The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-11-27 00:00:00

GREAT TEMPERANCE MEETING.

On Wednesday at terneon • short service wee held
in St. John's Oboroo, when the Rev. Prebendary
Grier (Veen:: of kiiiireisy), gave • powerful address
upon temperance. At eight o'clock a 'Kibbe meet-
ing of the friends and supporters of Teasperence
Work was held in Bt. Mary's Prohoolroorn, which
was crowded with people—ne Bev. Canoe litephen-
son essayed the ohair, and WWI supported by the Rev.
Pr•baodArl Grier, Mr. T. W. eicowig, Bev. W. S.
Sattlewortli„ Nev. 'r. 8011-Sella, Maio Gollop, and
hit. W. 0. T. Holmwood.
The Ottateette all be had received a letter from I
the rector of that pariah, the Bev. J. IL fitaat, wishing
to express his regret, bemuse of his absence from that
meeting that night • he wee exceedingly sorry he was
nub's to be with them, as hew.. obuged to be else-
weer', and therefore he wished him to say bow glad he
would have been to be there, and how earnestly he
desired God's blessing would ret upon their work that
night. He was witty that he Wa4 absent, because if
be had been there that night he would be occupying
the chair Wetted of him (the speaker), and be would
be able to listen in 'deuce. He might say he bad eo
little voice that night he did not know how to
speak, as he was solleriog from a severe cold.
Nothing but • sense of duty would have brought him
there • be felt be ourht to be present on that occasion,
when ibis good work was being dealt with in this town
of Weymouth, and when they had got their frauds
°amine from • diet ono* to speak to them with power
and interest. He was extremely glad to sore such a
good attendance that night; he know it would cheer
their speakers. His good friend Prebendary Grier
was unwell, but he hoped that when he looked upon
their cheerful feats Isla illness would depart, and he
hoped the meeting would ours his illness and
strengthen him for his great meeting at Brighton on
the following night. Sometimes they beard it said
that there was • re-action taking place with regard to
teetotalism, and that temperance work was not
advancing in the same way as it did. Some time ago
be saw an artkis in the Pieta in which this was said.
but on examination he found it was written by •
wipe and spirit merchant, who was in reality edvertic.
leg the sale of sherry wine and port, at 4e. 64. •
bottle. He also referred to • letter he had seen In
the local press signed "Anti-fanatic," in which an
extract from a medical journal states that the two beet
drinks people :could have were beer made
from pure malt and hops, which would
have to be taken In 'Avocet impossible quantities before
it would produce intoxication, and the other one
' water, the bed of all drinks, and they had the beet of
water in Weymouth. He was afraid that beer which
would require almost impossible quantities before in-
toxicating, was not to be obtained in any pobliohoose
in Weymouth or the country' He wee delighted to
hear of another thing which bed taken place in Wey-
mouth, Hemuat speak of It; he did not know the
man, but be saw in the police reports that a man.
quite a stranger to him, stood up boldly in the polka-
court, before the Mayor, magistrates, and landlord of
the publlehouse, and gave a report of the way that
=r
oues was carried on—in a straightforward and
manner. They wanted such people se those.
He oouldn't for one momerie believe that really good
men would hold aloof from this movement; be wanted
to gee the Christian people of this country waking
up to do their duty in that noble work of Goi. lie
firmly believed the Christian men and women of this
country meant t stink to this noble work, and, with
the help of God, they would gain the viotory. (Ap-
plause.)
Rev. Prebendary Gain said if he hadn't been balked
upon their good friend Dr. Moorhead he was afraid
he should not have been with them that night. How.
ever, he did not wish them to think he wee ill through
teetotalism. It was quite true that teetotallers had
Ulnas, but not because they were tart Antlers. At the
same time he was quite sure that the ailment. frost
which they suffered were fewer than the raiment" from
which other people suffered. The rev. gestleman then
went on to speak of the remarkable superstition
English people held with regard to this m resilient, sad
especially teetotaller,' Weems., and be mentioned
several instances which had come under his Immediate
notice, although they might depend upon it that if
they did not take atr no drink they would be much
better and stronger than those who did. Lord Derby
had said that nonsoesesry war was • crime, and Mr.
Gladstone had said that the common use of alcohol
Joe geed upon this country all the horrors that war,
pestilence, and (amiss inflicted upon other countries.
He did not say that it wee • crime to drink alcohol,
but he oouldn't hole thinking that if war was a crime,
and the use of alcohol produced the segue horrors as
war, that it was not • right thing to take alcohol. It
was a grand cease, founded on good principles, and he
was quite sure in time they would bring people to
temperance. He impreered upon them es citizens they
ought t take that Bill which had gone through the homes
three times with ever increasing numbers on their si ie,
and not be put aside for other meesurea He was
pleased to see so large an assembly that evening
especially of working men of that tom, because
this was especially a working mane question. The
gentleman may drink himself to cleats, but he has
moans Ii fall back upon; but will the working man?
His health and strength ii his capltel, therefore, al
working men, he earne-t'y exh iruid them to ctme
forward and Join th it ranks, au I not only be total
antigens themselves, but to do their beet to get others
to be total abstainers, also sloes this work had been
going on there had been numbers of persons
become total abstainer', who did aothlng but keep from
strong drink, but never came forward to help others
to do the same. fie knew they felt that the platform
and speaking and so on was not exactly theirsyhere, but
let than remsrateer that it wee working mea who
carried on the first temperance societies that were
format]. an,l b 1 that. I.l>our. Ise beausks a oial
abstainer. The rev, gentlemen then concluded an
ieteresting ad Irene with • few words of exhortation to
those present.
tie T. W. Gwyn, who is about to leave England
on a lecturing tour in the 0 donies, next addresed the
meeting in • humorous bat withal Impressive aide's*,
in which be den ,unrei the liquor traffic in strong
terms, sod exhorted those present who had tam the
blue ribb in to stick to their odours, and those who had
sot joined the movement to do en.
The meeting soon after concluded.