Chap. VII.] DUTY OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE.

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(6.) Once more ; — since not only a large part of the depend-ence upon alms, even among the virtuous poor, but nearly all ourpauperism, (abject poverty,) is either immediately or remotely tobe ascribed to intemperance in drinicing, the question arises, andit is often a question of great difficulty, — What ought we to do,or what shall we do in the cases, in which, but for intemperance,there would be no call for alms 1 We must always distinguishbetween the intemperate man and his family. The wife of adrunken husband and her children may be without food, withoutfuel, without comfortable clothing, and wholly innocent in re-spect to the causes of their destitution. Or, it may be, the wifeis as intemperate as her husband. Yet there are children to behoused, and clothed, and warmed, and fed, and instructed.' Itmay be said, that our very alms will be appropriated to the rear-ing of these children in intemperance. To some extent, theyprobably will be. Yet there may be actual and pressing want ofthe absolute necessaries of life. Let him, who thinks it easy al-ways to act wisely in reference to this class of cases, make him-self practically acquainted with them, and give us the light of hiscounsel and example. The best general rule is this, — to theintemperate, whether man or woman, money should never begiven. Nay more, even relief in kind should never be given tothe families of the intemperate, beyond the demands of unques-tionable necessity. Not that we ought to inflict upon them anysuffering ; we ought, rather, to be willing and gratified instruments,as far as we can, of their rescue from all suffering. But any almswe may bestow, except with the greatest caution, will but plungethem still further in want and misery. Nay, through our ownvery alms, may an intemperate husband and father feel himselfrelieved from the necessity, and perhaps from the obligation, ofproviding for his wife and children.

There are cases, in which law might do far more than it hasever done for the prevention of pauperism. But, while it licensesthe dram-shop, and interferes not with the victim of intemper-ance, to whatever pitch of wretchedness he may bring his family,while he commits no outrage against the public peace, we muststill do what we can, that our alms may not minister to his yetfurther progress in guilt and misery. Let us seek, by all the