The Blackpool Herald. — 1881-11-04 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

GOOD TEMP LAKISM IN BLACKPOOL. Last night (Thursday), in connection with the "Gleam of Hope Lodge of Good Templars, a public tea meeting was held in Union Chapel, Blackpool. There was a large gathering, and the following ladies presided at the tables : Mrs. Dobson, Miss Oddie, Mrs. Moorhouse, .Miss Gleave, Mrs. Parker, Miss Thacking, Mrs. Butcher, Miss Bell, Mrs. Booth, Miss Garkett. At the after meeting, Mr. Thomas Ward, Arnold House, South Shore, presided, and was supported by the Rev. NV. Mallalieu, Mr. W. Brierley, Mr. James Moorhouse, Mr. A. Read, &c. The CHAIRMAN said, he was not a good templar, but for the most part of forty years he had been a good teetotaler. He signed the pledge when he was little more than twelve years old, and with slight exceptions—for which medical men were responsible —he had kept the pledge ever since.—(Hear, hear.) He had been told once or twice during his life by medical men, that intoxicating drink was necessary to restore him to perfect health, but his eixperience led him to the ultimate belief that, in his case at least, the doctors were a little wrong. Still, he admitted that there might be times when spirits might be necessary to assist in restoring persons to health. So far, however, as his personal experience was concerned, the notion that drink was useful in illness, was a delusion. He felt very much better at any time without drink- As a teetotaler for forty years, he had been thrown into different society, and at times perhaps, long since, he had the laugh turned against him when he declined to drink a toast in wine. But times had changed of recent years, and now any teetotaler who drank a toast in water was treated with no less respect than other people.—(Hear, hear.) A great change had also come over the opinions of medical men as to necessity of administering intoxicating liquor during illness, and is a beverage. While a goodly number of medical men expressed the opinion that the use of intoxicating drinks in nearly all cases was physically injurious—a very large large proportion of doctors declared that while a glass of beer taken with food at meal times might be harmless, yet anything more was positively injurious. Fow, if the people t xik no more drink than a moderate quantity at meal times, there would perhaps have been no need for temperance societies. But we all knew that moderation in many zases led to immoderate indulgence, and death and disaster was too frequently the result.—(Hear, hear.) Sir William Harcourt, speaking in Cumberland the other day, stated that nearly all the cases of murder in this country were the outcome of drink, and that a very large proportion of other crimes was owing to the same cause.—(Applause.) The Rev. NV. MALLALIEU said the great harm the moderate drinkers (lid was setting a bad example, and expressed the hope that soon all ministers of religion would throw their influence on the side of total abstinence from all intoxicating drink.—([{ear, hear.) Messrs. James Mo9rhouse and William Brierley also spoke. The following programme, given by the members and friends of the order, was gone through in the course of the evening : Song—" The Thorn" Mr. Adamson. Recitation (in the Lancashire Dialect) Master A. Laycock Song Miss Wade. Violin Solo Master J. Holden. Song—" Little Sisters gone to Sleep" Miss rollie Whittle Recitation—" The Curse of Drink "...Mr. Croker Song Miss Butcher. . Song—" Tom Bowling" Mr. Adamson. Accompanist—Miss Annie Smith. Linself  _ FLEETWOOD WESLEYAN MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT Socurrv. A meeting was held in the Wesleyan School-room on Wednesday evening last, for the purpose of arranging for the winter session of tie above class. There were about 40 perm ns present. The following appointments were made: —Rev. G. S. Daniels president, Mr. John Amer, vice president, Miss E. Cross. treasurer, Mr. John Richmond, precentor, and Mr. Fred Gibson, secretary. It was suggested that a meeting should be held on a Wednesday evening. This arrangement Will probably be accepted. The subject for next Wednesday evening is reading and recitations.  WESLEYAN SUNDAY Scrloot