St. John's League

Drive past the church and turn left at the intersection with Dorpsstraat. On the right you can see the building of the Sint-Jansbond. Afterwards, return to the junction network and continue your journey towards junction 89.

Around the 1850s, out of a population of about 500 people, there were no less than six village breweries in Membruggen. With 27 inns on 80 houses, Membruggen got a bad reputation as a beer and especially gin village.

In 1905, Father Lenaerts intervened and, together with four heavy gin drinkers, founded a Temperance Association: 'Staminersbond Sint-Jan'. Co-founder Mathijs Martens made his house available as a meeting room. He himself converted from an avid drinker to a teetotaler. In the classroom there were chairs, tables, a billiards table and... soft drink. Alcoholic beverages were out of the question.

In a niche in the façade is an old statue of St. John. Underneath are the moralizing words: "Drinking People don't think" and "Thinking People don't drink."

The temperance league "St. John" still exists. The building itself - also mockingly called "the water association" - serves as a youth room.

Stichting Open Kerken