“STRONG DRINK”

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5602, 7 April 1943, Page 2

“STRONG DRINK”

FORCEFUL DENUNCIATION BY REV. F. CARLISLE A forceful denunciation of the liquor trade was made in an address delivered by the Rev. F. Carlisle at a meeting of the Te Awamutu branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union last week.

Basing his remarks on Ezekiel, Ch. 22, Verse 30, Mr Carlisle said there was a lack of conviction of the evils resulting from- the use of strong drink, the greatest evil in the country, and that nothing was being done by .the Government to attack and suppress the trade. The men and women who were actively engaged against the liquor traffic were men and women of religious training, who fought in the power of a God-given spirit. The great lack of enthusiasm to combat the liquor trade was caused by the inward sapping of conviction regarding spiritual valuer, and a modernistic concept brought about a slackening of one’s religious grip. Education regarding liquor was not sufficient, he said. We needed to recover the prayer meeting and get nearer to God. “We compromise,” the speaker continued, “and that is the cause of failure in dealing with young people.” Mr Carlisle concluded his address by saying that what is needed is a man of strong conviction who, to use the words of the text, will “stand in the gap,” and demand the removal from our midst of that great menace to the well-being of the people. The speaker was thanked for his address.