Young Womans Guide, The | Page 4

the
only true standard of comparison. Importance of self-denial and self-sacrifice.
Blessedness of communicating. Young women urged to emancipate themselves from the
bondage of fashion, and custom, and selfishness.

THE YOUNG WOMAN'S GUIDE.

CHAPTER I.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS.
Defining terms. The word excellence here used as nearly synonym with holiness. What is
meant by calling the work a Guide. The term Woman-- why preferable, as a general term,
to Lady. The class to whom this work is best adapted.
It has been said, and with no little truth, that a large proportion of the disputes in the
world might have been avoided, had the disputants first settled the meaning of the terms
they respectively used. In like manner might a large share of the misapprehension and
error in the world be avoided, if those who attempt to teach, would first explain their
terms.
This work is called "The Young Woman's Guide to EXCELLENCE," because it is
believed that excellence, rather than happiness, should be the leading aim of every human
being. I am not ignorant that happiness-- present and future--is proposed as our "being's
end and aim," not only by as distinguished a poet as Alexander Pope, but also by as
distinguished a philosopher as William Paley. But these men did not learn in the school
of Christ, that our "beings end and aim" is happiness, present or future. The Christian
religion, no less than Christian philosophy and sound common sense, teaches that
holiness or excellence should be the leading aim of mankind. Not that "the recompense of
reward," to which the best men of the world have had regard in all their conduct, is to be
wholly overlooked, but only that it should not be too prominent in the mind's eye, and too
exclusively the soul's aim; since it would thus be but a more refined and more elevated
selfishness. Real excellence brings happiness along with it. Like godliness--which,
indeed, is the same thing--it has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
come. And that happiness which is attainable without personal excellence or holiness, is

either undeserved or spurious. The world. I know, very generally seek after it, whether
deserved or undeserved; and whether willing or not to pay the price.
My object is to assist, if I can, in removing from our world the error of seeking happiness
as a primary object. Let us but pursue excellence, and happiness will almost inevitably
follow. I address this exhortation to Young Women, in particular, for reasons which will
be seen when I come, in the next chapter, to speak of female responsibilities. Let every
young woman aspire to high degrees of purity and excellence. Let her great aim be, to be
personally holy--like God her Saviour. To this end and with this aim, let her be ready to
set aside, if necessary, father and mother, and brother and sister--yes, and her own life
also, --assured that if she does it with a sacred regard to God and duty, all will be well.
Let her but follow Christ according to the gospel plan, if it lead her to prison and to death.
But it will not thus lead her. For every self-denial or self-sacrifice it involves, she will
secure, as a general rule, manifold more in this present life, and in the world to come, life
everlasting.
This book is not called "The Young Woman's GUIDE," with the expectation that she will
consider it her only or even her principal guide. The Bible should be the principal guide
of every person, young or old, male or female. Parents, also, are invaluable as guides. I
offer it only as the best guide which my reflections upon those subjects, connected with
the welfare of young women, that come within the department of my study and
observation, enable me to give. May it prove a guide indeed!
I have called it "The Young WOMAN'S Guide," because there are many who are
accustomed to associate with the word lady; the idea of exemption from labor, and of
entire devotion to something supposed to be above it--as fashionable company, or
fashionable dress and equipage. And not a few can hardly hear the word mentioned
without disgust. Miss Sedgwick has illustrated this part of my subject very happily in the
first and fifteenth chapters of her "Means and Ends." She says she does not write
exclusively for those who are termed young _ladies;_ because she does not believe in any
such fixed class, in the country. The term lady, she also says, is too indefinite for any
valuable use. We not only apply it to those who are, or would be, above labor, but in a
great many other ways--as that "old lady," meaning, perhaps, some beggar at the