THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11884, 6 May 1899, Page 9

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

to the edltor. pleased to note that +U-. Vicar of St. Matthew’s, St. Albans (Rev H. WiJhams), as editor of the “New Zealand Church News, writes as follows in the leading article of May, 1899“ The Bishop very properly desires to keep before the clergy the crying need of earnestly dealing with the evils of intemperance. The clergy, so many of them as may be present at the ; May Conference, will be asked to confer on tills subject.” “The Church of England Temperance Society relies on moral influence.” “To check intemnerahee by the help of association, and to practise' seifdenial in the way of abstinence for the sake of others, is the exercise of a high Christian virtue.” “In the face of the‘"serious" evil that drinking has become in modern society, ‘ it does behove the Church to make extraordinary efforts in the way abstinence.” “All wbo have opportunity to observe its (present licensing system) work- ' mg, must allow that it is open to preat abuse, and is so difficult 0 f remedy that its abolishment appears to be only a question of time. The advance towards no license on the part of the Anglican Church is necessarily slow, but when its hearty support is accorded, the influence of its splendid or- ‘ ganisation and traditions will prove destructive to the liquor traffic a.s we know it l am, etc., .. CHURCHMAN.