The Temperance Question.

Southland Times, Issue 4496, 7 December 1882, Page 2

The Temperance Question.

A public meeting was held in the hall of the First Church yesterday evening, to deliberate on a petition for\vardo<l to the Southland Press by tevy by tho Good Templars of Invercargil!. The attendance of the public was very meagre. The Key. Mr Baird,"who was elected to the olistiV, !n opening Llles meeting ouM lie believed there had been a slight misapprehension as to who had been invited, but he begged to say that the meeting was entirely free and open to everybody. Its object was to consider a petition which had been presented to the Presbytery on the subject of temperance from the members of the Order of Good Templars. There were three classes of society, reckoning from a temperance point of view — the drunkards, the moderate drinkers, and the total abstainers. The first class was largely recruited from the ranks of the second, but so long as a man belonged to ths third lie rap nq risk of becoming a dj'unkai'J. The Rev, Mr Ferguson then read the petition which drew the attention of ths Presbytery to the increase of drunkenness, to the number of hotels for supplying drink, and of Industrial schools for supporting the children af drunkards, and pointed out that tlie hotels weva falling into the hands of the brewera. He (Mr Fergusorr) regretted to see such an extremely respectable attendance. He would b,ave liked to have seeq more of the general public, and he certainly expected to see a number of the Gooi Templars and temperance men. He regretted he had not invited them to come in their orders and paraphernalia. However, an invitation had been given to the general public to consider the petition. In response to the Rev. Mr Ross, who c died upon some one who had signed the petition to speak, Mr Fairmaid said, the (food Templars had brought tins matte? befqre the Presbytery in order, if possible to get some q£

the upper classes to assist them and help them to get along a little faster than they were doing at present. For his own part, he knew both sides of the question. He had known what it was to drinkj as some of them were aware, and he knew what it was not to drink. What they could not help observing in connection with /this question" was that here in Invercargill a temperance man was at a disadvantage, inasmuch as there was no-coffee palace for him to go to, but only hotels where he was tempted to break his pledge' if be had taken one. He disagreed with the chairman's remark that there were three classes in society — the drunkards, the moderate drinkei-3, and the total abstainers. He believed there was only two classes — the drunkards and the total abstainers, inasmuch as it waoimpossible to make the bounds of moderation, and to say where moderation ended and where drunkenness commenced. He would like to see the churches promote the movement by means of temperance societies. Mr Rutland suggested that they should bring up the young as total abstainers, but he did not think there would be much chance in trying to convert full-grown men and women. The Rev. Mr McKenzio then moved " That the Presbytery call the attention of the Sessions within the bounds to the pressing need of action in the cause of temperance, and earnestly recommend that a temperance society on Gospel temperance principles be formed in connection with each congregation." In speaking to his motion, Mr McKenzie alluded to the Blue Ribbon or Gospel Temperance movement, which was started in connection with the Home churches, and which, according to Mr Spurgeon, had gathered to it half a million members. He thought the churches could do something of the kind here. The Rev. Mr Ferguson cordially supported the motion. He was in favor of abstaining for the sake of the weaker brethren. With regard to moderation, a definition of which was asked by Mr Fairmaid, the eminent Dr Moxon had said that as soon as the tips of the fingers got cold froai drinking it then began to be injurious. With some men a single glass of brandy was not sufficient to do this. Mr Ramsay, who spoke at some length, alluded to the victory which had crowned the efforts of Sir Wilfred Lawson after years of uphill work against the greatest discouragement. If the Presbytery would take up the question in the same spirit they would meet with the same success. He expressed great surprise that the churches should use alcoholic liquor for the celebration of the holiest of sacraments. He had ceased to belong to the church on that account. At home he had belongfid to a church where unfermented wine was used. This last remark elicited a little discussion, which was terminated by the Rev. Mr Stobo, pointing out that the original Hebrew and Greek words showed undoubtedly that the wine used at the institution of the sacrament was fermented, although he was convinced, it was not so strong as the wine used nowadays. With regard to the motion he (Mr Stobo) considered it too specific. He was hardly in favor of the churches starting independent temperance associations, but he would support any movement on the part of the churches which would swallow up all these different brotherhoods in one grand movement on Christian principles. They all felt the need of effort in aid of the temperance cause, and they would be only too willing to do all in their power to further the movement. The motion was then put and carried. The Rev. Mr Ross made a motion, which, amended, proposed: — "That the Presbytery recommend, to temperance societies and all interested in the temperance cause, that they use every endeavor to return to Parliament representatives who shall vote that power be given to a majority of ratepayers in any district to abolish liquor licenses in that district." Mr Ross spoke at some length, and in eloquent terms, in favor of his motion, which was seconded by Mr Stobo and carried. The Rev. Mr Ferguson then moved a resolution, committing the Presbytery to an affirmation of the desirableness of an amendment in the present Act so that no license shall be given to any house owned by any person or company directly interested in the wholesale manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. This motion wa.s seconded by the Rei'. Mr McKcnzie and carried, uffcer which the proceedings terminated.