the shops were closed, he returned to his miserable
habitation. He found a few coals on the hearth, and his wife and
children sitting by them. He threw one child this way and another that,
for he was cold. His wife remonstrated, and withal told him that what
little fire there was was none of his providing. With many a horrid oath
he declared he would not be scolded after that sort. He would let her
know who should govern, and by way of supporting his authority, beat her
brains out with the last remaining stick of wood. He did not mean to
kill her. Her dying struggles brought him to his senses, and he stood
horror-struck. He would give almost any thing that the deed were not
done. If that could restore her to life, he would be almost ready to
give a pledge never to taste intoxicating liquor again. Now look at the
wretchedness of his family. For years he has made very little provision
for them; they have lived as they could, half naked and half starved,
and not educated at all--with a most wretched example before their eyes.
What encouragement had the wife or the children to attempt any thing--to
make any exertion? The children are abused and trampled on at home, and
they grow up without self-respect, without shame, and without principle.
Can any thing good be expected of them? And if they do rise, it must be
through a world of difficulty.

How many thousand families have been ruined in some such way as this.
The father was a drunkard, and the mother--what could she do? She
endured, hoping against hope--and for the children's sake bore up
against the current; and many a time disguised a sad despairing heart
under a joyful countenance, till at length she died of a broken heart,
or died by the hands of him who had sworn to protect her.

These, and things like these, are the effects of intoxicating
liquor--not casual, accidental, but common, natural edicts, seen
everywhere, in every town, in every neighborhood, and in every
connection. Look which way we will, we see some of these effects. The
greatest wretchedness which human nature in this world is called to
endure, is connected with the use of inebriating drink. There is
nothing else that degrades and debases man like it--nothing so mean
that a drunkard will not stoop to it--nothing too base for him to do to
obtain his favorite drink. Nothing else so sinks the whole man--so
completely destroys not only all moral principle, but all self-respect,
all regard to character, a