MYSELF I Have to Live with Myself and So I Want to Be Fit for Myself to Know, I Want to Be Able As Days Go By, Always to Look Myself in the Eye
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.."4",1 I • 1W AVIS `11.10, -emir 11111 ArMa 11111111111611101:11hWea.... t AUSTRALASIAN RECORD F AND ADVENT WORLD SURVEY 'Mails IRISEr HMIs- 1,...11WILMN NI WM/ /ffiff `.1,1101110.1 • • /I ••••••/. EDITOR: R. H. PARR WARBURTON, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA Volume 78, Number 29 Price: 8 cents July 22, 1974 MYSELF I have to live with myself and so I want to be fit for myself to know, I want to be able as days go by, Always to look myself in the eye. I don't want to stand with the setting sun, And hate myself for the things I've done. 4 I don't want to keep on a cupboard shelf A lot of secrets about myself, And deceive myself as I come and go, Into thinking that no one else will know The kind of man I really am, I don't want to dress myself in sham. I want to go out with my head erect, I want to deserve all men's respect; But here in the struggle for fame and pelf I want to be able to like myself. I don't want to look at myself and know That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show. I never can hide myself from me; I see what others may never see; I know what others may never know; I never can fool myself, and so, Whatever happens I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free. —Edgar Guest. Registered for posting as a Periodical—Category A [2] 22/7/74 AUSTRALASIAN RECORD The Other World and Its Stuggle Against Alcohol and Tobacco ERNEST H. J. STEED, Secretary, General Conference Temperance Department "IT'S A PLEASURE to meet someone from the other world," said the university professor I met at a vegetarian cafe in Sofia, Bulgaria. That's exactly how I felt about him! Most people seeing eastern Europe and the U.S.S.R. get the "other world" consciousness as they behold a different life-style, large political posters, and historic architecture, along 1 with seemingly endless and identical apartment buildings. Socialism operates differently in each gle Against Alcohol or Alcoholism," or Later dominated by the Turks with rr national country, yet with one accord, "The Committee for the Struggle Against Muslim anti-alcohol beliefs, the Bulgars dedicated toward ultimate Communism, Tobacco." In other areas, these people's for many years saw the benefits of non- where self-control and the state, they groups are called "National Sobriety Com- drmking. With this background, Bulgaria believe, will bring about harmony, peace, mittees." today produces a weekly newspaper that and every benefit from science. Meeting Problems of Intemperance campaigns against alcohol, tobacco, drugs, Certainly not everyone in Socialist gambling, and even swearing. Such a life- My overall visit, covering Belgrade, Sofia, Prague, Warsaw, Berlin, Helsinki, countries is aware of this trend—in fact, style is claimed to be beneficial for the you will see heavy drinking and smoking Leningrad, Moscow, Bucharest, Vienna, individual and for the state welfare. The in most areas, and problems with alcohol- and London, from February 28 to April 1, wine growing and tobacco production of 1974, was nevertheless not to study or ism are just as evident as in any Western the country will in time, they believe, give country. But, for years, Socialist countries consider the political aspects of this "other way to their social and moralistic concepts. denied any such problems. Today they world," but to find a point of agreement for In Bulgaria, the per capita consumption are realistic and active toward rehabilita- the aim and purpose of the International of spirits, wine, and beer is decreasing. tion and prevention, even, in some areas, Commission for the Prevention of Al- Contributing to this trend are the 4,500 to being in advance of many other coholism. sobriety committees across the country. countries. This year, Dimitre Bratanov, who has As executive director of this non-politi- For instance, in Czechoslovakia the week served as president of the National Sob- cal, non-sectarian organization, which is I was there, the National Committee for riety Committee for many years, is serving recognized by the United Nations, I had the Struggle Against Alcohol launched a as president of the International Corn- discovered in a similar visit in 1971 a programme called "Action for Forty Mil- mission for the Prevention of Alcoholism. growing concern about alcohol and tobacco. lion." It was triggered with a TV pres- His sobriety committee with the presi- Whereas, on that occasion I simply found entation following prime-time news each dent of the Union of Co-operatives in- my way, on this visit I was able to observe, evening, focusing in on "Alcohol and the vited me to discuss with them the tem- 4 comprehend, and discover a pathway