Mexborough and Swinton Times August 26, 1898

Temperance Mission at Denaby
Successful Sunday. Meetings

On Sunday two open-air temperance nation meetings, under the joint auspices of the Denaby Primitive Methodists, the Sheffield, and. District  Auxiliary of the United Kingdom Alliance and the .Rawmarsh, Parkgate, and District Band of Hope; Union, were held at Denaby Main.

There were large crowds at both afternoon and evening meetings, and from the interest taken in the proceedings good results are expected from the Mission.

.Mr. R. Minting, and. other Denaby friends, exerted themselves to make the gatherings a success, and large quantities of temperance literature were distributed.

Mr Ellis of. Denaby, presided, and the speakers included. Mr. C. Bassett-Vincent, of Sheffield’, Mr. T. L. Addy, of Parkgate, Mi. W. Halford, and Mr. R. Williams, Parkgate.

Mr. Addy in a stirring address, showed how the liquor traffic affected the Christian Church. He said it was estimated that 10,000 preachers’ of the Gospel dropped out of the, pulpit each year .through – the drink and that 30,000 dropped out of the pews.

Canon Wilberforce stated that it was the greatest bar to religious progress in this country. Some Christians only followed Christ as far as Cana, and because he made wine, they believed they were justified in taking their glass of beer.

Mark Guy Pearce gave them the answer. He said: “We must, as Christian men and women, go further than Cana. Christ went to Calvary, and. if He gave His life for us, surely .we could give up one glass of beer, for the sake of helping our brothers. Drink was admitted on all sides to be the greatest foe to mankind in the world, and had done more to damn the people than anything else. Then -why accuse Christ, the Redeemer of the world of making It. The devil might make such stuff, because it -was the greatest agency for evil, but Christ never.

He would relate a Story which gave them a cure for strikes. A. gentleman was on the Conisborough platform during the great coal war, and speaking to a friend near, said it would be a grand thing for old England if someone would bring something out to prevent strikes. A man standing near said: “I could prevent strikes.” .The gentleman said, “How?” and the man .said “I am a Denaby collier, and I have been teetotal so long I have save sufficient money to keep my family two years, and can the colliery company afford to close their pit two years?” The gentleman said, “Well, you might drive ‘the trade out of the country.”  “Then, said the man, “I have the money to take my family out of the country but can the colliery company take the colliery out of the country?”, The gentleman said, “No. : “Then,” said the man, “let all the colliers do as I do, and strikes will cease.” He; said it was to be regretted that colliery owners were building large hotels near their- collieries, making large .profits out of their drunkenness besides helping to keep them in a state of subjection.

Excellent speeches` were also delivered by Messrs C. B. Vincent; Mr. Halford and Mr. R. Williams.

Mr Addy gave a solo, and Mr RD Aythorne rendered the recitation, “The angel of temperance,” in an impressive manner