Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-02-09
THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE.

\
veutured home In state of intoxication.
knew my situation, and dreaded lest my
wife should discover it. exerted myself
to conceal it. | affected to be witty, atfec
tionate, and social. but it was :ctal fail
ure. felt the fatal poison momcntarilJ
increasing. saw the inquiring eye of
my wife fixed upon me with look Of un-
unutterable grief. It was only with her
aid that was able to reach my pillow.
The checks which her Ignorance. had
imposed npon me being now removed, all
.restraint was soon swept away, and came
home night after night in state most
revolving to the feelings of a delicate, affec-
tionate female. In vain my amiable con-
panion wept aud expostulated. l was too
much entangled and corrupted to break
away from my vices or associates. They
neither feared God nor regarded man.
was led captive bv their devices.
became Il will not say an inidel, for
I was too ignorant of the theory Of scep-
ticism to be one-I became nocker-
Fools make a mock at sln,' and such a
fool was I. | knew just enough of the
Bible to make it my jest book. saw that
this part of my conduct was ex tremely
painful to my pious wife, and tried to
restrain myself from tritiing with the Bible
in her presence; but loved to raise loud
laughter among my boisterous companions,
and the Indulgence served to strengthen
the pernicious habit, that was often de-
tected In the use of this offensive Ian
guage.
l. It was not till became "a father that
her touching appeals on this subject reach
ed my conscience. "Must this child" she
would say with tears, "be trained up
under these baneful influences Must he
be taught, by parental example, to despise
aud rdicule the Scriptures with his lisping
tongue, before be Is able to read their con
tents or understand their heavenly origin
No counteracting influence of mine can
obliterate frotn his mind the jest with
which his father has assaied this or that
sacred passage. ~e-
Our son had now become an interesting
little prattlcr, initiating whatever he saw
or heard. | perceived with sort of dla-
bolical pleasure, that the first effort of biz
infant tongue was to initiate my protan'
language, the recollection of which nov
sends thrill of grief and horror through
my bosom In vain did his sorrowins
ence of my wicked example. | continued
! to swear, aud he to initiate my profanity
unconscious Of its turpitude.
On cetrain occasion [ returned from
one of my gambling excursions, and foun
my wife aud child absent. On inquiry,
ascertained that she had gone to her ac
customed place of retirement, in grow
at some dista ce from the house.. | kne'
that she had gone there for the purpose {
devotion. I had been accustomed to Sc
der retire thither at the evening twilight
and though thought her piety unneces
l sary, had no objection to it as sourc
of enjoyment to he:; but that she shoul
take her child with her, excited my. SUI
prise. | felt a curiosity to follow her.
! did so, and took a position unseen by he
l but whore | had full view of her attitu,
/ and features. She was kneelug beside
u rock, on which lay her Bible before he
g One hand was placed on its open pagt
y the other held the hand of her fair DO
Is who was knceling beside her, his eye il
tently fixed upon her ia Q. She was ps
,s' and careworn. Her eyes were closed, b
le the tears were chasing each other dov
10 her cheeks, as she poured forth her bu
es dened soul in prayer, first for her husba
l. that he might be reclaimed and saved, c
l. pecaIy did she plead with God that E
lr son, whom she unreservedly dedicated
y him, might be saved from those sins viii
is were taught him by his fathers exa,nr
l'' 81 Save him." she cried with agony, "ss
RS him from taking thy great and holy ma
TO in vain, and give his anxious mother W
dorr, r'itude, aud grace efe,tual
}" correct aud break up the habit
W profaneness."
rs, / creps silently from my hidiug- pla
Iai and returned home with consclel
L narrowed up with the keenest Sc
reproaches. knew that her feelings W
c; not the ftful ebullitons of passion
SO excitement. | had long been conyin,
that her conduct was regul ated by firm .
virtuous principles, aud that the Bill
nat which | 80 lightly esteemed, was the r
ate of her life. On her retu-n to the ho
'lic ,sse was solemn, but the law If kindu
The still ruled her tongue. She did Dot
the proach me, but from that day she faithfl
49,. corrected our little son for the use
profane language, even in my preset
and when perhaps be had just caugn,
eed from my lips. I -
art. She succeeded in corqueriny the b.