The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-02-28 00:00:00

torresponbence.

" THE BLUE RIBBON AR VY."

To At Editor.

Sir.-1 saw in your last isms, • long ciminentary on the
proceedings of the Blue Ribbon Army by some one who
styles himeelf "Visator. I wish, by your permission, to
Zpeek • word in the defence of tne princile,_ both of the
loapel and temperance I see that Mr. it. T. Booth has
the credit of being the founder of the Blue Ribbon
Army; but I always understood it was Kr. linrphy, who
is labouring ag in another part of t country. "Visitor "
sail Mr. Broth desires to bring about another deluge; but
I think his desires ire realised from the ftsures shown.
211,000 Meares are surely encouraging, and Mr. Booth
may well sey we are sum of victory. Mr. Booth is now
seeing the Divine promse I ulSll.d in his experience
and when we know MU criminal classes are on the,
leCreSee, our paupers are ever becoming IllOve 111101ereel,
upwards of one million and • quarter are now
supported by the poor ragmen, ot this number
probably 1,000,000 are palms through drink. In addition
to these, 20,000 weigh Aida tramp the country preying
on the feelings of brnevolent oli ladies, and drinking
away their charity at the first pubitcheuse ; nine-tenths
the 40,000 prisoiters now in our gaols,according to otirj ads*,
(who ought to know), are incarcerated through drink, and
upwards of 20,100 policemen are daily employed as
publicans' porters—carrying home the finiehed arlst or
may to quell distarlanoes occasioned by drink. Vi,lloo
inquests are held annually ;at 91.000 of hese at least toe
verdict should be" poisoned by ale itml."
Dr. Norman Kerr stated at the Sc ial Sedate Congress
recently held, that 129.000 persons die annually sictiuselof
strong drink, and 001,01.1 J reeling home night after night
to blast ant wither the homes and Iri:chfree a their
familia. Are not these national stain gleaned from
official documents, enough to roues the indignation of
every true patriot in our land I Are they not sufficient
to Sr. the sal and kindle the enthusiasm of not only of
Mr. R. T. Beitti„ but I rr Coristino man and woman
who daily prays 'Thy kintdom come; Thy will be done
on earth, as It is in haven.
" Viaitoe wants to know where there is a man
who is moved by • Christian motive, and not the
mare degire to save Vie isbiur of his hands at the
expense of hia jaws. Well, if Ill' had given himself
the slightest trouble, surely he would have been ac-
quainted with the fact that thousands of red
Christi in devoted men and women go forth every Sunday
ts preach the Gospel, who work all the week into their
head, and who have not the slightest prospect of ewer
relieving their hands by the cleverness a their heats,
tongues, or their pens. I detest cent or hypocrisy as
muck as he; but who shall say fiat those I have referred
to, or any of those whom " Visitor" hag referred to, are
hypocntea It is quite possible that when " Visitor"
becomes converted he may find there is in him as mach •
tendency to hypocrisy as in anyone else. I have no
Plaid= with a man who whines about hypocrites when we
know from the word of God bin own heart is deceitful
above all things arid desperately wicket, who can know
it " Viai tor" asked the qaestion—" lithe enlistment of
the little street Arabs a triumph!' 1 should think it is,
for their rule are of as much value as those of riper rears,
and faith comes to • child's heart by hearing Jost as
strongly as it does to the adult's, and. in 4:occlusion. I
would ay to "Visitor—" If you can't help to roll the
old curios slag, pleas doe't hang on
(Signed) TissiCros.