TUAPEKA TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 138, 29 September 1870, Page 6

TUAPEKA TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the above society was held in the Athenaeum on Friday evening last. The Rev. Dr. Copland, president, occupied the chair. Thsro was a large and influential audience.

The Chairman, in opening, congratulated the meeting on the steady success of the society. He was glad to see a fey/ ladies present, as their influence over their husbands and their children li xcl very much , to do in the making of both.

Br. IL-.lley sdd a report had gone abroad that their society was attempting to injure the publicans of the district by insinuating that the liquor sold by them was adulterated. He professed being a good jnd~e of liquor, and testified to the good quality kept by the local publicans. iw\ emphatically denied the truth of any ssiich report. Their society had something higher ami loftier in visw — their desire was to benefit one another, and not to inj 'are any man.

The Rsv. W. Keall next addressed the meeting. He saw by the advertisement that ladies wera specially invited, and he was glad to see a few present. The inSuence of tho ladies, for good or for baJ, ovev the other sex was remarkable, and he had no doubt if the majority of them joined the society they would soon succeed in getting ths geUemon to fall in with the total abstinence principles He believed with Dr, Copland that the ladies

were the making of people to a great extent. He considered it now the duty of the society to form a Band of Hope. In another part of the island lie was connected with a Band of Hope •which was the means of doing a deal of good amongst the rising generation ; and he should like to see a similar society for ths young in Lawrence.

The Rev. Mr. Menzies delivered an address on the evils of intemperance, and strongly advised fhe community at large to join the society, and give their influence to the movement, as by that step they would not only benefit themselves but those around them.

Mr. A. M'Nicoll stated that there were now eighty members on the roll, and recommended each mymber to make one proselyte, and thus double their number.

Mr. Bsnnett said he was not aware that he would be oalled upon to address the meeting, and was therefore unprepared to expatiate on the matter, With regard to the present movement, it was a step in the right direction, the want of a Temperance Society in theiv midst had long been felt. Much as had been said about drunkenness, he found that over a century ago the Bishop of Salisbury called the attention of the House of Lords to the fact that habitual drunkenness existed to an alarming extant in London, in which place thei-3 existed 20,000 houses and shops for drinking, aud that boards werd put up inscribed, " You may get drunk for one penny, dead drunk for twopence, and have clean straw for nothing." Now, he thought that ths present generation were not so morally degraded by druukeu habits as to requl'esuch accommodation. From his experience as a teetotaller for the last

nine months, he could confidently assert that he was none the worse in health, and far better off in pocket. It being a well known fact that drink pl-iys a sad havoc even with those who have well tilled purses. He was much pleased to see the ladies coming forward and taking the pledge, as it showed that they were alive to their own interests, and setting a good example to those who surrounded them. A great deal of the misery existing in domestic circles was caused principally by intemperance. He considered a 8.-iad of Hope would be highly beneficial to the rising generation, but thought th'it if not only the fathers but also the mothers joined these societies (which are formed for the purpose of checking intemperance), their example would be more impressive upon their children than otherwise. He bipsd that those who had pledged themselves v, r ould continue iirm and steadfast, so that the benefits to be derived from pursuing such a course might be experienced by them.

The Rev. Mr. Marten, of the Teviot, next addressed the meeting, and spoke highly of the great success which had attended the society formed at the Teviot, whioh numbered a membership of between sixty and seventy. So great indeed had been the effects of the society that some of the publicans had felt it so keenly as to talk of retiring from the business. He congratulated the meeting on the success which had attended the Lawrence society, and on its likelihood of producing a similar result to the one at the Teviot.

Dr. Copland made some remarks on drugged liquora, and on the good influeiica he found the society was already ex3rfcing upon the outside public. Dr. Halley referred to some of the scriptural arguments brought against total t abstinence, and referred especially to that quotation from St, Paul's episMe to Timothy, in which the apostle tells Tiinoihy to use a little wine for the stomachs sake. If the context were studied they would find the argument was entirely in favour of teetotalism, as Timothy had been drinking water, and was evidently a delicate youth, so that St. Paul recommended the wine mcd icinally,-— ( A pplause, ) Th& Rev, W. Keall, in reference to

what Dr. Copland had said about the influence the society was exerting out side, corroborated the doctor's remarks by stating that some men employed fencing, the other day were calculating that they had to cut thirty-one sods for the value of a nobbier. He only mentioned this circumstance to show that the total abstinence agitation was cansing the community to think, and that alone was a great point gained. The business of the meeting being finished, Dr. Copland intimated that he would be glad if any persons were present desirous of joining the society that they would come forvard and sign their names. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Coverlid, stating that his name Wfis put on the committee without his consent, but for other reasons he begged to decline to act.