THE BLUE RIBBON ARMY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1111, 21 June 1883, Page 2

THE BLUE RIBBON ARMY.

: ,, r ■ r 777 r> — h The ajfjsndance.! .atrJqst Tuesday’s meeting of the Blue Ribbon Army'“■was as large 1 as bn the first night. The Rcr 1). Gordon occupied the chair, and bn the platform was a choir of about 30 voices, Mr Proudlock presided at the harmonium, and the singing was good. After the singing of one Bankey’s ■hymns, the Rev Chairman -read a few from the ! Bible, 'after which the Rev Air Hamilton engaged i prayer. -

The Rev Chairman then addressed the meeting. After referring to tfce proceedings of the previous 'evening, he isaid they did not wage war against individuals, their chief principles beiug ''Christianity, Total Abstinence, and ‘Charity;- It was taken up by the Church,.; and all Total Abstinence Societies could join in it; the object of which,was to raise the fallen up, and fit them for;a happier and better position in society. ■ After an earnest appeal, the Rev Chairman introduced the Rev Mr Blake, of Christchurch.

The Rev Mr Blake, after a few introductory remarks, said he had been all bis life engaged in There were £39,000,000 spent iu England on drink yearly, and nearly £3,000,000 in this colony. This would show the immensity of the monster they were fighting. Ho doubted whether alcoholic*liquor was a creature of God, as some, held with an air authority Man had discovered it in the 11th century and it was called the Water of Life, and people drank it, believing it would give them new life. He then referred to the ‘ first foot ’ customs of Scotland, also to the shouting customs of New Zealand.: As regarded the question as to whether it was food, he quoted from Dr Richardson, showing that the heart beats far quicker, and does more than its normal work under its influence. The result was that it paralysed the small blood vessels, and disturbed the whole system, ' It did warm tho body for a short time, but it was proved that if the thermometer were 5,1 one drunk it would be would get lower than if ‘ tried oK a sober man. It was also proved , that persons could do harder work on cold water than on alcoholic liquor. As regards the doctor’s ordering it, if there was only consumed what they ordered there would bo very little harm done by it. He read ay.. extract from Mr E. Johnson’s book; . which showed that for 6s worth of oil of . v cognac ho could make 20 gallons French brandy, and for 2s worth of the essence of rum lip could make 20 gallons of Jamaica rum. In books published ’ for the use 'of brewers it was shown V that ulimi, copperas, tobacco, ebeuias ,

indigo, capsicum, opium, henbane, salt of tartar, aloes, ginger, slaked lime,

quassia, sweet scented flag, wormwood, ■ hoaralum, hitter oranges, salt, molasses, sulphate of iron, gentian, strychnine, coriander, paradise seed, sulphuric acid, jalap, ammonia, morantha, etc., were used in the manufacture of drink. He pointed out that the ravages of strong drink were far worse than the Indian famine or any other calamity that could befall men, and urged upon moderate drinkers to give up drink for

He. quoted from the Sydenham .Women's / Temperance Circular to show that about £45,000 were spent yearly in Sydenham 1 on, drink. This sum wonld employ in the drink trade about 47 persons, but if it were used in legitimate, trade it would employ 350 persons. The speaker wound ,up with an earnest appeal to all present to join the movement. A collection was then made, and a great many joined. . The Rev Chairman then addressed the meeting. He said that at a Diocesan Temperance meeting a minister Itood up and said a man could not entertain his friend,s if he weranot allowed to drink. His word s carried some weight with them until another minister said he had a son. who was addicted to drink, He kept the soa at home for two years, at the end of whicli time he visited the house of the last speaker, where he got drink, and where he again contracted a desire for drink which j . soon after.led to his death. He related pome instances of the effect the blue ribbon had on making converts to temperance. j Th» -Ber Mr Martin, of Milton, said 'he waygoing to sign the pledge for two - reasons. Owing to indisposition he was id the habit of preaching under the influence of stimulants, but after the lectures he had heard for the last couple ~pf nights he thought if stimulants were necessary it vi as better he should not preach at all. He would now go back to his flock at Milton and urge upon 'them.toe desirability of joining. He then read the 25th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, in which it appeared that the sons of Recbab had refused to take wine. Dr Wolff, while travelling in the East, was hospitably entertained by an Arab chief who claimed to be de- - Bcended from the sons of JKechab and who was true to the injunction of abstinence still. . The Rev Mr Hamilton related how a certain farmer made a temperance speech. He said he had visited an asylum where the Banity of the inmates was tested by getting them to ladle out a bath. of water into which water was constantly flowing through a tap, and "tbeai's as wasn't idiots stopped the tap." He would say to those present " them's as wans't idiots come and join." (Laughter,) After the singing of a few hymns, the Rev Chairman announced that 177 had altogether sigaed. On Thursday evening there would be another meeting. A vote of thanks to the Revs Blake and Martin, and the Chairman, terminated the meeting. At the invitation of the Rev Mr Gordon, the pupils attending the Sunday School and others attended at the Presbyterian Church last evening. There was a goodly number present, and a forcible address on the Temperance movemant was delivered to tbem by the Rev Mr Gordon, after which a large number joined Ihe Bine Ribbon Army. Several hymns were also sung.