EMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) A 1.0 I.I 11.25 ISKA 12.5 ■ 50 "^ ■■■ u till :^ 1^ lllllio M IIIIIJ4 - 6" Photographic Sciences Corporation \ ^ \^ 4 4' 23 WEST MAIN STRUT WEBSTER, N.Y. MSEO (716) 872-4503 6^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical IVIicroroproductions / Institut Canadian do microraproductions historiquas Tachnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tjchniquaa at bibliographiquaa TlM Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thta copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. D D D n D D Coiourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagAa Covara raatorad and/or iaminatad/ Couvartura raataurte at/ou pailiculAa rr^l Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua |~~1 Coiourad mapa/ Cartaa gAographiquas an coulaur Coiourad inic (i.a. othar than blua or blacit)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua biaua ou noira) I I Coiourad plataa and/or iliuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou iliuatrationa 9n coulaur Bound with othar matarial/ RallA avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ La re liura aarr^e paut cauaar da I'oinbra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga intiriaura Blank laavaa addad durirti,-; raatoration may aripaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajout^aa lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, mala, ioraqua cala Atait poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa At4 filmAaa. Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa supplAmantairaa: Tha toti L'Inatltut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a it* poaaibia da aa procurer. Laa dAtaila da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modifier una image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dana la m^thoda normale de f ilmaga aont indiquAa ci-daaaoua. I I Coiourad pagaa/ D Pagaa de couleur Paget damagad/ Pagaa endommagtea Pagaa reatored and/o( Pagaa revMurAea at/ou paliicul^ea Pagaa diacoiourad. stained or foxei Pagefi d^ooictes, tachaties ou piqu^es Pagaa detached/ Pagaa ditachtes Showthrough/ Tranaparenca Quality of prir Quality inigale de I'impression Includas supplementary matarii Comprand du material auppKmentaire Only edition available/ Saule Edition diaponible I — I Paget damagad/ I — I Pagaa restored and/or laminated/ I I Pagaa discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pagaa detached/ r^ Showthrough/ r~Z\ Quality of print variea/ I I Includas supplementary matarial/ I I Only edition available/ The poft oft film Ori( bag tha aior 0th4 firai aioii oril Tha ahal TIN whi Mai diff( anti bag righ raqi mat Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, ate, have been refilmed to ensure the baat possible image/ Les pagaa totalament ou partiellement obscurcies par un fauillat d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M film^es A nouveau de faqon A obtenir la mailleure image possible. This itam is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document eat film* au taux da reduction indiquA ci-deaaoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X aox / 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy filmMl bmn has been raprodiie«d thanks to th« g«n«ro«ity of: Mstropolitin Toronto LiDiwry S oc iw SciMOM DspcrtmMit L'oxomplairo ffilin4 ffut raproduit grica i la g4n4roaitA da: Mttropothan Toronto Library Soc i w SciMioM DspirtnMnt Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha baat quality poaaibia conaidaring tha condition and laglblllty of tho original copy and In kaaping with ttia filming contract spaelf toationa. Original copioa in printad papar covars ara filmad baglnning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- slon, or tha back covar whan approprlata. All othar original copioa ara filmad baglnning on tha firat paga with a printad or illuatratad Impraa- sion. and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or Illuatratad impraaaion. Las imagas suivantas ont 4ti raproduitas avac la plus grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da ki nattat* da I'axamplaira film*, at an conformM avac las conditions du eontrat da fllmaga. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat ImprlmAa sont filmis tx commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaalon ou d'lllustration, soit par la sacond ptot. salon la caa. Tous las autraa axamplairaa originaux sont fllmte it commandant par la pramlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaalon ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la damlAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microficfia shall contain tha symbol --^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar applias. Un daa symbolaa sulvants apparaltra sur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la cas: la symbolo -^ signifia "A LUIVRE". la symbcia ▼ signifia "FIN". Mapa. plataa. charta, ate, may ba fiimad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thosa too larga to bo antiraly ineludad in ono axposura ara fiimad baglnning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framas aa raqulrad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mathod: Las cartas, planchas, tablaaux, ate. pauvant Atra filmte A das taux da rMuction diff^rants. Lorsqua la document ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul clichA. II ast film* k partir da I'angla supArlaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita. at da haut 9n baa. an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcassalra. Las diagrammas sulvants illustrant la mithoda. