ncerns the relations between God and
man. But sometimes we are told that it is less well known now than
formerly, when real knowledge of it was much more difficult.

Women are said to be naturally more religious than men, but that natural
religion will have all the stronger influence the more it is founded on
knowledge, and so is able to stand alone, apart from the stimulus of
beautiful services or inspiring preaching. Women who follow their
husbands into the distant parts of the earth, and are called to be
home-makers in new lands, may find themselves not only compelled to
stand alone, but called upon to help to maintain the religious life in
others. They will not be able to do this if, when they had the
opportunity, they neglected to lay sure foundations for their own
religious life.

These thoughts may seem to lead us far away from the occupations and
interests of girlhood; but they emphasise what is the important
thing--the need to recognise the years of girlhood as years of
preparation. This is not to take away from the joy of life. The more we
learn to find joy in all the beauty of life, in books, in art, in
nature, the more permanent sources of joy we are laying up for the
future. We must not starve our natures; we should see that every part of
ourselves is alive and vigorous.

It is because so many women really hardly live at all that their lives
seem so dull and colourless. They have never taken the trouble to
develop great parts of themselves, and in consequence they do not notice
all the beautiful and interesting things in the world around them. They
have not learnt to use all their faculties, so they are unfit to do the
work which they might do for the good of others.

Many girls have dreams of the great things they would like to do. But
they do not know how to begin, and so they are restless and
discontented. The first thing to do is to train themselves, to do every
little thing that comes along as well as they can, so as to fit
themselves for the higher work that may come. It is worth while for them
to go on with their studies, to train their minds to habits of accurate
thought, to gain knowledge of all kinds, for all this may not only prove
useful in the future, but will make them themselves better instruments
for any work that may come to them to do. It is very worth while to
learn to be punctual and orderly in little things, to gain business-like
habits, even to keep accounts and to answer notes pro