The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-10
Perils Of Young WOmanhood.

Young womanhood is a period of
special and peculiar danger Thus far
life has been June-day voyage down
silver stream, amid rich scenery, be-
tween banks covered with flowers.
Now it grows real. Important ques-
tons must be settled Character must
take its shape. Aspirations must be
kindled. Decisions must be made
which will affect all the future. Friend
ships must be formed which, will weave
into the life-web either golden threads
or hempen.
Look a moment at two perilous
points in this period. One is the form
alton of character. What will it beP
Thoughtful, studious, serious, digni6ed,
intellig .nt, earnest, aspiring, noble?
Or, will it be light, empty, frivolous,
trifling, ignorant, undignified, unwom-
anlyp Does not every young woman
need Christ to counsel and to help her
at this pointp There are many in
fiuences to tempt young ladies' to be sat
isfied with a very shallow and superb
cial character. But what could be
more unworthy of those who wear the
image of Christ, and who are to WELD
such mighty influence in the near or
remote future, on the formation of other
charactersp No young woman in these
days, with so many opportunities,
should grow up in ignorance. She
should be ashamed not to be well edu-
Gated. She may not have the privilege
of extended school attendance, but she
should lay hold upon the fragments of
time at her disposal and appropriate
them to earnest self-improvement. "a
friend of mine learned French in the
odd moments picked up between other
duties.) She should discard silly novels
and trashy newspapers for books of
substantial worth. that will teach her
something and not merely fill her imag-
ination with wild fancies and impossible
romances. She should seek in all ways
to improve her culture, and refine her
character, and ennoble her, spirit.
WomanhOod is too noble TO be dwarfed
and degraded and FILTERED away in
frivolous trifing. Every young woman
should rise up in the dignity and
grandeur of her soul and say:
II will make my life truly beautiful
and noble. l will not make dress and
society my chief end, but mental i'm.
provement and true elevation of char
acter. / will store my mind with
knowledge. will not follow after the
multitude in their idle pursuit of airy
nothing. 1 will cherish lofty aspira-
tons. l will study the lives of the best
women who have ever lived, those who
have been real blessings to the world.
Above all, will go to Christ and learn
of Him. And by His grace l will rise
above superficialness, frivolousness and
emptiness, and will win my way to all
that is beautiful, brilliant. refined and
exalted in true Christian w0manhood. y
This question, sOhat she is to be,
every young woman must meet and
settle. And it must be confessed there 4
are strong currents to drift her toward
q life of silly pleasure and superficial
character, which will, in the end, bring
misery and sorrow. She; needs Christ
to take her hand and lead her up
toward true and lasting beauty, genuine
culture, thorough refinement and noble
character
The other point Of special peril in
every young woman,s life is when she
chooses her friends. The character of
these win determine the whole drift
and destiny of her future lifa.. If they
are frivolous, ignorant, shallow, tn
fling, she will drift out with them on
sea of pleasure, until the fraiI baroue
Of her happiness is wrecked, like the
poets ship Of glass, ON some hidden
rock or treacher0us reed. Many I
noble girl, with splendid opportunities.