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sf T>> HiemNCES TO TEHFERAKCE WOE: ' ' BEING AN ESSAY READ AT THE ' " '* ' ft/tA Anntiai Meeting of the Quebec Temperance and Prohitntar^f League^ /s which takes cognizance of the iuper thoughts of the heart. So neith' r would you or I ever have known the enormity of evil, the concentrated power and desperate determination of strong drink to rule and ruin the destinies of men, if this law of Christ which forbids the do- ing of that which proves a stumbling block to a brother had not been taught and talked about. V\htttis our aim? Prohibition! To gt a law that shall denominate it a crime to make or sell ardent spirits as a beverage. This is the object of our organization — unconcealed, blazoned abroad— through every town and village and hnmlct in the Dominion. We have no purpose, political or ecclet«iastical. to serve, but this one — to dry up the sources of that inundating flood of poison and death ; to stay the maelstrom of fire that consumes the life and morals of our people. This is our whole aim, to remove from society a curse that withers the social and moral sensibilities of man, to lift from his brain the be- fogging influences of strong drink that unfit him for reasoning about the solemn duties and responsibilities of a religions life, that his understanding and heart may be open to receiva the truth and be saved. This is the main object of our organization. Is it unworthy ? Who oppose us ? Where do the hinderances come from? Not from God. He is not opposed to the liealtii, hmf t m i ii. i ,rj i . iii ) i^ niwn «i 4 I II happineM or holineBK of bii creatures I He puts no hindersoce in the way of their peace, prosperity or purity ! In no sense does He seek to degrade, de- bauch or destroy His children. But He does seeic, with an intensity of desire snoh as human languige cannot express, their grace, giory and good. For what purpose did He frame a government, institute laws, duties and prohibi- tions ; bi/r to malie His people wise, virtuous and good T Is Christ Jesus op- posed to our efforts and work 7 If s» all our plans, purposes and pains will come to naught. If opposed, then we rt junderstand His words, works and mission, and the sooner we disband the better. To fight against the Lord of Lords is a madness which I hope no member of any temperance organization will ever be found guilty of. Why did Jesus come to our world to breathe its unholy and pestilential air? Was it to save the souls of men 7 Teal snd their bodies also. What is the body of the Christian designed to be 7 The Apostle answers : '* The temple of the Holy Ghost." The redeemed body, then, is a holy thing — sacred to Qod as t> j home of His spirit. Christ died to deliver the body from its pervt"<''.ies, proclivities and passions, as well as the soul, and the apostle's injunction is that " ye defile not the temple of Qod." How is the body defiled 7 From within by a corrupt heart, from with- out by diet, drugc, drink — chiefly by strong drink. I am disposed to think that a vast dfial of the sanction and patronage given by many Christians to strong drink arises from the low and false ideas they entertain of the sanctity of their bodies, every member of which was redeemed by Christ's blood to be consecrated to His glory. The idea of the soul's salvation holds too exclusive a place in the minds of many, and hence the indulgences granted to the body as if it were only a miserable and wretched appendsge of the soul, to be borne with till dropped in the grave ; there to be purified. The body of the Christian is, or ought-to be, holy ; (tnd bis duty is to keep it growing in its redeemed puri- ty. Ardent spirits defile the body, kindle the fire and flame and fury of appe- tite, lust and passion. Ardent spirits present no qualifications for praying, praising or preaching ; no fortification against disease, danger or death ; no guarantee against trouble, trial or temptation ; they are of no use in the Chris- tian life ; they have no tendency to health, holiness or happiness. The ob- ject of the temperance movement is to remove them out of the way, so that the bodies of men may have their lawful use, become receptacles of the Holy Ghost, and be devoted to the glory of Gcd. Did not this form an important part of the work of Christ while on earth, ministering to the health of men's bodies. The first thing he did was to remove their physical maladies, and then cure their souls. Is not that the very tiling this society aims at, to re- move disabilities which stand in the way uf many people in getting into the kingdom of Christ, and hand them over to the church unfettered by tempta- tion, untrammelled by vice— that she may shew them the living Christ, the (*Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." This being our ob- ject and aim, can the Lord Jesus be opposed to our work 7 Is the Holy Spirit in opposition to us 7 If so, ours is a fruitless endeavour. Before his breath and influence all institutions and society whose aims are not pure must perish. < 'I •; ;♦ 't' '•1 ' ♦ • 1 Paul days grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby yo are sealed unto the day of redemption. Indulgt-ncea in strong drink by our fellow-m<-n grieves onr own spiritt. ; much more the Holy Spirit of Ood. Fdw Christians who bare travelled any distance but know what a grievance it is to have to put up at a tavern where the fumes of strong drink, profanity and blasphemy prevail. Is that the place where you would look for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Are these, the individuals who are iu a proper condition to receive a viHit and baptism of His holy fire. In vain do we ask the Holy Spirit tf dwell with us, BO long as we keep our own breath and spirit, and heart and society, impure by indulgences in that which hardens the heart and demoralises the cocscicnce. If any gintleman in this city were to ask me to his house as a guest, and while entertaining me should insinuate mtan things of the Christian religion, and should affect to despise that holy name which is as ointment poured forth to every Christian, I should feel offended, and would remove my steps from his threshold. What does strong drink teach men to do but to blaspheme the name of God and His Son, and is the Holy Ghost to make (ompanions of dwell with and iu those who deopinf God and His truth. The Prophet IsaiahV idea was, " put away the evil of your doings ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well Then come and let us reason together, saith the Lord." Paul's idea, « Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof," and then may you hope for the Holy Spirit of piomise to dwell