TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

TEMPEEANOE JOTTINGS. Eev. David Macrae, of Dundee, Bays that if Scotland had Home Rule the publicans might whistle for compensation. Arbroath Free Presbytery characterise the compensation clauses in the Local Government Bill as monstrous and iniquitous. The compensation clauses were condemned by the Reformed Presbyterian Synod " as a monument of the infatuation of British Statesmen." The Queen has approved of the design for a drinking fountain which is to be erected in "Windsor as a memorial of Her Majesty's Jubilee. The High License Liquor Law is being enforced in Pennsylvania. Each license fee is raised to £100, and this is closing hundreds of publichouses. The word dipsomaniac is found in London to be much, too long for ordinary use, so those who have an irresistible craving for alcohol go under the title of- "Dips." The Massachusetts Legislature has just passed a measure giving women the power to vote whenever tbe question of^granting or refusing licenses is to be decided under the Local Option Law. Dr. Howe, of Boston, states that of 300 idiots under his care 145 had drunken parents. In one instance where both parents were drunkai'ds, seven idiotic children were born to them. TheOommercialTemperanceLeague is a new American institution whose members, chiefly commercial travellers, take two pledges — to drink no intoxicants and each to get ten others to join the society. Eev. E. Wardlaw Thomson, who has just returned from Africa, protests against young men who have gone wrong being sent out there by their friends. They are killed off directly by tha dreadful drink. Mr. G. A. Bala, though not a teetotaller, and opposed to prohibition, would reduce the public-houses by one-half, and is opposed root and branch to compensating the publicans. "As they are men of means," he says, " they could go into some other business " An illuminated address was recently presented to the Vicar of St. Luke's, Southampton, the Rev. W. W. Perrin, from the members of the "St. Luke's" Tent, Independent Order of Rechabiteß, "forhisoarnest labours in fighting the good fight against our common enemy." Our readers will keep in mind that in connection with seven great brewery firms converted into companies within the last six months, and the particulars of which were published several weeks ago, there were no fewer than 835 "tied houses" belonging to them. "If any of you ever take a glass of whisky, before you you put it to your lips think of Macy Warner, and look into the bottom of your glass, and see if you can't see a rope there." This was Macy Warner's speech just before he was hanged at Jefferson, Ind., for murder. W I never knew of a minister," says Rev. "W. J. Woods, " who had fallen either through theft, or falsehood, or burglary, or murder; but I have known ministers who have fallen either through lust or through drink, and when they have fallen through, lust it was found that it was through drjpte too." /Jf v. Michael Young, at the CongreJgational Total Abstinence Association, said that during 52 years he had been an abstainer he had seen ministers removed from office, deacons bring disgrace upon themselves, and members of churches excluded from fellowship through the besetting sin of drunkenness. Drunkenness is a treble cvil — it degrades the sinner, inflicts untold misery on all who are connected with him, * and is the introduction of a great many other sins. Lying follows speedily in its train. Medical men mark now far a man has gone by observing whether he is still capable of telling the truth. Dr. Cameron's Early Closing Act came into operation not long ago and the public-houses throughout almost the whole qt Scotland, pxcept the -large towns, now close at 10 o'clock. The unanimity with which, the act has been adopted in all the counties, and in nearly every burgh, is very gratifying. The fqurteenth anniversary meeting of "the Congregational Total Abstinence Association was held in the City Temple, London, on Monday week, Mr. Michael Young presididg. The council have decided to present the president of the association with an illuminated address, he having attained fifty years of temperance .practice. Out of a total of 404 students, 340 are abstainers. Some figures showing the relation which drunkenness bears to crime in France, have been submitted by M. Marambat to the French Academy of Medicine. He finds that among the criminal classes those under 20 are almost as drunken as those above that age, there being a difference of only 10 per oent. Of persons under 20 convicted of one crime or another, he finds that 64 per cent, have been addicted to drink. Besides the above, M. Marambat finds that of 3,000 persons convicted of crime, among the vagabonds and

beggars, 79 per cent, are drunkarde. The proportion of drunkards among assassins is 50 percent.; incendiaries, 57 per cent.; those convicted of outraging public morals, 53 per cent ; the thievish class, 71 percent.; those convicted of violence against persons, 88 per cent.; and those of violence against property 7*7 per cent. The Eev. J. Jackson Wray having become a member of the Temperance Society recently formed in connection with Whitefield Tabernacle, Tottenham Court Koad, London, at a recent meeting, said, "I want to say to you that from to-night I willingly and entirely, and without the least reserve, take my stand, together with my whole family, as a total abstainer. Ido not intend to be a mere ornamental figure-head, but, as my engagements permit, hope to take part in the work you are doing. I am not ashamed of you telling this from Dan to Beersheba." A number of workmen asked the Eev. Charles Garrett to go to their employer and arrange with him that they should stop work earlier on Saturday. The answer was in the affirmative, with this stipulation, that they begin work on Monday morning. And what did Mr. Garrett find? That on the previous Monday 127 of these men had not been at work, 50 of them were not at work on Tuesday and it was Wednesday before they all made a start for the week. Drink was the cause, and the new arrangement was not carried through because of the drink.