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THE

MORAL STATISTICS OF GLASGOW

IN

1863,

PRACTICALLY APPLIED.

BY

A SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER.

GLASGOW:

PORTEOUS & HISLOP, WEST NILE STREET.
GEORGE GALLIE, BUCHANAN STREET.

JOHN M'CALLUM, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION ROOMS.

1864.

A

GLASGOW:

PRINTED BY DUNN AND WRIGHT, 26 WEST NILE STREET.

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THE Glasgow Temperance Mission is a small society which derives a fourth of its income from the princely liberality of John Henderson, Esq. of Park, and which aims at the suppression of intemperance, by presenting religious motives to the mind. Ever since the writer-some seven years ago-joined its executive committee, he has heard at its meetings, expressions of regret at the seeming impossibility of awakening the church to a proper conviction of its duty in the matter of intoxicating drinks. In some congregations, the minister is unwilling to introduce the subject; in others, the majority of the session and members are displeased at their pastor's frequent warnings and entreaties. Very often abstainers blame ministers alone for indifference or opposition, when the truth is, the blame and responsibility rest upon the church as a whole. Ministers are to a great extent exactly what the people desire. In the Southern States of America the clergy defend slavery from the Bible, while in the North their brethren of the same denominations condemn it. So powerful is the mutual influence of a session and minister, that the one can paralyze the other. Unless both move together, like a pair of willing horses in a chariot, progress is impossible. The directors of the Temperance Mission have often wished they could obtain permission to address congregations at their usual prayer meetings, and as often believed that such permission would be denied. Aware of the difficulty of entering the church through the united acquiescence of ministers and sessions, the writer proposed to the committee to draw out a tract on the subject to the Sabbath school teachers, and to visit the different societies. As they approved of the idea, he at once commenced the tract, and got the first two pages set up in type. But as soon as he had looked at the city's statistics-our increasing immorality and crime-he became convinced, that in the space of a tract he could not give an adequate representation of the city's vice and woe, and therefore he determined to write at greater length. Acting now upon his own responsibility, he assumed a freedom and independence of tone which he would not have adopted had he been writing for the society.

After following several of the windings of our national intemperance, he deemed it not unnecessary to add a few miscellaneous thoughts, on several subjects which are being much discussed at the present day. From page 216, onwards to the end, is a selection of thoughts from the lessons given to our Adult Sabbath

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Class during the spring and summer of 1864. We have taken the liberty to think for ourselves, and our advice to our scholars is, "Depend on the Holy Ghost, and think for yourselves." We hope yet to have opportunity to prove that God, in the Bible, permitted the use of intoxicating drinks precisely as He permitted polygamy and slavery, and that He disapproved, and disapproves of all the three alike. Then our task will be ended.

As to the spirit in which we have written, we are conscious it has been solely with the desire of calling attention to tremendous evils. As to the style, we know it will be deemed overstrained, fierce, imperious, scornful. Though each page be a photograph of our feelings when we wrote, the frequently passionate strain has been intentional. It would have been much easier to have written every sentence cool, calm, polite. But he would be a strange man who could gather, and give expression to the groans of the city without emotion. We have sought to raise an alarm, and therefore have cried as loudly as we could. Often have we observed how a powerful bass singer could encourage many around him to let out their voice. We hope that men naturally more timid than we are, yet possessing more influence, may be induced by our somewhat vociferous tone, to speak more freely than ever they have done. We have attempted occasionally to sting by sarcasm. It may pass for rudeness-be it so. Every variety of style is needed to awaken society. But this we can honestly say, we have not tried to give offence to any; and we hope none will be taken. Bowed down by the deep consciousness of our own unworthiness, constitutional tendencies, and besetting sins, we hope to be the last on earth either to command or to condemn a brother. Some allowance may be made. for us when we state how this book has been composed. A few pages have been written on such evenings as we could find time, after returning from our daily toil. What was written at night, while the pen was rushing before a torrent of feeling, was handed next morning to the printer; and thus language which we in cooler moments might have suppressed, was allowed to escape. We have not had much practice in composition-for months together not writing a sentence. In preparing our lessons, we merely dream over the subject for an hour to collect illustrations, and trust to the spur of the moment to supply the words. This habit will account for the strangeness of our style. But to have done; we have not tried to please, but to make men displeased with themselves and the condition of society at the present day. We do hope that this hurried and imperfect performance may induce our clergymen, and the directors of our city's benevolent and religious institutions, to start at once the Volunteer Mission, for no other agency will ever lift the city up. Each congregation will have its own society, and all be embraced in five district Unions.

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