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may cultivate their minds by the fireside; in the lecture-room, in the
church, and in the intellectual circle. The midnight hour may impart
strength to their minds, and the morning dawn may find them storing them
with useful knowledge. The world is full of good books, and from them
they may glean invaluable treasures. Every young woman spends time
enough in idle gossip and foolish flirtation to educate herself well.
Schools are not necessary--they are only helps to education. Many great
minds have been educated without them. To educate is to learn to think.
The way to learn to think is to practice thinking; "Practice makes
perfect." The archer practices with his bow; the artist with his brush
or chisel; the writer with his pen; the mechanic with his tool; the
lawyer with his brief. So the student should practice with his
mind--practice thinking, reasoning, investigating, analyzing, comparing,
and illustrating. This is the practice our young female minds want. They
do not think enough. They do not dig for thought, search for ideas,
investigate for truth. They are too light, frivolous, and giddy. They
will run by a great thought to trifle with a silly whim. They will leave
a rich intellectual lecture for a giddy party. They will turn away from
a mental feast to enjoy an idle gossip; I mean too many of them will.

How beautiful, how truly captivating, is an intellectual woman! We have
many such among us, and their number is increasing. The female mind is
awakening from its long slumber. In ten years we shall have many more.
Our present female education will soon be too superficial. These surface
students will soon be left in the shade. Woman is hearing the voice of
God which commands her to use well her talents. Soon He will call for
them, and she must answer for their use. It is an omen of good that
woman is rising and putting on her strength. She has a rich mind, and I
am glad that she is becoming aware of it.

Young women, heed the voice which asks you to educate. If you heed it
not, you may look meagre and antiquated by-and-by. In that "good time
coming" how sad a thing will be an uneducated woman, one whose mind is
barren of thought! You are to live, or ought to live, through two
generations. If you live only for to-day, you will be minus to-morrow.
If you live for to-morrow, you will be bright lights in your day and
generation. There is a work for you to do. You must sanctify the thought
of the world. Our men are