W.T.C.U. Convention, Napier, 1938.

White Ribbon, Volume 43, Issue 510, 18 April 1938, Page 8

W.T.C.U. Convention, Napier, 1938.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. Mrs. J HIETT.

Mm. Hoole, our World President, urges us in this conflict with the powers of darkness to put first things first—to put the emphasis on the spiritual side of our worn. To do this we need vision. Where there is no vision the people perish, or, in the new version, instead of perish it reads: the people cast off restraint. Have we, the people of this fair land, cast off restraint? It seems to me that we have. The oldtime religion which meant reverence for God. the sanctity of the lord’s Day, the love of home and respect of parents, seems a thing of the past. Restraint is cast to the winds, so much so that missionaries returning from pagan lands find in the main that New Zealand is pngan. What has caused this change which is a drift towards the wreckage of all that is beautiful and holy in human life? The lack of vision —the need of the vision of (lod and of His wondrous love, the love that gave all, and in giving all said: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” when His enemies had nailed Him to the Cross. of vision has caused the drift towards paganism. The Women’s Christian Temperance I’nion has urgent wcrk to do to stop this drift. When we see <Jod, His love and His holiness, when we see Him in our work, our apathy will disperse like mist before the rising sun and we will realise afresh how wide a|>art from (lod is the liquor traffic with its awful train of degradation und iniquity; war with its hatred and slaughter; gambling with its selfishness and greed; atid impurity with its lust and destruction. A vision of (lod who is holy and who is love will lead us to yearn over a lost world, over the nations consumed with hatred and vengeance; we will yeain over the addicts of strong drink, those tw>th young and old who, intent on pleasure, are seeking it from this poisonous drug; we will yearn over the man ami woman who do not know to lie decent; and the vision glorious will lead us to dedicate ourselves afresh !o this work of emancipation ami salvation, for we are not here to take all we can from (lod and give nothing hack.

How long has God loved? From everlasting. No one conies into the world unloved. That is why. with love in cur hearts, we should l>e eagerly seeking to bring liack those who have lost their way from God and His love. We are handed together for the social and spiritual uplift of our land, to alter evil conditions and show the beauty and glory of Christian life. Do we say: “How fur shall I go In this service? To what extent shall I oppose sin?” I’aul says: “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin.” Are we willing to go all the way? Jesus resisted against sin right to the Cross. Never once did He ri < up in His (ontest. With fearlessness he attacked .he money changers and turned them out

of the temple. Although It meant the antagonism of His most powerful enemies He openly denounced the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees. He told the rich young ruler to go the whole length in service, to sell all he had and follow Him. Never did He say: How far shall I go? hut He went to the very end in the conflict. He resist ed unto blood und He was victorious. Are we afraid of what it will cost us? The brewers and distillers give freely in money to propagate iniquity. We canpot pour out money to propagate righteousness, hut we have far greater power. With the love of Christ constraining us. let us begin this New Year prepared to risk all in service for others, resisting all the evils which hind us and our fellow creatures.

Love is energy, throbbing with eager purpose, seeking for ever-increasing ministries through which to express itself in benefleient service. God’s love gave, so our love must give to sacrifice. Let us see in those who are l>ound by the cruel chains of drink and of every other evil, God's children, in the bondage of corruption from which they cannot escape by their own efforts. They are captives of sin and death. With energising love we must la* out in the highways of life, fighting the evil . breaking the bonds of slavery. With the vision of Jesus Himself not counting His life dear that He might save, we. His followers, must do likewise. The need for concentrated action is urgent, that liberty and joy and love and emancipation ma\ come to all who are in the chains of the evil one. We must go to the top of the hill to get the vision, as Moses went up the mount, and as the three disciples climlied the Mount of Transfiguration. There we will meet God and he fitted for service. In the love of God we will get the sight of human possibilities, and despair will never again hold us in bondage. No evil will daunt our spirits for the vision is u vision of ultimate triumph.

Relieving that my brother, my sister, has a life to live, a life that is being pressed down by these vemonous evils, a life which often struggles to he free from its shackles, l>elicving this we will labour with gladness for the opportunity to tight the evils which always slip the best that is in mankind.

“Celestial Seeker, send us forth, Almighty 1 .giver, teach us love. When shall ye yearn to help our earth As yearned ;he Holy One above.”

