WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Evening Star, Issue 11278, 27 June 1900, Page 7

WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

There was a large attendance at the Choral Hall last evening,, when the Women's Christian Temperance .Union held thejr annual meeting and conversazione. Mr A. S. Adams presided, and was supported by Madames A. C Begg (president) and Mazengarb (secretary of the Union). Seats on the platform were also occupied by Mrs Don, Mr Begg, Mr J. W. Jagb, and Mr F. Graham.

. The secretary read the following report: -We look back upon the year 1899 as one of strenuous effort and -great achievement, and though we did not.win in the "No License" campaign, we realise that God is on our side, and we shall yet triumph. For He himself hath said: "I will in nowise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.". So that with good courage, we say : "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what nian do unto me." ./fte mothers'.meeting, under supervision of- Mesdames Moyse and Niuimo, continues to prosper. Several have joined during the year; • all attend regularly, and manifest a very great Interest in the work.. . The • superintendent of the Unfermented Wine Committee reports that all■: churches,; with one or two exceptions, are using the unfermented wine at the communion. The Sailors' Rest is open daily. Every ship is visited, and all the crews warmly invited to the Rest. Hundreds of men and lads frequent the rooms, writing letters, reading and chatting together. Frequently the workers, with other friends, give a free tea to all the seamen in harbor. Gospel services are held every Sunday and Friday, but almost, every night, during the year seamen so disposed can have personal conversation' with some Christian worker. Bibles, Testaments, and tracts and various reading matter, printed in different languages, are 'distributed by the thousand. The friends constantly invite seamen to their homes, especially oil Sundays. We take charge of letters for seamen, and receive yearly scores for them. The auxiliaries, formed by Miss Maunder, report active and good work.. Early in the year the Union sustained a loss in the resignation of Miss Statham as secretary, and later by her removal from our midst; but we trust that our loss will be South Africa's gain, as we aire confident that wherever Our sister resides her influence for good will be felt. Though we; have lost several members through removal and death, we have received twelve new members, and several others have promised to join our ranks, so i that we start this year with a membership of sixty women full of hope and confidence, j determined to pray and work for God, home, ' and humanity. The Chairman said that the Committee of the Union must be gratified at the splendid attendance that evening, which showed that the work of the Union was appreciated. With reference to the No License vote in December, he considered it a great triumph for their party. In Dunedin the No License vote had increased by over 50 per cent, on that of 1896, in Otago a majority of votes cast were in favor of No License, while .throughout the colony the increase in the vote was no less than 24,000. This was not a sign of decay, but of vigorous growth, pointing to final triumph in the near future. . But they were threatened with a, grave clanger. It was said, and apparently with good reason, that their opponents had secured a pledge to repeal the local option law, and to in other respects interfere with the right of the electors to control the traffic. He had evidence that a large number of members of the House were pledged to tliis. Any such proposal must'be'fought with all the energy of tile party of temperance reform. Mrs Don gave a short history of the Union, likening it, and social workers gene- I rally, to one of our great ocean liners, mov- I ing on their co\irse'ever onward through the dark night and troubled, as well as in the calm, with tie light of the silvery moon shining upon the pellucid waters belowShe urged the women, by the memories of the battles fought and won, to be stimulated to greater efforts for the achievement of more resplendent victories in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Mr Jago, the well-known veteran in temperance and social reform, in his usual cheery style, spoke words of encouragement to the Union concerning their past, and expressed hope for their future prospects. During the evening musical items were contributed by Misses Sinclair, Hislop, and Whitson, Messrs Cox, Stokes, De Lautoui:, and Salmon, and a recitation by Miss Wil kie. ,

Mr Begg proposed a vote of thanks to all who had contributed to the evening's en joyment, vrith special mention of Mr Sutton for the hall decorations.

The Rev. Mr Gibb pronounced the Bene diction.