GOSPEL TEMPERANCE MISSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7707, 15 February 1886, Page 2

GOSPEL TEMPERANCE MISSION.

MR. GLOVER'S LECTURES.

Mr T. Vv. Glorer, a genth-man well known lu this Colony as an eloquent and hardworking Temperance lecturer, spoke at the Theatre Royal yesterday afternoon and evening. lu the afternoon the chair was taken at 3 o’clock by Sir William Fox, who was accompanied on the platform by a number of clergymen. There was a large audience, hardly a vacant seat being seen in the Theatre. The proceedings having been opened by choir-eiuging and prayer, the Chairman, In the course of a short address, said that Mr Glover, whom they had formerly known as an agent of the United Kingdom Alliance, was now engaged by the New Zealand Alliance. He spoke in terms of high praise of the ability and earnestness of Mr Glover as a temperance worker, aud took occasion to explain that Mr Glover, having recently been doing very hard work in Auckland immediately upon the conclusion of a long sea voyage, was suffering from mental strain. Sir William went on to say that Mr Glover’s mission at this time was a most important one, for this week the elections were to take place of the Committees which would decide for the year how many “drink shops” were to exist ia the city of Wellington. A vast responsibility, he said, was cast upon the people in this election—the responsibility of abutting up shops which might ruin houses, families, aud man, women, and children. Under such a grave responsibility, he could not understand the torpidity of the people, or that Christians should be so lost to their duty as to sit quietly by and not go to the poll. Fop to the men to be elected, large powers were granted—the power to fill our lunatic asylums, our gaols—aye, and our hospitals, where he noticed alcoholic drink was given to patients to six or eight times the exteat It was given in other hospitals. Having reminded the audience that the gospel temperance card could be signed at the close of the meeting by all who wished to do so, Sir William concluded. After the choir bud sung a hymn, and a collection had been takeu, the lecturer was introduced. Mr Glover (who was warmly received) commenced by expressing his gratification at meeting Sir William Fox there, and he alluded to the good work recently done in Auckland. He (Mr Glover) might say now that be was one of them ; but he could tell them that if they thought they were going to leave all the work to him he bad better not have come ; for they would have to work three times as bard now as they bad before, and he bad como to help them. Aud how were they going to effect their end ? His doctrine was moral suasion for the people and total prohibition for the liquor traffic. He would not have left bis native country to advocate anything less than that. He had come here to try and get the people to bring pressure upon the Government to get the drink prohibited. Not this week, of course, nor next; but it would have to come by-and-bye, for ho believed that the white Christiana in New Zealand wore os good as the Maoris, and if the Maoris had cast intoxicating liquor out of the King Country, surely the white people would not be behind them. He explained that the United Kingdom Alliance, which he had represented, was not a total abstinence organisation—it was an alliance of all sorts of men for the purpose of suppressing the drink traffic. They bad men subscribing as much as £‘2so a year who were nut total abstainers. At Home, too, they had an income of about £20,000 a year for this agitation. He found, upon calculation, that it was utterly impossible for one man to vLrit all over the Colony, for it would take about a year to go once to all the places, and they wanted at least six or eight men to travel through the country and assist the movement. He expressed hia willingness to speak upon any temperance platform whatever, and remarked that this was a gospel movement. Even Sir William Fox, with his large experience, could nob remember a time when Christian men were not connected with the temperancemovement. The United Kingdom, he thought, ought to do something for New Zealand, for It had sent out soma terrible rascals to the colonies. Loafers, Heabout*, drunkards, bad sons, rascals—people who might have been maintained at the workhouse—all were sent out to the colonies. He was glad to see that the colonists had mended some of these people, but he dared say they could spare some of them yet. In conclusion, Mr Glover again expressed hi* belief ia prohibition, and said the question submitted to the people ought to be, not u whether there should ba any new licenses," but 44 whether there should be any licenses." With respect to the statement recently made that Canon Wilberforce, the eminent temperance advocate, had been restored from a recent illness by alcoholic stimulants, Mr Glover said that was a lie, for he had a letter from one of the physicians who attended Canon SVUbtrfotce, declaring that the rev. gentleman bad net had a drop. A hymn having been sung by the choir, the proceedings terminated with prayer. In the evening a very large audience assembled in the Tbeatrh, not a seat being obtainable any whereat five minutes to eight. The chair was takea by Mr G. V. Shannon, J.P. The Chairman expressed the pleasure he felt in presiding at the the size of which, he thought, was sure evidence of the spread of the temperance movement, J-fe found that one of his instractions was to 4t plead for a collection.” He was a bad and be therefore handed this duty over to Sir William Fox. Sir William Fox, Id a short eloquent adores*, urged upon the meeting that they were asked'to contribute $o save men and women that were being destroyed, children that were? being qualified fof the gutter. Was it not worth a shilling—or q pound ? The homes that «srink bad desolated, the Uvea it had shortened lu this city, would never be known ; aud if the people did not recognise this, they Wire to bUme. Bat ia order to carry the movement on, they wanted the wheels greased. Every shilling that was obtained they spent in bard wok, and the work was worth much more than the money. There were two aides only to the case—God's side and the devil's side. A collection waa then taken, the choir singing a hymn meanwhile. Mr Glover, who waa warmly received, said the planks in their platform were Christianity, total abstinence, and charity, and they invited everyone to astist in spreading the beliefs in them. He alluded to the temperance work that had been done in this city by Mr Booth, Mrs Leavitt, and bimself. and pictured the good results that must follow temperance. He contended that it was only right that Christianity should be one of the planks in a temperance movement platform, and more especially that they should preach it on a Sabbath evening. Speaking eloquently and earnestly, Mr Glover urged his bearers to accept Christianity—not to trust in churches or creeds—but in the founder of Christianity. This damnable drink, he said, was dragging souls away from the churches ; and he urged all people to fight the drink by voting for the temperance candidates. If he could be brought to believe that there was no hereafter, no eternity, be would still be a total abstainer ; because he believed the world could be made a -'"**diae if there was nointoxicafcing drink here, h— - -- J “ J -‘- those of druokea*

TOen they !*•« # * ness. There was impurity, which was eating away the yonog men and some of the young women. How the Pall Mall Gazette had stirred np England recently, and 1© 1 co the protection of young girls ! But this awful traffic of drunkenness was at the bottom even of imparity. In conclusion, he nrged his hearers to come to his lectures during the week, and to support the temperance candidates in the Licensing Committee elections. The meeting terminated with prayer.