GOSPEL TEMPERANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2317, 10 June 1886, Page 2

GOSPEL TEMPERANCE.

Mr William Noble commen/wflAiis mission in Wellington on Monday JfiSn the Evening Press, tfe,republish a part of hia address. Mr Noble said he did not come to Wellington in any secular spirit, but to do his Master's work, He romem-

bered two years ago meeting Sir William Fox Dt a breakfast in London, and was glad that he was his chairman that night, as he knew he was sound on the temperunco questiou, He would never ask a > modorate drinker to preside over anyjffi 'B/ his meetings, as he was sure now the battle was between the moderate drinker and tho total abstainer. It • would be waste of time for him to say that drink was a ain—what he considered a blighting, witheringscourgefor the community. Some people wanted*to know whether it was a sin to drink a glass of liquor, or smoke a cigar, or dance, or play cards, or take a ticket in a sweepstake. If a man be. a Chrtsian; ho can learn whether it bo a sin or not by going to tha throne of grace. If a man has a trombone, and learning to play the instrument, it may not be annoying to himself, but if ho wants to know whether it is a nuisance, let him inquire of his next-door neighbor. (Laughter and applause). Ho was a believer in Scriptural holinea|»but he did not believe in those who talked about sinless perfection. A man testified to him that lie had sinless perfection and was sanctified. At til# same time'lie was expectorating tobacco. He told him he did not smell lilotgi sanctified man. and recommended him*) get his mouth washed, out. (Laughter,) When a man's conscience was Btrong hii appetite was weak. He-asked tkem to lay asido everything and look unto Jesus. Ho did not say it was a sin to drink i glass of beor, or to smoke a pipe, or to dance, From tho first chapter of Genesis to tho last of revelations drinlting of win# or; smoking was not strictly prohibited , The letter of the Word did not make this statement, kt tho spirit was altogether different. " The letter killoth, but tha spirit giveth life." When a mattor wm doubtful, they should take it to thi throne of God, and his spirit would direct them. A lady saw lum roadiftg Dicketu 1 "David Copperfield." She said, "Do you read Dicken' works ?" H« replied, "He did, and found somo very fino things in his writings." sho replied that sho could not, yet that same lady kept winu in her cellar; He was sure drink had led moro souls down to perdition than card playing, or dancing or theatre-going. Let them be strong in tho power of tho truth—in the power of God's truth. The power of Goa was in this movement, and he was sure jjtot-any Church neglecting to tako her it would be drawn back and ongulpheii those who wore christians among tlieA should go on their knee 3 and ask J&Sf what lie would have them do in his great work. Barnum was once asked, ''Does drink hurt a man externally or internally?" He replied "eternally." Yes, it was eternity men and women had to look at; and if Christians were to see the question in that light, drink would soon beabolished, They would say, "I shall be a total abstainer from this time forth." (Cheers.) Christian people said their conscience did not trouble them over the matter. Some people had a wonderful qoncience. The hangman Marvel once told him that h« was "called"—(laughter)—for his'office, so that man's concience was allayed in th» same way. Some men would risk all they held dear so as to obtain drink—even eternal life. There wa3 nothing to tho young man in taking tho first glass of wine, but we are told, "at the last, it biteth like a serpent and stingeth liko an adder." No Christian enjoys reahdritual life until hegives up something f<uftirist'ii sake. God's spirit will soo : n reveSfo him what that something is. Prim e Bismarck tells a story, that during .the Franco-Ger-man war, one evening after ii battle, he was crossing the scene of slaughter when he came across a dying soldier. He stooped down, lifted the man up, and staunched f his wound. Ho asked the dying man could he do more. The poor fellow ask|3, " Have you got such a thins; as a cjJK" There is a time in a man's life has to be tried, and one has to ge. clie victory. Bismarck pulled out tho cigar—the only one he had, the gift of a friend —and gave it to the dying man. Bismarck says" he never enjoyed anything so much in his life as to see .that dying soldier smoke that cigar." Wo want to do some-thing-to mako sonie sacrifice, not for dyifig but for living men, by giving up drink. Ho wondored how Christian men could dabble in this traffic. The graco of God will stop drunkenness, and the gospol is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believeth. Ho could not understand why women, who suffer so much through drink, themselves partake of it and keep it in their homes. Ho would not liko to say it 6orvedt|ajji right but still they partly in this nianißnaused the evil which cost them so muclwnisery, anguish, and woe. He asked those present to look at the mattor in the light of eternity. He would rather bo tho biggest sot in London than be a Christian man connected in any way with tho drink traffic. This movement was not only to got people to abstain from drink, but also to get hold of people's souls. Total abstinance made a man richer, his body healthier, but the grandest thing was the knowledge of having-the Spirit of G»d within ynu. He well remomberflji the 11th of November, 1871, when could assuredly testify that his name was written in heaven. He had come to Wellington to help them in this great cause. He knew that, there was a groat struggle (>oing on in tho minds of many between inclination and duty—inclination to sorve God and do his will and what they believed to be their duty to themselves. Mr Noble concluded '.i powerful and earnest address by appealing to the Christians present to sink self and boldly come out and work on the' Lord's side, He prayed that Providence would richly bloss the mission ho was now engagod in.