Girls: Faults and Ideals: A Familiar Talk, with Quotations from Letters — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Girls: Faults and Ideals: A Familiar Talk, with Quotations from Letters
John Stuart Mill · en
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GIRLS: FAULTS AND IDEALS.
_A FAMILIAR TALK, WITH QUOTATIONS FROM LETTERS._
BY
J.R. MILLER, D.D.
NEW YORK 10 EAST FOURTEENTH ST.
THOMAS V. CROWELL & CO.
BOSTON: 100 PURCHASE STREET.
GIRLS: FAULTS AND IDEALS.
"Cleanse thou me from secret faults." PSA. xix, 12. "The King's daughter
is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold."--PSA. xiv. 13.
The religion of Christ has something to say to every man, woman, and
child, in every relation, on every day, in every experience of life.
It is not something for Sundays, and for prayer-meetings, and for
sick-rooms, death-beds, and funerals: it is just as much for the
school-room, the play-ground, the store, the kitchen, the street.
Wherever you may chance to be, if you listen you will hear a voice
behind you, whispering, "This is the way; walk ye in it." The Bible is
the Word of God, our Father's will concerning his children; and it has
something to say each day, at every point of experience, to every one of
us. I want to help the girls and young women, if I can, to hear a little
of what Christ has to say to them.
It is good for us to see ourselves as others see us. Hence, I have asked
a number of Christian young men to give me answers to certain questions,
and from these I have quoted in this familiar talk. I take two of these
questions, viz.;
1. "What are some of the most common faults in young women of your
acquaintance?"
2. "What are some of the essential elements of character in your ideal
of true young womanhood?"
We shall think then of common faults and of ideals. The first text I
have chosen is a prayer for for the cleansing of faults. The second is a
description of the life that pleases God.
"Cleanse thou me from secret faults." Is there one of us who does not,
from deepest heart pray this prayer? I pity that man or that woman who
does not long to be cured of faults, whatever they are, however painful
or costly their removal may be.