Social Conditions
The Evils of
Drink: Temperance
A circular from the North
Wales Temperance Association resulted in the Llanfyllin
Board of Guardians passing the following resolution on 14th May 1891:
"Liquor
Traffic . . . That in view of the poverty, crime, disease, insanity
and expenses to the country resulting from the prevalence of drinking habits
among the population this Board of Guardians records its conviction that
so much self-government should be given to the Rate-payers as would enable
them to limit the number or, if they think fit, to veto all licensing in
their district and that a bill for this purpose should be passed by parliament
without delay."
The 9 January 1891 Brecon & Radnor
Express contained the following brief report:
"RECHABITISM
AT BRECON
At the last meeting of the members of the "Beacon"
Tent of Rechabites, held at the New Lion Coffee Tavern, Struet, Brecon,
the election and installation of officers for the ensuing six months was
proceeded with. Brother E. Walter, Chief Ruler, presided. The following
are the new officers for the ensuing term:- Worthy Chief Ruler, Brother
Edwin Poole, Proprietor Brecon and Radnor Express; D C R., Bro. W J Williams;
secretary, Bro. W R Price; treasurer, Brother Francis Taylor; RHS to CR.,
Bro. Knight; LHS to CR., Bro. William Thomas; RHS to DCR., Bro. Letton;
LHS to DCR., Bro. Barber; RH Steward, Bro. Thos. Rees; LH Steward, Bro.
W J Matthews; Levite, Bro. James; Guard, Bro. W Thomas. During the proceedings
Bro. Meredith, the worthy host, regaled all present with liberal refreshments,
for which he was heartily thanked by the retiring Chief Ruler, Bro. Walter.
After the officers had been duly installed, Bro. Poole proposed, and Bro.
Llewelyn Morgan seconded, a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring Chief
Ruler, who had conducted the affairs of the tent in a thoroughly business-like
way. The tent was prosperous financially, and latterly greater interest
than ever had been shown in the affairs of the tent by the members, as was
witnessed by the capital attendance of members on all recent occasions.
Bro. Walter suitably acknowledged the compliment paid him. -- We understand
that at the next meeting a friendly conversation will take place on General
Booth's majestic plan of "Social Salvation.""
Rechabitism, or 'The Independent Order
of Rechabites", was founded in Salford, Manchester, in 1835. They took
their name and aims from the Bible:
"Then I set cups and pitchers
full of wine in front of the members of the Rechabite community and said to
them, "Have some wine." But they answered, "We don't drink wine
because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us,
'You and your children must never drink wine. . . . Live in tents all your lives."
Jeremiah 35:5-7
They believed in total abstinence from
alcohol. The movement spread throughout the world, reaching America in 1842
and Australia, where it still exists (http://www.ior.org.au/about_ior.asp),
soon thereafter.
General Booth was one of the founders of
the Salvation Army (http://www.salvationarmy.org).