if you dawdle and argue and resent the order? Nothing is so
small as self-sufficiency and self-centredness, whereas humility and
obedience are of the Nature of our Lord Himself, and every humble and
obedient soul is in communion with His Greatness. Dante's hierarchy of
heaven, "in order serviceable," in ordered ranks, culminating in God
Himself, gives us a feeling of harmonious greatness which is lacking in
the scattered units of his "Inferno." It was only ignoble greatness which
preferred to reign in Hell rather than serve in Heaven.

It may be that, in the maturer stages of life, obedience ceases to be a
primary virtue. I am not at all clear when that mature stage begins,--but
all would admit, in theory, that a noble character must have obedience as
a foundation. I think it would help you if you could step outside your own
momentary irritation at being ordered to do this or that, and see how
unlovely it is to argue and stand on your rights and contest points. The
essence of good breeding is to give way to others; quite apart from the
consideration of the "Fifth Commandment," a thorough-bred person would
shudder at the rude tone of voice, the snappishness, the contentiousness,
the contradiction which many girls--otherwise "nice" girls--allow
themselves to show in speaking to their mothers. How many of you feel
quite guiltless on this score? I am afraid you would often have to blush
if a stranger, to whom you looked up, could hear the way you answer back
at home.

You half feel as though it were "fine" not to be ordered about;--but the
"best" people in the Christian sense of the word, and the "best" people in
the worldly sense, inherit the feelings of the ages of chivalry, that, the
nobler a man was, the more deference and service he showed to others:
"_Ich dien_" is the motto of chivalry and worldly greatness.--"I am among
you as he that serveth" was the saying of Him Who, "though He were a Son,"
"learnt obedience." For this next week, when you are tempted to answer
back--to be independent--to resent being ordered--remember how much more
beautiful, how much more noble, is a humble submissive temper, than the
miserably small ambition of being your own master. Do not be so
small-minded as to contest and resent authority. You sometimes hear a
servant say, "That's not my place," or "I won't be put upon." You never
hear a true lady speak in that temper,--and yet, is there any difference
in spirit between this tone which yo