BLUE RIBBON ARMY, TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1470, 20 February 1886, Page 2

BLUE RIBBON ARMY, TEMUKA.

The tea and public meeting held under the auspices of the above Society last Wednesday evening was a great success. The lea was all that could be desired, the fact that it was catered for by Mr Lee being sufficient guarantee for its excellence. The tables were presided over by the following ladies, viz., Mrs McOaakill, and Misses Charteris, McOallum, Russell, F. Brown, G. Brown, Parke, Gilliatt, and Guy. There was a large attendance, and the good things provided were done full justice to, after which a public meeting was held. The hall was crowded, the audience was attentive, and everything passe 1 off very satisfactorily. The meeting was opened at 8 o’clock with a hymn, which was sung excellently by a very large choir, Mr Proudlock presiding at the harmonium. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Mr Clark, of Geraldine, The Rev, Mr Hamilton read a portion of the Scriptures, and the Captain of the Salvation Army offered up prayer. Another hymn was sung, after which the Chairman addressed the meeting. He felt honored in being called upon to preside, while ho many older, better, and wiser men than he were present. His whole heart was in the work of temperance, and he hoped the lime would come when drink would he swept off their shores. He thought there was too much sentiment in the work at present. They ought to be abstainers from principle. He told a str.Vy of a young officer who refused to drink in response to the request of General Washington, to show how some men were strong-minded enough to refuse drink under any circumstances, A glee was nest sung capitally by Misses Brown and Cant, and Messrs E, Whitehead, Ooltman, Harrison, and Storey.

The Rev. Mr Thomas next addressed the meeting. After a few pleasantries with regard to the Chairman, h* said their thanks wore due to Mr Cooper, their indefatigable Secretary, to whose energies they owed the presence of such a large number of persons. (Cheers), What brought them all there that night 1 They came to fight their greatest foe, and he was glad the Christian Church was setting her face against it, and he trusted it would be swept away. Intemperance was their greatest evil, but did they sufficiently recognise it? Did they realise that it was the greatest impediment to progress in existence. He had the greatest confidence in the present movement, because it was under the influence of religion. In Temuka there was evidence that drink was on the decline already, and he felt sura that further progress would be made. He advised them to cut it right off at once. If they did it by degrees the old habit would re-assert itself. He asked them to cut it off at once, and range themselves under the banner of temperance. (Cheers). Hymn 105 was next sung. Captain Williams, of the Salvation Army, next spoke. He was glad to be present. During two years he had been travelling from Nelson to Riverton, and he was sorry he saw so many wretched homes through drink. He had seen great misery caused through drink when, husbands spent all their earnings instead of taking them borne. He longed to see it all done away with. There was room for work in Temuka. He saw some men coming out of one of the hotels under the influence of drink last Sabbath. One of them subsequently disturbed their meeting. He was glad to see many changes were taking place, and homes improving through giving up the drink. Many were turning their attention to their religion. The moderate drinkers were the hardest to deal with, because they did not think there was any harm in it so long as they did not get drunk. They were thus led to drink till it got hold of them. Ho appealed to those present not to have drink in their homes, for the sake of their children. He hoped to see drink swept away from the land. A glee was next given by those who sang the previous one, The Rev. Mr Hamilton expressed pleasore at the success of the meeting. They did not properly appreciate the good effects of water and the evil effects of alcohol. There was no fluid so beneficial to the human frame as water. It was water dissolved the food ; there was no fluid so good a solvent. It was the water took the food all over the body. The reason persons died from cholera was that, the body threw off water faster than it could take it in, then cramp set in. It was a fact that beer was salted, and when salt entered the body it went to the kidneys, and the kidneys required water to throw it off. Alcohol was discovered by the Arabs, and they called it by a word signifying “the Devil.” If they got pure wines, such as in the time of our Saviour, perhaps it would bo well to drink it, but this could not be got. The wine sanctioned by the Bible was nonintoxicating, if it were intoxicating it would not be permissible. Drink had an exhausting influence on the body and destroyed the brain. The poor drunkard was lost to all: unfit for society, and unfit for anything. He urged upon all the necessity of giving up drink, and to set a good example to others. He gave an instance of a man who signed the pledge with his blood, and yet he could not keep it. This man headed a crusade and drove the drink out of the village. “ Carthage must be destroyed,” as Cato said. Drink was ruining the country and must be destroyed. They mutt make use of the political machinery, hut the first step was to abstain. They had shown long enough they could take it, now let them show they could leave it alone. (Cheers)*

The Chairman urged them to vote for any candidate for the Licensing Committee who was an abstainer. He would like to wipe the drink away altogether. Several hymns were sung, during which ten new members were enrolled.

Mr Stewart proposed a vote of thanks to the speakers for the excellent speeches they gave, them, to the Chairman, and also to the ladies. He warned the young ladies not to marry men who drank. He expressed great regret at learning the Chairman was about to leave the district. Mr J. Brown seconded the vote of thanks, and expressed groat regret that the Chairman was leaving the district. With reference to non-intoxicating wine he could supply it. A voice : How much a bottle is it 1 Mr Brown: Half the price of the other bottles.

The motion w«s carried by acclamation. Mr Russell said a vote of thanks to Mr Cooper had been proposed by the Rev. Mr Thomas, and he had great pleasure in seconding it. It was through Mr Cooper’s exertions the meeting was so successful. He was the best worker for the cause in Temuka.

After singing another hymn the meet* ing closed in the usual manner.