THE CHURCH AND THE NATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13029, 21 November 1905, Page 5

THE CHURCH AND THE NATION.

SOME MUCH-DEBATED QUESTIONS. [by telegraph.—press association.] Islington-, Monday. At a public meeting held under tho auspices of the council of the evangelical Churches, the following resolutions were carried — "That this meeting regards the exclusion of Bible lessons from the regular curriculum of the State schools as a grave menace to the moral wellbeing of the whole nation. It further regards the question of Bible-in-schools as essentially a people's question, which they alone have the right to settle, and calls upon the Government to carry in Parliament a measure by which the question will be clearly and unambiguously submitted to the electors for their decision by way of the referendum." "That this meeting protests against the scandal which attaches to the' British nation through the Indian Government's opium monopoly, and urges that China be released from the treaty obligation regarding the admission of the drug, and also urges that the British law be in this respect brought into line with the laws prevailing in the colony, and that the culture and sale of opium, save for medicinal purposes, be prohibited throughout the King's dominion."

"That gambling is a great and growing evil, especially among the younger generation, and is a menace to the moral, domestic and commercial welfare of society, and that the totalisator is the chief agent in widening the area and stimulating the mania of gambling, and should therefore be abolished." "That this meeting believes that the liquor traffic is productive of greater evils to the community than any other source of harm, and urges that in : the interests of commerce, of the home, the family and the nation, the top line, and the top lino only, be struck out. of the ballot paper." [BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Monday. The Rev. J. J. North, speaking at the Opera House last night on the opium traffic, said that Western nations took alcoholic liquor, and the Eastern nations opium, which was far worse than the gin habit, as it produced sterility of the race. The British Government, through', the instrumentality of the East India Company, was responsible for the introduction of the drug into China, and it was a disgrace to a civilised nation. It was urged by Mr. North that for the sako of England's honour a stop should be put to the trade, which was sapping the vitality of a weaker race. It was deplorable that our kingdom was the greatest vendor of opium. England had sacrificed a great deal over the slave trade, and it was only due to ignorance that, the opium traffic had not been righted. Mr. North stated fei there was a man iu iS* audience who had !o«t command of a vessel of B. largo shipping company through his action in condemning tho opium trade.