Onward Poem Not what she went for

Abstract

This poem, from Onward April 1902, shows how young readers were presented with material about less fortunate children. From poems to lantern slides, children were encouraged to empathise with others, and perhaps also to recognise their own good fortune in belonging to the Band of Hope.

We Are Glad To Note That

The Colne T.S. and B.H.U. has held a most successful Annual Meeting, at which an excellent year’s work was reported upon, and steps taken to actively prosecute the work during the coming year.

The Burnley B.H.U. has organised and carried through a most successful week’s Band of Hope Mission, with Mr. Peter Taylor (Northern District Agent) as missioner. The occasion has greatly heartened the workers, and given an impetus to local work, to the great satisfaction of Messrs. Hartley and Holmes, chairman and secretary of the Burnley B.H.U., by whom the arrangements were made.

The Walkden and Little Hulton B.H.U. also carried through a week’s mission to their societies, with special dinner-hour meetings as well. Mr. John Dale (Central District Agent), the missioner, gave very great satisfaction to the local friends, his visit having aroused considerable interest. The closing meeting was made the occasion of the Union’s Annual Meeting, and was very largely attended, and much interest was taken in the excellent report of the year’s work of the Union presented by the secretary, Mr. C. Rushton.

The Congleton B.H.U. also promoted a week’s Band of Hope Mission, Mr. David Macmillan (Southern District Agent) being the missioner. Various places were visited, and in this Cheshire town more vigour was called forth, and more interest created in Band of Hope work.

At Nantwich, largely as the result of Mr. Macmillan’s activity, a Conference of Band of Hope and Temperance workers of the town and surrounding villages was held under the auspices of the Nantwich Total Abstinence Society. Mr. W. Lea presided, and after addresses by Mr. Macmillan and Mr. W. Chandos-Wilson, and a discussion, a resolution was unanimously and heartily adopted to form a Band of Hope Union for the District.

Not What She Went For.
By William Luff.

She went for a pint of the liquid curse,
That fair small child of my simple verse:
Her mother sent her, and little thought
What more those pence for her daughter bought.

She got her beer ; but she got beside
A thousand evils that eventide ;
For she saw the examples of sin and shame,
Results of the drink for which she came.

She heard the talk at that bar of death,
And breathed for a moment that tainted breath ;
And the pure young mind got an unknown thought,
None knew the stain that she homeward brought.

She saw, she heard, and she tasted, too,
The foaming draught of that hellish brew ;
And the first dire love for the drink that night
Was bought with the money by that fair mite.

Her mother took from the childish hand
The drink she fetched at her sad command ;
But she could not take from those bright blue eyes
The scenes like clouds upon azure skies.

She took the change that the maiden brought ;
But she could not take from her mind one thought,
Or word, or memory of that hour,
Where first she learned the infernal power.

Years passed away, and the fair young child
Was a drunken woman with passions wild.
Her mother was dying with broken heart,
That she in her drunkenness first had part.

For she saw too late that her pence had bought
A curse for her daughter she little thought ;
But she might have thought, and she should have known
That the house of sin was the tempter’s throne.

O mothers, fathers, and Christians, say,
Shall the children still in this Gospel day
Be offered thus to the Moloch grim?
Nay ! cry through your armies “Away with him.”

And if his worship must still go on,
Disgracing the world where the Christ was born,
Though the hosts of evil may rage and scoff,
Yet over the little ones cry, “Hands off!”