THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 August 1918, Page 7

THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.

of a- Sermon preached- in the -Baptist Tabernacle, New Plymouth,- on Sunday, July 28, by the l!ev. A.Campbell Sievewright. Text: Komans xv., 1, The temperance question is by no means a new question. There is still- in esistcncte, I believe, a,tt Egyptian papyrus of tlie date-of 3500 years before tlie Christian era, which contains tlie following:—"lVly son, do not linger in the wine shop or drink too much wine. It eauscth thee to utter words regarding thy neighbor which thou rememberest not. Thou faJlest upon tho ground; the limlba become weak as those of a child. One eameth to trade with thee and firfdest thee so. Then they say, 'Take away the fellow, for he is drunk.'" Is it not remarkable thait after ffiOO years tins question is still r.n unsettled question in many Christian lands, including Great Britain and some of the Dominions r))steftjthe Elnpire? That this question iltill unsettled many Christian land proves, beyond dispute, that there has been tremendous failure on the part '.Of the Christian Church.

In New Zealand much has undoubtedly jiees dfrlie, but very much remains to be accomplished. By our prayers to God swul pur petitions to Parliament, as well as by our personal practice, wa have "been; enabled in some measure to curtail the power of the great evil of intemperance; -but we have not yet reached our objective. Wo have been limiting its power in various directions, hut what we desire k the complete elimination of this evil; the thorough eradication of this cancerous sore from the Booial life of the people; the hewing down, root and branch, of this Upas tree of poison and death; the overthrow of one of the greatest and deadliest enemies of the human race. This, and nothing short of this, is our final aim.

And, at last, it would seem this aim is in sight. You are aware of the recommendation made recently by the Efficiency Board in this connection—namely, immediate prohibition with compensation, amounting to 4} millions, 'to the trade. Moat of us are opposed to compensation in principle. Why should the drink trade be compensated more than any other trade that is a menace to the public good? But that is only one point of view. It has been pointed out that, under present conditions, if we get a poll on the question in November, and carry prohibition, we shall have to wait 41 years for it to come into foTce. During that period our drink bill would cost us some 20 millions, while a similar sum would probably be spent as the direct or indirect result of drink. In view of these

figures, not to speak of the misery and moral wreckage caused during the same time, it is felt by the New Zealand Alliance that the 4J- millions spent in order to secure immediate prohibition would be well spent. But the first step must ; be the securing of a referendum. With this object in view, petitions will be issued by the Alliance in August; and it will remain very largely with the members of the various churches whether these petitions will be signed in sufficient numbers or not. That Christian men will themselves sign these petitions I have no doilbt, but more than this is expected of us. We must make it our business to see that others sign them; and to this end we must hath work and pray-. This is not merely a church matter. It is a matter affecting the entire fabric of our social life. It is a matter affecting all classes in the Dominion—rich and poor, soldier and civilian, church-goer and non-church-goer, young and old. It is a matter that shall affect the thousands yet unborn. Wide and far-reaching issues are at stake. But if the result is to be what we desire it to be, the initiative in this movement must come from Christian people, and must be sustained by their sacrifice and enthusiasm.

Thus an appeal is made to us at this critical time, by the New Zealand Alliance. Through the report of the Efficiency Board a great opportunity has come; but the Alliance mirst work [through i,ts members, and that practicaly means through the churches. Should we, as Christian men aid women, fail to shoulder this responsibility, the opportunity will be lost. The church ha 9 always been in the ran o£ every movement that has had for its object the moral uplifting and general well-being of men; and the church must always occupy this position if any such movement is to prove abidingly successful. We, therefore, as Christian people, are responsible to place "ourselves in the van of this movement to-day. Dr. Parker asked on one occasion: "Who can shut up the saloons? Not. the magistrates, not the police. But there is a t'orce that could close all the saloons in six months from this time. The

ihurches of Christ can do it if they please. If the churches will not do it, ihe work will not be done; but if they •letermine to do it, nothing can permanently stand in the way." On the piinfohes rests the primary responsi■"'itv not only of. personal aflratinence, of well-planned, sustained, and >voic endeavor to overthrow this trade

luc for all. Collectively and individu■'!y we are responsible to do what we H at this time. The ponderous wheels 't State will only move as we bringassure to bear upon them. Those i round us will only be influenced as we -iliow that we are thoroughly in earnest. Our legislators will only act when we have sufficient strength -,of public opinion behind ua. It is our duty to influence, and, if necessary, to create that opinion.

But, it may be asked, what are -our arguments? We are familiar with the old arguments based on physical, mental, moral, and religious grounds, and these still abide. "The injuries occasioned by this pestilential flood," writes the Rev. W. Mottram, of the English Congregational Temperance Committee, "are utterly beyond all human calculation. Every grade of society, and every form of life is damaged and deteriorated by it. By abundiant facts and! testimonies—this has ibeen aibund&nltly proved." No process of evolution, no new philosophy, caa alter the finding of science with respect to the value of alcohol in relation to the human body, or its evil l results in the mental, moral, and. religions departments of human life.

