Temperance Issues in the Isle of Man

Two social evils the Methodist church has always opposed are gambling and 'the drink problem'. Gambling does not appear to have affected the Manx in any significant way however the 'drink problem' has been at the fore from the start. No form of Methodism has ever made total abstinence a condition for membership though Primitive Methodism had a very strong bias towards abstinence. In 1974 Conference stated that moderate drinking is perfectly compatible with Christian discipleship though throughout the 19th Century the drink problem was strongly to the fore.

The Primitive Methodists were the stronger in their advocation of strict temperance - amny of their LP's were also associated with the Rechabites.

TBC...