The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-01
Rev. R. H. McKim on Temperance.

hev. Randolph McKim, D. D., of Holy Trim
" Church, Harlem, New York, delivered q
address on the organization and work OF tn
Church Of England Temperance Society i
Great Britain and its branch organization il
this countryside Temperance Aid Societ
of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
The Church OF England organization wa
first conceived 10 1S60,-'61, but it was til
voice ofa brave woman, Mrs. Wightman, VIII
gave it its greatest impetus in pamphle
written in 1869, entitled Haste to The Res
cue" The present organization took place il
February, 1873. at a meeting held at Lambeth
Place, presided over by the Arch Bishop o
Canterbury and participated in by the leading
ministers and bishops of the Church of En-
gland, the Queen subscribing as a member
The principles of the order are: 1st, No
total abstinence but temperance as the law o
the gospel. End, The grace Of God alone
sufficient to sustain. 3rd, The work to b.
done in the line Of the church organization
but independently of it. Each diocese ano
parish has its own society, so as to cover the
whole ground with missionary workers, not
only to gather IN the lost and save them but
to prevent drunkenness and the degradation
and demora lization resulting therefrom.
Finding the public houses largely increased
the society adopted the coffee house as means
to divert the increasing patronage of the drink
shops, making the coffee-houses bright and
attractive, and supplying good hot coffee and
plain meals at cheap rates. Local option has
been adopted in many sections and is increas
ing and Sunday closing law has been enact
ed for Wales, Ireland and Scotland, and
good prospect for similar law in England
There are 300 coffee-houses in London and Az
in Liverpool. These pay 10 per cent. on the
investments The Diocese of Manchester has
500 clergy, $50 of whom are total abstainers,
and has $50 temperance societies. There are 90
Deaneries which are visited by a secretary
who meets and speaks to the people in
the churches, in the mills and workshops and
distributes documents.
Rev. John Cough on a late visit to England,
noted q marvellous revolution in the social
habits of the people in % years. Whereas
then it was difficult to get rector to preside
over his meetings, now his meetings were
presided over by bishops and arch bishops of
the Church of England, who were anxious to
render any and every needed assistance. He
found $4,000 clergymen enlisted in the cause.
That great christian Bishop of Darham Can
non Farrar, and Dean Stanley, were total ad
stainers. There were 1000 900 total abstain
ers and 100000 drunkards in Great Britain
$50 years ago. Great Britain was not
drunken nation, but so alarming has been the
increase that the Great Britain Of to-day is a
drunken nation, and hence the great need Of
the society and its work.
On the 18th of March last the work in
America was organized on the plan of the
British Society, and Societies have been ogan-
lied in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylva.
MIA, Delaware. and North Carolina, presided
over by the Bishops of these States; and the
General Society is presided over by the ven
cradle Bishop Smith, of Kentucky the presid-
ing Bishop of the Church. The work of the
society in this country is similar to that of
the mother society in England, and while it
cannot as truly be said of America as of En-
gland, that it is a nation of drunkards, yet the
need for the work is truly as great. To
instance, we spend annually 700 millions in
drinks, one-sixth of the manufactures of the
country and an amount equal to the food pro-
duct of the entire country. New York has
10000 drink shops, one to every $50 inhabi
tants. 1t spends go millions in drinks. In four
years 5000 women have been sent to Black
wells Island for habitual drunkenness, and at
Five Points, in one day, between 10 a. M and |
5 p. M, l. 45 persons were counted going into
two saloons, one-half of whom were men and |
the other women and children 1t was a |
subject of congratulation that the interest in |
the subject of temperance was steadily in
creasing in the higher and more fashionable |
walks of life and it was hoped that soon the |
whole country would be fully alive to the i'm |
portance of active work in staying the tide of |
the River of Fire which is sweeping over the |
land blighting and destroying everything it |
touches. The entire address was very i'm |
pressive and furnished food for much thought,
from which we hope something practical may
result in this community
Mr.. Graham, of England, now connected
with the work in that country, will sail for
America in September and will in future act
rs Secretary for the Association in this coun-
try.
Below we give the Constitution of the
Society, which may be usefully appropriated: /
CONSTITUTION.
Whereas the drinking usages of society and the
excessive use ofintogicating drinks have to large
Law OF the Gospel, and imperatively demanded by
he Raptismal Vow; and, whereas 1t is the duty Of
,he church, in her normal capacity, to promote |
he principle Of Temperance by all proper means In
ner power, it is hereby resolved to adopt the follow
ng Constitution
Ndme.-This- Society shall be called THE Church
Temperance Society.
Objects.-Its objects are:
/. The promotion Of temperance.
II. The removal Of the causes Which Lead to intern
oerance. = ~ :"
III The reformation of the Incorporate.
BasiS-Recognizihg temperance as the law of the
Gospel, and total abstinence rule of expedten
y in certain cases. and fully and freely according
every man the right to decide In the exercise Of
lis Christian liberty whether or not he will ADOPT
aid rule, this Society lays down as the basis on
which 1t rests and from which its work shall be
conducted, union and cooperation ON equal terms
or the promotion Of temperance between those
Who use mode rately, and those who entirely alb
Means Supreme above ali others, We recognize
he GRACE Of God In and through our Lord Jesus
christ as the means by which the reform OF the in
emperate Is to be sought. Subject to, and depen-
lence on this, We would prosecute undertaking;
md we distinctly place all methods Of work and ali
xpedients Of reform In position of subord1nation
o the authority Of Christ and his church
We therefore recommend to the members Of tbis
ociety daily prayer for the Divine Blesslig upon
ur labOrS. < ~'''fs -
AS secondary means we adopt:
!. Systematic teaching on the physical social and
moral evils q intent erance by means Of sermons,
ectures, and the press.
with It,
III. Counter attractions. The promotion of coffee
ouses, worktngmens benefit societies and associ.
Ions, reading rooms, with social gathering for
as we'll as instruction, II
~. Total abstinence from all Intoxicating bever-
ges. NN". - u III
Oticers.-The Presiding Bishop Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church liz the United States shall be er-
Ecio Prasidentdf the Society If he is not able to
erve the office shall be filled by the next In order
seniority who may be- Wiling to serve,
The VIce.Presfdents shall be those Of the Bishops
tho are willing In this way to express sympathy
18th the objects Of the Society and those laymen
Tho shall be elected at the annual meeting Of the
octety.
There shall also be aSecretary and TyeasureH to |
% elected by the Executive Committee,
The Executive Committee or subcommittee there .
may appoint Annually, one or more secretaries to
districts ana episcopal Jurisdictions whore no Dto,
esan seciefy may be formed. These officers shall
Q known aa local secretaries. They shall be- em |
owered 70 nold public meetings within the district
ommtteo 70 tne1r charge, and shall interest them
elves 70 procure the delivery Of sermons and lee
roo n n Ga. @A~~p-