The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-02-17
THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE.


a;t,,at;.n .,6 dreaded lest my wife should dis
oover Il T exerted myself to conceal It,
aFactad 70 he witty afectionate and social, but it
no. to,al failure. I felt the fatal poison mo-
,oentarilv increasing saw the inquiring eye of
NV wife fixed upon me with look of unutterable
Grief II was only with her aid that | was able to
reach my pillow
The checks which her ignorance had imposed
,,non me now being removed, all restraint was
soon swept away and / came home night after
night in state most revolving to the feelings OF a
delicate affectioHate female. In vain my amIable
companion wept and expostulated | was too
much entangled and corrupted TO break away
from my vices or associates. They neither feared
God nor regarded man. / led captive BY
their devices.
I became-I will not say infdel, for / was
too Ignorant of the theory of sceptcism to be one
i became a mocker. "FOOls make mock at
sin" and such a fool was /. | knew just enough
of the Bible to make it my jest book. | saw that
this part of my conduct was extremely painful to
nv pious wife and tried to restrain myself from
trifing with the Bible in her presence but
loved to raise loud laughter among my boisterous
companions, and the Indulgence served to strength
en- the pernieious habit, that / was often detected
in the use of this offensive language.
It was not till I became a father that her touch
ing appeals on this subject reached my con-
science. "MuSt TINS cuHu, she "oulu say VIII
tears tbe trained up under these baneful infiu-
ences? Must he be taught, by parental example
to despise and ridicule the Scriptures with his
lispinc tongue before he is able to read their con-
tents or understand their heavenly origin? No
counteracting influence of mine can obiiterate
from his mind the jest with which his father has
aesailed this that sacred passage"
Our son had now become an interesting little
pratt:er initiating whatever he saw or heard. |
1 TIL IL,
the FIRST effort of his infant tongue to im tate
my profane language, the recollection of which
now sends thrill of grief and horror through
my BOSOM In vain did his sorrowing mother en-
deavor to counteract the influence of my wicked
example. / continued to swear, and he to initiate
my profanity, unconscious of its turpitude.
On certain occasion | returned from one of
my gambling excursions and found my wife and
child absent. On inquiry, [ asceriained that she
had gone to her accustomed place of retirement
in a grove at some distance from the house. l
knew that she had gone there for the purpose of
devotion. | had been accustomed to see her re-
tire thither at the evening twilight, and though |
thought her piety unnecessary, had no objection
to it source Of enjoyment to her; but that
she should take her child with her excited my
surprise. / felt curiosity to follow her [ did
20, and took position unseen by her, but where
| had full view of her attitude and features
She was kneeling beside rock, which lay her
Bible before her. One hand was placed on its
open pages the other held the hand of he- fair
boy. who kneeling beside her, his eye in
tentlr fixed upon her face. She was pale aud
earewOrn. Her eyes were closed but the tears
we're chasing each other down her cheeks as she
poured forth her hurdened soul in prayer, first for
her husband that he might be reclaimed and
saved especially did she plead with God that her
son, whom she unreservedly dedicated to Him,
might be saved from those sins which taught
him by his fathers example Save him." she
cried with agony, "save him from taking thy
great and holy name IN vain, and give his anxious
mother wisdom, foritude and grace efcctually to
correct and break up the habit of profaneness ="
crept silently from my hiding place, and re-
turned home with conscience narrowed up with
the keenest selfreproaches | knew that her
feelings not the itful ebullitions of passion
or excitement. [ had long been convinced that
her conduct regulated by firm and virtuous
principles, and that the Bible, which I 50 lightly
esteemed, was the rule of her life On her re-
turn to the house she was solemn but the law of
kindness still ruled her tongue She did not re
preach me, but from that day she faithfully cor
rected little for the use of profane
language, even in my presence, and when per-
haps he had just caught it from my lips.
She succeeded in conquerng the habit in her
child, and when she had cured him. | resolved to
SUanuoh loTeFeT LHo use OF language that had
cost her SO much pain. did abandon it from
that time. But my habits of incompetence were
daily becoming like brass bands. My morning
and noon and evening dram, my loss of appetite
and trembling nerves, proved the strong grasp it
had upon my constitution.
My wife in the habit OF sitting up at night
till my return, however late it might be. She
had no doubt in this way saved me from perish
ing, as / was often too much intoxicated to find
my way even to the door without her assistance
One cold night had been out until late hour,
but returned free from intoxication. On coming
silently to the house, / saw my wretched wife
through the window, sitting over handful of EN-
bers, with her babe and her Bible in her lap and
the big tears gushing from her eyes | attempt
ing to enter the house, with fresh resolution on
my tongue, tainted and fell on the floor.
Upon the return of Consciousness, found nv
wife had drawn me to the fire, and was preparing !
me bed, supposing my swoon to be the usual eff
feet OF ardent spirits. sprang to her side, fell
on my knees, and before her and God vowed
never to taste another drop of any thing intoxica
ting. was then thirty years OLD. Years have
since passed over me, and my VOW is still un-
broken. A. B.
THE REVOLUTION IN JAPAN.-The Northern
overland telegraph brings from Japan that
The revolution in Japan is complete. This is
substantially the same information given by the
japan Express, in article which is copied in a
Hong Kong paper, as follows:
IA wear since M one however familiar with