Story: Presbyterian Church
Despite the Scottish heritage of whisky drinking, Presbyterians were strong supporters of temperance and prohibition. They believed (with some justification) that 'the demon drink' was destructive of family life. The church was a stronghold of the temperance organisation the Band of Hope, founded in the 1840s, which encouraged youth, such as Lottie Maria Brewer of Blenheim, to sign a pledge to abstain from alcohol. Teetotallers also succeeded in persuading the church to use grape juice rather than fortified wine in the sacrament of communion.
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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-D-ALCOHOL-Temperance-1886-01
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
