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TO THE READERS.

MY DEAR GIRLS,

In the Book whose every word I believe, it is written, "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." Supposing, therefore, that what I thought and felt not very long ago, when I was a girl like one of you, must answer in some way to what your hearts now feel and your minds think, I trust you will be interested in these recollections of my younger days. I have only one thing to say before you begin to read them; you will not understand what I have written (even though I have made it as simple as I can) if you read hastily, merely "to see what the book is about," and to get rid of a certain portion of time. Pray do not use me so; take the trouble to consider and find out whether what I say has not a meaning and an application; above all, take the trouble to turn to the passages in the Bible which I have referred to, for I assure

you they are referred to on purpose, and will be found to be of more importance than any words that are Sophia's or mine. For myself I can say, "I go to the Bible—I bid you go to it because I feel how much darkness surrounds you and me, because I believe that He, in whom all light dwells, is ready to meet us there, to reveal Himself to us, to guide us onward to the perfect day."*

Did I say I had only one preliminary word to speak? I was mistaken; here is another. If the principles which my little book advocates approve themselves to you as being decidedly right and good, I ask you to pray for me, as well as for yourselves, that we may carry them out in practice. "If ye know these things, blessed are ye if you do them." And it would be sad indeed, if "when I have

preached to others, I

myself should be a cast-away."

Believe me to be your sincere friend,

LEONORA G. BELL.

*These words are from Mr. Maurice's first sermon on

the Old Testament.

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