GOOD TEMPLARISM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 302, 8 November 1873, Page 2

GOOD TEMPLARISM.

On Wednesday night last, \r& had an op» portunity cf hearing something of the Society of Good Templars, whose object is the promo, tionof theeause of total abstinencefromintoxicanta. Mr., or rathes Brother, "Vtm. Hackune attended a$ the Lawrence Athenaeum on Wednesday, and at the Blue Spur on Thursday, for the purpose Of explaining the system of the-Society. He is a rapid speaker, and. evidently speaks most forcibly when influenced by opposition. Mr. Jamison, we. may add, was called to the-chair. When- Mr, Macknne . invested himself with a very handsome collar of the Good Templar's order, he proceeded to. detail its mode of working. Like most modern norelties, it had taken its rise in tvs North American United States. It rapidly extended to the United Kingdom, where now it numbered some thousand Associations. In Scotland, at latest dates, there were 900 A&Qeiatkras. The pledge was a Ufa pledge, not to taste, touch, handle, or indued others to taste, touch, or- handle intoxicants, gave for strictly religious 6r medical purpose*. ? Women contribute some prominent meinbere ia America. There* the femals ooembofß -ironlcl ait. in the bar of the hotel of an obnoxious publican, and there and then, they would sit and knit all. d^, to th* *&*

lluaion of mile customers. (This piece of nem created much kughter.) The Good Templars were not a benefit society, in the common acceptation of the phrase. But when * brother or sister was ill, one or two brothers or sisters eat up with the patient until he or •he is convalescent. In reply" to,- tho question " What would ensue if a 30** or 40 daily-nobbler-man suddenly abandoned his daily dose ?" the lecturer replied thai gaol statistics proved that such men did not suddenly die when the dose was suddenly cut off. On the contrary, they improved under the enforced prison abstinence from all alcohol'and malt. Mr. Mackunc evidently made a good impression on Wednesday night. Nineteen volunteers, including five or six ladies, joined the Society by signing the pledge. After the general public withdrew, a Lodge was constituted, which extended the proceedings to 11 o'clock. As a lecturer, Mr, Mackuno is earnest, and telling, and original. Indeed, the progress of the Good Templar organisation owes much to him, and we prophesy ho will *be welcomed when he again touches British toil. On the motion of Dr. Halley, the lecturer received a well-deserved vote of thanks. At the Bluo Spur, where Mr. Mactunc lectured on Thursday evoning, he was not successful. He did not make one convert. He arrived late at the Spur, because he Btrayed from the -path leading thereto, and lost time in his efforts to reach his destination. We admit the immense difficulty of lecturing and debating on a delicate topic like that of temperance. We are informed that Mr. Mackune spoke rather hotly to a retailer of spirits, in the course of his Blue Spur discourse. The sword produced converts to Mahonimedanism who, in the first generation, were probabiy hypocrites, for compulsion does not indispensably stand in the relation of a cause to righteous conviction. If the sword can change a country's creed, a sword-like tongue might influence a country's social manners and customs ; but we would prefer conversions which were the result of a gentler kind and degree of persuasion, for, it is true in morals as it is in military matters, that one genuine volunteer is worth ten pressed men. The article which we print elsewhere is more « record of local "public opinion than a condensation of our own views on the temperance question. Weiall agree as to the evil consequences of inebriety owing to an abuse of liquor ,• but the great'question for decision 19, " What are the best means for in leasing 11-the ranks of the sober classes ? " We believe iW-at we are correct in Btating that the first ' iood Templar Lodge in Tuapeka will be p opened on Monday evening next, when it is probable that a Dunedin Templar will arrive in Lawrence to assist in the initiatory ceremonies. More than one local lady, on Wednesday last, received an official position in the new organisation.