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men there, I can assure you, often caused me to falter before I went to my new situation, and I solemnly believe, conduced to my ultimately abandoning my abstinence principles, and to my ruin. I blame no one, Mr. M'Naughton," he said, looking up to him. "It would ill become me to blame. I am myself the chief of sinners. In commencing the use of strong drink, at every step I violated my convictions of right, and silenced the voice of God within me. At the great judgment, I dare say nothing, but Unclean, unclean! God be merciful to me a sinner!' But, O, Mr. M Naughton! could nothing be done to take these temptations out of the way of others?"

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He became weak and fell back, but soon recovered, and would not be persuaded to cease speaking.

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"When I went to Mhe said, "my temptations multiplied. Among the circle of my acquaintances not a single soul practised abstinence. It was never spoken about but for mockery. A scheme proposing to teach how man could be supported without food could scarcely have been treated with more scorn. Abstainers in Scotland occupy not only an easy, but an honourable position, compared with those in England. Every person in the office where I was, not only used intoxicating drinks, but could not do without them, and both avowed this, and gloried in it! My practice alienated me from some of them, and lowered me, at first, in the estimate of all. As I rose in the office, I was sometimes at my master's table. My practice there made me singular. It was noticed, and, as I believed, not to my advantage. At least this was the conclusion at which I arrived, and I was influenced by it accordingly. Everywhere my conduct was the subject of wonder, ridicule, or censure. I became attached to a young lady, who herself and her relatives were very stern opponents to abstinence. No demand was made that I should surrender my practice but I knew well that it would seriously interfere with my success. I came to know that nothing else would do so. Personally, I had never experienced the misery of drunkenness, and could not fully estimate it. The cost of securing the advantages of temperance I was inclined to exaggerate. I gladdened my friends by abandoning my abstinence practice! I never viewed my temperance principles as wrong; but tried to convince myself that the world was not ready for their adoption, and that consequently it was about as vain to struggle for this, as to expect a crop by sowing in winter. I knew all the while the weakness of my own reasoning;-that the advance-guard of truth must ever expect to meet with an unprepared world; and that it was by the maintenance of what I was abandoning, that other generations would find the world better prepared for the reception of these principles. Indeed, the reasons which I assigned were more for my justification in the sight of others, than for pleading at the bar of conscience. Fearful have been the consequences to me of violating my convictions of right. But why should customs of this kind be allowed to continue to tempt individuals, some of whom are sure to be overcome by strong drink if they use it at all? For it, I had no inclination, and would have vastly preferred to live and die without it, if this could have been done without lowering my position in the estimate

of those around me. Why should Christian men allow the continuance of a state of society, in which a man must appear singular and unsocial, and lose caste, or expose himself to habits which will ruin him for time and eternity?

"At every table where I sat, intoxicating drinks in some shape were to be found. I could not use these in one place and not in another-I drank everywhere! I knew that a given per centage of those that used these drinks would be ruined by them; but supposed, as every one that uses them does, that I should prove an exception. I thought that my knowledge of the danger put me in a position of greater safety than those who were ignorant or sceptical about it. I thought as I knew the character of the stream, that I should certainly keep out of the rapids. My work was often very exhausting. I had frequently late hours. When got home, I found myself much refreshed by wine. I used it-used it often; was often overcome by it before the public came to know anything about it. It became known at length, however, as drunkenness invariably does, and I lost my situation!"

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He paused, as if unable to proceed further, but after a little resumed his narrative. "After I lost my situation, doors that were always before open to me were shut; and those whom I had abandoned my principles to please, ceased to notice or know me. How low I sunk I need not tell; but in my lowest state I still felt my degradation, and desired to escape from it! I got engaged as under-steward in a temperance vessel bound to India. I reformed-returned-got employment from my old masters, and was advanced from one place to another, till I had nearly reached my old situation."

"How, then, George, could you fall a second time?"

