St. Paul daily globe., 1893-02-19
One of the most difficult Biblical in

One of the most difficult Biblical in
functions to follow is the one that bids
one know thyself." This self is a very
hard person to get acquainted with. In
fact, one shrinks from the close selt-ex-
animation that is necessary to the &C
complishment of that object, and the
average woman prefers to steer clear OF
the job of overhauling her mental and
moral qualities. An honest scrutiny OF
her own character, and a recognition OF
frayed and damaged possibilities and
weakened principles, is not at all
pleasant piece of business. Undoubt-
edly it would be better for her nature
and greatly to the advantage OF her
friends if she would once year tear up
its elements, and would mend any little
flaws she might find.
The Lenten season seems the proper
and appropriate time for this work of
humiliation; for work of humiliation it
is very likely to be. am sure that we
would find many things to remedy If
we belong among the average women.
Let us look little into this complex
thug called self. The thing that goes
farther than anything 1 know to make
one firm in belief of the doctrine of the
Trinity. Don't you know that we are
every one of us three person S? There
is the woman that the world knows or
thinks it knows; the woman that you
know or think you know, and t he woman
God knows you to be. These three
women have the same outward bodily
resemblance; they look through the
same eyes, those windows Of the soul;
they hear with the same ears and speak
with the same tongue; but how dlfterent
they are. The woman the world knows
may be very pleasant person whose
serenity nothing disturDS; she may be
perfect mistress of herself, kind,
sympathetic, quick to feel for an
others woes, while showing nothing OF
her own crosses, charitable, self-rellant,
one of those people who seem made to
bear the burdens Of the world because
she is light-hearted, indeed the world
often calls her 'frivolous." with It's
stern disapproval of'people who make no
claim on its grudging kindnesses; or
she may be the reverse OF all this In the
eyes that Judge her. The woman you
huOW ID dulllClOAt O1OoVu1Ns hiaS ~ sAA~
of faults and keeps a serene front to the
world only by clenching her teeth and
clubbing her fists, SO strong is the battle
between her sense of what is right and
womanly and the legion of imps who are
banded together and in battle array
day and night to catch her sentinels
asleep or visor open or neglected INK
in her armor of daily, prayerful effort.
The self-mastery that the world calls so
fine is often only the numbneSS OF utter
fatigue when nature says 'lt is ne use;
don't lift your. hand again; say .klsmet,
and give the battle over" Inc SYM
pathy with others woes is haif-veXed
wonder at the utter childishness OF cry
ing at what cannot be helped, ana
pity for those pOverty-Stricken natures
that must be always making moan.
The llght-heartedness is token OF the
sure trust in the Power that brought you
into the world, and whose gulH&ng hand
leads you day by day in spite u the oft
recurring course of granted prayers"
the ''frivolousness" an easily broke
mask worn to conceal passion OF lone
illness that longs for comradeShlp
and the comfort and stay OF stronger
hand. You know Of all her shortcom-
ings, and yet you know, too. OF her strong
desire to be that noblest thing. perfect
woman. You see you are behind the
scenes and know why she cannot cry
all her reasons for conduct from the
house tops. You know all about the
pinch of shallow purse that cups the
wings of her generosity oftener than
anything else She must seem niggardly
sometimes if she be an honest woman,
so that she may act as an honest woman
should and be just before she tries to be
generous.
But the other woman, the third in
this trinity of humanity. l often won
der what sort of a looking woman it is
that the Father sees. There are two
texts that have always been comfort
to me, and they are these: "He
knoweth our frame" and "We are his
handiwork." Yes, that is the comfort OF
it all. He knows from what hot-blooded
ancestor we inherited the drops OF
blood that are so ready to boil at oppo-
sition; from what.sad-hearted ancestress
we received that minor cord in our souls
that brings the tears to our eyes at
simple song, that wakes to tender rest
Iessness on a moonlight night, or that
helps us to understand how homeless
people feel if at nightfall we
s.In others windows see the light
Of household fires CLEAN warm and bright. "
And so you see. my dears, these Lenten
overhaulingS of our personal character
may be what old-fashioned ministers
use to call especial means of grace" to
us. At all events, we can but be
stronger and better and braver for the
coming year for these intimate self
examinations. AUNT POLLY.