with you. Is not that the very thing which our society is endeavouring to do ; preparing the minds of men, so that they may and can reason with God about their own destiny and happiness, by removing this, one of the chief obstacles which stand in the way of the coming and n ign of the Holy Spirit over tho heart and affections of men. The Holy Spirit donires to come and ble-os our nation and dwell in it. :«nd make us a happy people ; but how can we expect Him, until we do what we can, to remove His grievances. This is what the League and all temperance organizations are laboring for. Can tho Holy Spirit be opposed ? But, besioe, havu we not the sympathy of the whole company of the redeemed on our side, many of whom were bitten and smitten by the fangs of that serpent — and all of them less or more tempted and tried and tarried while here on their pilgrimage and progress after virtue and holiness. But, more ; have we not the co-operation of angels ? I have often thought, if there be such a thing as guardian angels— and who doubts it ? — they give the most practical evidences of their presence and power in the deliverances of drinking men. If then they interpose in behalf of the drunkard and shield him in dangers, use their benign power to save him, then they must be in the fullest sympathy with our cause. Think of the vast army of loyal men and women enlisted in the temperance work now in the world, and these daily on the increase — combine all the above forces^-and what a power is with you ? Are you not ready to exclaim with the apostle, " Who can be against us 7" Oh I this is a rising tide— growing, deepening, widening as the years roll on, like a majestic river expanding as it reaches the sea. So the temperance cause is gaining in volume and power, and is destined ere long to fill the earth. 6 Who oppoM ? The maDufacluron I These are a power in the land. T' eir interest and busineis, as it is termed, is large, involving a vast amount ot capital and labour. Capital and labor are difficult questions to deal with — such has been the expcriuncu of the past, when both these interests bod en- tered into wrong cbannulrt, become cstabiitihed by custom, and patronized by law— «x.eedingl7 difficult to correct. There are millions of dollars invested in this business in our country, and several thousand hands employed in its manufacture and trHffic. These all (at least the mnjority of thum) regard this a legitimate business in which their time, toil and living is concerned. Why should they not, when it is sanctioned by the Church and prot'jcted by the state ? How can it be wrong, when Parliament and Piefbytery, and Prelacy, say it is right? It is only that fanatical band of temperance people that say it is wrong, and are we to give up our legitimate business fur their cry ? The government of the country says, we cannot get along without you ; you give us the largest amount of revenue of any single businuKs. A few of tlie farmers Htty we could not get sale for our burle^, corn, rya and hup without you ; you create for us a good home market. ThotiKands r>f nlHcialx of g>toK-i, peniten- tiaries, asylums, night-watchers and nenrly uU the police force would bo out of employment it it were not for us ; besidoit, we give employment to thousands in various ways, thus furnishing their fumiliis the means of subsistence and stimulating the trade of the country. Not a few physicians will tell you they coald not cure the siclc without uh, and even some Ministers of the Gospel toll us they could not endure the toils of proiching, the wear and tear of men- tal anxiety and labor, the privations and worries of ministerial life, witliout our cup of cheer and strength. I tell you, we are indispensible to the very life and pro)>perity of the nation, and this warfare upon us by that miserable band ot zealots is a savage, ruthlexh attack upon our just rights and liberties, and we must band ourselves together in our own defence. This is the foe with which you have to contend. That is his plnce, position and power ; shielded by custom, protected by law, confident in the inteerity of his cause ; drawing his sympnthi^^s from all classes whose ui'^allowcd gains are affected thereby ; and. alas, his moral support from our friends — not an en- emy to be laughted at, to bo conquered by oratorical gestures, extravagant ut- terances or silly jokes. This is a traffic no less powerful than that which brought gains to Demetrius of old, who when he saw that his craft was, in danger, stirred up the people to rage and ;iot against Paul. So this power, when it begins to realize its danger, is not going to pass off the stage without a desperate struggle. Let us remember the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, who had failed to cure the poor lunatic brought to them. '* This kind." saith he, " goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Let us look our foe calmly in the face, weigh his arguments, gauge his power, measure his pre- tentions, study his tactics and know of a certainty bis aim. The manufacturer says he has a vast amount of capital involved, which would not have been there had he not been encouraged both by church and state. He thinks it a wrong to be made war upon to the injury of his property > '. 