worth if the moment the person is out of sight the tongue that has
professed affection becomes a poisoned fang, and the lips which gave
their warm kiss utter the word of ridicule, or sneer, or aspersion?
Better be dumb than have the gift of speech to be used in the miserable
idle words, insincerities, and backbitings too common in modern society.
Surely something better can be found to talk about; if not, utter
silence is more heaven-like. A stupid girl who cannot talk at all
is better far than a chattering girl who can talk of nothing good or
useful.

"Find thou always time to say some earnest word
between the idle talk."

One mentions "_want of reverence for sacred things_" as a sad fault in
some young women. He has seen them whispering in the church and Sunday
school, during sermon and lesson, even during prayer, and has marked
other acts of irreverence. It is to be hoped that this fault is indeed
rare, unless it be in very young girls, who know no better. But as the
fault has been pointed out by one who has been sorely pained by it, will
not the girls and young women think of it a moment? A girl's religion
should be full of joy and gladness. It should make her happy, fill
her lips with song; but it should make her so reverent that, in the
presence of her God, in prayer, in worship, in the study of the Bible,
her heart shall be silent with the silence of adoration. Dear girls,
remember that in any religious service, you are standing or bowing
before God, and let nothing for one instant tempt you to whisper, to
smile, to do aught that would grieve the Holy Spirit. Others speak of _a
want of respect for the aged_, and especially for parents, as a fault
of young women. "How often is the kind advice a father and mother set
aside, just because it goes against some whim or fancy of their own!