EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14053, 25 July 1916, Page 5

EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

ANIMATED DISCUSSION AT • PARISHIONERS' MEETING. : ."I . think,- we as parishionev-s should jta'ke the opportunity of heartily, endorsing .-the: action of the last general .Synod 'iin. declaring themselves m favor of the ■early .closing movement," said, Mr,"!. JRenwdck at the annual, meeting of Holy Trinity Church last night. * He added that he though it was a church question. - . ; •. " "I have much pleasure m seconding the motion," said Mr J.C. Field. "1 feel 'that this matter is 'so . important, and that there is not sufficient interest being taken m it to-day. I have "taken a stand m Gisborne for a number of years, and I feel that it is' , for the clergy to carry oh this important; wch'k 'and I do not think it is^being done. 'We have to be frank. I think 'the English .Church — "this parish— L is neglecting it. " ;He said they, should impress 'upon' the yduhg fellows wlib'were leaving -New Zealand . the "dangers and 'troubles ahead. " Two thousand of. .' our . men hdd •beeii. put 6iit of action simply because; of the .liquor ahd 'Other miseries surrounding it. *T feel,"' continued the Ssjteaker, M as men. we are here tb do Gbd ? k?wbi'k7aiKl ; l 'feel every 'ybung man should be- brought 'to- a parish liftll- such as this arid tire- fcler^y talk to'"them of the- evils that might- 'overtake { them,-ahd 'I think \ve ! should stand up; tc that- as men iii Gisbbriie! tO'day 1 ." ?•' fApplausei-) | Mr E. H; Mbnn *aid he Was in -a dif-' •ficulty about, the matter: He found it •difficult to speak, because one did not s waht to say anything m opposition to 'the admirable sentiments so admirably "expressed by the previous t -speaker. It ialmost wanted a little reflection to ■know what was wisest to 'do. He would like to know exactly what the terms of the resolution were. ' The sresolution was then written out, •and read as follows: — "Tha^ this meeting of: parishionei's held *#t Gisborne itake the opportunity of endorsing the action taken by the general .(Synod ol the Anglican Olnu'ch m .asking the Government ito adopt the proposed movement for the early closing of hotels." : Mb Mhnn>: If/it is! -the wisest thing to do for tho efficiency? of the 'boys 1. would be sorry, to oppose n't, '.'but ; a-s Jagainst it, while? iii- Wellington a few Jweeks ago I read , what Colonel Potter had to say. He had control oi the *men, and he' did/not want it. ; However, .put as it is I am not prepared /-to actually oppdse. the. motion. x lt is simply | asking the parish-^a small part of the "cliurch-r-rto endorse what the general j Synod has done. I am partly convinced, i but not Tentirely. lam guided a little by . the man actually doing the work, ! puch .as Colonel' Potter, - who said he thought it would be a mistake to have the restriction' placecf* on the' men m New Zealand and .then send them to Egypt or France where there is no lestriction. However, I am not prepared to say I am opposed to the motion as it- is worded. : Dr J. W. Williams he appreciated Mr Field's idea of speaking to these men. but as a matter of practice it would be an imposible thing to do, for the reason that men who went away from here were not under "discipline until such, time as actually left the place, andthey' could hot be compelled 'to come; 'ipy could be asked as. individuals. He did not see how the suggestion could be caia*ied . put. „ ; . „ ■. : Mr, Field :■ ?We might put. it) that they should be asked. I do not say we can compel them. '"'"*.,../ ...... '-../.,.-..- The Vicar : What mcii do you refer. tali 7.7. '7. y" v ■■'•- ■;-, .•• Mr Field :.. All the tmen who enlist." , The Vicar: Of whatever denomination? .?. .' ' ....' -■-„ ... ..•: -„:?.. ■'.: :. ' Mr Field :, V AII the men, and ask any of the. clergymen who would be willing to come and- speak to them on this--1 question. .'. The -speaker said when he was. visiting ..•Kanakahaia with - the -no- ! license, organiser he heard' of a younginan who had, gone, to Gisborne. .to enlist. , That young man .'• was t treated by his friends, -:ajid taken home m a Brunken stupor. „'H e was: tasked tb see the case. "I think," added Mr Fjeld, ("this: is a question for the* clergy if they are doing God's work, and they Should stand up to it to-day, not only m Gisborne, but in' the whole Dominion." ' .'.vy ':?:.' ■ .Mr A. H. Wallis : -Is this a political ineeting.or is, it .a parish? meeting? If it is a political- meeting it is open for discussionr I do not think we want to discuss prohibition -at, a [parish -meeting. (Hear,, hear.) I think it is outside the business .for which \we have met. 1 thinkif-we stay .here and iall say what We think-,- we. jmight have ah argument for half the'hight. - It^is-all very, well for one or-' two. , who- have -i>arty. sidesto state' their opinions^ but others have their opinions, and we- could go on'talking all night, and I have come here for a parish meeting. ,1 do not see what this has to do with a parish meeting. (Applause.).. .. „.' ... v ..-•: , . The chairman said lie must take the resolution as ; it " stbod. "J think," he added, "the seconder is making "ai ely hit at the' . clergy of this -particular church, whicli -I strongly' object to. The church is trying to build, upr.the whole bf the manhood. If the seconder of tjio 'resolution would bring me a thousand young men every -Sunday afternoon I would have very much pleasure '.'.in. speaking -straight, out .from the shoulder on morals or any subject ho_ likes; but let liiin bring them to us; "do hot. .say it is the clergy'a work, and the clergy's only. Every laymen who' oelieves he is seeking God let him igo Out and do the work, for he is a priest as well as 1 am. We are quite ready and willing to spdnd 'the whole 'of. bur 'time, even if ior only one individual /soul, to bring them to God, and that is what Aye are doing every daiyj T' do not like the aim made at the olergy of -this- partioultir church, and T nam -not going to- -sit' bore and -put- up with. it-. lam quite wilUiig to put this resolution on the question of. the closing bf hotels, hut lot me^say the clergj r havo no cbntrol over tho hotels. -- Parliament has, and if the peoplo who control Parliament put the wrong men there v it is thoiiv look-out and not.'tho -clergy's^- The-clergy are trying 'to." win) the young '■'men, "but when God puts,, things., into ■ the^woi'ld^ he. puts them there ' fbr use and ' not- for abuse. I will ..put the ■ motion without saying . anything about it; I-only wish to take . exception to the remarks of the j seconder." - ' ■-„,-■•■■ •'Oh' : a show of hands the motion was cadrrded <by 13 ' to 9. ' "•-.- ' ■ "Mr Mann:>T would like' to say that there -«re others, like myself who did not vote, rid ,n - =•■-•■ rr ' : '-''