'Hf- "' «. ■ II ':: h d y •nd gains. To which we reply : Both government and church have done wrong to encourage you in creating thig evil. It is the maaifvHt duty of the one to pay for your properly itn fair value, and the duty of the other to pray for you that your sin and the evils that you have occasioned be talceu away. But dot's it not occur to your mind, that, although church and statu have encouraged and fostered you in your work, they did it in their blindness ; that it is the ruin of your offspring, friends and kindred, and therefore a grievous wrong? Does not common sense and the dictates of your own generous heart diclare, that, however much and well the law and public opinion may Eustain a t'-affio which is injurious to the well-being of soci'jty, man has no ri^ht to engage in it. God never created the human family to be as the fish in the sua, de. voured by one anothi r. They were made to bear each other's burdens, to be kind to one another, provoking to love and good works. The manufacturer of strong drink is not kind, his work docs not tend to good, but to the ruin of that brother who was once created in the image of Qod. You have no right in reason or conscience, from God or his truth, to fill your brother's house with serpents that will bite and destroy him and his household ; no right to kindlti a fire on his prcmiscH that Ih sure to destroy hifl property ; no light to breed a pestilence or disease at his door which issiiro toafToctand inflict trouble on him. Take the mo«t favorable viuw possible of the manufacture of ard« nt spirits, and what is it to the nation and the church but n plague, a pestilence, a cancer eating the very life of social and domi-stic happiness and national greatness. You do not need to be told that the day of a nation's greatness is not the day of her might in swallowing strong drink ; that the church's bright revival days were not the days when she most encouraged the use or manufacture of strong drink. True, very trne, says the manufacturer; but my money is in the business, all my temporal interests are there ; the gov- ernment says it cannot get along without me ; I create the revenue, and by far the great majority of the rich and fashionable say they must have mo ; the drunken rabble (I hate them) say, they must have me ; the pious folks, with their many infirmities say, they cannot live without me ; and the good Chris- tians, in large numoers, out of every ehurcb under heaven, with all their vari- ous shades of distinction, grades of honor and mark-t of piety, are agreed that I am a good creature of God, and most t 'snificantly ihey nod, and smile, and say — go on. Now, how do you aak me to go out of your way, and the coming of your Christ, when these my friends stand around me in such crowds and say to me, hold fast to your position ; it is our life and our plea- sure, and your profit ? Remember, that some of my greatest admirers, best supporters and warmest advocates — the men for whom I have the highest respect— are members of the Christian church, the same churches to which you yourselves belong. How can I resign my position when my friends will not allow me ? I confess and acknowledge to you that my business, viz : the manufacture of ardent spirits, has sent millions upon millions to a drunkard's grave and to' an eternity o^ woe, desolated more homes, broken more hearts, dashed more hopes, ruined more lives and peopled thig world with more suf- / ■ foring than any other evil known among men, bnt my friends will not allow me to close doors, cease work and retire. This being tbo case, you are not the bad man whom I have taken you to b.y. Tour friends lay all the blamo upon you. They say stop the manufacture and this evil will come to an end. So long as the manufacturer is allowed to go on furnishing it, propic >vill drink. If you wish to cure society of the evils of intempemnce, lay tl o axe at the root. They do not tell us anything about the encouragement the,/ give you, but they tell us that you are the prime pro- genitor of all this evil. 8top >^o manu&cture, is the cry of that large class whom you say are your b:'flt i That is what we mean to do, God help- ing us. But we do not wish t uho iorco until first we have reasoned with you, and, if possible, gained your ar '^n* Tour friendH lay the blarao on you, and you lay it on your friends. Between you the evil lifs ; I hope there U mo private understanding between you — that were dishonorable to both — for you both admit the evils of intemperance. To my mind, there is a sbameleHsnesR of hypocricy in the admission ut a groat evil, and then patronizing and creating it. Admitting that your friends are the cause why you produce this deadly and devouring stream ; for it is a fact that a man's friends do somctimeH place him in a false and even cruel posi- tion. But still I fail to see your innocence Can you not siy to your friends, this business in which you wish me to continue, this traffic in ardent spirits, is a traffic in human souls, paralyzing to the best interests of humanity, and you cannot and will not sacrifice the best feelings of your nature ; the high and holy instincts of your conscience in doing wrong to please friends. The worst enemies a man ever had, are those friends that constrain him to live and act contrary to the free and enlightened dictates of his conscience. If all you who are engaged in the manufacture of this evil were to resign, and say to your friends that owing to the innumerable evils which arise out of this traffic, your conscience would no longer allow you to accept of their patronage and favor, and as you hope to be forgiven for all the woes you have occasioned in the past, would pray them never to place a fellow creature in as false a posi* tion as they have placed you. What a staring of astoniithment there would be in the Dominion, equal if not greater than the wonder of John Bunyan when hfe was reproved for his blasphemy by a woman whom he thought less reputa- ble than himself, and which resulted in a Pilgrims Progress— sa book second only to the Bible in its moral power. I have no doubt that your renunciation of the manufacture of stron? drink would be followed by another Proyreaa for good unrivalled in any age for its moral influence and power in elevating the suffering masses of mankind. We ask you to consider your own position, and see if it be not true of you es of One of old, that a man's worst enemies are those of his own household ; we ask you to consider your position and see if it be manly in you to be used os a tool by your friends to ruin others their tem- poral and spiritual interests ; assert your manhood; abandon your business and help us to put the country in a position for self-improvement, that it may arise in material and mental development in social life and order to be the admiration . •. ' • t I « * ■ * f I *■ 1 •* • 'S Vf« 9 And example of thv world. At present you and wo nro oppoHed to one another ; a houio divided flgain»tit«ulfci>.nnot proHpcr. Ifwn^ive np to you, and we onrHilvcR «nd all men take to HtronK drink, where would our nation and roun. try be? If you Rive up to uh, with liquor baninht'd, reaHon on the thn>no, HchoolH and churches full, laws rexpected : we give you empty jai In, Joyoaii liomes, a virtuoufl people, a proopcroun nation, whoHo Oowho demand it has considerable force in it. Government dcmnnds it for the re* venue it creates, and therefore offorM a premium and protection to the manufac- turer. This U blind policy ; nay more, wilful and therefore wicked in the ex- treme. How often ha,<* it been demoU'^trated t<> the government by facts and figures that the traffic in strong drink entails more waste and worthless expen- diture than the revenue received amounts to. There is not a solitary munici- pality in the country, which, if asked for testimony, would not declare wj are losers to double and quadruple the cxt.