CIHM Microfiche Series (l\/lonograplis) ICiVIH Collection de microfiches (monographies) [g] Canadian InatKut* for Hiatorieal IMIcroraproductiona / Inttitut Canadian da microraproductiona hiatoriquaa ©1995 TMhnical and Btblio«raphie NotM / Notn ttchniqim M biblrag^aphiqim TiM InttituM has attampttd to obtain Mm bait original copy a»ailabl< tor filming. Faatum of Ulit copy which may ba MMioarailhically uniqua, which may altar any of tha ima(n in tha raproduetion, or which may significantly changa tha inual mathod of filming, ara chacfcad balow. 0Colourad covars/ Couvartur^ da coulaur □ Covars damagad/ Couvartura andommagte □ Covars rastorad and/or lamiiiatad/ Couvartura raitauraa at/ou palliculta □ Covar titia milting/ La titra da couvartura mamiua I I Colourad maps/ Cartas giographiquas an coulaur □ Colourad ink li.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur li.a. autra qua Maua ou noiral □ Colourad platas and/or Illustrations/ Planchis at/ou illustrations en coulaur □ Bound with < Ralia avac d'l othar matarial/ 'autrits documants D D D Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La raliura sarria peut causer da Tombre ou da la distortion le long da la marge intirieura Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutiat tors d'une restauration apparaitsant dans le texn, mais, lortque cela euit possible, ces pages n'ont pas M filmies. Additional comments;/ Commantaires supplementaires; L'Institut a microfilmi le meil'eur exemplaire qu'il lui a M possiMa da tt procurer. Les dtoils de cet uemplaire qui sont peut- de rMuction indique ci-dessous. l>— - __ ^_^ 22X MX 30X _^^ -J J _ . 12X l(X 20X 24X 2tX 32 X Tha copy filmad har* ha* baan raproducad thanka to tha ganaroaitv of: Library of tha National Archival of Canada L'axamplaira film* fut raprodult grica k la gtniroaitt da: La bibliothiqua dat Archival nationaiat du Canada Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha bast qualHy poaalbia eonaldaring tha condition and laglblllty of tha original copy and In kaaplng with tha filming contract ipadfleationa. Original eoplaa In printad papor eovara ara fUmad baglnning with tlM frant eovar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or llluatratad impraa- tion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original eopiaa ara filmad baglnning on tha f lr«t paga with a printad or llluatratad Impraa- alon, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or iiluatratad impraaaton. Laa Imagai suivantat ont ttt raproduitai avac la plua grand lOin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da l'axamplaira film*, at an conformM avac laa conditioni du eontrat da flimaga. Laa axampiairaa origlnaux dont la eouvartura an papiar aat imprimia aont fllmta an commanpant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant lolt par la darnitra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraaaion ou d'iiiuatratlon. aoit par la lacond plat, aaion ia caa. Toua laa autraa axampiairaa origlnaux aont fllmte an commandant par la pramiira paga qui comporta una anprainta d'Impraaaion ou d'illuatratlon at an tarminant par la darnitra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha laat racordad frama on aach micrcfleha ahaii contain tha aymbol —»■ (maaninn "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whiehavar appiias. Un daa aymbolaa auivanta apparaltra lur la darnitra imaga da chaqua microficha, talon la caa: la tymbola —m- tignlfia "A SUIVRE", la aymboia ▼ aignifia "FIN". Mapa. plataa. chart*, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratloa. Thoaa too larga to ba amiraiy includad In ona axpoaura ara filmad baglnning In tha uppar laft hand comar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raqulrad. Tha following diagrams iiluatrata tha mathod: Laa cartas, pianchas, tablaaux, ate. pauvant ttra flimte i daa taux da reduction difftrantt. Loraqua la documant aat trap grand pour ttra raprodult an un saui cllcht. II ast fllmt t partir da I'angla suptriaur gaucha. da gaucha i droita. at da haut an baa. an pranant la nombra d'Imagaa ntcaaaaira. Laa diagrammas tuivants Hluatrant ia mtthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MItaOCOW RESOIUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ^ -^PPLED IIVt^GE In 1653 Eost Main Street Rochester, New York 14609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 - 5989 -- FoK I ^^I^^yg^^gp^; :! :; The Ontario Liquor Act. i: ■«■ H SERTUTON * raSACHBD IN ;| (St. JlttiwtD'0 (Ehurch, dDttatoa, j: i I SUNDAY EVENING, NOV. 23rd, 1902, < ■ REV. W. T. HERRIDGE, D.D. PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. I m^M^. The Ontario Liquor Act. * M SER7WVON » PREACHED IN an unfortunate slate ot a fairs for which public men cannot be held as wholly responsible. Vet it is sometimes dillicult to tell whether ;i measure looking,' towards any reform comes to ;he birth from hiyh moral con- siderations, or simply at the dictates of mere political expediency. Instances are not