A practical directory for young Christian females

by Harvey Newcomb

Christian Activity.

"She hath done what she could."—Mark 14:8.

My dear Sister,

You doubtless feel a deep interest in the great benevolent enterprises of the present day. No one who possesses the spirit of our Master can be indifferent towards them. It is important, then, that you should know what you can do towards moving forward these enterprises. For, remember that your obligation is as extensive as your ability. Christ commended the woman, referred to in the passage above quoted for doing "what she could." If you do more than any within the circle of your acquaintance, and yet leave undone anything that you can do, you do not discharge your obligations. You have entered into the service of the Lord, and he requires you to do what you can. It then becomes a matter of serious inquiry, "What can I do?" It is an interesting fact, that the great moral enterprises of the present day, both for the conversion of the world, and for ameliorating the temporal condition of the poor, are in a great measure sustained by the energy of female influence. This influence is felt in every department of society; and must be, wherever the principles of the gospel prevail, so as to elevate your sex to the station which properly belongs to them. I will endeavor to point out some of the principal channels through which it can be exerted.

I. You may make your influence felt in the Bible Society. You know the grand object of this society is to put a copy of the Holy Scriptures within the reach of every individual of the human race. The spirit of Christ is that of the most expansive benevolence. If you possess this spirit, and value the sacred treasure contained in God's word as you ought, you will feel a thrilling interest in this cause. Your heart will overflow with compassion for those poor souls who have not the word of life. What, then, must be your emotions, when you consider that more than six hundred millions of your fellow-beings, as good by nature as yourself, are destitute of the Bible? The population of the whole world is estimated at seven hundred and thirty-seven millions. Of these, five hundred and nine millions are heathen, and one hundred and fifty-six millions are Roman and Greek Catholics; nearly all of whom are destitute of the word of God. This leaves but seventy-two millions who are called Protestants; but a vast number of these, even in our highly favored land, are living without the Bible. Can you say with the Psalmist, "Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day"? How, then, must your heart bleed in view of these facts! "But," perhaps you reply, "what can I do for these perishing millions?" I answer, Do what you can. This is all that God requires of you. Although what you can do will be but as a drop of water in the ocean, compared with what is to be done, yet it may be the means of saving many perishing souls. You can become a member of the Bible Society. You can act as a visitor and collector, both to ascertain and supply those families which are destitute of the word of life, and to obtain the means of supplying others. And if no female Bible Society exists in the place where your lot is cast, you can exert your influence among the ladies of your acquaintance to form one. And in his measure I would advise you to persevere, even though you find at first only two or three to unite with you. All obstacles in the way of benevolent enterprises vanish before a spirit of prayerful perseverance, and untiring exertion.

II. You can make your influence felt in the Tract Society. The circulation of religious tracts has been abundantly owned and blessed of God's spirit. It seems to be almost the only means of reaching some particular classes of people, who never wait upon God in his house. It is a cheap method of preaching the gospel both to the rich and the poor. For a single cent, or even less, a sermon may be obtained, containing a portion of divine truth sufficient, with God's blessing, to lead a soul to Christ. Engage actively in the various forms of this department of benevolent labor. The distribution of a tract to every family in a town, once a month, when properly conducted, may be the means of doing great good. It furnishes an easy introduction into families where God is not acknowledged; and the matter contained in the tract will assist you to introduce religious conversation. It will enable you to ascertain and relieve the wants of the poor, without seeming to be obtrusive. It will soften your own heart, and excite your compassion, in view of the objects of distress with which you meet. It also furnishes a convenient opportunity for collecting children into Sabbath-schools. In distributing tracts, endeavor, as far as courtesy and propriety will admit, to engage those with whom you meet in direct personal conversation with regard to the concerns of their souls; and when you meet only with the female members of the family, and circumstances favor it, pray with them. By so doing, you may be the instrument of saving many precious souls. Your labor will also reflect back upon yourself, and warm your own heart. You will get a deeper sense of the dreadful condition of perishing sinners; and this will be the means of exciting a spirit of prayer in their behalf. Those engaged in this work should meet every month, after finishing the distribution, report all cases of interest, and spend a season in prayer for the divine blessing upon their labors. I would advise you to begin your distribution early in the month, and always finish it before the middle; and be sure you make a written report to the superintendent, as soon as you have finished it.

