Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-03-17

Try % answer fully though ! must 60 over
ground crossed often enough before. But il
is often well 10 repeat thiugslin other times
aud words:
"lGth March, 1876
"Sir-Being very much interested in the
81. Georges Society, we venture 10 write and
ask if you will be 80 kind as 20 scnl US the
rules. ~, even if we could not join it, we
should 80 like to ,ry and keep them. We hope
you will excuse our troubling you, hot we do
not know how else to obtain the rules.
eve remain yours truly"
My deer children, tie rules Of St Georges
Company are none other than those which, at
your baptism, your godfathcrs and godmoth-
crs promised 20 see that you should obey
namely. tie rules Of conduct given % all His
dsciy.cs by Christ. 20 far ~, according %
your ages. You can understand or practice
them. But the Christian religion being now
mostly obsolete and worse, falsely prof,ssCd)
throughout Europe, your godfAthers and god
mothers too probably had no very clear notion
OF the devil or lis works. when they promised
you should renounce them; and st. George
hereby sends you n splinter of bis lance, IN
token that you will find extreme difficulty in
putting any e Christ's wishes into practice,
under The present hasljsk power Of society.
Nevertheless, s.. GEORGES first order 20 you,
supposing you we've put under his charge.
would be that YOU should always, in whatever
you do. endeavor to please Christ land lie Is
quite easily pleased if you try; but in at
tempting tlis you will instonlly find yonr-
self likely 10 di.rlcase mary of Your friends
or relations; and 81 Georges second order
10 you is, that in whatever you do, you con-
slider what is kind and du,ifu TO them also
ard that you hold il for q sure rule, thet no
manner &C disobedieuce 10 your parents, or oi
dsrrspect aud presumption toward your
friends. can be pleasing 20 God. G0u must.
therefore. be doubly submissive first, in your
own will and purpose, 20 the law Of Christ ;
then, in the carrying ont of your purpose, to
the pleasure aud orders Of the persons whom
lie has given You FOR superiors. And you are
not to submit 20 them sulleuly, but j'yiuly
aud heartily; keeping nevertheless your own
purpose clear. so soon as Il tccomes proper for
you to carry itcut.
Under these conditions, here are few of St
Georges orders foI you to begin with:
lst. Keep absolute calm Of temper under
All chances receiving everything that is pro-
vuking or disaGreeahle 70 you as coming d.
rectly from Ctrists hand, anl tie more it Is
like to provoke you. Thank Him fuT II tie
more. ~ a young soldier would his general for
trusting him with hard place 70 hold on the
rampant And remember il does not in tie
least matter what happens to you-wheiher
clumsy s,hool-ieilow tears your dress. or a
shrcwd one laughs at you, or The eoverucss
doesn't understand YOU The ono thing need
ful is that none Of these things should yex
Won. For your mind. 40 Ills tine ~ your
youth, is cry,tallizi1. Ike suglr.caudy; and
the least jar 10 Ii flaws tie crystal, aui that
permanently.
2l Say 20 yourselves every morning just
after your prayers: "Who SO farsaketh not all
that lie hath, cannot he Ny disciple" That
is exactly aud completely true; meaning that
You arc o. give aii You have % Christ, to take
care of for you Then if lie doesn't take care
Il II. Of course YOU know il wasi't worth any
thing. Aud if lie takes anything from you.
YOU know you are better without IT, You viii
not. indeed, at your age, have to give up houses
or lands or boats, or nets; but you may per-
Laps break your favcrite tcacup, or lose your
hvorite thimble, and might he vexed about
it but for this second ST. Georges precept.
81. What. after this surrender, yon find
iutrustcd 20 you, take extreme care Of, aud
make as useful "a possible The greater part
Of al they have is usually given To grown-up
people by Christ, merely that they may give il
away again; bat schoolgirls, for the most
part. are likely 90 have little mole than what
is needed for themselves; Of Which, whether
books. dresses. orpre,iy-room lurnliure, you
.re TO take extreme Gaze. looking on yourself,
indeed. practically. rs little hausenaid set To-
keep Christs hooks and room IN orders and
not as yourself tire mistress Of anything.
4tb. Dress rs plainly as your parents viii
allow you: but in bright colors li they be-
come youl. and ia tle best materiI's-that Is
10 saw. In those Which will wear tie longest.
When vOu are really 10 want Of new dress,
Juy il lor make ~ in the fashion; but never
7uit an old one merely le-au.e II has become
And If tie fashion be costly,
vou must not follow II. You may wear broad
.trires or narrow, bright col0rs or dark, short
or long lin moderatioul as tie pub
.;c wish You; but you must DOT buy yards Of
useless stuff 70 make knot or \ f0uBcc Of
Dor drag them behind ycu over the ground.
And vour walking-drcss must never touch the
ground At all. / have lost much Of the faith
I once had in tie c0mmon-seuse and even O!
the personal delicacy Of the present race Of
average English women, by seeing how they
will allow their dresses 20 sweep the streets, !!
it is the fashion to be scaveugers.
Reprinted, with slight addition, from "Fors
Clsvigera.'