But we are not confined to these. To-* day w<! are armed with additional arguments. One of the strongest of theses based on economic and patriotic crounds. In England they are stilt, pending something like half a million very day on sports, wines, and beer,, '."•lilp in New Zealana we are-"wasting •- pially as much in proportion, Such "ii expenditure cannot be justified on ihe ground of necessity. Much of'this money could ibe saved; and even 'of more ■ inrpartance>wcrul<j

lor more useful purposes of large' quantities p£ barley, rice,; maize,, and sugary land tlte setting free of liUjor urgently, needed- to meet the of the: Army and NON-

- years' ago,, the Spectator, a paper that has never shown itsel'f hi fav-ar of the aims of teetotalism, wrote- as follows:—"We cannot win the war, or, at any rate, wi» it ii> time to avoid bleed--

ing to death, mites we do- two tilings.: [■ (1) Stop the waste of our material resources and economise as % nation; (2.); increase and develop our national energies. In both cases, tlie only effective' remedy will he found in- the prohibition'of intoxicants during the: war. Wo■must economise, and the- only way of economising worth considering ts in tiifl--1 drink bill.- If the nation receives and! 'obeys the order, 'Put. downs your glass! 1 till the- -war is over,' to shall; at ottcb 1 cease- spending some* frratdreil-arrd sotsw--ty millions! a yeas" People talk- about economy,, birfe ho,w few are prepared to economise sa»e i'nt that which) entails no personal sactEflb®? Peo-ple talk about pa'tribtisinr, fmfe wiiEhi many patriotism is> simply a. form o£ glorified selfishness. We are) daily crying aloud for victory, hut how few are) willing to deal -with this- enemy at, our dwrs—the drinfc traffic—lifoaf; is so surely retarding final success, If not making complete! victory Jmpiosgi&te? Here is, surely, one of our strongHse arguments. If the people of thfe Dominion have any real love for their sons and brothers who are daily sacrificing themselves in this war, if they have any trne regard for the progress and propriety of hteir county, if tlhey entertain ajiy desire for the well-being of the generations yet unborn, if they sincerely wish to see this war brought to a snccessful finish, they will help to sweep thi3 evil—thai i 3 a foe to all true program, thajfc is crippling our efforts both at Home and on the battlefield, that is robbing the children of Britain of their daily bread and giving it to the btewors —they will help, I say, to sweep this evil from their homes and from their land.

But we sue supplied with another argument in .the fact that prohibition pays. It has been put to the teat, and tha hopes regarding it have not only been disappointed, they have been more than fulfilled. From Canada, where prohibition has made such amazing progress, there comes to us the good news that it is proving a splendid success. Our Canadian friends tell us that ''Prohibition worfts in Canada," that "it pays." Many people who were "fond of their drops" before prohibition came into force, and opposed prohibition, are now "heartily in favor of it.' The dry provinces of Canada, too, are showing a remarkable decrease in crime since the saloons are gone. Arrests for all offences havo been reduced by threefourths. Liquor money is finding its way into the saving banks and cash registers of the small merchants. It has put money into meat and clothing and household needs where these were neglected before. And the same tale is reaching us from the U.S. of America, where prohibition has also taken firm root. Every merchant and banker in the State of Arizona, for example, has the same story to tell of increased business, better credits, and more cash put away from the savings of the laboring classes. The gaols have been nearly empty, except in the cases of then charged with selling liquor against the law; and many of the justices of the peace have practically nothing to do in the way of criminal cases. Even those previously engaged, in connection with the drink trade have not suffered. They have readily found employment in various callings of necessity and usefulness. All th» features of prohibition are good. In some places "religiosity and ohurchgoing" are siaid to have greatly increased. Sunday schools and libraries are more frequented; the circulation- of newspapers and books has grown, and a keener interest is being taken in lectures and publio addresses. Many a town is said to have been "born anew, and the people have begun to live in a godly fashion."

What can he said iri view of such ' facts as these? May we not say, with- ■ out exaggeration, that they are irresistible? And be it remembered, as one • has said: "Hie triumph of prohibition, ■ both in Canada and the United States' > is the legitimate victory of public ! opinion, organised and brought to bear ; in the proper quawter, by Christian citizens." _ But for the Christian Churches J this triumph could never have been ' achieved. How great the responsibility ; of the churches of 'New Zealand! What has been done in other land 3 may surely • ba done in this. We hare the sxxae moral and spiritual power behind us. We are seeking' the downfall of no legitimate industry. We are prepared to compensate those who at first might be the losers; and we are seeking the good, both present and ultimate, of all concerned. Are we prepared to do our part? Such work is undoubtedly of God, and is worthy of our greatest efforts, of our most fervent zeal, and of our utmost devotion. For the sake of our weaker brothers, for the sake of humanity, and for the sake of the Kingdom of Gsd, shall we not lay all these on the altar of service? In these days there is a persistent call for men and still more men, to till up the broken' ranks of our armies. In the ranks of Christ, too, there is a call for men—for Christian women and Christian men, who shall prove themselves worthy of their Divine Master by opposing everything that i, opposed to the triumph ofChristianity, and inimical to the good of their brother-men. That call cames to us; shall wo not respond? "God send us men alert and! quick, His lofty precepts to translate: Until the laws of Christ become The laws and habits of the; State. i a?, ?" d us mftn wiHl hearts ablaze, i All truth to love,, all wrong to hate; Tiieso are the patriots Britain; needs, these are: the bulwarks, of: the' State." AN-ECONOMICAL CALF FOOD. Prices is surely -not the most impor- ! tant factor in a csi'f food—quality and results- ares the first essentials. By sating a few pence in the price per bag, the farmer may easily lose pounds in the figure his calves will bring at market. "CEREMILK" may cost a, little more than other brands, but its satisfactory results make it the most economical calf food our the- market. Mrsf Bruce, of Momona, writes: "I have used "CKBKMI LK' now for two yea.rs iand find it very economical. The calves like, and relish it and certainly thrive-on it. I find the food very easy to prepare, and as long as I rear calves, I shall use 'CEREMrLK,'" Try-"CERE-MUjK"—equaI to whole milk in nutriment. 'At all stores-And' factories.