aving for the glitter of
a worldly life, or a selfish ambition for unmerited distinction is
dangerous in the extreme. It is the exuding of impure waters from the
heart. Who feels such utterings within should beware. They are the
whisperings of an evil spirit, the temptations to sin and crime. If I
could speak to all the young women in the world, I would strive to utter
the intrinsic beauties and essential qualities of purity; I would seek
to illustrate it as the fountain of all that is great and good, all that
is spiritually grand and redeeming. There is no virtue, no spiritual
life, no moral beauty, no glory of soul, nor dignity of character
without purity.

To be pure is to be truthful, child-hearted, innocent of criminal desire
or thought, averse to wrong, in love with right, in harmony with
whatsoever is beautiful, good, and true. This state of the soul is
subject to cultivation. It may be made strong and active. By personal
effort, by constant watchfulness and striving, every young woman may be
pure; but she need not expect to be without. She must watch, and strive,
and pray if she would be pure. If she does not, she will become corrupt
before she is aware of it. The world will send into her heart its putrid
streams of influence to corrupt and debase it.

The second virtue she should cultivate is _benevolence_. Queen of
virtues, lovely star in the crown of life, bright and glorious image of
Him who is love, how beautiful is it in woman's heart! A woman without
benevolence is not a woman; she is only a deformed personality of
womanhood. In every heart there are many tendencies to selfishness, but
the spirit of benevolence counteracts them all. A hollow, cold,
graceless, ungodly thing is a heart without benevolence. In a world like
this, where we are all so needy and dependent, where our interests are
so interlocked, where our lives and hearts overlap each other, and often
grow together, we can not live without a good degree of benevolence. Our
true earth-life is a benevolent one. Our highest interests are in the
path of benevolence. We do most for ourselves when we do most for
others. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Good deeds double
in the doing, and the larger half comes back to the doer. The most
benevolent soul lives nearest to God. A large heart of charity is a
noble thing. Selfishness is the root of evil; benevolence is its cure.
In no heart is benevolence more beautiful than in youthful woman's