MR FISH ON GOOD TEMPLARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10417, 20 July 1895, Page 8

MR FISH ON GOOD TEMPLARY.

TO THE EDITOE.

Sib,— I have carefully re-ad the lsttsr of Mr E. N. Adams which appeared in your issue of Sattuday and compared it with my speech at the recent temperance concert, and I fail to find any essential point of difference bttrreea us. There are oae or. two minor points upon which . I differ from him and .could point out, only I doa'u desire to raise any controversial question between us. Sines I hava known Mr K. N. Adams as a Good Templar I have formed a very high opinion of hia smcerits' and tolerance, and I join him heartily when ha says: " Good Templars are not of that iik. They require all members to be abstainers, and they are anxious to have prohibition by the will of the peopla_/V*0»! a personal conviction of the evil influences of the traffic rather than from tlie effects of a passing agitation" and to thk I say Atnea. Mr R. N. Adams need have no fear thai I have any scheme in view to cause a division in our ranks, and I do not think any remarks I have made can fairly bear that construction ; but as a public man I do desire and will guard myself from aa opinion which might be formed that bsc&use I was a Good Templar Icoutitsnincsd or had any sympathy with proceedings which have recently and at other times token place through the mouths and agency of the extreme Prohibition party, and to which I referred the" other evening. !

Now, a word or twb ; as to whether a Good Templar must necessarily bs a prohibitionist. After I wa3 proposed for membership, and previous to my initiation, I. saw something in the Prohibitionist newspaper which caused me to have some doubt upon the subject, and.l at once went to the Grand Lodge secretary (Mr D. C. Cameron) and put the question to him as to whether my joining a lodge of Good Templars compelled me to1 pledge myself to prohibition, because if it did I should have to reconsider my determination of becoming a member, and bis answer was distinctly in the negative; whereupon I joined. Nor ia there anything in the obligation to tbafc effect further than I stated the other night. • I have now before me the book of constitution of tha order, and I find nothing there in a contrary direction; and, so far as I can see from a careful perusal, the word "prohibition" is mentioned but once, to which I will refer presently.; On" the fly leaf of this book of constitution, given me by the secretary of the lodge on joining, I find, inter alia, tap. following: — "No person can be admitted to membership in this order unless he is willing to tike our pledge for life. Under this rule toe welcome dJ-1 classes to our order : the young—that we may save them from falling into the snares of the tempter; the inebriate who earnestly desires to reform—that we may assist him to break the chains:of appatite that bind him to the cairof ruin; the moral and social—that by uniting all these elements of society we may better advance the cause of temperance and morality." Now, the only place that I can find the word "prohibition" mentioned in the rales and constitution is under the heading of the " Objects" of the lodge. Section' 2 say3:—"The objects for which the ledge is established'are.:. To promotVindividual and personal abstinence from the use of intoxicating liquors; to use all legitimate efforts to discountenance their use by others; and also, by the creation of a healthy public opinion, to bring about absolute prohibition within the colony of the manufacture, importation, and sale of all alcoholic liquors." The subordinate lodge pledge is (under article 2, section 1) as follows: — "No member shall maks, buy, sell, use, furnish, or cause to be furnished to others, as a beverage, any spirituous or malt. liquors,' wine, or cider; and every member shall discountenance the manufacture, sala, and use thereof iv all proper ways." This is the obligation that I have taken, and which (D.y.).1 will do my utmost to carry out; and I think it thoroughly accords with my remarks of Wednesday last. I observe another prohibitionist suggest* that, with rcy views, I should at once retire from my position as an apparent member. lam niuch obliged to this anonymous gentleman for his advice, but I have nob the slightest intention of following it. I intend to remain, not an "apparent" member of my lodge, but a "real" live membsr ; and I hops to bs able as such to promote and further the! cause of "true temperance" in (as laid down by the constitutions) "all proper ways." —l am, &c,

Dunedin, July 15.

H. S. Fish.