The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-07-28

N# l. ~ WI 0o AhbibS Jul uSLSublOus III LiN
first place, to enumerate some of the es-
sentlal, shining and endearing qualities
of prudent woman And, secondly, to
consider, why a prudent wife should be
said to be from the Lord while house
and riches are only to be styled the inler-
itance Of fathers.
[. Let US cnumerate some Of the essen
tial, endearing qualities of prudent
So wide latitude hath been indulged
in the use Of the word prudent, that it
would engross too much of the present
hour to recollect its several and various
Specifications. Suffice it, to give you the
plain and important meaning of theword
which hath been adopted in the Proverbs
of Solomon. Teprudent man .tore-seeth
the eeH and hideth himself; but tie SIM
pie pass on and are punished-See
chap. xii g. and xvii. u
This succinct, indubitable explanation
of prudence insisteth, that Virtue hath
more frequent occasion Tor severe exer-
ton, in hiding from evil, avoiding or pre-
venting it,-than in the direct and sue
cessful performance Of positive good. And
it is emphatically true, in regard to an
amiable woman, that the principal efforts
of her virtue are called forth in the pre-
vention or resistance of evil Indeed,
whore is the man-Who is he, that is can
didly conscious, to himself, of the direct,
successful achievement of extensive pos
tive good But there is no one virtuous
character who hath not been arduously
employed and painfully assiduous, in shun-
ming or resisting evil.
In such a world as this-mortals are
raised on a pinnacle of danger: And te-
males more especially. But the greater
part, yea and the more formidable kind
Of evils, to which even aconeeM are obnox-
ious, may be fore-seen. And, if tore-see,,,
may | not say, aroided.
The name, indeed, of ills that threaten
is Legion, Yet by due attention to a
few Of those guardian monitOrs-destined
to attend the exposed in christian land,
the most Of them may be deserted at a
seasonable distance, and consequently from
a safe retreat.
Tie oJrious nature ofHiags IN gener-
Ial, constantly announces the faithful ad-
monition: And this again is seconded by
the obvjous nature oflopsed man, impair
ticuiarj the odeice ofgood parents or ju-
olicious friends; the dictates Of DiviHc
Regclation; and a quich, iasttncttce sense
! Of exact rectjtude acidtia. BY this quick,
instructive sense withn,-I mean some
thing more than conscience-a certain,
instant, faithful monitor, which holds a
residence in special in the female breast
Such means as these, so much made
ready to her hand, and so essential to her
preservation, the prudent woman early
embraces, with eager grasp. Nay, by the
faithful consultation of such full resources
-as her adopted monitors to preservation,
and as sure directors of virtuous conduct,
I they soon ingratiate themselves so deeply
in her favor that,-she is ready to tie
them about her neck, to Jind hcm on her
fingers, and to w,Tte them acjth indeligj-
! ble eneyay, on the taJles Of her heart ::
Saying, When she gocth they shaH lead
her, when she slecPeth, they shaHhecp her,
and achen size duaIcH they shall talk
wHh her While in the view of others,
they are an ornament Of grace about her
hea9, and chains abouther neck: For 50
shall she fnd Jacor and good understand
ang, IN the sight Of God and man. Prov
! iii. 4.
Alas, that of probationers so fair, it
should be said of any one, She Is simple
Alas, that she should ever prove 50 deaf
to all the faithful guardians of her charms !;
that whether she fore-sees impending pun
ishment or not, she passes head-long down
the road to guilt That, that which hath
so fair destination to the most endear-
ing attachments in the heart of man,
should ever once become the hated object
of his just adherence and unmixed con
tempt! Yea, that, that which hath been
organized to such superior, quick and ex-
quisltc sense Of rectitude, should cheaply
part with innocence and undergo a per-
picked confusion, in the soul-fclt punish
ment
But I shall not do justice to the sub
ject, to the expectations of my audience,
or to my own feelings, till | shall have
been more particular.
And yet, fully to describe prudent
woman; to cause that certain, amlable,
most excellent, overcoming iovliness-to
stand forth, compleatly enrobed with all
! its native charms-is impossible, but by
the life itself 1t cannot be done by de-
scribing hesoveral qualities ; one Ly one.
For, although every whole is made
up of particular parts, yet the whole an
unison may appear very differently from
the whole disjointed and discordant /;
Goals collected gather life and ardor -
mart Them. and the fervor dies