-nt of the money we receive by the lic- ensing system ; there is no gain to council, county or crown in fostering the traffic in strong drink. I do not deem it necessary to bring forward tabulated statements in proof of the assertion now made. That has been dons so fre- quentir that I see no reason for it. A notable instance of the economy, order and wealth-producing pow^r of prohibition was given in the Witneas the other day between two small towns in the neighborhood of New York, of nearly equal populations, viz : Yonkers, N. Y., and Vineland, N. J. The one had 145 saloons; costs of police $37,000. In the other no saloon; cost of police $75. Whole exp'jnditure of the civic manigomcnt of the one $60,000 , in the other $4?6 ; leaving a gain of $59,425 in favor of prohibition. These figures and &ct) speak for themselves. Will our government look at these figures ? Will it consider why we ask prohibition ? Do we not give r.;a»ons for our faith •s well as argum»nt4 for our aim ? Is it vain to look to our politicians. Where arc oar statesmen ? thr>y surely cannot fail to understand our object ; to them w« •V.'% 0^4 -i . I f 10 appeal ; to the ballot box ; to Ood What is government 7 vrhat means it, ir it does not provide for the liberty, li(e and liberality of head, hand and heart of all the subjects without fear or favour. But when a government favours one class of men engaged in a traffic ruinous to the people, then it turns a por- tion of its own subjects into land-sharks, preying alike on fowl, fish and flesh. This is neither just nor kind. By such a policy the ends of good governsent can never be secured. Government becomes a failure, no matter what form it is, when it egislates to the injury of any of its subjects. Legislation on strong drink, save in the line of prohibition, is an injury to some one ; nay, to every one— to the maker, buyer, seller, drinker and abstainer, and therefore is a gigantic failure so far as good legislation ^oea. Need I refer you to Qreat Britain for your illustration ; her repeated failures in this matter, and her pre- sent humiliation. To government we would say, we cannot endorse your pol- icy in creating a revenue out of the blood and bone, life and soul of our people, and we ask you ia Ood's name to desist, and stretch forth your strong arm and take hold of our band, and help us to remove the enemy and curse of our country. The liquor venders — and these are legion — t^rc a great hinderance to tern - pcrance work; their hostility is open, bold and determined. From them as a class, under existing circumstances, we can look for nothing else ; it is their ' business, their life, their all. However, they are not all hopeless as to reason, or hflpb S8 as to redemption. Some of our mo^t valuable citizens were onco enKuged in the traffic. Go••' "W-?."-^ 11 • ,< ■ r.l • . I. ^ I .* *. ■ ,• Ma • ■ • I.K Si f ■ » • 3i.« , -i. p, J> ••' the dog, and where jast laws prevail he shall be made to pay. In this case the niaster of the mastiff is the Christian Church. It is the church that setR him on the sheep and lambs of the community, and I do hate to hear this hypocritical howl and yowl of Kome Christiitns against the tavern-keeper when he has succeeded in ruiniag a good.hearted,. inoffcnnive but weak man. Who planted the tavern there ? Who gave license to the keeper? In our country, the Christian church. At this moment, I venture to say, she holds 4-5ths, if not 9-10th8, of the population of the Dominion in one way or other in her con- nection and under her influ«'nce. She could at any moment, if the were so minded, independent almost of Legislation, say to strong drink thou shalt no more darken the threshold of our country, or enter the sacred precincts of our halls. The voice of the church, like the voice of Jesus, should bring terror and flight to all the workers of iniquity. But, how stands the matter 7 Is it nut too true that she is largely the sanctioning and patronizing power of the vender. From Oasp6 to Vancouver, n^t a township in our country could give a license if the church said NO I but she not only gives license through the influence and vote of her membership, but makes the traffic respectable in- deed by admitting to her ordinances, and sacred offices, the men and their families who hunt down the life of her weak ones and slaughter her children. Verily so long as the church behaves herself in this way, she had better for consistency's sake be silent on the liquor question, and give her Keys to the liquor vender. Explain or understand this who may or can ; a band of Chris- tians in a community organized into a church, calling a minister or a priest, setting up the ordinances of religion, pledging themselves by sign and seal in a sacred covenant to give their minister thus called to take the charge of their souls, " all dutiful reipeet and eneourageiient in the Lord," and at the same time go and give license to a tavern on thj oppoHite side of the street ; another, and another, in the outskirts of the parish. To the one, they say, save us und our children ; shew us how to be and to do good ; to the other they say, give us strong drink to inflame our passions and harden our hearts. To the one they say, we encourage you in the Lord ; you all know what