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Possibly I cannot tell you how. My resolutions were sincere, so far as a man can be a judge of his own sincerity; but I thought after a time that I might use a little without danger. I tried to do this, and succeeded. I tried again and again, and found I could take a little and stop at the right point. I knew that my friends around would not give me credit for being reformed, unless they saw that I could take a little. It was sad ignorance on their part, but great guilt on mine! The views of others ought to have been a very secondary matter with me, and sobriety everything. If abstinence had brought death, to die a sober man should been better a thousand times better-than to live a drunkard! It is the curse of the intemperate mau, that his reason becomes dimmed by the presence of intoxicating drinks, as the sky becomes dark by the withdrawal of the sun; and resolutions melt away as snow before the heat of summer. began to use intoxicating drinks openly. I drank more and more. Reason and conscience lost their supremacy, and appetite again occupied he vacated place. I had no more power to resist this tyrant, than the paralyzed arm to obey the will!”

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"I was, I was,-a responsible man! I tried hard to think otherwise, and sometimes thought I had succeeded; but I never did. Still the appetite for intoxicating drinks raged, as you may conceive of the desire

for food to dominate in men long deprived of it. The sight of drink— the smell of it-even conversation about it-made the desire for it a species of madness. And drink in some shape or other was everywhere! Had I lived where all were abstainers around me, and the occasions which excited the appetite withdrawn, I might possibly have been saved. The world in which I was was different. I fell, and sunk deeper and deeper. I became a profligate, a cheat, a beggar, a criminal; and never reformed till in the cell of a prison, from which I have only been released to die. It was thus I fell. You are a man who may exercise influence upon influential men, to induce them to do something to remove temptations out of the way of the young-something to facilitate the reformation of the half million of miserable drunkards in our land, and to prevent them from being tempted again to return to their evil ways! Surely there are Christian men enough in this country to change the custom of continually using intoxicating drinks at our tables; and Christian principle enough to lead to the exercise of the amount of self-denial which may be necessary to secure such an increase to human happiness, and such a diminution of human misery, as would be effected by the abolition of drunkenness!"

He looked again at Mr. M'Naughton, and said,—

"Surely something more could be done!" These were his last words. He sunk down totally exhausted, and almost fainting. He never after recognized any of his relatives. His work was done. Death woke him

next morning as the sun rose.

Reader! permit the writer to address the question to you which George put to his minister-"Can nothing more be done?"

THE WORDS OF A FRIEND.

ADDRESS read at the BAND of HOPE GALA at ASKE HALL, August 21st, 1863.

In the present aspect of the Temperance movement, the attention of its thoughtful promoters is fixed upon the efforts which are now being made to train up the rising generation in the principles and practice of teetotalism. There are two circumstances calculated to encourage our friends in the prosecution of this object. In the first place they have a material to work upon untainted by inveterate habits and craving appetite; and in the next place, as a general rule, parents, even those who are inaccessible to the appeals of temperance reformers, are too sensible of the dangers of the drinking system not to rejoice in seeing their children fenced in as it were from its besetting allurements. Encouraged by these favourable circumstances, and impressed with the vast importance of securing the adhesion of the young, Bands of Hope are now regarded as a necessary adjunct to every temperance association, without which it would not be complete. Isolated, however, from each other, and conducted upon no regular system, it was apparent that their efficiency was greatly impeded, and that a closer co-operation and a special organization were necessary in order to the full development of their power. With a view to accom.

