GOSPEL TEMPERANCE MEETING

Evening Star, Issue 12625, 3 October 1905, Page 7

GOSPEL TEMPERANCE MEETING

Another wry ,bjrg*]y ****?*&, «<*P§ temperance meeting was held m the South Duradin Town Hafl on Sijnday evening last in connection with the Boawio,Lodge aem*. The speaker for the evening was Mr a. B. Nichofia. MrA.l Luwry (vicepresident of the Southern Football Club) presided, and Burrows'• orchestra, .again played the musical acoompan rmenta to Sankey's hvmns. After devotional exercise by Mr J. Tyeou, Mr Lawry briefly addressed the meeting, and in a few well-chosen words gav« some of toe reasons why be became a Prohibitionist. His chief reason, Mr Lawry said, was bis close observation of the misery and degradation brought about by the drink traffic to those who indulged in the drinking habit, and he maintained that young man who lived sober lives bad evorythjng to gain and nothing to lose. He bad known the time when men in the bootmaking trade could earn their £5 a week, and it was very raro that these men could bo got to work on a Monday in those days—this throteh drink. Now there were men who would be glad to work far any wage. He therefore urged all to try the abstinence side, which he thought was undoubtedly the best. Mrs Lawry then routed, with much feeling, a piece entailed 'A Convict's StoryV which was evidently highly appreciated by the audience. During tie offertory, Mr H. Stubbs sang ' Strike out the top One' to a so well known, and was heartily applauded, different setting that that of th eold song. Mr G. B. Nicholls addressed the meeting on the subject of 'The Opium Traffic and Its Lessons to New Zealand.' The speaker asked: What is the application of the opium traffic to New Zealand? It bad cuused tie ruin of China and other Eastern nations, and in New Zealand the aims of Democracy, which means the greatest good to the greatest number of people, were not given effect to under the existing circumstances. China had prohibited toe use of opium, and became prosperous and wealthy, there being only one province now where opium-smoking was curried on openly. Great Britain caused the Chinese to allow it to be imported, and was thus responsible for its evil effects. To the Chinese opium was what drink is to the European. Moderate drinking was a risky habit, and one which, unless exercised with the utmost care, would rauso a person to fall utterly. In one province in China seven out of ten men and four out of ten women had been seen to collapse if they were denied the use of opium, so baneful was its effects upon tbem'. Out of every 107 folks in Ohina 100 were addicted to the opium-smoking habit. England welded this slavery chain around the neck of the Chinese people, and is herself now under the chain o* strong drink. "This," said the speaker, "seems to me to be the judgment of Abnigbty God upon her. If there were opium dens in Donedin, they would be just as hard to suppress by a vote of the people or by Act of Parliament as are the thirty-nine hotels now in existence." Drink was forced upon the people, just aa opium was forced upon the Chinaman, The evidence of missionaries confirmed this. Opium was an abomination carried on and forced upon the people for the eake of monetary gain. The Emperor of China refused to indulge in the opium habit, and would not accept revenue from a source that was destroying his people. Drink was kept in our country, also for the sake of revenue, regardless of the number of people it ruined. Mr Nicholls concluded hia address by urging upon hia hearers the necessity of voting against the drink traffic for ohe sake of humanity. The pronunciation of the benediction by Mr Tyson brought the proceedings to a close.