TEMPERANCE REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 108, 7 May 1913, Page 6

TEMPERANCE REFORM.

DR. CHAPMAN SPEAKS OUT.

I AN- APPEAL TO THE CHURCHES. j In order, to provide "Dr. Wilbur Chapman, of the Chapman-Alexander mission, with a special opportunity of speaking on "The Prohibition of . the Liquor Traffic," a "breakfast was tendered by the Auckland, City Prohibition League this morning in -the dining-room of the new """VM.CA. building. About 140 ladies and gentlemen., were present, the company including many prominent workers in the cause of temperance reform. Canon Haseldep presided.

A resolution was moved by Mr H. E. Baccy expressing appreciation of the eminent services rendered to temperance reform hy Dr Chapman, 'Mr Alexander, and members of the mission party. This was seconded by Mr R. French, and cordially supported by the Rev. J. Dawson (organiser for 'the New Zealand Alliance) and Mr Wesley Spragg (president of the New Zealand Alliance). Upon the resolution being submitted to the gathering the guests Tose and signified approval by sustained applause.

MISSIONER BEFORE REFORMER. On rising to acknowledge the resolution, Dr. Chapman was most warmly received. He said he felt that it was only proper for him to define his position in regard to the liquor traffic question. He did not wish to pose as a reformer, for during the- years he had devoted himself to Che preaching of the Goipel he had found little time to associate himself with the various movements which were struggling for liquor reform in his own country. Nevertheless, as a minister of the Gospel he had always stood to aid in every way possible tho reform work which had been carried on so successfully as to make the United States, in some respects, the envy of other nations. (Applause.) He had always believed that reform was just as essential for communities as for individuals, and that in neither respect was a reform movement of very much value unless it was . associated very closely with .spiritual life. "If the ministers and the Christian workers would stand shoulder to shoulder with the great temperance "leaders," declared the speaker with emphasis, '"' we could ' settle this vital question very, very quickly." (Load applause.) In" support of this contention, Dr. Chapman quoted a statement of a partisan of the saloon keepers, which had appeared some years ago in an American daily paper. .'This was to the effect that the churches could down the liquor'party in a year if they would, •but they wouldn't for the reason- that they did not keep in step together. However, he (Dr. Chapman) thought that the ministers and their followers in New Zealand were going to do better —that they were "going to get a move on. If they did not they would be left behind. He thought that God was in the movement in this country because he had met so many sincere Christian leaders of the reform movement in this Dominion; more, perhaps, than he had met -in. L any part of the world- (Applause.) No minister of the Gospel, said the doctor, could afford to withhold his influence or keep his lips sealed, when this great question was uppermost. As sure as they did they .would be called to account at the"' judgment seat. He felt ;tha. it. was-an awful; thing'for a community to allow those -pitfalls of sin (the saloons) to *ac kept open in front of their_boys and thejr'girls.

' -AMERICA'S BETTER. SIDE. Dr Chapman said he feared that New Zealanders did not get a correct idea of America. They read a great deal about police graft, white slave traffic, etc., and were shocked. But they should remember that the faces of the Americans flushed just as much as theirs did about these things. He asked New Zealanders to remember that his country contained more than 90,000,000 people, and that they were making a nation from all the'nations of. the earth. But he could assure' his hearers that the United States was not best represented by "foreign members of its population, but by the "stamp of men who stood to-day in the Presidency and in the Cabinet. "Knowing the world as I do," declared Dr Chapman, "I can honestly say that I am acquainted with no country beneath" the sun where the standard of morals is higher and where the ministers of the church desire more to see the Kingdom of God united than America." (Applause.)' One of the speakers had referred to the action of the Secretary of State (Mr Bryan), in refusing to allow the.use of alcohol for the entertainment of guests at his home. He knew Mr Bryan personally. 'Mr Bryan was a man who would rather cut off'his hand thanlift.a glass of liquor to his own lips, or allow a glass of liquor to be lifted to the lips of his guests. Happily his principles were shared in by the President, and by other members of the Cabinet. The Doctor was also pleased to say that.it was not the first time that the White House had been "dry," and he enumerated a list of past Presidents who had all been Christian men. Therefore he asked that when the people of New Zealand did read occasionally of v little slurs on the American race they should remember the .'other side of tlie story. '•'There is no race in the world," said tlie speaker, "who rejoice more over reform victory than the people who live beneath the Stars and Stripes." (Applause.)' . NEW ZEALAND'S OPPORTUNITY.

Reverting to the position of New Zealand, Dr Chapman-expressed the unhesitating opinion that there was no country in the. world where prohibition would count for so much as New Zealand. It was small both in extent and population, and opportunities were excellent for securing the benefits of prohibition, and for making the movement'absolutely so successful that they could stand before the world, as a nation, free from th§ painful effects of the liquor traffic. He believed that the eyes' of the whole world would be upon them. ; "Therefore," he added dramatically, "you must fight it." In the United States, they had won their victories firstly by their willingness to advance slowly.-- A strong party of men had stood out against all local option com-promise,-and although they were subject to much criticism at the time he believed tbfey would "be finally credited with having' largely brought about the great blessing that nad come'through the medium of reform, America, had now come to the unique position of being able to boast ;of total prohibition in many States. : i-

The reb-I reason they' had- succeeded oyer there in America was that they-had not dissociated the reform movement from the work of the Church. At election times their churches were packed with people praying to God for-strength in the fightpraying all day, and sometimes all night. He "quoted instances where victories "had been secured with- tlie aid of the'-'Church which were negatived when .the question reverted to a secular one.'""l am absolutely sure,'-' continued the doctor,' "that■' if you in 'New- Zealand --get together' aa .Christian people and move forward in

the spirit- of -Christian unity, praying earnestly; that, you can just as easily drive strong drink- out of this Dominion as I can lift my hand." Some people said that prohibition was not'a success, but be knew that it was. The AttorneyGeneral of Kansas had told him that;out of 105 counties in Kansas 87 of than had no insane, 54 of them, had no feebleminded, 96 had no inebriates, and 38 had no people in the county poor farmsi—in fact, there was only one pauper to every 3,000 souls. That was the state.of affairs under prohibition. "'Oh, yes, added Dr. Chapman, "I know that this thing works." Dr. Chapman concluded a forcible address by averring that if those people who did not see eye to eye with the reform advocates would just give prohibition one year's trial they would be ready at the end of that period to declare that it was one of the finest things that could possibly happen in the interests of humanity. (Loud applause.) "Mr Alexander illustrated some of the benefits of prohibition in the United States by the relation of a few happy anecdotes. Mr Alexander also led the guests in the singing of several revival hymns.