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Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 82, 27 July 1868, Page 179

A Laboring Man died of want and starvation a few days ago in the streets of Dunedin.

Ho Longer Apathetic.— The Mauches

■ ter Beer and Witie 1 raffiebers have issued " a manifesto to the trade with, reference to * Mr J. A. Smith’s Bill for restricting the sale of liquors on Sunday. We give a few extracts :We ask you, are we to allow a few Alliance agitators in this and other districts to continue to attack our trade, by .proposing, year after year, changes in the licensing laws to suit the ideas of Permissive -zealots ? Are they to be allowed to dictate to our customers when to feel thirsty, or have an inclination for a glass of that beverage which it has pleased God to grant them ? Again, are they !!! to say a man shall not be free to enter a public house during proper hours on any day to meet his friends, or take that refreshment he may . deem necessary ? * * Fellow-tradesmen . —lt is absolutely necessary that we should be no longer apathetic. Our enemies are up and doing all they can to crush us in many ways, and if we take nq heed to defend ourselves they may attain their object. A Cttkiosity — The following has been handed to us (Alliance) as a curiosity. We think that “ vow ” would be a more fitting name for it than pledge. We believe that there is at present in the Church of Rome some kind of vow which is administered to the drunkard who desires to reform, in public in the church porch. We believe that Protestant communities would do well to consider the matter. A religious pledge, confined to drunkards who are desiring reformation, and administered pub liely amidst the prayers of the congregation, would surely be helpful:—“ A Temperance Pledge 230 Years Old.—On the , . blank leaf of an old English Bible, which . has been handed down from parent to child through successive generations, is • written the following pledged The book , appears to have been the property of Ro- ■; . bert Bolton, Bachelor of Divinity and preacher of the Gospel, at Broughton, Northamptonshire:— ‘ Ffrora this daye forwards to the ende of my life, I will never ' pledge anye health, nor drink a whole carouse in a glass, cupp, bowle, or other '• drinking instrument whatsoever—whatsoever it be, from whomsoever, it come, - ' except the necessity of nature doe require it. Not my owne most gracious kinge, nor anye the greatest- monarch or tyrant --onearth, not. my dearest ffriende, nor all - : the goulde in the world, shall ever enforce me or allure me. Not ah angell from heaven (who I know will not attempt it) shall persuade me. Not Satan, with all his old subtleties, nor all the powers of hell itself,! shall ever betray me. By this very sinne 6 —for sinne it is, and not a little one—l ' doe plainly ffind that I have more offended 4»nd dishonored my great and glorious Maker, and most merciful Saviour, than by all the other sinnes X am subject toe ; and ffor this very sinne it is that my God hath often been straunge untoe me; and ffor that, cause, and noe other, respect, I have . thusvowefi, and I heartily b§g my . good . Efather in heaven, of his greht goodness - . and infinite mercy in Jesus Christ, to asBist me in the same, and to be favourable "j untoe me ffor what is past. Amen. R * "‘Bowojt, Broughton, April 10th 1637.’ ”