N.Z. PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

White Ribbon, Volume 49, Issue 3, 18 April 1943, Page 1

N.Z. PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

We come to this Convention, 1943, with reverent tread, remembering our members who have lost their loved sons during the two years c ince last we met. We remember also our two fine leaders, Mrs. Don and Mrs. T. E. Taylor, aid many members and friends who hav< joined the countless host of redeemed souls. They sacrificed themselves to their utmost capacity to do service whilst here, to-day they have

greater capacity to serve in the land of endless day. Why have we been left behind? The Lord had need of them and took them to Himself, He has need of us here. May we have a vision of what we can do for Him in building a better New Zealand for our soldiers who have done so much for us, for our girls and boys, for the little children, for the unborn. There is a mighty work of construction ahead of us. Before we can build on broad and secure foundations we must hurl hack four mighty destructive forces, war, drink, impurity, gambling. When Ezekiel saw that strange vision by the river Chebar he and thousands of his people were in captivity and all hope of God’s power to deliver had fled, for the news came that the Holy City of Jerusalem and the glorious temple had been destroyed; now there was no place to worship. Everything on which they leaned was gone, and God must have gone too with the crash of all their religious props. God had not fone. He spoke to the despairing prephet through a vision, a vision which seemed to denote all the changing circumstances in the lives of God’s people. Ezekiel saw in that vision, living creatures with wings, and wheels within wheels, sometimes moving rapidly, sometimes standing still. The vision seemed so confusing, but above the confusion of changing scenes, a firmament. and above, the firmament, God. God w’as there. His Glory was so brilliant that Ezekiel fell upon his face to the ground. What was God’s message to the prophet?

“Son of man. stand upon thy feet and I will speak to thee."

"This is no time to give way to despair, although there is confusion all around, although all the props of religion have fallen, stand up: lace difficulties, 1 am beside you, I want you to work for me here, now, when everything sterns lost. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Stand upon thy feet. Be net afraid, oj>cn thy mouth, l will give tlicc words to speak. You are my chosen messenger." Ezekiel

arose, he obeyed the voice of the Lord, and as he obeyed he heard a voice behind him saving: "Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place." He heard that voice, he also heard the noise of wheels, the confusing sound of rushing wings, but above it all the voice of the Lord guiding and controlling, and the hand of the Lord was strong upon him. Have we come to a like place in the history of the world? Change, confusion, strife, nothing stable. Do the changing circumstances of life to-day confuse us until we wonder if God has forgotten, if He has left the world to drift to doom through wars, cruelty, oppression, drink and lust for power, regardless of human suffering? God is

here, He is speaking to us: "Stand upon your feet, 1 am with you, be unafraid. Above the noise, the rushing, the conflict, hear the voice of the Lord. "Ye are my witnesses. Go forth to save my people. Speak, hold not your peace. I have made you my watchmen. I have chosen you to do special work for me.”

(iod grant that we, members of the W.C.T.U., will listen to His voice and see a vision of His glory’ andpporerw r er as we commence a new year’s work. He is saying to us at this Convention: "Stand upon your feet and go forward. There never was a greater opportunity to do my work than at this time.” War. War continues to curse the world. How ran we help to hurl back this destructive force? Above the firmament—God. Above this weary war-torn world there is still the angels’ message of hope and love and peace. God’s love w’ill win through. Hatred, greed and godlessness are the root causes of war. We can help to hurl back the forces of hatred, greed and godlessness by putting love into all our efforts. Love is the organising and cohesive principle of human life. It is love that keeps families united and it is love, the love of God and the love for our fellow creatures, tha alone will unite nations. Christ is tie only hope for the world. Hitler has demonstrated so forcibly the destructive power of hatred It is given to t. e women of the world to demonstrate the love of God through Christ, to prove that a just and durable peace may be obtained by obeying Christ’s command "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and soul and mind, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” In the annual address of the United States President, she said: "There must be a standard of living which will give health and happiness for aU, regardless of nation, race or class. Nothing less could be a Kingdom of God. Women should sit at the peace table as well as men. They, too, are world citizens, hut let us be sure, first of all, that Christ sits at that table.” There is no other way to

secure a durable peace, to secure concord but by giving His rightful place to God the judge of all the earth. Are we prepared to take our place on the side of love and goodwill and demonstrate it by our words and actions and by our attitude to all members of the human family, regardless of nation, race or class?

ALCOHOL. The second destructive force to be hurled from this earth is alcohol. Again it is the Christian women who, as protectors of their children, and therefore of all children, must put their whole energy into this fight for freedom against the tyranny of alcohol. The W.C.T.U. is organised for this purpose, to defend our people from this enemy within our gates. Our country needs every resource cf manjKnvcr, both in war and in industry today. Production slowed up by loss of labour hours caused by drinking workmen Large quantities of valuable food is destroyed by turning it into alcoholic beverages. Crime, insanity, and destitution are everyday occurrences in this beautiful country because of drink. K'ery surgeon who has to face the rf nonsibility of a grave operation on his patient dreads it when his patient’s tissues and organs are saturated with alcohol. He has no greater enemy to fight in the practice of his art. The patient is moTe likely to die of shcok, uncontrollable haemorrhage is more likely to occur and had or delayed healing is likely to postpone, if not endanger, recovery- All this is equally true when a serious accident occurs.

