Penarth Chronicle and District Advertiser

Notes and Comments. 'Ii' THE necessity for a temperance hall is being very sorely felt by the various societies in Penarth, and the leaders of the temperance cause feel this so Strongly that it is almost certain that steps will be I immediately taken for the securing of a sight which has been offered for the purpose. The members of the B. W.T.A. have passed a resolution pledging them- selves to do all in their power to further the work, the Good Templars ara also pledged to co-operate, and at the next meeting ot the Federation Committee the question, in all probability, will be fully discussed. It has been suggested by a few that the formation of a Company for the purpose would be the best means for the effectual carrying out of the scheme, but opinian is not at all unanimous on this point, and from observation and past experience, we are led to the belief that it would be better to accomplish the work by means of public subscriptions. This would give a new impetus to temperance work; enthusiasm would be aroused and should the hall yield a profit, all the societies would, Llo -in extent, reap the benefit. The establishment of the Total Abstinence Federation has forced this question upon the attention of all who take an active part in temperance work. for the simple reason that all being federated together, all are r, cl interested. It is impossible, at the present time, to carry on the work- of the Federation effectually, because there is no independent room for meetings available. Andrews' Lesser Hall is engaged on Wednesday nights by a dancing class, and the pro- prietors will not let the large hall for a permanency- thus the work is crippled. It is satisfactory to note that the various Nonconformist schoolrooms are avail- able, but a society established on unsectarian lines, needs an unsectarian place in which to meet. Tem- perance sentiment has not been so strong in Penarth for very many years, and now is the time when the long-cherished hope of many of our temperance warriors seems likely to be realised. With a strong pull, and a pull all together, the work will be effec- tually carried out. AT the Temperance meeting on Wednesday night, one of the speakers referred to the doing away with public houses. She did uot approve of the idea. but rather the ridding them of the drink Public houses she declared a necessity, where young men and others might assemble for social intercourse and recreation, and this opens up a very large and important matter, which will have to be looked in the face. and dealt 1 with in the near future: At the present time there is no such house in Penarth, neither, iudeed, a.re they to be found only in one or two of our large towna. We I grant that in Penarth there are houses in which young men congregate, but these are conducted more for the gain of the proprietors than for the good of those who meet togethei, or for the promotion of the Temperance cause, and it is an o-pen secret that in one or two of them things are-permitted which do not im prove the morals of those who are the frequenters. In days wb:cb are past we have been thieate»ed with legal proceedings because we have dared to make' such a (barge, although we have not located these houses, but such threats will never deter us from doiug I our duty. A certain class of the young men of our town are surrounded with temptations, and it behoves those who are the leaders of our Christian churches and Temperance societies to face the evils, and do all that can be done to lift up the fallen and save others from falling. We see many young men suffering from the leprosy of drunkenness; they are going on from bad to worse; each step they take carry them lower down the social scale. Are the temperance reformers of our town going to look upon them, like the Priest and Levite, of whom we read, and of whom Mrs Barney spoke, and then pass by on the other side ? The Total Abstinence Federation lifeboat has been launched. It will not be placed out of sight because it has no work-because thert are 110 lives to be rescued. There are hundreds in Penarth who are worse than shipwrecked. Drunkards' graves are being opened for their reception. To the rescue! Bend to your oars! Throw out the life-line ===== )

British Women's Temperance Association. MONSTRE MEETINGS IN ANDRE TO HALL. VISIT OF MRS BARNEY, OF AMERICA. TOUCHING OBJECT LESSON. We announced recently that with all sections of Temperance workers m Penarth, there appeared to be a revival, and that during the coming winter much aggressive work would be done. Meetings have been held in connection with the Good Templars, and the newly formed Total Abstinence Federation, but those of the past week, undet the auspices of the British Women's Temperance. Association, have been the most important and enthusiatic held in the town for many years. Our British Women are to be highly complimented. They pre energetic, self-denying,, -,in(] earnest in their work,and the President (Miss Tregelles) and the Secretary (Mrs Trow). are women who would do honour to any association. Quiet and unofficious, yet practical and thorough. It is to be regretted, however, that circumstances, over which Mips Tregelles has had no control, have called her from home, and precluded her attending the meetings this week In ofder to make the hall bright* and attractive, a number of ladies—Miss Hughes, Miss Morel, Miss Pyne, Miss.es Wheatley, Miss Frazer, Miss Chivers, Miss Railton, Miss Gibbs, and Misses Taylor, together with Mr Alfred Holman, Captain Kemp, and Captain Rumsey, undertook the decorations which were very effective. Flags of various nations were suspended round the room, the windows were curtained, the front of the platform was festooned with evergreens, white ribbon, &c., a number of beautiful pictures were hung on the walls, plants,, &c were arranged on the platform, and at the backof the orchestra was suspended the Society's bannerette, and the motto £ < For God and Home, and every lafld." At five o'clock about 120 invited guests assembled for tea. This part of the programme was heartily enjoyed, and the wants of the people were thoroughly looked after and studied by a band of earnest workers among whom were, Mrs Trow, Mrs Pike, Mrs Kemp, Mrs Pyne, Mrs Collett, Mrs Sims, Mrs Pickford, Mrs Nicholas, Mrs Wheatley, Mrs Hayter, Mrs Guppy, Mrs Bull, Miss Evans, Misses Taylor, Misses Wheatly, Miss Siderfin, Miss Jenkins, Miss Cornwell, Miss Nellie Cornwell, Miss