plish this object, the Band of Hope Union was established in London, in 1855, since which time it has done good service to the cause. A deputation from this society, in the person of its zealous and talented hon. sec., the Rev. G. W. McCree, met several friends of the movement, chiefly from the rural districts at Darlington, on the 24th of June, 1862, when our Band of Hope Union Northern Auxiliary was formed under the presidency of G. A. Robinson, Esq., of Reeth. The objects contemplated by this society, like those of the parent society, were:—1. To form new bands of hope. 2. To assist bands of hope already in existence. 3. To employ agents qualified to interest the young, and to organise, on a right basis, new bands of hope. 4. To circulate approved publications. 5. To employ authors of acknowledged talent in the production of works adapted to the present state of the movement. Till we have more ample funds it is obvious that our efforts must be confined to the first four of these objects. It is much to be regretted that in consequence of some misunderstanding, the society was not so fortunate at its commencement as to meet with the countenance and support of any influential body of temperance men. Notwithstanding this discouragement, its friends felt it to be their duty to prosecute the work upon which they had entered, leaving the issue to Him under whose blessing they had determined to act; and they have now the satisfaction of thinking that the numerous associations which have affiliated with it, are an unmistakeable evidence of the deepfelt necessity of such an organization, especially in the rural districts, and at the same time a gratifying testimony of the confidence which has been placed in the conductors of the society. At the first annual conference, held at Bishop Auckland, on the 16th of June last, reports from the several affiliated associations gave an encouraging view of the healthy working of the society, while the proceedings of the conference were marked by a spirit of harmony, and by a determination to carry on the work with increased zeal. To the deep regret, however, of the assembled delegates, their president signified his intention of resigning his office in consequence of the unsatisfactory state of his health. His resignation was accepted with great reluctance, and, in the absence of a more influential individual, I was requested to fill the responsible post. Feeling it to be my duty to place myself at the service of the conference, I accepted the honourable position in a deep sense of my deficiency, but, with a determination to use my best exertions to co-operate with the friends of the society in promoting the interests and usefulness of our important mission

The Band of Hope Union is based on the principle of a catholic comprehensiveness. While each separate denomination of christians may feel it desirable to organize a Band of Hope within its own fold, the common weal and safety seem to require that there should be a general association in which the several bands might be united to each other, and that from time to time they might meet together to present a consolidated front against the inroads of a common enemy that makes no distinction of rank or sect, but introduces wherever he prevails immorality, degradation, and misery. Against such an enemy, christians may well recognise

an opportunity where, without any compromise of principle, they may join together in order to accomplish a victory that it would not be possible to achieve by their separate and disunited exertions. The more frequently they are brought together to promote some common good, the more likely are they to be disabused of their prejudices, and to acknowledge in each other the lineaments of a common fatherhood, and of experiencing towards each other sentiments of courtesy and brotherly good will.

I have already mentioned that our society, at its commencement, had failed, from some misapprehension, to receive the support of those whose countenance might have obtained for it a cordial welcome amongst Temperance men, as being prepared to occupy a portion in the field, which seemed to be in danger of running to waste from the absence of adequate means to cultivate it. Now, if we would hope to allay any unfavourable impressions which we may have had the misfortune to incur, and if we would win the confidence of our temperance friends, it is evident that in the prosecution of our work we must show that we are influenced by no party feelings or jealousy, but on the contrary, that it is our desire not only to act in harmony with existing Temperance societies, such as the British Temperance League, the Northern Temperance League, and the United Kingdom Alliance, but whenever the opportunity presents itself, to co-operate with them in their work, and promote their interests; for assuredly the well-being and the success of all are inseparably linked together. This seems to be a point misunderstood, or too much overlooked by Temperance men. A sort of jealousy, it is to be feared, prevails amongst the different societies, as if the success of one interfered with the prosperity of another, and, as if the funds of one society could not be increased but at the expense of another. The reverse of this is proved to be the fact by the testimony of experience in the case of other philanthropic institutions. Look, for instance, to the two great missionary societies in the Established Church: the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Lands, and the Church Missionary Society. When the latter society, embracing a different field of labour was formed, an outery was raised that it would cripple and embarrass the funds and the usefulness of the old society. But what has been the result? Both the societies are flourishing, and in many places working side by side, while the funds for missions have been increasing tenfold. May we not hope that something like this will be the case with the increase of temperance organizations, where there is a deep-felt need of them? There has not yet been any extraordinary strain upon the generosity of the temperance public. There is a mine still to be worked; there are stores still to be unlocked, which are in reserve for those who, with well-directed zeal, are prepared to enter upon some new field of usefulness. If we wish the Temperance cause to be developed in its full strength, we must have associations adapted to every phase of its requirements. Moral suasion societies for adults; bands of hope for the young; the United Kingdom Alliance to destroy a traffic which would neutralize and frustrate the labours of the other two, each society devoting its energies to its special work, none of them ignoring, much less thwart

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