GOOD TEMPLAE ANNIVERSARY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9197, 16 August 1880, Page 2

GOOD TEMPLAE ANNIVERSARY.

♦ The second anntversaryof the Southern Star Lodge, No. 190, was held in the Institute on Friday evening. There was a good attendance, the hall being comfortably ailed. The opening ode having been sung, The Chairman, the Rev Mr Lee, made a few introductory remarks, in tlic course of which he saidit afforded him tho greatest pleasure to be present at meetings which had for their object the advance of Good Templary, as that ha 1. Before he arrived in Wanganui, two years ago, he had formed the idea that this town — more, perhaps, than any other in New Zealand — was surely favoured in having in one of its Parliamentary representatives a loading Good Templar, and that this fact would go far to make Good Templary very popnlar with the residents ; and he therefore expected to find some very strong lodges in operation. la this respect he was disappointed. Two years ago the lodges were in anything but a healthy condition. It gave him great pleasure to state that since then a revival seemed to havi.taken place ; the Southern Star Lodge had been opened, and had been very successful in the cause. He hoped that the other lodges would, during the next year, even surpass them in numbers, and that all would go earnestly and prayerfully to work to drive the curse of drink from the land. The Secretary, Mr Jos. Brown, then read the report, which showed the finances of the lodge to be in a satisfactory condition, and an arorage mem-, bership of lU4. Song, "My spinning-wheel," Miss Braithwaite. ■Mr Tucker then delivered a very interesting address, interspersed with highly amusing anecdotes, illustrative of the evils of intemperance. He urged upon his hearers the importance of recruiting vigorously to the ranks of Good Templary — not only as a moral, but as a religious duty. Many persons held that a man couldnotbe a Christian and a drunkard, that the grace of God was sufficient to keep a man from becoming addicted to spirituous liquours ; but alcohol exerted an influence over the human system which culminated in the physical disease called drunkenness. The grace of God did not cure consumption, insanity, or any of the terrible diseases to which human beings are subject, nor did it cure drunkenness. The only cure for this, the most terrible of all diseases, as it inflicts misery on all connected with the patient, is never to allow drink to be tasted at all. Once intoxicating liquor has been indulged in, a fearful risk of disease has been run — the drawbridge haß been lowered for the entrance of the enemy. By many persons Good Templars were regarded as a kind of harmless lunatics, but if everyone could Bee this question in the light that they saw it, they would feel quite as strongly on the subject. He wished that those who dorided the -efforts of Good Templars could go into some of the backslums of London, and witness the terrible scenes that were daily and nightly occurring. He felt assured that, if they possessed any of the higher feelingsin any degree, they would be fired with the same enthusiasm in the cause as he and many others were. He trusted that each member of a Good Templar lodge would use every art and inducement to increase the number of total abstainers. Song, Miss James; reading, Mr Miller ; song, Mr Eanson ; recitation, Mr Edwards ; song, Mrs Bassitt ; recitation, Mr Tomrose ; song, Mr Greaves. At this stage there was an interval of about 20 minutes, during which tea was handed round. After full justica had been done to the refreshments, the second part of the entertainment was commenced with an address by Mr Calders, on the necessity of early training to overcome the tondenoy of the age to drink. An eminent Catholic divine had said, "Give me the first seven years of a child's life, and you may have all the rest j" but the speaker thought a little more than that was required to form a character in a child. If from the age of three up till ten parents carefully instilled temperance principles, he thought the soberness of the future career of that child was thoroughly ensured. Unfortunately, teetotal parents were careless in this matter, and as a rule give their children bat little instruction as to the baneful effects of alcohol, and parents who wer6 not believers in total abstinence, By accustoming their children to the taste of liquor and sending them to the publichouse for it, led them into habits of intemperance. The entertainment concluded with a number of Bongs, readings, and reoita* tions, and closed about 10.30.