mplacently stroking his beard; "I myself joined at
least two Bands of Hope when I was a youngster; but I don't belong to
the cold-water ranks to-day."

"Come, gentlemen, we are not here to discuss whether the Band of Hope
answers the end it has in view; but whether it is advisable to give its
juvenile members a long summer vacation. Will one of you make a
proposition? and we will take the vote of the meeting," said the
chairman.

The nervous member made an uneasy movement, and looked anxiously around,
but before he could summon up courage to open his mouth, a gentleman,
who had hitherto remained silent, rose, and commenced to speak.

"Mr. Chairman," he began, "I had no intention of making my voice heard
when I came into this meeting, but my soul is too deeply stirred to
allow me to preserve silence. Sir, it has been suggested that Bands of
Hope accomplish little of what they profess to do, and in proof of that,
two of our non-abstaining friends have readily confessed that in their
boyhood they were associated with Bands of Hope. Sir, there doubtless is
a percentage of children who carelessly or ignorantly take upon
themselves these solemn vows, and fail to fulfil them. I may add that
to my knowledge, many a drunkard has gone down to his dishonoured grave
uttering the impotent wish that he had kept the pledge of his childhood.
But, sir, I am in a position to say that such percentage is very small,
and that the juvenile temperance movement in this country is doing a
mighty work. We are saving the children, and sending into many a
sin-darkened home, the little ones as messengers of hope and salvation.
And not alone into poverty-stricken courts and alleys, but into abodes
of the better classes where the drink demon has asserted his supremacy,
do our youthful members find their way. Yet, sir, I am not ashamed to
say, that these children need the reminder of their weekly meeting. They
are but weak, and temptation is oftentimes strong, whether conveyed to
them by the sight and smell of the intoxicants which many of them have
to fetch, or, as in the case of our friend who has spoken, placed upon
the well-spread table within their easy reach. Sir, if for the summer
months we could compel the publicans, and all who are licensed to sell
alcohol in any shape or form, to close their premises, and take a long
vacation, and could we during that time banish from the homes of our
land every temptation to strong drink, then we might af