THE LICENSING ELECTION AND THE CHURCHES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7791, 23 February 1886, Page 3

THE LICENSING ELECTION AND THE CHURCHES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — A correspondent, signing himself " Pair Play,” in a letter to your paper to- . day, " enters his protest against turning of the churches of this city into canvassing, places in connection with the above elections.” Tour correspondent may well be ashamed to put his name to his letter. He begins by misrepresentation—although he 'pleads for the wrong, while professing to be right himself, and finishes up by assuming a name to which he has no right. Your correspondent knows, if he knows: anything at all about the matter, that some of the preachers called attentipn to the elections, and the great need of strict observance of “ Sunday closing.” A very different thing, from turning the Church, into a canvassing place.’ "Fair Play” says " Many Christians are not teetotallers.” How does he know that they are Christians ? On the same ground I suppose as the heathen recognised as Christian those who brought the "firewater” intotheir midst. No doubt there are soma members of the Church quite satisfied with the old Committee. So much the worse for tho Church of which they are members. I hold. Sir, that intemperance is the, crying sin of our times, and that this evil is largely, if not wholly, due to the public sale of intoxicating liquors, and that this ■ evil is the parent of numerous other evils ; those evils are aggravated by the late hours the public-houses are kept open. The ministers of the Gospel, of all others, are brought most frequently and most painfully face to face with the victims of tho liquor trade. " Fair Play ” wouldhave those godly men to be dumb and blind; to the enormous crying evils of the “ trade.” No minister, no Christian, no church, can, in my opinion be Christ like, or follow in his steps, or da his work, who ; do nob discountenance in every possible way, by act and deed, by» precept and example, the evils of tie drink traffic. The Gospel of Christ and the liquor traffic are as opposite to each, other as light and darkness, truth and error, holiness and sin. Ministers of the gospel do well to speak out with no uncertain sound against the giant evil of liquordom. With four city newspapers advocating the interests of the liquor trade and late hours, there is the greater'need for the pulpit to speak out for temperance. I hope you will not refuse to insert this as you did my other letter, re Mr Harman. —lam, &c., ROBERT CLEPHANE.