encourages a godly minister. To the other they say we encourage you ; you all know what en- courages a tavern-keeper, in the one place they kindle the fires of Heaven . in the other the fires of hell. They support both, dividing their time and devo- tion between them. In the name of wonders, what do these Christians mean, by setting up and keeping up two antagonistic aind opposing forces. The be- nighted Spaniard turns out on the arena a man on horseback to figl^t a bull ; that is his savage amusement. But, surely, enlightened Christians are not. amusing themselves by setting up the two rival forces of Christ, and Satan's kingdom, to see which of them will gain the mastery. What do they mean ? What can they expect from these circumstances but waste, want and woe ? How can a Christian be advancing Christ's kingdom by creating and fostering opposition to it? How can he be doing the work of the Lord and the work of the devil at the same time ? <* How can a fountain send forth sweet water and bitter?" How can a Christian be loyal and true to Christ and of his own free will and accord upholding an institution which in its fibre and blood is the very enemy of man and his Maker. k 12 No doubt theae ChristiunH will 8ay, we do not licensor man to make drunk- ards ; we bind him band and foot with regulatibns that forbid such wrong do- ing. True, very true ; but he buruts asunder your regulation as eusily asSam- rion soapt the Philist nc withs ; but we punish him when he does wrong ; true, he pays his fine, com«s back and carries your children away as Samson carried off the gates of Gaza; but then we shear his locks, put out his eyes, and c>ii*t him into jail; true, that lasts fur a little while; being so fond of his pport, yon take him out again, and being em aged he takes hold of the pillars of your national life and pulls down the whole social fabric of your society in ruins. It is not safe to be sporting with the rumseller— giving him liberties and re- straining him calling him a good citizen and checkmating him in bis busi- ness ; that only chafes and awakens a more desperate determination in him to ruin you. Do not oport with him. There is a spirit in him which a righte. OU8 God may employ to your sorrow. With the rumsellers armed with such power, wo have little hope to secure them as our allies — they are opposed to us, and we are opposed to them — 6ur reconciliation lies in God by the removal of this curse. We are greatly hindered by the attitude of the Church ; the conduct of the great majority of professed Christians. In making this statement, we bring no railing accusation against that large, intelligent and virtuous portion of our community, but to express regret, and endeavour to show them how their attitude appears in our eyes, and bow it affects us. We tbink the church ought to inscribe this measure of prohibition upon her banner, in letters and characters so distinct that the way-faring nlan, though a fool, cannot mistake it We are of ,the opinion that the church should make total abstinence from intoxicating beverages an additional test of membership ; and while she re- fuses or neglects to do this, she is using her power against us ; we are far from thinking that this is the intention or will of the church ; her various court de- liverances shew her belief to be that intemperance is a giganuc evil, standing ini the way of her own efficiency and moral advance, but unfortunately her un- pledged condition places her in an attitude that hinders us and her own true work, and favors the enemy. Is it not a lamentable fact that there is scarcely a denomiuational church in our Dominion, that has said that to be engaged in the traffic of ardent spirits disqualifies for membership ; with one breath all our churches say the thing Is wrong ; with the next breath nearly ail sanctify the evil by taking the publican as a publican into her bosom. To take him as a penitent would be her Ghiist-appointed duty ; but not as a publican. Will the Christian Church tbink over this matter — put herself right with her Master, her mission, her principles ; or put us right— for it is a miserable business for Christians to anta- gonize one another when their object and aim is one. Let us consider each other to provoke unto love and good works. We say it with no ill-will, but with min- gled feelings of pain and pity that the preM.3nt attitude of the Christian Church is unfavorable to the temperance movement, and we ask why does she suffer herself to be in such a false position. But again, the unpledged position of the majority, and I fear the large majority, of the ministry of the Christian Church is a mighty hinderance to the temperance •t' • . .i • ■• 1. e*^ v#-^- t 'I* \ <^^ IS «aovvm«i>:t. We do not mean to deoouDce and unehrisiianite all tbo>« minlstera AS the enemies Of the Lord Jesus Christ. Far from it. They are, without deiibt, «8 honest in their convictions as they are honora1)Ie in spirit and liflB. But we do •ask them if it would not be better foi the church, society and the world if they were pledgedto total abstinence ? 1 do not say that Christ laid down a positii'e law prohibiting the use of wine to his apostles or ministers ; but ask if, la the dream- stances of the case, m society stands to-day, poi3one4 in its very blood by ttie use of strong drink, and the church shorn of her evangelistic power and life, to a large and lamentable extent thereby, if it be prudent and right to remain pas- «ive or unpledged? Our people cannot get such wine as Christ made in CanaT No, not even the wines mad^i on the slopes 6f Lebanon, or on the sunny fields ot southern France. It is commonly reported that there is more wine manufactured in the City of Montreal, where scarcely a grape grows, than leaves the Oporto. This indicates, in a measure, tbe spuriousness of the article imposed upon the pub> (ic. I speaR not of the other deleterious drinks that are poured out as a flood ; but ask, in view of the above fact, i! it be right for the gospel ministry to yield their sileot influence to that which, in itself, is so impure and so destructive to the health and morals of our people 1 