Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-07-26
Purity In Young WomanhOod

Among tne cleinehto vi "o"u'J =" wv
character of young woman none is
more essential than purity OF mind and
heart. Here are lew sentences from
private letter
True refinement Is not mere outside
polish. 1t goes deeper. and penetraIes
to the very foundations of character. 1t
is purity, gentleness, and grace in the
heart, which like tie perfume ofa flow
er, breathe out and Dathe all The life 10
sweetness. 1t is not mental culture (;
theie is true refinement octeu where ed
ucation has been limited, where in the
speech you may detect faults and er-
rors. On the other hand there is some
times high intellectual training and fin
ishjng without any true refinement.
That vi hich really refnes is purity OF
mind and heart"
These words are very true. 1t Is not
possible even 10 think of true woman
hood without purity. II were as easy
to think of a rose without beauty, or a
lily without whiteneSs, Of true wo"
manly character without this element.
Amid the wreck of this world wrought
by sin, there are still some fragments OF
the beauty of Eden, and among these
none Is lovolier than the unsullied deli
cacy of q true woman's heart. 1t is
possible, too, to preserve this holy pur'
ity even amid all this worlds sin and
foulness.
Have you ever seen lily floating in
the black waters of bog All about
it IS stagnation, corruption, vileness,
but in the midst Of it all the lily re
mains as pure as the robes of angels.
1t lies on the dark pond, IS rocked on
the bosom of every ripple, yet it never
takes stain. 1t ever holds up its un-
sullied face toward Gods blue heaven
and pours its fragrance all about it. In
like manner is it possible for every wo-
man 10 live in this world Of sin and
moral evil, keeping her soul unstalned
IN The midst of it all, and ever breathing
out the perfume Of holy, uaseldsh love.
If there is one thing that every young
woman should cherish above all other
nossessions IN this world, it is The
brightest jewel of her queenly crown
her purity of heart, Of thought, OF imag-
ination. of soul. Ga The window OF her
cell an unhappy young queen-grl wrote
with a diamond this prayer Keep me
pure make others great"
This is a fit prayer for every young
girl. She should miss everything In
this world, of honor, OF pleasure, oi
reward, OF wealth, rather than lose her
souls purity. She should guard her
heart, that no impure thought may ever
find entrance or lodgment there. She
should guard her imagination that no
breath oflmpurlty may ever be allowed
to blow upon it, that no impure visions
may ever hang for an instant on Its
holy walls. There is need OF word oil
solemn warning. There are dangers
about every young girl. There are IN
dications in society of the lowering oil
the tone OF girlhood. There are loud
manners IN some ci,cles that are pam
full to every sensitive heart. There are
papers aud books that are read by toe
many young girls, aud offend no more
that leave the trail of the serpent be-
hind them on the fair flowers OF maid
enlv refinement. There are dances anC
amusements that canuot but destroy
the bloom of dellcacy. There Is low
e,inc of the standard of mOdesfy 10
some circles. There are improprietie:
IN dress. there are indelicacies OF action
there Is bolduess Of manner which Is
far from lovely.
There may seem to be no harm II
these things, and some may think q
friend prudish who tcels 80 deeply on
this subject or speaks so earnestly 10
warning. But the immediate harm lies
in the sublie sullylug OF the dIvinely-
wrought bloom of innocence whict
covers every young girls soul as il
comes from Gods hand. When. on a
winters morning, you breathe upon tn
exquisite tracery of frost work on the
wiadow.pane, it melLs down. aud can
auy human hand replace it Still less
ia it possible to restore the charm o.
purity to the soul which has lost it.
Ifa young girl would grow into tn
most spotles, womanhoOd, radiant III
every feature with the loyelness o
Christ's own image, she must, iron
her earliest youth, through all the ex
periences oil her life, maintain the doso'