Bishof, Miss Hurley, &c. Tea being over, the tables were speedily cleared, and the room re-arranged. During the interval, the friends united in singing a number of well known hymns. At 7.30, the Penarth and District Blue Ribbon Choir, conducted by Mr J. F. Pickford, ascended the platform. Each of the young ladies wore a blue bloube vitti a white sash, and the young mcn wore white rosettes. Miss Bleby (Poor Law Guardian), occupied the chair, and she was supported by Mrd Barney, Mrs Stalberg, Mrs Saunders, Mrs Sims, Mrs Kemp, Mrs Pike, Mrs Wheatley, Mrs Loveridge, Miss Allen, Miss Gibson, Rev, I 0 Stalberg, and Messrs WB Shepherd, C C., W Jones Thomas, A Holman, T Loveridge, and Percy Thomas. The platform with the blus-bloused young ladies, the ladies and gentlemen named, with the artistically arranged decorations, presented a very picturesque appearance. Before the hour for com- mencing the proceedings had arrived, the hall was packeÙ in every corner, many standing round the door?, and at the top of the balcony. T'ije meeting commenced with the singing of the 1 "Crusade hymn, the hymn sung by mother Stewart I aI1.d her colleagues during the gieat whiskey war in j America, which resulted in the establishment of the I World's Women's Christian Temperance Union "— Give to the winds thy fears,, Hope and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs, and counts thy tears, God shall lift up thy head." Prayer having been offered by the Rev I. 0. Stalberg, a pathetic object lesson was placed before tie audienee. The choir rose and sang All round the world The ribbon white is twined. Whilst this was being sung, Mrs Pvne and Mis* Jenkins led on to the platform, a dozen waifs and strays gathered from the street's of Cardiff, with ragged garments, unwashed hands and face's, and some with bare feet, and oh, Puch sad faces. These sat down on the edge of the platform, and Mrs Wheatley, in touching language, spoke of the cause of such sadness and want. She also related the visit of an African chief to this country, who visited the great scenes and grandeurs of London, who was permitted to view the jewelled crown of England, encased in glass and wire net work. and which was secured with padlocks and bolts. After viewing these things he said" England looks after her things, but neglects her people." The choir proceeded to sing 1:1 There's a shadow on the home, Many hearts are sad to-day, It hushes e'en the laughter Of the children at their play. At its coming, want and sorrow Across the threshold creep, And amid their broken idols. The mourning mothers weep." At this juncture the sweet voices of twenty little girls. led by Miss Wheatley and Miss Pyne, all dressed in white, were heard at the bottom of th-3 hall, These, carrying yards of white ribbon, wanded their way up through the centre of the hall, singing We are coming to the retsenp. We are coming in our youth The homes we build to morrow Shall be guarded by the truth; We are coming, coming to tkie batt'e Of purify and right; And for a winsome token We wear the ribbon white." When they reached the platform they steod round the poor less favoured children, and the song eontinued- This was a most effective and affecting scene, and whilst it was proceeding many of the audience were moved to tears. Miss Bleby briefly addressed the meeting and introduced the speaker, Mrs Barney. Miss Arthur, who possesses a SWAet soprano voice having sung The Children's home," Mrs Barney rose. and before delivering her address read a portion of the 23rd chapter of Proverbs, from the 29th to the 32nd verses. The subject of my address this evening, said Mrs Barney, is The Modern Macedonian Cry." I was once asked to give an address at a meeting, in America, of Christian workers, there being about 5,000 present. I accepted the invitation, but a day or two before thfi meeting, I received a telegram asking me not to speak upon the Temperance question. When I read it I it aid Godhelpthe5,000 Christians who do not want to hear about Temperance. I proceeded to the meeting and asked them what they wanted me to speak upon. They said they had thought to ask me to take for my subject The Modern Macedonian cry," aud at the same time repeated the words. Oh, but, I said, that is not the modern Macedonian cry. Do you not koow what it is ? No! was their reply. Then I will frjll you by and bye. I raised my heart io God. that He would lead me, and then I proceeded to tell them- "No man careth for my soul." The speaker graphically drew a picture. She imagined a long procession, and to head it were the piisoners in our gaols. There is nut a prison in America, she said, the doors of which are not open to me. In these gaols, and in your prisons, your police stations and ofher places of restraint, there are thousands of men and women. I visited one, and I said to the governor of the goal what brought all these hundreds to your prison? and the reply was 85 per cent are here through the drink. I visited two or three others for women, and there I ascertained that 95 per cent were piisoners through the drink. I do not go into a prison, but what I find some from England and Wales. The next part of my procession is composed of lunatics and idiot children. I visited an asylum where I saw three hundred such children varying in age from 3 to 20 years. 85 per cent of these have been proved to be cheated out of their life's heritage by their parents who have indulged i i intoxicating d i iks, and who have thus sent tainted blood down to their children. The inmates of our almshouses and poor houses form the next part of this strange procession. Many of these would not be where they are were it, not for the drink traffic. The thousands and tens of thousands of waifs and strays in England, add another scene to the picture. Large numbers of these were sent to Canada and other placed as emigrants, but better wild it be that England should throttle the drink tr ffic and keep her children at home. Then atrain, in Grnt Brnaia it is estimated that 60,000 men and v. eme go down to drunkards' graves annually- Tb. fe I must put into my procession. Over the entr nee to heaven Gods fing r has written No drunkard can enter the kingdom of heaven." As these pass on there are another 60,000 coming ou to fill the plucks of those who have falleu over the precipice. The procession w ts not yet complete. There were the suff ring mothers and chilaren. Oh tin mothers she bad knelt beiide and held in her arms, bowed down with grief