Is it not the duty of tbe Christian minis- try to set an example of seif-sacrigce and selt-denial in all things, and to abstain from the use of those things that do not tend to health and holiness? *' Ex- ttcple before precept" is an old but true adage, and nowhere applies with mora force than when directed to the Christian ministry. How much of the success and progress of Christ's kingdom in its spread and power over this world u made to hang on and around the example of Christians 7 Their unity, purity and love WU8 to be the convincing testimony to the world that Jesus was the Sent of God I Is tbei'e an influence known among men mor« potential than the example of a godly miuister? His speech may be weak, his presence contemptible, but his indueace mighty. If, for instance, tbe minister sets the example of moderate drinking, against which there is no law, bis influence goes out in support of the drinking usages of society— I grant you involuntarily on bis pc^t, but none the less pernicious and destructive in effect. I leave ii to philosopliers in their idle moments to discuss tbe point where voluntary and involuntary intluetices touch, and where the responsibility of the latter begius and ends. To my mind tbe' safe course to take is neither to create or be the occasion of starting involuntary influences or acts, especially in the line of strong drink. With brethren who take the social glass in moderation, we have no issue to make, no war to wage, save for the indirect influence wiiich grows out of their act, which proves such a deadly hinderance to temperance work and the salvatiou of souls. 1 can remember tbe time when I thoughl it right to take the social glass because my minister did so. I can point you at this moment to a score of men about ray own age who, in endeavoring to follow the example of the same good old minis-' ter, are tottering ou their way to an untimely and dishonorable grave ; some of them already there. Thousands every ye&r go to temporal and eternal ruin in attempting to follow the example of the self-controlled in tiie use of strong drink. It is not every man that can walk a rope across the chasm of Niagara ; not every man who can begin and end life in moderate drinking. For here and there an old man you can find of that typo in society, the various pathways of life are I 'I .■#-/^ u strewn wfth the dead and dying who have perished in the attempt. History and* •iperienoe has proven, with terrible emphasis, tha,t it is not safe for young men of • parish to try and follow the example of then: t^inister in the lawful use he may make of the ordinary beverage. Blondin did and conld walk his rope with safety ever the Niagara falls, but who dare follow bim ? Would H not be bitter mock' ery for him to cry to you, when half way across his rope, saying : " Follow me,, do as I do,'' when he knew, antf you knew, that to attempt that would be your death ; that your head, though ten times as strong as his in its intelleetual pow- er, eonld not stand that giddy height 1 So neither can that brother whom you reproachtnlly call weak, tMongb possessed of qualities of head and heart in no- sense inferior to you, follow yon in the moderate use of strong drink, and to say to- bim : <* Do as I do, be as'I am ?'* is a cruelty unsuspected in a ijentle burden- bearing servant of the meek and lowly Jesus. Thoughtful young men are apt to- lose confidence in, and lack sympathy with a minister whose example in his atti- tade to Strang drink is not t6 them perfectly safe. ... Understand me, I{jam not now going to read a homily to my brethren in the Dominion, as if I was some great one clothed with more than Episcopal authori- ty, and to say to them what they must do and be in reference to strong drink ;■ nay, my aim is simply a friendly talk about their unpledged condition as an indi- rect and powerful hinderance to temperance work. I respect them too bi^rhly, love thum too sincerely, know them too well, to entertain anything else than con- fidence in their integrity of heart and purity of motive ; and, therefore, all I do i» to throw out hints for consideration, to see if it be possible for us to get on a com- mon and safe platform, where we can give battle with effect to tbe common foe of our kindred, religion and household. Are there not enough souls^lost i enough homes made waste ; enough broken-hearted women and desolate children in tbe country ; enough of the earnest labor of Christian men and women thrown away and of the Lord's treasure squandered 7 I put it to any minister's experienre if an indirect influence is not often more potential for ill than shameless wickedness? In stirring up a chu(rh to greater activity in religious life and labor, who are the parties generally who present the greatest hinderances '/ Is it not tbe morally good and upright, whose ideas of a religious life consist in a correct, decent, well-order- ed conduct from without, who cannot be got to a prayer-meeting to pray for them- selves or others, or to engage in the real devotional work of private and domestic religion 7 These are the persons who, through their persistent indifference to a growth in grace, and by the power of their cold and correct lit)?, chill tbe atmos- phere of an awakening church, stand between it ahd the breath c^ the Holy Obost, and retard the life and spiritual growth of the congregation. Speak to them ; they do not mean or intend such an evil as that ; but their attitude to the real work of the church brings it about. And so we feel in the attitude of tbe un. pledged portion of the Ohristian ministry, a powerful hinderance to temperance work in those who do not mean it, but are laboring with us in every thing else for social and spiritual reform. Scotland presents a singular illustration in point. No country has produced more divines for its population, and so many of them eminent for their pulpit power, literary and scholastic attainment ; no country in tbe world where educa- tion is more generally diffused and where the Bible and catechism, and religious literature,*!! perused with more care, and where tbe gospel ministry is held in ( ' « ■/ H^ t M. • 1> V- "^^ ►• m^^ 15 ■ I * ^ M'f *, .