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? "The hardest blow I ever received," said a devoted mother, occupying a high social position in our land, "was when my eldest boy turned to me in answer to my expostulation with him about taking too much wine, and said, 'Mother, you know I learned to drink at home.'" So many have said, "If I had only known then what I know now, how different my home would have been, I would not now have to reproach myself for the wrongdoing of husband or of sons." Recently a member of one of our Christian churches, a lady of wealth and refinement, whose home was a home of luxury, and on whose hospitable board the wine-glass was placed as a matter of custom, during the long years of married life, was called to pass through a very painful experience, a very Gethsemane. Her eldest son had grown to be "a little wild," would go from home occasionally for a day or two, causing his parents great anxiety concerning him. On this occasion nearly a week had passed since they had seen him, when a message came to the mother from one of the city policemen. She hurried with the messenger to the gaol, there to meet her darling boy, the one in whom her fondest hopes had been centred, and for whom her brightest dreams had been so many times thought out, the boy she ceased not thinking of other than true, loving and pure,--to find him battered, bruised, and bleeding, with clothes disordered and torn, a sad example of the transformation which strong drink can produce. Some one writes, "It is sad to be disappointed in those we love," but who can tell the agony of that mother's heart as she looked at her shattered idol, and cried out,