President’s Message

White Ribbon, Volume 21, Issue 4, 1 May 1949, Page 3

President’s Message

f)ear Comrades, The fateful 9th of March is past and the decisive majority which voted to retain 6 o’clock closing is very gratifying. One realises that even those who ha\e no conscience in the matter of drinking are not blind to the consequences which greater facilities for drinking during idle hours would have on home life, s.feet safety and comfort in travelling. YVe rejoice with our Maori friends that No Licence is retained in the King Country, and our prayers follow them as they seek further security against their archenemy. \\e thank Cod with full hearts for these victories. The call to Dominionwide prayer was answered nobly, and very many of us received the assurance of victory right from the start of the Braver Circles. I was in Invercargill on that day, and in the little group that gathered in the morning, and in the excellent joint meeting of the Home League and the W.C.T.U. in the afternoon, we had a time of uplift and rest and peace. The first petition for 6 o’clock closing, containing 63,000 signatures, presented by the W.C.T.U., was in answer to prayer and hard, painstaking work by a relatively small group of women. YVe owe so much to theffer!w r ! May those of another generation gain inspiration from us, to hold the territorywon, amßpress on to ultimate alxditior of the liquor traffic. The Betting decision calls for deep thought. The moral trend today is definitely downward, and this decision can only accelerate the landslide. The widespread propaganda from pulpit

and press certainly awakened the public to the enormity of this characterdestroying habit and addiction. Again the women must rally to the fight. Stand against gambling in every shape and form. Raise a standard against the insidious evils of Raffles and Art Unions. Teach children the evil of them. Shun shops that sell Art Union tickets as a side Katie. A Christian gentleman who always assisted a certain organisation at an annual effort for funds, and who was approached again during polling week, wrote the promoter that lie regretted he had deprived him of the privilege of assisting, because Art Unions and Raffles were used as a means of raising money in the effort. If every right-thinking man and woman would take this stand, something worth while would he done. BE ON WATCH. ORGANISE, EDUCATE, AGItATE. I watched a little group of small hoys playing. One was very aggressive, a real combatant. One day he met his “ Waterloo,” got a big fright, and I met him running home, his face and body tense, tears withheld, to tell mother. Throwing himself into her arms he sobbed out the story. Soon he reappeared, eating a slice of bread and jam, quite at peace with the world. Next day he v.as hack with the gang, playing happily. I thought how like we are to that hoy in many ways. We are in a great world struggle for righteousness. At times we are hurt and offended; we lose a battle; arc told “It’s no use”; and asked “What do these feeble women?” The forces arrayed against us are formidable, and numerically, very superior. Like the hoy, we have a refuge, and One Who renews our strength. We kneel in prayer, how weak! He places His hand upon us in comfort and we are healed and rested. Then we feed on His Word, the Living Word, and are strong again. “We rise, how full of power! ” The days ahead are strenuous ones, hut we hav e expericrw ed the firm strength that flows from Faith; and we go forward together to firmer effort and greater victory. With loving hanks for your cooperation and prayers, CATHERINE M. McLAY