Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1882-02-10 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

UNITED TEMPERANCE MISSION.  The temperance missi n week in Weymouth, inaugurated by the Thrust County Temperanee Association, secretary Rev. F. Vaughan, Broadwinsor, and Mr. W. C. Holmwood bein; hon. sec. to the mission, was commenced on Sunday by sermons being preached in varims placas of worship as follows :—St. Mary's Church, by Rev. Canon Stephenson, M.A.; St. John's Church, by Rev. J. Hubert Sctt, M.A.; Christ Church, at :3 (to men only) and 6.30 p.m., by Rev. C. M. Owen, M.A.; Maiden.street Wesleyan Chapel, by Rev. W. Andrews ; Gio'ster-stre.t Congregatimal Chapel, by Rev. J. Ogle (Sherborne); Hope Congregational Chapel, by Rev. W. Lewis; Baptist Chapel, by Rev. J. W.Kirtan (London); Primitive Methodist Chapel, by Rev. W. L. Taylor. In the afternoon a large gathering of 3rinday Scholars, Including the Wesleyan, Glo'ster, Bank, and Hope Schools, gathered at the Maiden•street Chapel, wh.ch was wal filled, and the Rev. J. W. Kirton delivered an address from John x., 10 -" The thief cometh nor, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am crone that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The speaker considered that intoxicating drink is one of the thieves that Come to steal, kill, and destroy. Shakespeare said— " Oh, thou invisible spirit of wine If! can. call thee by no other name, I'll call thee  Devil." And the speaker showed it came to kill from the fact that in his insurance society the life of teetotalers was found to be 20 per cent, longer than that of even careful, steady, serpents) le moderate drinkers. In 1836, the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine said—" It is our settled oonviction that this sin of intemperance has destroyed more souls than the minister, of the Gospel In Great Britain are instrumental in saving." That was true then, and it is true now. Jesus Christ's religion is designed to make people good and'happy ; the temperance m .vement has made thousands of homes happy, while on the other hand intoxicating drink brings ruin and death. A Band of Hope boy in a northern city had kept from drink for 21 years, yet wee induced by the taunts of his companions to drink, • quarrel followed, and when he was istordsated he stabbed a companion to the heart, sad was esotosoed to die for the murder. Mr. Buxton had said "The litru6dle between the school, the library, and , the  church, against the gin shop and the beer shop, is one development of the war between heaven anti hell." Some people were very much annoyed at enthusiasm for teetotalism; but it reminded him of a boy who was shouting, while selling a paper containing the account of a northern victory, "Hurrah for Lincoln and the Northern Army." A. southern sympathiser said "Why shout for them; you might better shout for the Devil." Said the boy "You shout for your governor, and I'll shout for mine." A gaol chaplain told him that if it were not for drink, where they now had ten prisoners, they wouldn't have two. In con. elusion the lecturer said 20,000 people in one city had become teetotalers through the temperance mission, in Bristol largo numbers had joined, and he hoped it would be so in Weymouth; they w uld have brighter and happier homes, God would be glorified, and souls saved.