West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1886-01-20
Letter to the Young Ladies of
West Virginia.
BY "oUR SECRETARY"

|
For long time have thought
of writing to the young ladies Of
West Virginia. l sometimes wish
| had one young lady correspond.
ent in every city and town in the
State. Then 1 could talk to her
as often as she would allow me and
say to her alone many things that
| would not say to her in company
with all her young sisters in the
State. You know there are little
heart thoughts that we can breathe
to one another, that do not sound
well, or come naturally when talk
ing to a number of people.
There are so many girls in our
State whose youth, beauty and
intelligence L covet for this and
every good work
Some of them are not at work
because they have not thought on
these things; others because they
have so little confidence in their
own powers. | am always hopeful
about the girls who don't have any
confidence in themselves, if they
can be persuaded to be tools in the
hand of the great Architect.
l know a great many of you say
and really believe it: II can't do
anything [ am willing but 1 have
not the talent that Miss
has" That is sort of slough OF
despair" through which 1 waded
long time. Now 1 want every
girl who is struggling there to
look up and imagine she sees one
on the bank holding for her
most encouraging light, by which
she may find sure path out of all
her trouble. The light will tel
her that of herself she can do
nothing, but II can do all things,
through Christ which strengthen
eth me-" | used to think it was
all that was necessary to give our
selves to Christ, but for a long
time the feeling has been growing
on me, that the gift of ourselves
ought to mean more than that
ought to mean all that we are
capable of becoming ought to mean
every power of mind and heart
cultivated to the fullest extent.
Girls, are we doing this? Are
we using all the power we have
over the young people we know,
to enlist them in the things that
belong to their eternal happiness :?
Girls, we want you in our Temper
ance work. Some of you are work
ing in the w. G. 7. US, but
wherever you are not doing so,
please get together and form a Y.
w. G. 7. U. There are so many
ways in which you can entertain
the young people of your neigh bor-
hood. You know if you do not do
this, some one else will attract
them. Your brother may be
entertained in haunts of vice and
sin.
l want to tell you about little
band OF girls who are doing every
thing in their power to help save
some one.
They get discouraged just like
you do, but they work on. Who
can tell the result?
Through the fundamentally OF
the young lady who is now their
President, they organized Y. W.
c. T. U. last June.
They meet regularly and are
Sowing the seed" as faithfully as
possible.
Different methods were en- ployed
through the summer to keep up the
interest. The young President is
ever on the alert to find something
new and interesting for their meet
ings and we look for a rich harvest
some day, from her work. She has
very kindly furnished me with an
account of their last entertainment
and as it was quite novel one ]
felt the young ladies of the FREE
MAN must at once have the benefit.
THE NOVEL SOCIAL.
An even number of ladies and