unknown ol a considerable divergence between pre-election promises and post-election performances. And therefore, you cannot wonder that many person.s not quite msane, are not prepared to view a poli- tical deliverance in the same lii,'ht as an oracle Ironi heaven. It is one thing to oppose popular sentiment in the interests of a high cause, and quite another to wait and see which way the wind blows before trimming the sails to catch il. And then, again, assuming that the present Act, though not beyond criticism, is on the whole an excellent one, a good nany who are interested in the cause of temperance doubt whether there is a reasonable prospect of enforcing it. On this point, past experience has not been particularly ,7 ::^i: w reassurmg. 0„ ,he principle of choosin;; ,|,e least o two cv.Is, the Scotl Act and others of kindred nature have hcen in .several cases repealed because ,t was found that their constant vioh,tion led to K'realer evils than under a svsten, of licenses Every tair observer is ohli^^cd to admit that', so far, at least, local prohibition has not succeeded in prohibmnfT, ,.„,j , hat some of the most p.ahelic types ot drunkenness are .0 he seen in districts Where the sale of liquor is ille^jal. Of course, the fact that laws are broken is no sufticient ar^^ument in itself for ke.pl,,,. ,he,n out o the statute-book. The verv existence of (ormal laws presupposes an impeilect stale of thm^'s, and they would be no lon-er needed if everyone knew how to use his liberty. I!ul while laws may be broken in some cases, i't is quite clear that the great bulk of public sentiment must be in their favour or they could never be enforced at all hor example, the opinion that theft is a crime is general amongst us ; and while some men steal m such awkward ways as to come under the clutch ot the law, most people think that thev deserve whatever punishment is administered 'to them Now, if something like the same opinion exists in regard to the saie or consumption of intoxicatin- liquors, there will be little dillkukv in enforcini^ the most stringent laws. But, if i't does not en"- forcement w.li be impossible ; and a law con- stantly and flagrantly ignored is worse than no law at all. It remains to be seen what is the real strength of Canadian feeling on this subiect • but m the meantime, any doubt in regard to it' may restrain the ardour of some of the very persons who most desire to see sobriety prevail amonest us. And then, again, there are divergent views on the precise scope of legislation on this matter. Of course there are those who have obvious reasons for resisting the passage of this Act or any other like it. But many whose own temper- ance cannot be called in question, and who are eager to serve the best interests of their fellows are not inclined to put undue emphasis on legal enactments. Everyone is agreed that legislation cannot cover the whole field of iniquity. A man may have a legal right to do what is morally wrong provided he inflicts no injury on others of which legal cognisance can be taken. We can- not legislate men out of atheism or avarice or hypocrisy Distinction must be made between crime and vice, and while we trust to the machin- ery of the State to check the one, we have to look in other directions for the overthrow of the other. This ,s a world of moral trial, no matter where you live, or under what conditions ; and therefore we must allow without prejudice any fair debate as to the function of law in the premises. Some wi think that Its interference should be almost unlimited. Others will think that since legX tion IS not intended to put an end to the heroism ot personal discipline, it should be exercised with a wise moderation, and only when there is a direct menace to the general safety. Now. what- ever we may think, let us at least be fair enougl. to acknowledge that those who diflFer from us may be as honest and sincere as we are. I It seems to me that more charity and less denunciation is needed in dealing with this subject. 1 wish to enter a protest against the wholesale abuse of the advocates of total abstinance and prohibition by those who take another view No doubt there are intemperate men among the Champions of temperance, but one gets tired of hearing that said so often. No doubt there are fanatics among them, but so there are everywhere. 