the inception of the movement In America and of its spread throughout tha world, its objeots and work. Space will not permit of our giving anything like a detailed report of the addreas which was full of interesting matter but much of whloh was we fear lost to the audience owlug to the Jady's voioe being scarcely powerful enough to reach those Bitting lin the farther part of the hall. Mrs Packe mentioned that the Union had now ■ a membership of 200,000 and after referrlnpr to Its work m the Sandwich Islands m India and In other parta of the world gave an account of a recent meeting m Danedln m connection with the organisation full particulars of which she stated would bo fpand In the "Temperance Herald." ' '" The quartette' 'The Banner of Baaaty'? hiving been pleasingly rendered Mrs Oawsey delivered a short address, pointing oat the evil effects of drinking habits, showing that the drunkard's path led to disease, insanity and death, and instancing cases m this community which proved the truth of her remarks. Mra yenables then followed by reading an address upon female Suffrage, little of which, however, "could be heard except by those close to the platform. The Misses Steelo and Recce then gave a vocal daot very nicaly, and The Bgv. E. A. Scott followed m a few manly and telling remarks, urging upoa his hearers to take up some one of the many branches of good work pointed oat m Mrs Packe'a addreas. Afte* $ oong by Mr Flower, Oaptain Haj.-vejr, of the Sajvatlon Army, epoke briefly and forcibly, urging the

jonn;» ladies to help fn the good cars? by l giving tho prefarenca on tho choice of partners for life to th^so who induced not itTliquor end abstained horn "putting chtmuoy.pola into their moatha " " Little Nelt" was than sweetly sun]? by Mra Orfap, and the Re\r A. Blake addressed the meeting, contending that the total abatainer had the h'ghest ecrJptaral warrant for hb principles and I practice and urging thoaopreeent who had not already dono ao to BQb3orlbe tho pledge. Tho (j choir then sang "Tho Prodigal Chili," and after votes of thanks to the speakers and singei-s, p^sed oy Reclamation on the mot.on of Mr Suwle, who addressed a few remarks to the meeting, the proceedings were closed by the Benediction, pronounced by the R-jv Mr Beattie, We should mention m cosing our report that the following ladies, representing as will be seen all the Protostant churchep, presid d at tho tables, viz. :-Mrs ScoU, Mrd Fooks, Mrs Lee, Mrs Arthur, Mis 3 Orr, Mrs C\ B.iker, Mrs Meech, Mra Fox, Miss Alcorn, Misa Murray, M ; S3 Stoele and Miss Jones. We are alao desired to intimate th-t a weekly meeting m connection with the Women's TsmperancD Union will be held (every Wednesday at 3 o'clock) m the Primitive Methodist Church.