HOW TO RUIN A BAND OF HOPE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 241, 11 February 1888, Page 8 (Supplement)

HOW TO RUIN A BAND OF HOPE.

The following are sure and certain modes of ruining a Band of Hope. 1. Hold your meetings at irregular intervals so that members may attend on the wrong evening, and, finding the doors closed against thorn, go away disappointed. 2. Never commence or close meetings punctually. 3. Never make arrangements for meetings, leave everything to chance ; especially forget to remind the appointed speaker. 4. Always sing the same melodies every week ; do not give children inducement to recite or any instruction in singing. 5. If you have a social meeting or entertainment on hand, keep on putting it off week after week, and under no circumstance keep faith with the children. 6. Never visit absent members or do anything to attract new ones ; let things take their own course, they will soon come to an end. — •' Band of Hope Chronicle."

Is not the time coming when it will be impossible for Christian men and the Christian Church as a whole to have anything to do with the traffic in strong drink ? That many excellent men are at present so engaged we ('British Weekly") make no manner of doubt. It is a very common thing for wealthy distillers and brewers to build or adorn cathedrals and churches, and to take a prominent part in movements for the elevation of the masses. We cannot — we dare not — say what we think of this. Not that we question for an instant the Christianity or the philanthropy of the donors. But the day is not far off when Christian people would rather rot and feed crows than touch the price of tears aud blood and souls. How shall we say ib ? but we have never known a case in which a palace was built with drink of which the foundation was not laid in lost son or ruined daughter. That the Church of Christ will continue long to take gifts from such sources is to us utterly incredible. Better be content with the humblest structure that can be reared, or go out under the open fiky, than seek, for the building of a house oi God, coins that are stained with blood.