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.
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