III. You can make your influence felt in the missionary cause. This is a cause which must be near the heart of every Christian. The spirit of missions is in unison with every feeling of the new-born soul. It is the spirit of universal benevolence; the same spirit which brought our Lord from the realms of glory, to suffer and die for perishing sinners. His last command to his disciples, before ascending up again into heaven, was, that they should follow his example, in the exercise of this spirit, until the whole world should be brought to a knowledge of his salvation. But more than eighteen hundred years have passed away, and yet at least two thirds of the inhabitants of this fallen world have never heard the gospel; and probably not more than one seventieth part of them have really embraced it. This is a mournful picture, and calculated to call forth every feeling of Christian sympathy, and awaken a burning zeal for the honor and glory of God. O, think how Jesus is dishonored by his own people, who thus disregard his last parting request! But here again you may inquire, "What can I do?" You can do much more than most people think they can do. Although you may not be permitted to go to the heathen yourself, yet you can help those that do go. I know that your means are limited; yet there are many ways in which you can do much for this cause with little means. By regulating all your expenses by Christian principle, you may save much, even of a small income, for benevolent purposes. But you may also exert an influence upon others. In all your intercourse with other Christians, especially ladies, you may stir up a missionary spirit. To aid you in this, become acquainted with what has been done, and what is now doing, for the conversion of the heathen. Make yourself familiar with the arguments in favor of this holy cause. By this means, you may become a zealous and successful advocate of the claims of five hundred millions of perishing heathen. As an opportunity occurs once a month for all to contribute to this cause, you know not what effect such efforts may have upon the purses of those whom God has blessed with an abundance of the good things of this life. Again; you may do much for the heathen, by forming a missionary association among the ladies where you reside. Let such an association employ their needless half a day in every week, and apply the avails of their labor to the missionary cause. This would enable every one to contribute something for sending the gospel to the heathen. But this is not all the benefit that would flow from it. Some member of the association should be appointed to read missionary intelligence, while the rest labor with their hands. This will be the means of exciting a missionary spirit, which may result in a much greater benefit than the amount of money contributed by the society. Another advantage of this plan is, that it furnishes an opportunity of social intercourse, with a great saving of time. Here you may meet your friends once a week, without being exposed to the dissipating influence of parties of pleasure. There is a little Sabbath-school book, published in Boston, entitled "Louisa Palston," which ought to be in the hands of every young lady. It presents the subject of missions to the heathen in a most interesting light, and also contains an excellent example of an association of the kind here recommended.

IV. You can make your influence felt in behalf of the poor. By frequenting the abodes of poverty and distress, you may administer to the wants of the afflicted, and call into active exercise the feelings of Christian sympathy in your own bosom. By this means, also, you will be prepared to enlist others in the same cause. Female benevolent societies, for assisting the poor, should be formed in all large towns; and in most places, much good may be done by forming societies for clothing poor children, to enable them to attend Sabbath-schools. But perhaps there is no way in which you can do so much for the poor, as by assisting them with your own hands, in their afflictions, and aiding them by your advice. Be careful, however, that you do not make them feel that you are conferring an obligation.

There is, at the present day, a very erroneous impression abroad, in relation to the poor. Many wealthy people, and many in moderate but comfortable circumstances, seem to think God has given them their property solely for their own gratification. Go to their houses, and you will find their tables groaning with luxuries, their rooms garnished with costly furniture, and their persons decorated with finery. But, if you ask them for a small contribution for suffering poverty, you will perhaps be compelled to listen to a long complaint against the improvidence of the poor; their want of industry and economy; and possibly be put off with the plea, that supplying their necessities has a tendency to make them indolent, and prevent them from helping themselves. This may be true to some extent; for intemperance has brought ruin and distress upon many families, and we cannot expect either industry, economy, or any other virtue, in a drunkard. But this is far from being a full view of the case. I know there is much suffering even among the virtuous poor. Sickness and misfortune often bring distress upon deserving people.

The only way we can realize the sufferings of the poor is to suppose ourselves in their situation. Let a wealthy gentleman and lady, with five or six small children, be suddenly deprived of all their property, and compelled to obtain a support for their family by daily labor, and the lowest employments. Would they think they could live comfortably upon perhaps no more than seventy-five cents a day, as the proceeds of the husband's labor? Yet such is the situation of thousands of families, even in this land of plenty. I have myself recently met with families of small children, in the severity of winter, destitute of clothing sufficient to cover them, and without shoes. And, upon inquiry into their circumstances and means of support, I could not see how the parents could make any better provision. Again; ever supposing that the wretchedness of the poor is brought upon them by their own vices, is it agreeable to the spirit of Christ to refuse to relieve their distresses? Has not sin brought upon us all our wretchedness? If the Lord Jesus had reasoned and acted upon this principle, would a single soul have been saved? But, he has commanded us to be merciful, even as our Father which is in heaven is merciful. And how is he merciful? "He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." Again; "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." And are we to suppose that the poor in our day are any worse than they were when Christ was upon earth? Yet we find him frequently exhorting the rich to give to the poor. This is one of the most common precepts of the New Testament. Indeed, our Lord has greatly honored the poor, in appearing himself in a condition of extreme poverty. At his birth, his parents could provide him no better bed than a manger; and while wearing out his life in the service of a lost world, he had no place to lay his head! Yet, poor as he was, he has set us an example of giving. At the last supper, when he told Judas, "That thou doest, do quickly," his disciples supposed he had sent him to give something to the poor. From this we may safely infer that he was in the habit of frequently doing so. For what else could have brought this thought to their minds?