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. CONTENTS. Sophia and the "young ones"-A Sunday evening in Bishop Ken and his Morning Hymn- Explanations-"Sacrifice"-" Converse"-Invocation An explanation of the word "Duty," and a familiar illustration-Love, the Christian's motive; but "Duty" never to be put out of sight-The Evening and Mid- night Hymns-Sleep, emblematical of Death-How God turns evil to good-Dreams-Ministering Spirits- What is to be our sacrifice of thanksgiving, and how is it Little Mary's illness-the use of the Sunday evening conversations-" All flesh is as the flower of the field the flower fadeth"-Little Mary's character -" Unselfishness"-Moses' generous feelings towards the Elders who prophesied-Difference between love of approbation and greed of approbation-Our Lord's The new schoolfellow-Scrupulosity-Uncharitable judg- ment-The influence of friends and companions-The difference between friendship and mere companionship -How shall we avoid the danger of frivolity ?—A The use of learning—“ Dissipation"-Self-discipline- The Tree of Knowledge-Solomon's precepts and ex- ample-Various motives to industry-Faith in God the Rachel in distress-A small mistake and a great error- Bowles' lines on "Heaven"—Meetings-The "palm" of victory-" Celestial calm "-The prospect of seeing the Lord Jesus-Our present union with the unseen world-Visitations, natural and supernatural-Christ, the source and the standard of human goodness, truth, and beauty-Life's best joys have in them a heavenly element-Types" and "archetypes "-Purity es- |