THE increasing prevalence of drunkenness among women was the theme of some remarks made by the Rev. L. A. Banks, D. D., at the recent Methodist State conference at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., which greatly surprised the members of that body. Mr. Banks is the pastor of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City, and is therefore in a position to know something of the conditions of which he spoke. He said:— “I have looked into this question, and some of these days I will give some startling facts. The most dangerous drinking by women is in the better and middle classes. In New York City women, members of the churches, drink whisky cocktails in public on Sunday. I say nothing but what I can prove in court. American civilization is like a pie. The top crust, or the “four hundred,” is steeped in champagne, while the bottom is soggy with beer. The middle class, until recently, has been fairly good.” “Dr. Banks,” it is stated, “asked why Methodist women, Baptist women, Presbyterian women, and those of other denominations have the punch bowl in their houses beside the lemonade bowl. Why do prominent Methodist laymen ignore the license system? And he explained that in his opinion it was because the pulpit had ceased to preach the gospel that a drunkard will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”