The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-07-06

fering can be found in every young girls
heart, in the life OF every one who has
had independent thoughts, or who has
been brought into contact with the
world.
81 know what you feel. Lizzie, and
doubtless, many girls have felt the same
pain that we now suffer. Such suffering
belongs to girls of this age. They are the
pains which will bring a new state OF
higher life to girls of the next age. 1t
takes an age of trouble and woe and
darkness, and many victims, to bring q
better condition to society. That is
the worlds lesson in history.
We suffer now, but it will bring
good. 1t is hard for girl to make any
Roadway, with nothing to help her but
her own powers. If 1 were a man,
could try at any rate; but to try and fail
as woman, dare not. Our women in
new work must be grand successes, or
they retard the progress. Yeti see men
who, am sure, have limited capacity,
with whom, were allowed an equal op-
portunity, would be willing to take my
chance in the struggle for success in the
world. Oh, Lizzette. it makes my heart
sick to see men, whom have known as
stupid boys, just fall into the ministry,
because all the outside tendencies made
them drift that way. I see some who
have place there, just as these leaves
have here at our feet, because blown
hither. It is not strange that their work
is SO feeble! They complain of their
''hard CHARGE" of course it is hard to
unlock the secret store Of power. when
you lack the key. Called Of God! Oh,
it makes me shudder to hear some, who
stand as divinely commissioned, who yet
have no divine message to give. l have
been among women, have sat among wo-
men, whose hearts were filed with sor-
row, with doubt, with perplexity, and I
have almost cried out for some word of
help for them, for something that would
bring healing or helping touch to
their spirits, as the minister expounded
the law. For bread, bread they hunger,
and it is but stone they receive.
II understand your keen sense OF in
jury and injustice, Lizzette. Those
young men, as you say, have the worlds
law which says, You must be DOCTOR
but he can freely choose. We are COM
PEELED to teach, and although we too
feel the secret longing for some one
work, and know what we would like to
co, which is the command of God to do
it, yet we are helpless. We would
not drift, for under such cir
cumstances we know to GER
tainty to what our nature would
incline us. To be a minister would
not mean formal work. How many SER
vices; how many calls; but how many
comforted, encouraged, nay, inspiredI
Oh, Lizzette, would that they all could
feel the earnestness and the nobility of
their oficer'
"Why, Rea," murmured Lizzie, "You
brighten me, you look stern, and your
eyes are, fierce. Would you preach?"
came, under her breath.
"Oh, do not ask me what would do.
I only see what is before me, and must
take it. only know that sometimes,
when have longed for help, it has not
come to me, and l have felt that the
preacher could not know woman's
heart. Sometimes have been terrified
at myself, for an almost irresistible i'm
pulse has come to me to me to cry to the
preacher to come down or to speak from
Gods word. For, turning from him to
it, / have found words which would
have brought help to many hearts there.
What an opportunity to speak courage,
to breathe sympathy have seen poor
souls look up with veneration, and that
one upon whom this clinging dependence
was cast, utterly unconscious of that
stern responsibility which such depen-
dence creates. have felt it rest heavily
upon me, but I shake it of. We are
girls"
"You are too serious, Rea, you
brighten me; I am sure now that do
not believe in higher education. II
makes Us too serious for our opportuni-
ties"
Life is serious, very serious, Liz
zette. Never is It more 50 than when
girls awake 10 feel responsibilities
within them. and no corresponding ele-
ment for their development. We have
shut the golden gate Of fancy behind us,
and have entered the thorpy wsy-per-
haps wilderness. How can we help feel
ing that life ID stern realityf We
must take it with all it's limitations.
1t is altogether serious matter to b
alive"
What young woman but feels that this
is serious ego for her to live in? Let
them learn that running, not raging, will
win the race.
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