The Liquor traffic is becoming more and more confident and flamboyant. Thi energetic propaganda displayed in all purts of the world for the Increased sales of alcoholic liquors has borne fruit. Vast sums spent annually in advertising have done deadly work. In

the Cnited Suites during the past four years, 75 million dollurs have lieen expended In liquor advertising. Sine** repeal in that land, gambling has again liecome big business with an estimate., cost of six billion six hundred million dollars annually, I’rostitutlon und the social evil breeding syphilis und venereal diseases is now spreading almost as swiftly as a prairie fire throughout the nation in the wake of the re-legalised traffic. There has been a tremendous increase in drunkenness and crime. The Keeley institute, the nation’s most famous institution for the care of alcohol's victims, in a statement last Septend>er said: “The number of patients taking treatment for alcoholism at our institute during the first six months of this year (1937) shows an increase of 111 per cent, over the corersponding P riod in 1933. During prohibition, the Keeley institutes dwindled down to eight for the whole of the States. Refore prohibition came Into effect there were forty-three. Since repeal these institutions and others have greatly increased and are still growing.” The above proves that prohibition was ♦ minently successful. It worked, although the liquor dealers and sellers prevented it from being properly enforced. Repeal has notoriously failed to live up to the promises of its wet champions, and one promise was that it would al>olish the bootlegger and end illicit sales. Dr. I’aul Studenski has t stimated that bootleg liquor is equal to about ST* p**r cent, of the liquor on which taxes are paid, and Mr. Choate Jnr.. director of the Federal Alcohol Control Administration, estimated that the consumption of Imotleg distilled spirits was greater than the consumption of liquor on which th° Federal taxes and dJtles had been j>aid. No, the promises of the repealists have not been kept. Since beer came back, 40,000 drink-caused fatalities have occurred. Dr. Herman Heise’s findings show more than 60 per cent, of traffic accidents are due to drink. The employment whirl • “trade” boasts of as a result . al Includes the employment af

wsands of women and girls as l>arlaids, hostesses and liquor solicitors in taverns and saloons.

What of the children? Judge Ziegler, in Juvenile Court, says that the root* of delinquency are found in drunkenness, immorality, desertion and divorce. These are the chief early causes of crime. These unfortunate home conditions affect the child’s outlook before he is six years of age. In handling 18,000 cases of delinquent children, these were toe causes. Does not the vision of Jesus’ love for the children come before us when we know how chihl life In every country Is depraved and destroyed l y this accursed trade. We see Jesus gathering the children in His arms and blessing them. We hoai* Him saying. “Whosoever shall hurt one

of these little ones, jt were letter for him that a millstone were hung about his neck an«l he cast into the depths of ihe sea than that he should offend one of these little ones.” Is it not an urgent matter for women of the W.C.T.I’., of the ihurches, every woman to save the 'hildren of to-day and tomorrow by casting out from our lieautiful world, this destroyer of children. The love of Jesus for children is our call to this task.

Our young people are in jeopardy. St. John says: “I write unto you young men liecause ye are strong and the word of Clod abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (lod .jives strength to overcome, but what of many who have not accepted the strength of (lod? The allurement of the cocktail and of all manner of alcoholic drinks is undermining the strength of many fine young people,

id to such an extent that here In our own land the jury of the Supreme Court. Wellington, a few months ago strongly recommended that legislation be enacted making it an offence to i»ring or consume liquor in any dancehall, and also that steps Im* taken to prohibit drinking in motor-cars by those attending such dance-halls. Why urge these measures unless a grave menace threatens to destroy and is destroying these young folk who are seeking fun and frolic and are allured by this foul drug? We want our young people to have fun and frolic, but not at the expense of their health, their mora ity, their decency, at the expense of everything that enables them to be noble, strong, good ami wholesome. They may ask us: Have you a substitute? Yes. we have glorious nonalcoholic drinks made of pure fruit juice lilch will give a'l the pep desired without any ill-effects. Tn the field of sport, all trainees must rigidly abstain to excel. Surely the prohibition of liquor from sport is not a kill-joy. but a necessity to obtain the fullest measure of joy and glory. In advertisements stating 1 eer to be a wholesome and health-giving beverage, there

should he Domlnlon-w’ide protests. Other advertisements of a false nature would not l>e tolerated and yet newspapers publish these glaring falsehoods, leer, like all other alcoholic drinks, is <i narcotic poison detrimental to wholesome living, hurting life and hastening death. Health specialists proclaim with :ong emphasis that disease, insanity and death follow the taking of l#*er as well as that of whisky, brandy, gin, etc.

