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CHAP. VII.

FEMALE INFLUENCE ON RELIGION.

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THE promotion of religious feeling is one of the greatest blessings of female influence. Yet the more qualified women are to adorn and recommend piety, the more important is it that they should not mistake or misapply their power. They may be really useful, gentle persuasion, enforce truth, they may cause religion to be loved for their sake: how necessary, then, is it, that they should study the means by which they may be the honoured instruments of doing so much good! How unhappy that they should ever mistake their line, bring a prejudice on their profession, and mar their own acceptance !

Religion is peculiarly their province; and never is their influence so well employed as in recommending it. Never is woman so truly delightful as when she is the advocate for piety;

and when, by a consistent and holy conversation, she exemplifies the principles which she wishes to enforce.

Her influence, indeed, is chiefly in example. This is her best persuasive. By witnessing the effects of religion in her, men learn to appreciate its value. If it makes her more domestic, more self-denying, more kind, more contented, and more agreeable, they will, at least, respect it.

Experience proves the efficacy of this silent appeal. How often has it prevailed when a more direct one has been unsuccessful! And it is peculiarly appropriate to woman. None can

find fault with her for consistency or virtue. None can blame her because she is more meek, more forgiving, more benevolent, more courteous, than others who are less religious. On the contrary, these graces secure to her an influence, and often pave the way for the reception of her opinions. If, in the early dawn of Christian light, woman was often honoured as its harbinger, if even in the imperial palace, the apostle found in her no feeble advocate; and, at the semi-barbarous court, the missionary hailed her as his kind and fostering friend, - was it not

by her personal character that she mainly recommended truth, and advocated the doctrines she had herself learnt to prize?

And so it is now. Women may often outlive prejudice. They may be so exemplary in their discharge of social duty, so pious towards their parents, so affectionate to their husbands, so devoted to their children; they may so grace and enliven the family circle; that their religion, which at first might have been considered their only defect, is at length valued, and, perhaps, even adopted. Many a pious son has recorded his debt of gratitude to a Christian mother, many a Christian mother has sown, like Monaca *, the seed in sorrow; and, like Monaca, too, has had reason to rejoice when it has returned seven-fold into her bosom.

And the influence of a religious woman may extend far beyond her own home. She may be the Priscilla, or the Lydia, or the Dorcas, of a village; sympathising with the necessities of the poor, denying herself to relieve them; and availing herself of the access thus obtained to

* The mother of St. Augustin.

their affections, to lead them to the one only source of consolation.

Such an one must be loved. She has a witness in the hearts of those around her, and they cannot but value principles which produce such results.

Nor are there occasions wanting for more direct influence. An humble-minded Christian will not intrude her sentiments, or interfere officiously but she will feel it her duty to do what she can; and a word, spoken in season, is seldom without effect. There have been instances when the gentle rebuke of female piety has availed to silence the scoffer, or put the infidel to blush; when the kind and faithful admonition of female friendship has stopped the young in their career of folly; and when the cheering voice of woman has soothed the suffering, and fortified the fainting, Christian. And it is the duty of every woman to bring all her influence to bear upon the side of piety, and to be herself the personification of Christian grace; to identify her interests with those of religion, and to prove, by the consistency of her own

conduct, that she is in earnest in all that she endeavours to enforce.

Women have many opportunities of doing good peculiar to themselves. The gentleness and delicacy natural to the sex, and which they ought especially to cultivate, may teach them to communicate in a pleasant manner what might otherwise be unpalatable; and even their playfulness is not without its use. For a few words spoken in frank good humour, may convince, when more formal instruction would be unavailing; and a look of affectionate remonstrance may convey a lesson more effective than a louder appeal.

"But thy more serious eye a mild reproof

Darts, O beloved woman! nor such thoughts,
Dim and unhallow'd, dost thou not reject,

And biddest me walk humbly with my God."

Thus privileged, it is surely the duty of all, who have really the cause of piety at heart, to try, as far as in them lies, to promote it; and whilst they make it a subject of endeavour, and of prayer, that opportunities may not pass by them unimproved, they should also not neglect

* Coleridge.

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