[advertisement.] THE WORKING TEMPERANCE CHURCH.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3928, 16 October 1873, Page 3

[advertisement.] THE WORKING TEMPERANCE CHURCH.

BY REV. T. li. CUYLER, D.D.

Every trua and timely moral reform should be born and nursed, and reared and supported by the church of Jesus Christ. There is not a single moral precept which sinful humanity needs, but the church should teach it ; there is not a wholesome example to be set, but the church should practise it. That Christian church will be the most Christlike which does the most to "seek and to save the lost."

Among all the great moral reforms, none- has a stronger claim on Christian men; and Christian ministers than the • enterprise for saving society from the crime, and curse of drunkenness. And . intemperance never will be checked, the liquor traffic never will be prohibited, the drinking, usages of social life will never be overthrown until the members of Christ's church all feel that, they are also members of Christ's great temperance society. If the church does not save the world, then the world will sink the church. And what a burlesque it is to style that church organisation a "salt' of the earth" which has a trimmer in its pulpit and tipplers ,in its pews ! • Holding these incontrovertible opinions, we earnestly insist that every Christian church which expects to do its whole work must have a temperance department as ' much as a Sunday school or a missionary department. It must have a machinery to promote total abstinence, just as much as a machinery to promote Bible distribution,, or mission schools, or Sabbath observance. A well appointed steamer must have : not only a good engine in its hull, a-nd'a good pilot at the wheel, but a good Bupply of life-preservers in the cabin. What are some of the essential features of a working temperance church ? 1. We reply that the first essential is a

thorough teetotaler in its pulpit.

active temperance church, with a wine- *- bibi>ing minister, is as rare a curiosity as a -victorious army with a drunken commander. A zealous teetotaler will not only practice abstinence from intoxicating drinks, but lie will preach it -as a vital part of Ms gospel-mesaage on. the Lord's day. ' The Bible abounds in temperance texts ; and every community abounds in people who need to hear them. It is the pastor's.- -office to expound the causes and thehcurse of - drunkenness. It is his office to creates temperance conscience among his ' congregation. "It is his duty to take the lead in arranging . and conducting temperance meetings in his neighborhood. Not only may a zealous temperance pastor look for revivals in his flock, but also for a more extended influence among the surrounding world.. A fearless preacher against popular sins commands, in the long run, the popular ear and the popular, heart. The minister " who brings God's Word to bear against the great sins of the time must be heard, arid will be felt; He may repel a few trimmers and timeservers ; he may awaken some bad passions in the selfindulgent and the lovers of their lusts ; buthe attracts to him the wai'm-hearted, the philanthropic, the spiritually-minded. Drunkards' wives will persuade their husbands to come and hear him. Mothers will rejoice to place their sons under his faithful ministry.. The benevolent will co-operate with such an earnest advocate of Christian reform. The masses love and honor a bold defender of the right. It is not the man who drifs with the cur-

rent of evil," but he who, like the sure-

anchored rock, stems the current, that is *Bure to arrest the popular attentionand command the popular heart. . 2. Every efficient church should have a well-organised total abstinence society. The title to membership should be the simple signing of the abstinence pledge. We would recommend, also, that a small annual payment should be made by each member, in order to provide some permanent income for the society. Collections should also be taken up at public meetings 3 but tickets of admission should seldom be used, because they tend to exclude the very persons who most need the

benefit of the lecture. Public meetings

should be held as often as proper advocates of the' cause can be secured to address them. Better no meetings at all than have" the audience trifled with by a

catchpenny buffoon or ranting adventurer.

The number of acceptable speakers might be vastly increased if Christian laymen, as well as ministers, would fit themselves for this noble and needed work by studying temperance books and publications. It is easier to make a good temperance address than a good political speech ; but political speakers are plentiful as blackberries.

The best possible music should be provided for all public meetings, and the pledge should always be introduced at the close. It is the province of the society to subscribe for and circulate temperance papers throughout the «ongregation. Several times in each year temperance tracts might be distributed in the pews.

Such an organisation does not require much constitution and bye-laws, or many officers. A wide-awake president, vicepresident, secretary, and treasurer, and a live board of half -a - dozen managers, are amply sufficient. Choose your president for his working qualities, and not for his name. All meetings shotild be opened with prayer or the reading of God's Word.

lii Surrey Chapel, London, the celebrated Newman Hall has a temperance society which has enrolled 8000 members in fifteen years ; 150 reformed inebriates have been received into membership with the church in which he is so bold and faithful a spiritual leader. There is also a Band of Hope.

3. This leads us to say that a working temperance church will lay out no small part of its efforts on the youth of the Sunday school. Here is the point to apply prevention. As the Sunday school deals witlrthe beginning of life, it should logically deal with the beginnings of sin. If all our children could be kept from touching the first glass, intemperance would disappear.

.In efficient Sunday school operations the following are absolutely indispensable : —

Good temperance books in the library. A circulation of the "Band of Hops Beview," "Onward," or some similar paper among the scholars. The Total Abstinence Pledge discreetly administered by the teachers. - Frequent and simple addresses on the dangers of tampering, with drink, and on the sin and sorrows of the drunkard.

No teacher's breath should ever be flavored by the odors of the wine-glass or the beer-cup.

' Total abstinence should be taught as a Christian virtue. "Woe unto him who causeth one of these little ones to stumble."'

4."Giuf final recommendation is, that ©very church member should ma&e temperance a part of his daily religion. The Dottle ia the deadliest foe to Christ in our j churches arid our communities. . A friend q£ Chnat must be the enemy of the bottle.

More souls are ruined by the intoxicating cup than by any single vice or error on the globe. Every professed Christian who gives his example to the drinking usages is a partner in the tremendous havoc which these evil customs produce.