The native American., 1840-01-11
PIETY IN WOMAN.
BY MRS. BALL.

1t is matter of proud congratulation among
women, that whatever extraordinary powers
may have been bestowed, or pre- eminent tai
ents developed in their sex, plety has ever been
their concomitants. There is native purity
in the heart Of women which naturally leads
her to christianity. On no other altar can she
pour out all the pure aspirations of her nature.
But the moment woman ceases to be virtuous,
she shrinks with nervous terror from the con-
victions of conscience, and listens to the be-
wldering voice of infdelty, in the vain hope Of
sitting the self-reproach which haunts her soli-
tude. Then, and then only, if she has talents,
they become perverted, and to make the wrong
appear the better reason,'' becomes the aim of
all efforts. Her object is to create admiration,
now that she can no longer inspire love; and
she turns from her own sex and assumes the
masculine coarseness or infdel philanthropy, for
the pure, meek, and holy religion of the gos
pie. Thus she stands forth to the world an isolat
ed object Of cont empt and pity ; and, cut off
from all the sympathies of society, becomes a
wandering meteor destined finally to sink in
the gulf of infamy. ..a
But how bright is the reverse Of this picture!
Look back upon the historic page, and see wo-
man proudly filling her destiny. See Helena,
the pious mother of Constantine, laying the
foundation of christian empire. Look at the
British king outstanding and humanizing his
subjects, under the influence of pious queen.
And III modern times, see the Augustan queen
of England, with the frmness Of manhood
clearing away the superstitions with which time
and weakness had obscured the light Of religion,
and at once revving learning and christianity.
But need not go back. Look at Mary the
mother of Washington, "a devout woman
and the preceptor of him who stands in bold re-
lief on the record oftime, above host of heroes
and conquerors, the boasted worshippers of an
abstract virtue but in reality the principal mur-
derers of their species. Washington was as
good as he was great, and his mother taught
him the true philosophy of greatness.
And why should man who leans with such
confding trust upon woman's holy tenderness
and purity with all that soothes and consoles,
and makes home happy-why should man seek
to substitute in her heart, its innate elevation,
the bewildering glare of unbeief? Iswoman
unhappy in her domestic reatons-what al.
lays the bitterness Of discord what like reIi-.
gion robs the reproach of its sting and substi-
tutes the heart touching prayer for the cold
taunt? Is her husband a wanderer from the
domestic hearth? what hinders her from wish
of retaliation, and what recalls him so soon as.
the settled conviction of his wife's virtue, guard
ed and sustained by her unwavering faith in
another and more blessed. state of existence,
where the wicked cease from troubling? Oh
sweep not from around the female heart the bar
rers which religion has reared, by cold deiuge
Of infidel sophisms Deny a part and you
shake her faith in the whole. Teach her not to
seek the concentrating influence of vice in the
world, by inculcaing the union of virtue and
vice in heaven. Her Bible teaches her that
meek and quiet spirit is the distinguishing trait
Of christian and what man will displace it for
the gttering bubble of licentious infidelity.