« '^ )jl •• ' ' ■<*,' *■ . ►• K* bigber esteem and wields a greater influence, and jet, if we are to believe pabHe utterances, no people more addicted to strong drinlc. How accounts for tbii t Mr. Moody, the revivalist, aooounts for it in a pithy and pathetic manner. When «8ked at the FreeAssemblyOonvention in Edinburgh, last May : " What shonld b* •done in regard to the intemperance among ttsT>' his reply was as characteristic of the man as it was pointed and practical. *' That is a largo question," says be^ *" and would tftke a long time. But as 1 come from a land where the ministers scarcely ever touch the infernal $tuff, I think it will !)e a happy day for Scotland when every minister hurls the intoxicating cup from his own table^^tben th^ would have great influence withflheir people." " This," says Dr- Coylart ** touches Scotland 'on the, raw,' for the natioLal curse is the bottle. If that one pithy sentence of his— Moody's— could be heeded, the whole face of Scotland would be changed in a twelve-month. Hitherto the mass of her people, and a majority of her ministers, have clung to the drinking usages with a terrible tena- city. Alcoholic, drinks have been supplied in ample quantities and freely used in the refreshment rooms of the General Assembly, ke. If this glorious revival now in progress shall banish the botUe froA the houses of Scottish Christians, the way will be cleared for a thorough reformation among the masses.'' These are some of Dr. Guyler's remarks upon Mr. Moody's bl>iff rebuke of the Free Assembly compos- ed of a large number of divines and many noblemen. Did Mr. Moody utter the troth when he charged the ministry of Scotland, through their example in the us* of .tii« it\fernal atuf, for mucb of the prevalence of intemperance in that land, or did he lay a false accusation at their door? If the latter, then the moral courage of the Scottish clergy has died out, for that rebuke has never yet been refuted or disputed, though it has passed from Continent to Isle, and been commented upon in nearly all the religious papers between the poles. VerilytSuch a bomb-shell as that thrown in upon the floor of a'General Assembly of able Divines, when feel- ing their way into a social reform, from a man of no pretentions, should bring the whole unpledged ministry of Jesus Christ into a solemn consideration of their pos" ition, and see if on this question they are not standing in their own and other peo- ple's light The testimony of Dr. Leonard Woods, an authority among Oongi ga- tional divines, was, that the "use of intoxicating drinks tend to influence all that is depraved and earthly in a minister, and to extinguish all that is spiritual and holy. It is poison to the soul and to the body." It is unnecessary to add testi- monies of this kind, they would fill a volume. One question I have to ask of my brethren who contend for the principle of the moderate use of strong drinks, " How- do you propose to save the Drunkard?" He is capable of salvation. Paul tells us that there were drunkards saved and sanctified in the Corinthian church, and bow— by following the example of an apostle who would not drink wine, when the drinking of it was likely to prove a stumbling block to a brother? How do you propose to save the drunkard ; by the temperate use of alcohol 1 Have you ever known a single case cured in that way? Abstinence has cured thou- sands. Our plan is not by tripping the rope of moderate drinking over the yawn- ing abyss of intemperance, but by taking hold of the steady hand of the thorough abstainer, and by leading him over the bridge of Total Abstinence— a bridge rest- ing; on the three pillars of Faith ^ Hope and Charity, and suspended by the three* fold cords of PuriLy, Fidelit ■ \ »■■ •■ m Thus I faftve touelied briefly npon some of the clilef bindieriincet to tempenmee work Jo a feeble waj I hare done all you required of me, simply to diagnose tbe caae, point out the quarter from whicfa tbe main dilBcnlties arise, the next thing in order would be to propose a remedy, but as this does not fall within the- province of ny te»t, all that 1 will do will be to indicate fn^ a few sentences what to my mind would be oar proper work in tbe meantime. Our aim is Prohibition, jtist as ffurely as the apostle's aim* was Perfoetion- How to reach that is the ques- tion 7 Not by disunion among ourselves ; not by vnbairowed oontpromises with unworthy means and measures ; not by the use of intemperate and barsb lan- guage tofrard those who differ firom us-' We will advance our cause and work mncb more speedily and effectively if we follow the example of Jesus by be- hig patient and kind, "putting on bowels of compassion" We will make progresa with new born power, if we pray more, and talk less, realizing that it is Ood'a work and God''8 will we are striving to- accomplish, and not our works or will. His- glory we are promoting ; not onr own selflsh ends. Onr cause will rise wi'b the Klorious energy of r, resurrection, if we believe that God is with us. and set him continually before ns, walk in hh light,8nd use only tbe weapons of hfs trutb, The chief hinderance we shonld desire to have removed ; the main power to- gain on onr side as friends and allies for their natural home is with us ; is the chnrch with her moral power i^s vested in her clergy and membership, and for her we mrttn go to her Husband, the Lord Jesns Christ, and ask Him to ttn-n her heart, as the water-coarses, into the channels of total abstinenc*^ ; let nn plead with God for the removal of intemperance, talk of it by the way, and in the honse, agitate and reason the matter in onr Conferences, Synods and As- nemhli''Sr till the church gets filled with the idea, and rises up in the might of her Master j then victory is certain. I do not rteoplse the feeble efforts of try- ing to bind onr government with rop s of petitions, and charming the mem- bers with eloquent addresses, and giving pledges of "continued pn^er," but I find the moment the cry of the " Philistines be npon thee" fe addressed. to the General Secretary, * REV. THOMAS GALES, > Box ^9aJ4, Montreal.