A Christian has nothing that is his own.  He is but the steward of God’s property.  By withholding it, when the kingdom of Christ or the wants of the suffering poor require it, and spending it in extravagance, or hoarding it up for himself and family.  He robs God.

But, even on the principle upon which the world acts, shall we neglect the suffering of a deserving woman, because her husband is intemperate and vicious?  Or, should we suffer the children to grow up without instruction, in ignorance and vice, because their parents are vicious?  Be, then, my dear sister, the devoted friend of the poor; and seek to relieve distress wherever you find it, or whatever may be its cause.

V. You may make your influence felt in the cause of temperance. A false delicacy prevails among many ladies, in relation to this subject.  They seem to think that, as intemperance is not a common vice of their own sex, they have no concern with it.  But this is a great mistake.  No portion of society suffers so much from the consequences of intemperance as females.  On them it spends its fury.  My heart sickens when I contemplate the condition of the drunkard’s wife.  I turn from the picture with horror and disgust.  But, is there no danger that females themselves may become partakers of this monstrous vice?  My soul would rejoice if it were so.  But every town, and village, and hamlet, furnishes evidence to the contrary.  Even while I am writing, I can almost hear the groans of a woman in an adjoining house, who is just on the borders of the drunkard’s grave.  But, independent of this, it is scarcely possible to dry up the secret elements of this wasting pestilence, without the aid of female influence.  I have no doubt, if the curtain were lifted from the domestic history of the past generation, it would appear that most of the intemperate appetites which have exerted such a terrific influence upon society were formed in the nursery.  But, besides the formation of early habits, females exert a controlling influence over the public sentiment of the social circle.  Here is the sphere of your influence.  If young ladies would, with one consent, set their faces against the use of all intoxicating liquors, their influence could not fail to be felt throughout society.  Make yourself thoroughly acquainted with the subject, and lose no opportunity of advocating the cause in every circle in which you move; or, of doing whatever is right and proper for a lady to do, in advancing it.

VI. You may make your influence felt in every circle in which you move, by directing conversation towards profitable subjects. Here the honor of your Master is concerned.  There is a lamentable tendency, even among professors of religion, when they meet for social intercourse, to spend, their time in light and trifling conversation.  The consequence is, they bring leanness upon their own souls; and if any impenitent sinners witness their conduct, it helps to rivet upon them their carnal security.  “Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel.”  And remember, Christ has declared that every idle word shall be brought into judgment.  “Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness.”