The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1886. TEMPERANCE MANIFESTOS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2336, 2 July 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1886. TEMPERANCE MANIFESTOS.

The inauguration of two additional lotela in Musterton is to be followed >y a temperance mission, conducted inder local auspices, by an eminent irofessional lecturer. The tsrm '• terninrance mission" is, however, somovhat inappropriate, inasmuch as it is [uite understood that the lesson to be nculcated is that of total abstinence, is far as the virtue of temperance is oncerned, evoryliody almost is its idvocate; even the average publican s a temperate man, who is exceedingly larefnl to employ temperate servants, md who dislikes to have an inebriated lerson on his premises. The platform »f the mission now announced is, howiver, a very different one to this. Il 8 one that is based on pledges of tota ihstinence, and it is one that proclaimi var to the knife with the drink traffic tnd does not recognise as a colleagui he temperance advocate who partakw n moderation of alcoholic beverages U various- times, and on variou: )ccaßions,' batch' after batch of men vomen, and children have taken thi jledge in Masterton, and judging thes )ledge-takers by their numbers, Mas erton should by this time be a: jxtretnely sober (own, TJnfortnnatelj t is hardly this, .and the re* on is tolerably obvious. In a noment of enthusiasm large numhers if persons sign the pledge, and probably n most instances they violate the ibligationas soon as they return to heir normal condition. This is one of he most palpable weaknesses of the otal abstinence movement. Its organsers, in their eagerness to obtain :onverts, take solemn promises at n noment's notice which are very unlikelv obe kept, There is no period o'i irobation for the candidate for admift lion to the ranks of total abstainers he conditions of his life and the verj surrents of his existence are expectet ;o be reversed by a hasty promise givet n an excited moment, and the result ii .hat the temperance reformers do no eceive that measure of sympathy am rapport from the public which the' vould do if they did their work witl nore conscientiousness, The pledge hey retain are frequently those whicl ,re extremely easy to keep and th mes which they loss are those whicl fc would be a real victory to perpetuate \i a rule we observe that when ; eally bad case is reclaimed the meri s due to the efforts of the Salvatioi Lrmy rather than to the professed I; temperance organisations. What th lermaneht result of this latter brother lood will be it is perhaps too soon ye o hazard an opinion, but it- i, ssentially a brotherhood animatec 'ith a . considerable amount o arnestness and it is anundoubtei lower which .is. teaching, the worh . lesson. Tt is perhaps the vivii arnesfcness ofth'e .Army that enable! t to win battles against intemperanC' vhich Lave hitherto been deemed hope ess, and many persons who ridicul ;he grotesque Army practices ruspec ;he good work which is accomplished The public give 'the Army'-fair play <nd in a similar spirit they are likel" to accor'd a fair field to the temperanc' mission'which is now announced. Jus so far an the atlvocates; of temperanc show themselves to beuriselfieh/earhest courageous, and conscientous, will mei speak well of them, The temperanc

array biis been fighting for biilf a ceii-' tiiry, and, many more years'are likely ■to elapse before it becoirio3 majSteir of; the situation,; The'h'ntnan race':6f this : age; are heirs to.the vices; and the sins' ofmany a preceding! generation:. The, taints handed down by 'father Ho' son' and daughter from century to century, cannot be eliminated in any mere handful of years. Still numberless forces outside of lotal abstinence societies are working in the desired direction. All genuine montal and moral culture, all efforts which tend to promote innocent and healthy: recreation, all discoveries in arts and sciences that assist men to realise the conditions of their existence; are advocates for: teaperance, The spread of intelligence oh all subjeots throughout the civilised world is. perhaps the \. grand motor which in time will conquer' the'raass'of' evil in the l world, of which alcoholic intemperance is a most' deplorable phaze.