Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-02-24
Gaoies' department.
wONIAN's WORK.
Interesting Letter from Florence
Nightingale.

w u wv III NOuI hlIl lcilt VI guy IL, VIZ,
give you information about my own life;
though if | could, it would be to show how Il
woman of very ordinary ability has been led
to God by strange and unaccustomed
paths-to do in His service what He did in
hers. And if | could tell you all. you would
see how God had done all and | nothing. |
have worked hard, very hard-that is all
and | have never refused God anything;
though, being naturally II very shy person.
most of my life has been distasteful to me.
| have no particular gifts. And | can honest
~ assure any young lady. if she will but try
to walk. she will soon be able to run the
appointed course" But then she must first
learn to walk, and SO when she runs she
must run with patience. (Most people don't
even try to Walk
First-But would say to all young ladies
who are called to any particular vocation
qualify yourself for it us II man does for his
work. Don think you can undertake it
otherwise. No one should attempt to teach
the Greek language until he is master of the
language and this he can only become by
hard study. And.
Second-If you are called to mans work.
do not exact woman's privileges, the privi-
lege of inaccuracy, of weakness, yc muddle-
heads. Submit yourselves to the rules of
business rs men Ito. by which alone you can
make Gods business succeed, for He has
never said that He will give HIS success and
His blessings to ineficiency, to sketching and
unfinished work.
Third--lt has happened to me more than
once to be told by women Cyour countrywo-
men), YES, but you had personal freedom"
Nothing can be farther from the truth. |
question whether God has ever brought any
on, through more difficulties and ~contradic-
tions than | have had. But | imagine these
exist less among you than among us; so |
will say no more.
Fourth-But to all women | would say.
look upon your work, whether it be an accus-
toned or IN unaccustomed work, IA upon !;
trust conided to you. This will keep you
alike from Encouragement and from pre-
sumption, from idlcness and from overtax-
ing yourself. When God leads the way. He
has bound Himself to help you to go the
way.
| have been nine years confined II prisoner
to my room ron illness, and overwhelmed
with business. (IIad | more faith-more OF
the faith which | protest. would not say
overwhelmed, for it is all business sent mi
by God; and | am really thankful to Him
though my SORROWS have been deep aud many
and He still makes me TO His business.
This must be my excuse for not answering
your questions before. Nothing with the mp
proval Of my own Judgement has been mad,
public, or | would send it. have II strong
objection to sending my own likeness for the
same reason. Some of the most valuable
works the world has ever seen, we know moi
who is the author of; we only know that Goo
is the author of all. | do not urge this cX.
ample upon others. but it is II decp-seatod
religious scruple in myself. | do not wisl
my name to remain, nor my likeness. That
God alone should be remembered, | wish.
III could give the lessons Of my life to my
countrywomen and to yours Gndeed | fair
look upon MS as all one ~nation)-tho lessons
of my mistakes as well as of the rest