Chapter 4—Female Modesty
I have long been designing to speak to my sisters. They are not
always careful to abstain from all appearance of evil. They are not
all circumspect in their deportment, as becometh women professing
godliness. Their words are not as select and well chosen as they should
be for women who have received the grace of God. They are too
familiar with their brethren. They linger around them, incline towards
them, and seem to choose their society, and are highly gratified with
their attention.
[148]
There is much jesting and joking and laughing indulged in by
women professing godliness. This is all unbecoming, and grieves the
Spirit of God. These exhibitions manifest a lack of true Christian
refinement. These things indulged in do not strengthen the soul in
God, but bring great darkness, drive the pure, refined, heavenly angels
away, and bring those who engage in these wrongs down to a low
level.
The sisters should encourage true meekness. They should not be
forward, talkative, and bold, but modest and slow to speak. They
should be courteous. To be kind, tender, pitiful, forgiving, and humble,
would be becoming and well pleasing to God. If they occupy this
position, they will not be burdened with undue attention from gentle-
men. It will be felt by all that there is a sacred circle of purity around
these God-fearing women, which shields them from any unwarrantable
liberties. There is too much careless, loose, coarse freedom of manner
by some women professing godliness, which leads to greater wrongs.
Those godly women who occupy their minds and hearts in meditating
upon themes which strengthen purity of life, which elevate the soul
to commune with God, will not be easily led astray from the path of
rectitude and virtue. They will be fortified against the sophistry of
Satan, and prepared to withstand his seductive arts.
[149]
The fashion of the world, the desire of the eye, and the lust of the
flesh, or vain glory, are connected with the fall of the unfortunate. That
which is pleasing to the natural heart and carnal mind is cherished. If
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