Religious and educational aspects of temperance / by various authors.

Date:
[1874?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Religious and educational aspects of temperance / by various authors. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the blessings of English education, intemperance should be on the increase, bringing on poverty and pauperism in its train. The intellect, the health, and the wealth of our countrymen are being ruined through the evil in- fluence of intemperance And those who have eyes but will not see, and those who have ears but will not hear, might be disposed to question the rapid increase of crime which drunkenness has given birth to. . . . Wine was rarely used among the Hindoos in ancient times. From time immemorial they were re- markable for their sobriety. But now times are changed. English civilisation, notiuithstancling its beneficial effects, has introduced universally the sin of drunken- ness. . . That the lower strata of our countrymen, who form the vast majority of the population, and whom education has not yet reached, are growing more and more addicted to intoxicating liquors the Excise Department furnishes full and striking proofs. They have not yet learnt to read and write, but they have learnt to drink.’” Further on I came upon these no less impressive words : “ * The Government should adopt some means to check drunkenness. . . . It is the paramount duty of a civilised government to protect the life and property of the people. But by upholding the Excise administration it indirectly encourages a vice which is ruining the nation.’” From Madagascar we have the proclamation of the Queen concerning the effects of the liquor traffic intro- duced by English people into that island. “ I, Ranovalomanjaka, by the Grace of God and the