Family," "Alcohol and the Boss," "Alcohol perance programme. They also pleaded for for mutual involvement. Every Socialist and Free Time," and other social aspects advice, data, and guidance in the produc- country visited showed a varying degree of life. tion and marketing of fruit juices. In of emphasis for the moralistic concept of Czechoslovakia also has a string of re- addition, they want to establish vegetarian life according to the Marxist and Lenin habilitation centres across the country, cafes across the country. I was able to philosophy for developing a new man for where it is compulsory to have treatment tell them of our Health Food work, and the new society. after being twice arrested for drunkenness. assured them of our encouragement in This means, to many, a continuation of Saint Cyril is claimed to be the first these pursuits. 4 the revolution, with a struggle against the Christian leader to the Bulgars. It was They listened intently as I reviewed the 4 harmful habits of man—a moralistic em- he who developed their alphabet so that aims and purposes concerning the work phasis without God—in fact, a struggle the Bible could be brought to the people, of Adventists for better living. against God, with man achieving through and it was he, says Dimitre Bratanov, Driven in government cars from meeting his own power. It is, therefore, common- Bulgarian Sobriety Committee vice-presi- to meeting, then entertained, with our • place to learn of committees who term dent, who first introduced in their country ideals toasted in fruit juce, I left, con- themselves, "The Committee for the Strug- the idea of total abstinence. fident of an avenue for co-operation. 4 • Pastor E. H. J. Steed (centre left), seen with the chairman of the Polish Temperance and departmental leaders of the German Democratic Committee Against Alcoholism, S. Kozlowski. Other participants in the Republic Union of Seventh-day Adventists meeting in Berlin. conference were Z. Lyko, S. Dabrowski and A. Okulicz. Photos: E. H. J. Steed. AUSTRALASIAN RECORD 22/7/74 [3] Adventist Involvement :•• In Warsaw the Adventist Church leaders have learnt the value of the temperance approach, as the Union secretary, Z. Lyko, • now serves as executive director of the Historic Picture Gallery Committee Against Tobacco, and he and the Union president, Stanislaw Dabrowski, serve on the National Committee for the Struggle Against Alcohol. Conferences and dinner meetings I had with officials of both these committees, showed the high standard of their efforts and the value they place on the Adventist involvement. As I entered the Democratic People's Republic of Germany at Berlin, the cus- , toms official was about to check on my bag of books. I explained that it was filled with temperance literature, and I showed a copy of "Listen" magazine. "Temperance? a, Of course," she said, and waved me on my way. It was a similar situation entering the U.S.S.R., with a group of officials gathering around discussing the problem of alcohol. As I was encouraged on my way, one young woman stated that she did not drink or smoke and was all for prevention. • I had two pleasant visits with the pro- rector and the vice-rector of the Moscow University after having an official tour of the university science exhibit, and being provided with two translators to aid my understanding. The vice-rector is chair- A pictorial record of those attending the 1931 staff picnic held by the Wellington Cafe (New Zealand) man of the university's Committee for has been preserved for us to view with interest these many years later. They are, bock row (left the Struggle Against Alcoholism. He told to right): Austin Townend (now pastor), Alex Millward. Second back row: Harrold Hall, Mr. Baron me that if anyone—student or professor— (manager), Mrs. Baron (holding Winsome), Rose Fraser (Mrs. Jackson), Minetta Devine (Mrs. Hall), uses alcohol in the university, he will be Pastor W. E. Battye, Mrs. Battye, Miss Johnson (partly obscured, Bible worker). The last three named instantly dismissed. The treatment is were guests at the picnic. Front row (standing): Dail Warren, Joan Townend (Mrs. Millward). Front harsh, he added. row (seated): Jean Sperring (matron), Gay Beatie, Rene Hadfield (Mrs. Cramp). Director of the Central Institute for 7. Scientific Research in Health Education, Dr. Dimitre Loransky, with his team of I experts, spent four hours with me, of- ficially discussing the I.C.P.A. programme, ▪ the I.C.P.A. proposal of a Socialist sem- inar for the prevention of alcoholism to be held in August, 1975, at the Black Sea. He then explained educational materials, and finally the International Temperance Association programme and its relation- ▪ ship to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its world-wide temperance activities. 5-Day Plan Wanted in Russia As I outlined the 5-Day Plan, Dr.