News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-09-11
A Sermon for Young Ladies.
Delivered at Hyde Park, Sunday, Aug. 81, 30
by Rev E. J. Ward.
PROVERBS 31:29.-Many daughters have
done virtuOusly, but thou excelIest them all

We are frequently asked to preach
a sermon to young men, but seldom
are we asked to preach to young
women.
Why this is, we do not know
whether the one class love to be
p reached to, and the other does not
we cannot tell.
1t may be that the one need in
structiOn more than the other, or
will heed it when given more than the
other, or it may be thought that the
minister may be more competent to
teach young men, than young wom-
en-, and therefore is not asked to ad-
dress them, or it may be thought
that young women would naturally
| shrink from public notice, and there
| fore, are less frequently addressed from
the pulpit. Whatever the reason
may be for this seeming neglect, we
venture to-day unsolicited to address
young women, or it may be those
who are looking forward to take the
position of such. In some portions
and ages of the world, woman has
been looked upon as a cipher of
no value, unless upon the right side of
man, and then, an insignificant fig
ure, only as she increased his value.
But however it 1lay have been and
still is in other parts of our world,
with Us, a Christian nation, she Is
what God intended she should be at
creation, an equal factor with manin
working out the great problems OF
life, in lifting the race up toward God
and heaven
We do not hear it asked: Is not
man superior to woman? But both
man and woman are superior and
each is better than the other. Man is
superior to woman in his place, and
woman is superior to man in her
place. Should they change places,
they would both be inferior.
The sphere of each is dignified and
broad and worthy of the best powers
and activities of each The hard
problems can be solved, mankind
made nobler and better and heaven
peopled with the pure only as man
and woman work together for the
salvation of the lost. All the gifts of
both are needful in the great battles
of life, and so they are to work side by
side until the great consummation.
And so they are working.
Show me any worthy object in
which woman has not part; as
teacher she is called to the RESPONSE
BILE position of instructing the young,
and you visit our schools and often
est you find a woman at the head
4 al, tn nd WI 10
we do without her assistance. In
missionary work, she is not only q
helper in raising money, but she has
entered the field, and given an impe-
tus to the work, by her band not only,
but her voice, and wherever there is
any good word or any good work at
home or abroad, woman has a part
voice is heard and her influence is felt
and her saving power is known whef.
ever the wanderer has been reclaimed
and the fallen have been saved.
Woman had much to do in blessing
| the soldier in our late struggle
Whether called to the field of the dy-
| inc to minister to the wounded, or to
stay at home and look after the fam
ilv while their husbands fought, they
we're brave and noble helpers, who
filled a large and worthy place and
proved themselves a nations honor
and a nations glory. And still the
sphere of woman is widening and her
influence broadening and her oppor-
tunities multiplying Colleges are
opening their doors and inviting her
to enter, and if she does not rank with
our young men in acquiring an edu-
cation it is not the fault of our insti-
tutions of learning, and it is because
of these possibilities that | speak to-
dav. Christianity is lifting woman tC
the dignity which her endowments
merit, and because there is such
field before her, beckOning her on
ward, she may look up and rejoice fol
her opportunity has come. There is
enough here to arouse and call fOrtf
her highest powers and stimulate hel
to noble action, and in speaking to
day we shall not endeavor to lay
down rules to guidei in any particular
route. but, what may be said vii
have reference to the qualifications
essential to her success viewed from I
broad and comprehensive standpoint
We purpose not to tell the young
women what they must do in life, thi
is for them to say, but we woulC
mention some of the qualification
that are essential to make them ;
success. and right here | am aware O
the objection with which we are me
when we thus speak. The old stor.
, is rehearsed again and again, W
have heard it until we have it b,
heart, woman, what can she do? Sh
is born not to be aggressive, but sui
missive, she must watch and pray
: and if the way is opened for her to g
: up higher she has only to bow assen
S and take the position assigned to hel
but if it isnot opened for she ma
= pine in solitude and waste her sweet
!. ness on the desert air. But this is a
t wrong, she has something to do a
! well as theyoung man to secure pc
! sition worthy of her. Effort on he
d part is essential to her highest SUI
y cess, she need not lie passively in til
y arms of fortune waiting for her sta
a to rise by which shemay be guided t
r success, but she must be her oW
e star. her own light, her own guild
!. She must follow the path made brlgi
Y bv the reflection of her own glory
g she cannot be the hand to pluck tt
II fruit, she may be the fair fruit thu
a will make the plucking irresistibl
er If it is not her prerogative to sue al
S plead for position, she may so clotl
herselfwith virtue and worth that Il
- lords of creation will rival each 9th
:, :, in seeking her hand, her calling mt
- be to humbly rock the cradle, but s.
~ NAV so rock it that kings may NJ
II and kingdoms may move in respon
of to her motion.
- = Woman has a power that is sha
~ inc, Transforming, and mighty
= possibilities and results, and ii S
- uses it well she may be an honor
- - her. race and glory to her make
Il But how may she acquire this suprel
= acy and so fulfill the end for whl
~ she was created? We remark frs
y she must not be above honest to
~ she must stoop to conquer, she mu
~ humble herself if she would be eXa
- ed. All successful women have be
working women; and those who
above work are above success a
u.s. there will they stay. We have hea
co. co. of those of such high and delics
m. birth that honest toll were very da
ad aping to the hand and cOmpleXlC
,tnr ,er such are to be commiserated for tn
he cannot be helped. Had they lived
al fore the fall in the blissful garden
- =, to nlUht