poverty, the distress in so many homes is not solely because "Father
drinks," but often because "Mother sells everything for whiskey." And
the drinking among women is not confined to the class mentioned, for
can you not think of ladies of wealth and position in your community,
whose names are always spoken in a sort of twilight tone and with a
little sigh? Do you not know that while ladies go from our large
cities to "spend months abroad," in some cases, these months are
spent in inebriate asylums, while their friends fondly hope they may
return cured? There are homes where the father dare not allow his
daughters to attend an evening party, for fear that they may disgrace
the family by taking too much wine, and acting in a silly manner.
While we know these things to be true, we can not put them from us
with a sense of freedom from responsibility. Let us then for our own
sakes individually, in order that we may be made unselfish and
loving, and more like the Divine Christ, step forward into this work.
And for the sake of women, our sisters, let us come out of the narrow
path of custom; let us brave opposition or ridicule, which is harder
to bear, and be true-hearted and whole-hearted in this temperance work.

3. _For the Children's Sake._--To women is largely committed
the care of children in those first years of their lives when
impressions for good or evil are readily received, and habits easily
formed, and during this time principles may be firmly imbedded in the
fresh soil that may grow to be a hedge against evil, a barrier
between them and wrong in the coming years. Mothers have a great
responsibility in this matter, and one from which they may not
escape. If our children see the wine-glass on the home table, in the
side-board, at our evening parties, will they not think wine-drinking
right and safe, and will there be any fear in their hearts of that
which at the last stingeth like a serpent and biteth like an adder?