With the vision of Jesus’ love for mankind, we will not talk about the ne. 1 for the abolition of liquor, war, *n gambling; we will act. We will re’ al to the man In the street. ’.he drinker, the gambler, the restless seeker after something to satisfy the cravings ’ ' change and excitement, w*e will re'"eal to them the spirit and power of io satisfy and if we are true to ir vision I tielieve that ere long there "ill be a revival of religion, and a browing eff of these chains of iniquity.

*h that we may see the yearning heart

of love of Him who said: “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her brood under her wing.” Oh men and women in the chains of evil, there is One standing in the midst who can give a joy that lasts, who can give satisfaction that remains, who can give adventure that is greater than climbing Mt. Everest, who is able to do exceeding abundantly with your lives above what you cun ask or even think. He is the Wonder Man of this day.

Are we in earnest enough to give such a challenge * The King's business requires haste. It we have been apathetic. may d< <1 he lp us lie alert. Do we believe chut all I have said is true? then how far are w«* going? lk» we pray every day for the warring nations? such prayers as this: “Send now Thy Hol> Spirit upo r us. (La.it us wisdom in our time to hi *ld a warless world. Help us to search out and to remove the causes of war. Make the nations to know that they are hut men. Teajh them that the* wages of sin is death, (iuide them into paths of righteousness and peace. May Thy Kingdom come within us, that we muy l»ear moremoving witness to the way of love.”

There are c heering signs to encourage, in the world movement against vested interests. India is making a valiant and successful effort to . v h ;*w off the drink monopoly. In many States of America, one after another of the counties are voting dry. They have local option there. The dry vote ; s growing so quickly that the Liquor lords during a conference in Pittsburg took stoc k and decided that to prevent abolition coming back they must be more respectable in their trade; so they prepared a "Code of Practice.” The Code consists of pledges; the following are samples:—

“We pledge ourselves with all thoughtful citizens to the promotion of practical moderation and sobriety.”

We pledge ourselves to the truth in advertising beer.”

“We pledge ourselves to co-operate in eliminating unwholesome and antisocial conditions arising from abuses in the distribution of l**er.”

In these pledges is the acknowledgement of the evil consequences following the drinking of their heve.ages.. The Kthiopeun cannot change his skin by fulsome pledges, and we have cause to rejoice that there is feai for the life of th< ir trade l>ehind these pledges.

At the World Convention, news from 50 countries proved that aggressive work is going on and that the leaven of righteousness is working. We know that the menace of the drinking driver is awakening thinking men and women to see the madness of licensing the sale of alcohol which is the* cause of so many Injurious and fatal accidents on our highways. We know too that

drink with ali its ramifications is still only on trial. The day is coming nearer when the same judgment of the people will lead them to vote out this destructive agency of the evil one, and the Lord will answer such a vote saying: “Inasmuch us ye have voted for the salvation of one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done It unto Me.” Friends, there are signs of encourgament. and we are here to increase these signs until the signs liecome realities. Alcohol education must lie carried on amongst the children, youth, and adults. This is poll year, and that constitutes a challenge to enlarge our memliershlp, to increase the circulation of the White Ribbon, to win votes. By keeping l>efore us the vision of the sacrificial love of Jesus we will resist even unto blocs! evils without and within ourselves. We will

Take time to be holy. Speak oft with our Ixird; Abide in Him alw’ays. And feed on His Word. This is the way to victory.

Another cause for cheer Is that a concentrated « fTort has l>een made to get the Bible in schools. We thank God for White Ribboners who made the effort and for the success achieved.

Since last Convention God has called some of His valiant warriors home. Judge Adams and L. M. Isitt w’ere two such. W. H. Robinson of Ashburton was another, and several quiet workers in our ranks. They have endured unto the end, striving against sin. and are now’ armngst the great company of the redeemed, in the inner circle, at the very f»et of God. They are still our helpers, praying with triumphant faith that we shall conquer or rather that Christ shad conquer through us. until all enemies are put under His feet. May we not fail Him or them, hut go forward with the vision of what the love of Jesus can do in breaking down the Wirriers of sin. however insurmountable they may appear to be. It can lie done; nothing is Impossible with God. Who will join us in coming to the help of the Lord against the mighi, powers of darkness? Who will say: “Here am I, ready to work and to pray till death or victory.” We need you. hut greater than all. God needs you. Oh people, let us unitedly make a supreme efTort to rid our land of the menace of strong drink and its vicious circle of attendant evils, and we will rejoice together over a brighter day dawning for our beloved New Zealand when these evils are uliolished forever. “Peace shall follow’ battle, Night shall end in day.”

The Son of God goes forth to war A kingly crown to gain. His blood-red banner streams afar — Who follows in His train? Jl