The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-05-04 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL TEMPERANCE
LEAGUE.

The annual meeting of the above society was held in
London on Mondly evening in Exeter-hall. Mr. George
Williams preside,i, supported by the Bishop of Gloucester,
the Hon. W. Collins, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Mr. A.
M. Sullivan, M.P., Mr. H. N Bernrose, Mayor of Derby, the
Rev. Dr. It. Maguire, Mr. Robert Rae, secretary. &c.

-
The report, an abstract of which was read by the ,
secretary, referred to the temperance history of the
year as having been marked by many indications of
continued and enduring progress. Public sentiment,
as represented by the Press, and through numerous
representative assemblies of a national or sectional
character, was believed to be undergoing a remark-
able change, and the once despised remedy of total
abstinence was undoubtedly rising in public favour.
Medical men, Christian teachers, statesmen, literary
men, railway managers, and many in highly influen-
tial quarters were testifying that they can discharge
their onerous duties with greater ease when they ab-
stain from alcohol. The great "social difficulty"
which preventeo so many from joining their ranks had
been practically solved by the Lord Provost of Glasgow
and at least half-a-dozen English mayors, who are
daily fulfilling the social. obligations attaching to their
high official positions without giving any countenance
whatever to the drinking customs which have hitherto
been regarded as an essential element of civie hospi-
tality. The interest taken in the temperance cause
' by those who are practically engaged in superintend-
ing the education of the young had been greatly ex—
tended and developed during the past year.
Reference was made to the introduction of timpe-
ranee teaching into the ordinary curriculum of public
elementary schools. The "Temperance Lesson-book,"
prepared by Dr. Richardson, had received at once the
unhesitating sanction of the School Board for London,
and provincial School Boards, both in England and
Seetland, had followed London in this respect. It
was stated that the temperance moveinent is making
remarkable progress in the medical profession, and the
appeintment last year of a Committee of the House of
Lords to inquire into the prevalence of habits of in-
temperance and into the manner in which those habits
have been affected by recent legislation and other
causes, was regarded as a significant proof of the
widespread ieteteet now ielt in the temperance
question.
The temperance work both in the Army and Navy
was still attended with a fair measure of success. The
latest returns from India showed that the Soldiers'
Total Abstinence Association, under the superin-
tendence of the Rev, J. G. Grigson, had !tow a
membership of 9,740 men, beeides 918 women and
children, and it was worthy of note that the Govern-
ment of India had sanctioned a grant of 150 rupees
per month in -upport of the society. The committee
felt greatly indebted to Miss Weston fur her pains-

taking efforts to sustain and extend the promising
temperance work now forming so remarkable a feature
in the social life of the Royal Navy. The Bands of
Hope established on the training ships Arethusa,
Chichester, and Exmouth were flourishing, and the
Greenwich-road hospital schools had enrolled 4,278
members during their r,even yoars' history. The total
income of the year Irtd been £4,562 15s. 74., including
£3,469 16s. 6d. in subscriptions and donations, being
£750 more than in any preceding year.
In conclusion the report stated that arrangements
had been made with Mr. J. B. Gough for the delivery of
a series of orations in London and the larger provincial
towns in September and October next. The chairman.
referring to the great and acknowledged evil of in-
temperance, said that recent statistics had shown that
there were 60,000 drunkards in the United Kingdom,
and that on an average 60,000 went annually to pre-
mature graves.
The Bishop of Gloucester congratulated the meeting
upon the great advance which the temperance cause
had made even within the last year or two. So
remarkable had this been that it had attracted the
notice of those not generally favourable to the move-
ment.

The Lord Provo,t of Glasgow Mr. W. Collins,
expressed the pleasure it afforded him to see the clergy
of the Church of England coming so vigorously to the
front, and that the Churches generally were awaken-
ing to a sense of their duty and trying to remove this
stumblingblock to the nation's true greatness and
prosperity. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought
the proceedings to a close.