RESCUE FOR THE DRUNKARD.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3836, 7 December 1869, Page 5

RESCUE FOR THE DRUNKARD.

"None but such as arc good man can giro good things." To the Editor of the Dailt Southern Caoss. Sir,— With Mr. Edger's address on intemperance fresh in the minds of your readeis, do not cast this letter aside as unauitcd to your columns. I have for some time hugged to my heart the belief that an asylum was the drunkard's only hope ; but surely we have no right to a«k State aid until the Chriitian world has dove its utmost to baniih intemperance. I have such a fear that the Christian man loves his " moderation " wibh aa strong and deep a lore as the inebriate his excesi, with just aa little wish to foipgo the indulgence. To such men , abstinence would be nothing less than "cutting off the right hand, or plucking out the right eye." They taste only of the sweets of "moderation," know nothing of the pain and shame of "excess." To suoh Christians, "for Christ's sake " is suoh a poor weak argument. Not one living soul oan dare to say the Church has dove its duty in this matter. May I ask if every Christian minister in Auckland, with every deacon of each Church, would come forward publioly, and pledge themselves to abstain from all intoxicants — for a given period, if they prefer. Would Mr. Edger, if well enough, <s»ll a meeting to give them aa epportunUy of bo doing? Auckland's great want it, hearts at leisure from self. Ah, if every Christian would, for one short month, refrain from aalrinq Heaven's best blessings on themselves, and seek them only for the guilty and wretched. Not one tiue eoul would atop at mera pray* ing. As Mr. Edger says, it's little use laying, " See now these Christians love one another" — if it can be said at the same time, "See how little they love anyone else." Only last Thursday, a drunkard's sad wife, who had kuown better days, lamented to me that there were no gentlemen in AuokUnd to leek out such men us her husband, to encourage them to abstain. In Cupe Town, where they livsd Borne years ago, gentldmen had often called on them — had induced her hiubind to abstain. He kept his phdueeighteen months faithfully. (July tbiuk of those happy eighteen months to the poor w-»k husband, his wife, and family. No ona has ever called on them since they have been in Aixoklairl. (Jh istians of Auckland, " How long halt yo between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow Hunj" but if drunkenness be god, then follow it. A Woman.