The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-12-29 00:00:00

QUARTERLY TEMPERANCE MEETING.

MR. NEwNAY'S LETTER.
(Coati...led frost our iaol.)

Aaotbev pond of same importune is is eeferenee to
enquirers into, and opposers to temperance principles.
Mule often bas it limo my billies expesimica Soleness.
enquirers put doer. aimost by Mute Nine al a terve.
, ranee meeting for limply asking a plain que.etiou upon
what laid been advanced. And p posers .03 often tented
with contempt as something beneath one's notice. As
soon as an enquirer speaks, if only to ask the simplest
question, he is often gr,eted with "turn him out." My
friends this sort of conduct is not becoming earnest,
christiiin men who are, or profess to be, seeking the tem-
poral well-bcing of their fellowmen, said who should
always is. anxious to encourage the free inquiry into ab-
stinence principles. If a lecturer or an advocate is not
prepared to answer any queatiou bearing upon the subject
in hand, it is a proof that he has not mastered that upon
which lii stands up to miligliten his fellow-men. Wo
should be prepared ti answer any question bearing upon
the subject, in order to make mere clear and render more
intelligent if necessary, the matter under consideration.
In reference to opposers or cavillers, we must "boar and
forboar and always treat them with kindness and show
them respect whilst we manifest sympithy for their
shortcomings. We must chew as public benefactors and
christian men that we are as far 114 possible "void of
offence" in our dealings with the world, and in our endea-
vours to spread the principles amongst those with whom
we come in contact. . . . .

„ .-----
Exaggeration la another evil to be deplored in our en.
desvours to disseminate our principle,. Ido not my this
is • general custom amongo, our advocates ; nor mu I
prepared to say that it is not used by some of ear best
lecturers, awl this fact is to be more deplored as their
spheres of action aro more extensive. The it... 0 Las
tUluk, .I.on .0 must content ourselves with
naked truths, without any colouring whatever. Judge
in one of his works, pictures out a men who
did • thriving and very successful trade by highly varnish-
ing his goods exposed for sale, and thus deceived his psi.
chmers ; but we opposed to such deceptive examples must
La content to speak of facts as we And, and describe as
we read. Truth must ultimately triumph in every branch
of science and revelation, and those will ultimately ob-
tain the thanks and grateful reeollcctions of thew fellow-
asan
who narrate their events and describe their scenes
with an unfaltering vermity.
The last point of this first division of my subject is,
perhaps, the most important one. It him often been
brought before my notice that advocates of temperance
betray a want of reverence when introducing texts from
the sacred volume, and that texts are often quoted which
have no direct bearing upon the subject under discussion.
This fact tends to strengthen Me belief in the molds of
many, both in the ranks of the educated and LIOLI-L-41(1.
eStcd, that temperance advocates refer to the acriptures
for support and substantiation pretty much in the MUNI
light sod almost upon equal footing as they do refer to
other books to which they make reference; and this want
of reverence for God's word has often led the ministers
—not only of the estab:ished. but of other sections of
Use chnrcii—to look with suspicion upon the ad SYMMS,
and to treat with cosiness ii not indi&ronee the mese
Thiel it becomes them, as chriatian men, earnestly to
support. Hence many useful helpers stand aloof, who,
under snore favourable eireurnatancee, would be arrayed
under the same banner, It becomes MI therefore to
handle carefully, to refer With reverence, and to quote
with exactness every walk's of Uoil'a word; nor mer
ought we refer to it without previous thought and careful
preparation. The msjority, I think, who attend our
lecture rooms belong to some religious body, and are
generally the more serious slid thinking portions of our
congregatious—people who love the sacred Oracles and
know something ,if their import, and therefore it Lehoves
us to be the more careful in the use of that Book. Ilut
above all, as CbriStitla men who study the welfare of our
race, and who are in some instances lamp-bearers to that
1-elision which proclaims ” Peace on earth, and good-will
towards men," we are bound to sets noble example, not
only of self-denial, bat of faith in principles which have
for their object the moral, intellectual, and physics'
well-being of the degraded thousands of. our brethren. .
- .

Up,in the second division of my subject I would re-
mark, in the first place, that it is desirable that improve-
ments and additions disseminating of temperance prin•
elides should be made in, and to the machinery employed
for that pm pme. lu speaking upon this division of my
sulijoct, I wisli it to be distinctly understood that I do
not wish for one moment to disparage the carnestefforts
of ninny of our mint And presdit advocates ; nor to under
value the good that has been effected through their Well. '
directed ell irta during a period of nearly twenty years.
But no eiliteation advances, and rapid strides aro being
made to improve the machinery for carrying on the liter-
ary institutions of our country, it has become of pars- '
mount importance that something should also be done by
way of improving our own speakers, and of extending the ;
benefits of the temperance Call., in order to keep pace
with the rapid strides now making for the moral, social, 1,
anti intellectual elevation of the masses. The number
of our optisers is yearly decreasing, and few perhaps now
will deny that the temperance cause claims the right to
be considered one of the most important institutions of
this country ; especially if we judge of the result which '1
this cause is calculated to effect in all classes of the cum.
mainly. Rieh and poor—learned and unlearned, are all I
equally concerned, and to meet these several cases and
emits it required that the advocates of temperance should I
he mess of large aperient*, intellectual worth, and darts-
tian piety. All these are Necessary qualifications. The
speaker should be like a clever and successful physician. ,
Ile should he able after muck study and careful thought
to compound his materiels, arrange the dose as to guar,
tity and qu:slity, and *en to present it io the most fasci-
nating form possible, So as to effect • mire or reformation
as speedily as possible without producing any counteract.
lag injurious conscquoneee, or loss of reputation. To ilo
this mid to render oar services valuable and effective, we
must never firget ir/ make careful preparation for our en -
gsgementi. This will require some stimulioe at oar
, hands, careful selection of the niaterials used, and some
thought as to the class of people we aro likely to meet.
-Then to present the subject is • suitable manner will
require sow* eluvial arrangement. I hare Olen bees
struck with that remarkable saying of David, "Shall I
offer unto Clod that Which cost we nothing?" Nu, iny
friends, we cannot erpect atioceesful result. to fellow/our
laboare where no suitable gireperstion has ben nada,
anal no definite subject clso•eit the hour before address-
ing the meeting. Many dwell upon experience and acci-
dental local circumstances op no which to enlarge before
their audiences, but thia is • very questionable mode of
pros..-dare, and will not only last but for a short time bet
tend to this our attendances and bring the subject of
temperance into disrepute. To render a. speaker's ser-
vices effective and his labours acceptable he must be pre-
pared to give the anblect careful study, to make hims.ilf
acquainted with the various arganients used, and I y •
aelbstorid mind he most be prepared not simply to meet
anti answer qnestiona, but successfully to overturn any
Arguments that may be brought forward in favour of
rnodentta and other drinking cnstoins of the country.
Co do so he must take advantage if every opportunity of
replenishing his mind with fresh matter, and storing new
saateriats for fature effurts. To curry out this plau—the
only successful plao—will require in the first place op.
portanities 1, self-culture, and in the isecouil place good
test b.wks of solid and interesting character, upon every
branch of Vie Winders..., question.
Under the first of these heads —opportunities for elf.
culture—l w.mld suggeot the propriety of holding weekly
inn-tinge, to be held in the most central leeality, and
,nost accessible to the majority of the friend, At these
vreckly meetings an address, or rather an outline of one
should be given by some speaker chosenspecially for tho