BUCKET-OF-WATER RACE AT THE NAVAL SCHOOL.
A FAMOUS BAND OF HOPE.
Possibly the most unique Band of Hope in the world is that which is held in the Royal Naval School, Greenwich. It was founded so far back as 1871, by Samuel Sims, an honoured agent of the National Temperance League, and upon his death, in 1892, was taken over by Mr. W. S. Campbell, as the League's representative. No pressure at all is put upon the lads to induce them to join the Band of Hope, but, as a matter of fact, most of the lads in the school readily do so, and the present membership is fully a thousand strong. Regular weekly meetings are held, and the annual gathering, which is held in the great gymnasium, is a most inspiriting spectacle. A visit to the Royal Naval School, if it should happen to be in recreation time, cannot fail to afford considerable satisfaction to those who like to see Young England at play. Every type of healthy pastime is encouraged in its turn, and these young abstainers have frequently shown that they are well able to hold their own. It is encouraging to know that the principles of total abstinence are not discarded when the lads pass out into the Royal Navy or Mercantile Marine, for every year large numbers of them are drafted into Miss Weston's well-known temperance society.
TEMPERANCE SUNDAY.
The appointment of a special Sunday for the preaching of sermons on temperance originated with the Church of England Temperance Society many years ago. Owing to various circumstances, it is not possible for the Church of England clergy to take one Sunday simultaneously for the whole country, but each diocesan Bishop makes choice of a day and issues a pastoral letter to his clergy, so that at one period of the year or another the whole country is covered, so far as the Church of England is concerned. The Nonconformist bodies have, however, for some years past, fixed upon the last Sunday in November for Temperance Sunday, and as we go to press we learn that this year special reference will be made to the importance of Sunday Closing.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS FOR SCHOOL & HOME INTERNATIONAL SERIES
With Illustrative Anecdotes and References.
December 18th.—The Captivity of Judah.