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
Let me now turn your thoughts to the other Scripture test. "The King's
daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold." As
the words read in our Common Version, they seem to describe the heart
life and the outer life, or conduct. "All glorious within," with heart
pure, beautiful, radiant, bearing the image of Christ. "Her clothing is
of wrought gold," woven of threads of gold; that is, her outward life
also is pure, beautiful, radiant, Christ-like. This is the King's
Daughter's text; it is the motto which gives them the aim of all their
life and activity. Let us look at it a few moments as containing the
Scriptural ideal for all young womanhood. _"All glorious within_." That
is the first thing to seek in your ideal of true young womanhood. You
must have your heart right, and it must be kept right. An evil heart
never made a holy life. A dark heart never made a shining life. A
selfish heart never made an unselfish life. A sad heart never made a
glad life. Says Faber: "There are souls in the world who have the gift
of finding joy everywhere, and of leaving it behind them when they go.
Joy gushes from under their fingers like jets of light. Their influence
is an inevitable gladdening of the heart. It seems as if a shadow of
God's own gift had passed upon them. They give light without meaning to
shine. These bright hearts have a great work to do for God."
The reason these lives are such benedictions is because they are
glorious within. I cannot press home this truth too earnestly.
Everything depends upon the heart. The heart makes the life. A beautiful
soul will make even a homely face beautiful. Seek, dear girls, to be
"all glorious within."
There is only one way. Our natural hearts are not beautiful, not pure,
not glorious. We must let Christ wash our souls till they are made
whiter than snow. We must let the Holy Spirit cleanse us and purify us
and glorify our life within. Here is a little prayer for all who would
have their hearts transformed:
"Holy Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would holy be;
Separate from sin, I would
Choose and cherish all things good;
And whatever I can be,
Give to him who gave me thee."
"_Her clothing is of wrought gold_." Not only is the inner life of the
King's daughter all glorious, but her outer life also is resplendent.
Her character is beautiful. Her disposition is kindly. Her spirit is
gentle. She does lovely things. The heart makes the life. A glorious
light within shines out and transfigures all the being. It is wonderful
how the whole life is brightened by a loving, joyful heart. So I counsel
the young women to seek to have their very faces shine with the glory
of peace. Watch your life, your temper, your disposition, your conduct,
your acts, your words. You are a daughter of the King; wear your royal
garments wherever you may go. Go continually on your King's errands.