What of the risk our soldiers run, exposed as they are to sudden wounds, and yet our Government persists in keeping wet canteens in military camps and allows the transport of thousands of gallons of beer to our troops overseas. Which is more important. the sale of beer to swell the profits of rich brewers or the wellbeing of the men who are giving themselves for their country and for us. They are true till death for their Empire. Are w*e worthy of their sacrifice? Is our country worthy when we allow a canker in the life of our nation, this trade that serves no other purpose than to gratify acquired appetites and to fill coffers to the tune of the destruction physically, mentally and spiritually of thousands of men and women. F. I). L Squires says: “The war crisis suddenly brings into hold relief the far-reaching insidious peril of the liquor trade to the physical, mental and moral stamina, essential to victory.”

Arthur Mee said of the last war: “The drink trade in fifty years has deprived Britain of manpower equivalent to the whole of the British Army under arms.” We have asked for war-time prohibition because we are burning with indignation at the injustices heaped upon our people by a nonessential trade ard a destroyer of essential commodities when our nation is staggering under the war burden. It is logical at such a time to ask for the sale and manufacture of beer to cease,

in fact, it is indispensable to the highest efficiency of the nation. New Zealand is spending ten million pounds a year for this non-essential liquor. Australia’s drink bill is £42,436,262 p« r year and Britain’s drink bill for 1941 was £413,(XX),000, an increase over 1640 of £77,K34,1XX). No wonder that brewers said: “The war is an opportunity to cultivate the taste for beer in millions of young men who do not know’ the taste,” and they have succeeded. Every person is making sacrifices to end the war. Every legitimate trade has been curtailed except the drink trade. In Britain during the last seven years brewers’ profits have risen f:om £16,000000 to £34X00000 Hew Zi i land Breweries’ net profit in 1642 was £103,645, more beer was sjht but taxation was higher. Dominion Breweries’ net profit was £25,672. These arc the largest brew’ery companies in New Zealand.

It is not the soldier but the brewer who will deluge Parliament with objections to war-time prohibition. Our Government urges everyone to curtail expenditure, to put our money into National Savings, to do everything to help defeat Hitler and his Allies, but when it comes to dealing with the drink trade, the greatest fifth column in our country, what action is taken? Do you hear God saying to you as He said to Ezekiel: “Stand upon your feet.” Speak, act. fight this trade with evei/ av ailable weapon. Use literature, broadcast it. Use the “White Ribbon,” give it to your neighbours. Secure the folk in your street for temperance. Accept the challenge to deal with this monster, and win the folk around you. Rouse your Church members. Do not sav:. “The members of my Church do nothing.” Prick them wfide awake, Make a clear demand to your own religious . communities. When the members of your churches and your minister are talking of Christian Order, ask, where are they placing alcohol in the effort for Christian order? Do not allow’ them to drift along as though there was no alcohol menace, many good people take the line of least resistance. Pray for courage and tact. This responsibility of saving our land, our men and women, our boys and girls, rests upon us, the women of New Zealand. We are on active service for our God. Some of our churches are alive to this evil but we must not rest until the conscience of every Christian Church is aroused so that members take their stand against one of the greatest social evils of our day. God give us grace to take drastic action every day. Active service means that.

The Government may consider its hands tied because of the revenue derived from the sale of alcohol. The answer to such an attitude would be: “The trade takes all the money the drmker pays for his liquor and when He is drunk throws him into the street, leaving the ratepayers to pay for all the damage he may do, all the crimes he may commit, all the idleness he may bring upon himself and his family, and all the poverty to which he may

he reduced. If the cost of these were charged against the drink trade instead of against the police rate and poor rates the profits of the ‘trade’ would vanish at once.”—Bernard Shaw.

Although it is expedient for our nation’s welfare, its physical and moral fitness, to ask for war-time prohibition, we must never forget that our goal is the entire abolition of liquor from our country and from the world. Stand upon your feet, above the noise of the drink trade, of the wheels, of the noise of a great rushing, hear the voice of the Lord and know that the hand of the Lord is strong upon you, to guide you in this mighty task. This year, 1643, may be a year of great progress if we are thoroughly in earnest to co-operate with God in cleansing and delivering our country from this enemy. Make a systematic drive for new members. Double your present membership. Would von like to reach the men in training camps throughout New Zealand with information about what beverage alcohol is and what it does? Your New' Zealand officers have arranged for such literature to reach every camp. They cannot continue doing so without some aid from the Unions. We hope for contributions from many friends to ensure that a constant supply of alcohol information will reach our men. This is a real defence plan to help oust the enemy. Fear not the forces of evil. Love for our felk w r creatures is the sole reason why we fight alcohol, the cause of untold misery, degradation and defilement.

