President’s Message

White Ribbon, Volume 21, Issue 8, 1 September 1949, Page 3

President’s Message

My dear Comrades, What a wonderful thing is an “adverse circumstance!” Something has happened before which, for a moment our hearts have quailed; we have become vexed or even angry. W hcu the Report of the Royal Commission on Licensing was published we found that, ; n spite of all the evidence given by Temperance advocates, and the facts produced which showed the need for drastic reform and curtailment of the activities of the traffic, greater facilities and privileges were accorded it. However, the vexation and righteous anger are past and we accept the challenge of the verdict. There is a new spirit in our workers. With renewed Faith v\e turn again to the words of our Crusade Pstlm, " Put not your trust in princes (Coinmissions and legislators), nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help.” This has brought to us the rebound of Faiih. "The way of the wicked Hf : , ttimeth upside down.” In the words of Frances \\ illard, " This is the climax, the keystone of the arch of our beautiful and holy endeavour. It means prohibition by law, prohibition by jKilitics, prohibition by woman’s ballot. The figure in the passage is complete, for ‘ the way of the wicked ’ it to be * turned upside down,’ then the traffic is to be completely overthrown and nothing less will ever satisfy the world’s White Ribbon host. 'The Old Guard never *urrender»,’ for while we have no harsh criticism for good people who adopt less drastic methods of refoim, the White Ribbon women will say at last as they felt called to say at first of Prohibition: 'Here 1 stand, 1 can do no other, God help me. Amen.’ And we do this because we believe that what it physically wrong can

never be morally right, what ic morally wrong can never be legally right, what is legally wrong can never be politically right.” It does us good to go back again and again to our Crusade Psalm; sing it through. It has but 10 verses, and yet it gives us the key-note, the rallying cry, the prophetic exhortation and plan of work, and the song of victory in our holy war. This week 1 am sent back to one of our stirring hyinns: “ Ho, my comrades! see the signal Waving in the sky! Reinforcements now appearing, Victory is nigli! ” Letters have reached me telling about new Bands of Hope being formed and of the good progress of recently formed ones. An ex-“ Y ” member, through the inspiration of Tiniaru Convention, has started a Band in the suburb where she lives. Although the mother of four or five children she takes time to prepare excellent programmes, train little officers, and is thrilled to do it. Another cx-“ Y ” and essay gold medallist writes that she is now a District Secretary. Three ex-“ Y’s” hold positions of District President. Three arc Dominion Superintendents. One is Superintendent of a Maori “Y” Branch, others are helping with Bands of Hope and Union work. An enthusiastic letter from a Maori girl, secretary of a “Y ” ( lub in a Maori Girls’ College, tells of keen and sustained interest in the study of Scientific Temperance at their fortnightly meetings; discussions and debates; speeches and other items of interest. Priy. Plan. Work. Yours for Service, CATHERINE M. McLAY