e lost their farms;
lost their reputation; lost their health, and eventually their lives;
and there is reason to fear, their souls. By the temperate but habitual
use of spirits, they formed an _intemperate appetite_. This at first was
occasionally, and then habitually indulged; and they were ruined for
both worlds. The evil may extend to their children, and children's
children.

But those who have entirely relinquished the use of spirits, until the
desire for it is removed, have experienced a wonderful transformation in
their feelings, their conduct, and their prospects. And the change is
visible not only in them, but their families, and all their concerns.
Their windows are not broken out as before; nor their gates and
garden-fences falling down. The kitchen does not smoke as it used to do,
because they keep it more _clean_, have drier and better wood, and lay
it on the fire in a better manner. The wife does not scold as she once
did, because she is well provided for, is treated kindly, and has
encouragement to labor. The children are not now in rags, but are
comfortably and decently clad; they are obedient, respectful, and
mannerly; and appear to be growing up in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord. In short, they appear almost like a new race of beings. And if
they should never again adopt the practice of taking ardent spirits,
there is vastly more reason than before, to hope that they will be led
by the word and Spirit of God to such a course of conduct as will
greatly increase their happiness and usefulness on earth, and be the
means of preparing them, through grace, for the everlasting joys of
heaven.

Should each individual in our country adopt the same course, the
following are some of the advantages which would result from it.

1. They would enjoy better health, be able to perform more labor, and
would live to a greater age.

2. The evils of intemperance would soon be done away: for all who are
now intemperate, and continue so, will soon be dead, and no others will
be found to succeed them.

3. There will be a saving every year of more than _thirty millions of
dollars_, which are now expended for ardent spirits. There will be a
saving of more than two-thirds of all the expense of supporting the
poor, which, in Massachusetts alone, would amount to more than $600,000
annually. And there would be a saving of all that idleness and
dissipation which intemperance occasions, and of the expense of more
than t