VD. There is another evil closely allied to alcohol that in the name of the God of purity wc must hurl from our midst. It is the vice of impurity followed by the menace of venereal disease which visits its suffering on the innocent as well as the guilty. Absolute morality is the only security against infection. When alcohol is taken even in small quantities, morals are loosened, passions are stimulated, self-control is thrown to the wind and those imbibing fall easy \ictims to immoralitv.

If we could walk through hospitals of many countries where V.D. is treated and see thousands of men and women lying disabled, physical wrecks through tins scourge, w’hich in the majority of cases was contracted when under the influence of alcohol, we would realize more fully how urgent is the call to do active service in banishing alcohol, as a defence against the horrors of venereal disease. In a pamphlet entitled “The Shadow over New’ Zealand,” it is alarming to read of the high percentage of V.D. in New Zealand. We are concerned ,vhen contagious diseases make their appearance. Venereal diseases are the most menacing contagious diseases with which w’e have to contend. It is the knowledge of the saving power of Christ which will hurl this scourge from our midst. Impurity is wrong in the sight of God. We cannot begin too early to teach children how to live purely, to teach them the truth about their

wonderful bodies. In my opinion it is nothing less than criminal to allow a child to face the world without knowledge about these intimate questions. Home teaching is the safest. Parents’ sacred duty and privilege is to begin early. Early education concerning the divinity of the body, continued guidance during youth, the creation in every boy of a respect for womanhood, and in both boys and girls respect for marriage relations, is imperative. The necessity of every child being equipped with knowledge should be the concern of every man and woman in the Dominion. There is literature at our Headquarters which will help parents in Hiis sacred responsibility of teaching their children. These are preventive measures. Remedial measures I shall briefly touch on. First to publish the blessed truth that Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost, however deeply sin has besmirched the soul and body. Second, there is a cure when venereal diseases are taken in time, and relief even at later stages. Free treatment is available at every public hospital in the country. Self-treatment, non-professional treatment and quark remedies are worse than useless. The only safe way is for patients to receive continuous treatment from a competent doctor, and this is supplied at all hospitals. Thirdly, our part in remedial treatment is “To rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatcli them in pity from sin and the grave. Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.” GAMBLING. We have spoken of three destructive forces, there is a fourth which undermines the moral stamina of the nation. Gambling is a vicious habit which adds nothing to the common good. Easy money is offered without giving an equivalent. One of the parties is always dissatisfied, therefore gambling is definitely anti-social. A street of houses in London owmed by bookmakers is termed Mug’s Alley. In lotteries, the prize which one person pockets is largely composed of sums from men and women who could not afford to lose; furthermore, the prizes art .n almost irresistible temptation to those who know the pinch of poverty. A lottery for patriotic purposes hides its ugliness behind a veil of patriotism. The worthiness of* a cause can ne\er justify a form of appeal that encourages gambling, for in gambling chance determines the destination of the prize. Men and women have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but in t ambling a risk is taken to get something for nothing or next to nothing. God said: “Thou shalt not covet." Covetousness and greed become the dominant characteristics of the gambler. May vision be given to us to burl this anti-god custom from our country. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith. Every power of evil may be overcome. Fortified by prayer, and belief in the invincibility of God’s power we will not lacken on a single front till the day of victory. Mrs. Rowntree Clifford in

a recent address said: “Our difficulty is not unanswered prayer but unasked prayer. Ask, seek, knock. Keep on knocking even though the knuckles bleed. Get your prayer linked with the prayers of everybody, everywhere.” Fortified by prayer, stand upon your feet, and go forward, speak, gain the ear and heart of friends and foes. This is the most important work of our life. Souls are perishing. God is yearning over a fallen world. We are called to the work of rescue, and of building a better New Zealand. We need God’s help and, oh, the honour of it, God needs our help. If we will put enough love and enough prayer into this campaign the victory will be beyond our expectation. May He give to our Government the courage to shake itself free from the vicious pressure of the liquor trade. May God give to the Churches restless consciences till they rise up with one accord and smite these evil forces with all the power that Christianity wields. May God lead the W.C.T.U. to greater heights of love and self-sacrifice towards all who have been caught by the forces of evil, in the name of Christ Who says now as He said of old: ‘‘Certainly I will be with thee.”

Jesu* Christ has blazed the trail for us. We must not fail Him in training our children to love God. to love His word, to love to pray to Him. We must train them to ha*e that which is evil, to be total absta ners, to love purity and beauty. Suffer the children to come unto Me, said Christ. I cannot close without inviting you to join with us in following Christ’s example and blazing the trail for those w r ho arc coming along the road of life, the children on whom the future of our country depends. This is the time to stand upon your feet, and listen to the voice of our Leader, and then go forward gladly to serve Him in this great field. There is scope in the W.C.T.U. for every woman to do something. Come into our ranks and help us to hurl from our beautiful country these things that are such a tremendous hurt, and help us to build for God, for Home and Humanity.