1 he worth of a cause is to be estimated not by the worst but by the best exponents of it ; and it will be at once more rational and more Christian to ^ive up the cheap and easy habit of adverse critic- ism, and try to find out the elements of permanent value in the work of every man. On the other hand, I think there is some room for the growth of charity on the side of pro- hibitionists and total abstainers. The fact that one never drank a glass of wine in all his life scarcely entitles him to harsh judgments upon those who have. If he thinks it a sin, he ought to abstain. If he discovers a tendency to excess in that direction, he ought to abstain. If his free- dom hurts a weaker brother, he ought to abstain. «ut he has no -ight to make his conscience a rule tor everybody, nor to refuse alliance with those who, while differi'.g from him in some particulars may be just as true exponents of temperance as he IS, and just as eager to stamp out the ruinous ettects of intemperance from our beloved land Desiring as I do to bring this whole matter before you in a frank and straight-forward way, and believing that the cause of truth is never f 8 served by concealments or exae-cerafmnc r u mentioned some thinf^s which to s-"^' ^'"' may account for the fact th>f' n. ^. ^"'^"f' profoundly stirred on the s b> oVthe" Refrre"nd =" as we m L'ht ivi^h th * . ^ , " , '•"® ■^^'erendum practical .^ttfo^retll ^^wt ^haut' ''' vote on December 4th » ThTr^ L I •°"'' motives in the prese'ntatioj of thri-t t;,"' mav be d fficultip^ i„ fU r '-'^- There ma> evenbe doub? n"'""''"''^^''- There the hp.r r '*'""^ "imds whether it is r'";'-ii"i ;f-"^S;.T£^ measureofDersonal h V , •' reasonable with on i°s merits ii\'- '"" 1' '" '° ''^ ^ealt and not sim nll t.L f"^^ f- "'°'-"' ^^f^^"^' the bar-room Most of"!'' "'"'-l^u' ""''^'^ "P''" /^ admit that we have too Lan^ k"^ ^' ^''^^"^^'^ '° ' the absurd and bane 'ul'^^-" '■°'""'' ^"'' '^'^^ keep themiing ManvTt"^ system helps to ward career'has begun tTe.e^^H? """i' ''°""- no great desire for^.quor but h^ th"Y ^u^' ^""^ stand in with the others and t.V v ^^ """'' spending money though his heithmdh '"'^" '" SO with it. I can beliJl ,t . happ,„e:is keepers would >ike to'^'r:ngai'e;'';ra"b"'tr- busmess ; for 1' m.,i,„. r. 1 ^ ■'?^ " " better man's calling is w', J'" \''''^''^"" '^^^ - himself so Ion- as h ...kl ''^'^^"""t respect '""» as n. "takes part m it. The bar- ? munity for which the?.- ^^'^^" °" "'« '^'>"'- It opens the door to nth.Vf working power, into fragments the oelJ '""^P'«t'°"'*- it shatters to an 4,-.;; 'nd^^f^h^ontX'ar O ^'^ of wives over hushinrir k ^'' Promise, and quenched L the Jum' r°'f T'^ '°"^ ^^'^ ^een invade the so, t J "^T^tf f °' ' '^ ^^ -"^ and take the testimonv of tL ''^1f^'^'"8^ ^°"1. have been squandered whSre he'Srh'^^T^^ broken, whose bright;st hopes a e fled' " forever, we should need no nft„ ^ """y Christian t,.ci,X-r'-,-^|^-Han of De!.rbtr trote inTe* 'J"''"' °" '"^ ^--"^ he ..lad to he"arr."!!:-^ T.f '■-■-"ULiiha'. .an,U,..,e. 1 „,„e no ...andate to ^ fe g All I ^tt:r. t^ Z^'Zt^^y-TP' ^' -'"'^ remembering that vorare r. u? '" "^^'' fellows, and'respons^bl" tTyo^r^'G^od'"^ '° '""' and m; p™« t^aVd^rf '"''"'^ '" '"" ""^ ""'^ Church ^.c I rt u ^ '^^''' '^"'■''s more. The it^inllliduat;^ S. :/?Lf-;"^' ^-edom fo^ upon to acceot anv 1»^-^ f- necessarily called -r lO and enforce everywhere the principles of that blessed Gospel which is able to make us wise unto salvation. I earnestly appeal to each one of you, and especially to young men, to learn the grandeur of self-control, for that is the real meaning of the word ' 'temperance. " Companions, social usages, liquor sellers, may have their share of blame if you depart from the paths of sobriety. But, after all, you are mainly responsible for keeping in sub- jection your baser appetites. No laws of any kind will remove from earth the stern need of personal discipline. Even if we close the saloons, we shall have to see to it that fashionable customs have less "whiskey and soda" in them, and that not only men but women are delivered from the awful perils of social debauchery. The poor drunkard is the last result of a course of gradual degradation. He is not made all at once He does not dream of ever going to excess when he begins his dalliance with the intoxicating bowl. Little by little the appetite grows, the will is en- feebled, the conscience is depraved, the finer am- bitions overthrown, until alas ! alas ! he is led captive by the devil at his will. O how shall this be cured, this deep-seated weakness in presence of which human laws have proved their insufficiency? Outward restraints ma> be of some service. The wise physician may find something to do. The patient friend may bring his stores of counsel and sympathy. But if we want to triumph over all that is evil, we must seek the aid of the Strong One, wV 3 alone is able to subjugate our lower passions so that they shall not have dominion over us. It is the mission of the Lord Christ not only to make us "safe" in the future, but to teach us how to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Whoever else has left us, He remains. Whoever else has lost hope. He still believes to the utter- most. Whoever else has ceased to care. His love endures forever. Because He answers the cry of the groaning spirit, and unites our human need to His Divine sufficiency, therefore He is the supreme Deliverer from the vice ot intemperance and every other kind of evil, translating us out of the bondage of sin into the glorious freedom of the children of God. TAYLOR ft CLARKE PRINT.