CAMPAIGNING IDEAS

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 2, 1 March 1946, Page 5

CAMPAIGNING IDEAS

Several suggestions have been made for our work this year. The importance of beginning early with any special work cannot be over-estimated. The year Hies and when polling day is imminent, we wish we had begun months before. Well-laid plans are half the battle. Here are some of the plans suggested. Work Among Children.*— Unions are urged to awake interest by having the “Y.P. Supplement” distributed in Sunday schools. In some cases, the day schools can be contacted through the children themselves, who can pass out the “Supplements” among their friends who do not go to Sunday school. The “Supplement” is supplied separately from the “W.R.” at the cost of 2/- per hundred. A useful piece of work can be undertaken perhaps bv a member who does not hold any office, in seeing to tne sending of the approximate number required to Sunday schools and young people’s organisations. Then, of course, the organisation of L.T.L. or Band of Hope should be started now. Committees should be formed and every effort made to secure a good start. We reprint below a letter received last year from which much help can be gained. We know that splendid work was done at Opotiki last year, the Band of Hope meetings being crowded each time of meeting.

Other work indicated includes the use of literature in letters, and on sundry occasions as they occur. This involves having a good supply of leaflets, stickers, slogans, etc., always on hand. Get your literature superintendent to go into this and be ready to finance her work generously. Then, we have the idea of having temperance facts printed in our local newspapers. One place we know of has a new fact advertised each week, and the cost is not very great. This has led to more than one interesting development in regard to changes of thought among readers. The cinema can also be used. Slides are available on loan from the Alliance. The cost is fairly high for this but even a little now ami then touches a large number of people otherwise unlikely to be contacted.

Work among church members is felt to be very much needed. The laxity of thought manifesting itself here and there gives us the gravest feelings of apprehension. If we could arrange with our own guilds to have at least one talk between now and the poll, on the temperance question as it affects our vote, and have a very carefully prepared address to give with answers for questioners well authenticated, good results would be assured. Have personal visits planned for between members and church members. Arrange home meetings inviting church members along. Rut always be .sure of your ammunition; that is, your

supply of information, as well as your abstract grounds of approach. And the greatest power of all, which will make any and all of these plans effective, is that of prayer. Individual and corporate prayer will strengthen our hands and will put our work on the high level it should attain. The Continued sense of God's blessing and the placing of ourselves and our planning in His hands are so necessary that this should occupy tne first place in our planning. Our evangelistic superintendents will gladly make provision for this in connection with our meetings and, as is done by some unions, special days of prayer or meetings for prayer can also be arranged. But let us not think that we can do without this power behind and around all we do. Here is the letter referred to above:

“The last meeting was very successful, and such a wet, cold night; but we had to bring in extra seating. The foundation of our procedure is prayer. Then I have done visiting at homes to create an interest, which it always does, but it is an effort. Then the meeting begins with hymn and prayer. Then comes a chorus, and this makes a singing competition for boys and girls as a solo. A high school teacher judges, and a small prize is given to the best boy and girl. Then comes a “tongue twister” dealing with strong drink, and these are also judged and small prizes, mostly donated by W.C.T.U. members, are given. Then we have an elocution competition, well arranged beforehand, and for this marks are recorded, and a silver cup is awarded at the end of the year for the one with most points. Everything is either gospel or strong-drink lessons. Then we have one or two items contributed by visitors. The vicai brought his junior choir along, and a classical ballet was produced by a local teacher. This means new children healing great truths. We have a ten-minute address and this is always very good. The headmaster gives out the announcements I send along to the school. The scoutmaster puts off his parade on our nights. To give an idea of the numbers attending, our last collection, almost all in pennies, amounted to £1 10/3. Mrs. Sinclair, as pianist, is a tower of strength.” Pledge-signing

All our efforts should have as their ultimate objective the securing of recruits to the cause of temperance. And should be worked for systematically. There is a great returning to this as a positive and constructive way of building up our ranks. In our next issue more will be said about it, but for the present the suggestion is made that Temperance Sunday, which is in September, should be made a focal point for this. It is so easy for the date* to be overlooked and even forgotten that we are planning to keep it before our readers. Watch this section each month.