Sunday Closing Meeting at Mexborough

Scenes At Mexborough, Swinton, Denaby, and Conisborough

A public meeting to advocate the necessity of closing public-houses on Sunday (in connection with the Countal Association for the stopping of the sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday), was held in the Mexborough Primitive Methodist Schoolroom, on Monday last, under the presidency of Mr. Crosley. There were present the Rev. John Slater, of Sheffield, who attended as a deputation; the Rev. John Gair; and Messrs. H. Tyas, J. E. Cliff, W. Barnett, and A. Beal also being on the platform.

The Chairman expressed his pleasure at occupying the position that night although it had come upon him quite unexpectedly. He fully approved of the object of the meeting, and considered it high time that Parliament stopped the sale of drink on the Lord’s Day. The Day of Rest ought to be properly recognised, and the people who did so were far better prepared for work on the Monday; those who worked on the Sunday undoubtedly shortened their days. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. J. E. Cliff moved the following resolution:—“That, while many questions connected with the control of the liquor traffic might advantageously be referred to the local authorities, the Sunday closing of public-houses, for which public opinion has long been ripe, and ought to be dealt with by an Imperial measure which would take effect uniformly and at once throughout the whole of England.”

He said it was a splendid resolution, and he wished the House of Commons would listen to the voice of the people on this very important question. The question was ripe for settlement. He heard about the same matter when he was a little boy. He said they had ample experience of the great need for Sunday closing in the Mexborough district. In walking from Mexborough to Conisborough on the Lord’s Day they could see at Denaby Main, shortly after two o’clock, which they would never forget. There were little children coming from a certain place with pitchers and jugs, and with hardly any shoes and stockings and scarcely any clothes on. A little bit further on could be seen a great crowd of men. Mr. Gair, doubtless, had seen a spectacle of that kind on the previous day when going to Conisborough. As many as twenty and thirty persons in a batch could be seen and the language was something dreadful and not fit for anyone to hear.

He heard Mr. Gair say on the previous night that he had seen nearly 200 men coming from the public-houses of Conisborough, and go to their homes at Denaby and Mexborough. As was well-known people had to be what was called bona-fide travellers, and must go a distance of three miles before they could get drink. They could then legally get that which made them drunk, which poisoned the mind, which ruined the soul, and which brought the persons to premature graves. He was more opposed now to the opening of these houses on Sundays than he had ever been. He used to think the business was done a little more decently on Sunday, but he had found this was not so. The other Sunday, at Swinton, where he had been preaching, he heard music, and when he got nearer he found it was from a public-house where persons were joining in, “Would Jesus have the sinner die?”

He maintained that was blasphemy, and the worst kind of blasphemy that he knew of, to use God’s Name and holy songs in a public-house where men were under the influence of drink. While passing along a street recently in a village not far from Mexborough he saw an advertisement in an inn and the words were to the effect that a sacred concert would take place there on the following evening (which was Sunday). The thing was dreadful and monstrous. The time had come when the representatives at St. Stephen’s should speak out on the matter and should vote straight on the question of Sunday closing. He maintained that if public-houses were closed on the Lord’s Day the congregations in the chapels would be larger and the very class that the preachers wanted to talk to would then be got at. It behoved them all to work shoulder to shoulder in this matter and to speak with no uncertain sound. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. W. Barnett seconded the resolution. He was in favour of policemen having a rest on the Sunday; if the arrangement was made universal the innkeepers could be better for it and they would live longer. He was of opinion that men were better without the beer. Thousands were pulled down into the gutter, even from the churches, because of the influence of strong drink, and some men with good hearts were keeping public-houses and they were evidently in the wrong place. On Sunday the spectacle at Mexborough railway station, just before the opening of the houses, was most unfortunate. And the drink was supplied because the men were “travellers.” He was opposed to the sale of drink at all on the Sunday day. The day should be kept holy. There would be a stir very soon if opening of his furniture shop on a Sunday. It was a shame the way in which people were enticed into the inns by sacred music and so on. It was out of love for the people and reaching the value of their souls, that the closing of the public-houses was demanded. He could not see the fairness of licensing a man to sell drink and then having a policeman ready to seize the man who got the drink. (Laughter.) Why were not the brewers stopped from keeping the public-houses. It was necessary to go to the root of the matter. There were too many men like Bass—who were interested in the business and who had seats in Parliament. Of course, as they were making large fortunes out of the trade they were not likely to support the temperance reform. (Hear, hear.)

The Rev. J. Slater supported the motion in a vigorous and able speech.

The Rev. J. Gair moved that petitions be signed and forwarded to the Prime Minister, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to Mr. Balfour, and to Mr. Fleming. He incidentally referred to the retirement of Mr. Gladstone after so long and honourable a service in the interests of the country, and said it was like an old warrior putting off and hanging up his armour. If Lord Rosebery eventually could cease his labours in an equally honourable way there would be great credit indeed due to him. They all trusted Mr. Gladstone would live even much longer, now that he had left the anxieties of office and that Lord Rosebery had a longer and a severer task before him. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. H. Tyas seconded the motion, and referred to his past experience in the temperance cause.

Mr. A. Beal supported the motion, and suggested that a vigilance committee should be formed to assist the police in securing greater conformity to the law in reference to the drink traffic.

The Rev. J. Gair suggested that branches of vigilance committees of Sheffield should be formed in the outlying places. He remarked upon his own action at the Brewster Sessions at Doncaster, which he maintained had resulted in the refusal of several licenses.

The Chairman said he knew the police would be glad of the co-operation of the committee in order to ensure convictions, for at present it was difficult to get magistrates to fine offenders under the Licensing Act, owing to the evidence of a contradictory character which was forthcoming.

The resolution was carried unanimously, and votes of thanks closed the proceedings.