A PRACTICAL DIRECTORY FOR YOUNG CHRISTIAN FEMALES; BEING A SERIES OF LETTERS FROM A BROTHER TO A YOUNGER SISTER.
BY HARVEY NEWCOMB.
WRITTEN FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, AND APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
Seventh Edition.
BOSTON: MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY Depository, No. 13 Cornhill.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833, by CHRISTOPHER C. DEAN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.
Stereotyped by HOBART & ROBBINS; NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, BOSTON.
PREFACE.
The following Letters were truly, as they profess to have been, written to a younger sister of the author. By the death of her parents, she was left, in a measure, dependent upon him, at an early age. She had been the subject of many prayers, and endeared by many ties. His house, as he humbly trusts, was the place of her second birth. As she was about to leave his roof, for a residence among strangers, the idea occurred to him of imbodying his fraternal counsel in such a form that it might be a friendly monitor to her, in the midst of those dangers and difficulties which beset the path of inexperienced youth. In prosecuting this design, it appeared hardly proper to bestow so much time upon the interests of one individual. Hence the writer concluded to commit these Letters to the press, with the hope that they might be the means of doing some good. This work is intended not merely to be read and laid aside; but, as its title imports, to be kept as a kind of _practical directory_ for daily living. This edition has been revised with great care, and much new matter added.
BOSTON, 1851.
CONTENTS.
_Preface_, 5
LETTER I.
_The Christian's Mark_, 17
Introduction, 17 A Great Mistake, 17 The Grace of God a Growing Principle, 18 The Spring that never dries nor freezes, 19 Growth in Grace, 20 The Glory of God, how manifested, 21 The true Standard of Holiness, 21 Paul's desire for Higher Attainments, 22 How Eminent Holiness is attained, 23 Examples of Eminent Persons, 23 Mrs. Edwards, 24 Earnestness in Religion, 25 Religion the great Business of Life, 25
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females
- 2: 34 Fruitfulness of True Piety
- 3: 53 Note the Promises and Predictions
- 4: 85 Watch against Besetting Sins
- 5: 105 Earnestly seek God's Blessing
- 6: 131 Rules for Preserving Health
- 7: 158 Monthly Tract Distribution
- 8: 208 Humble Christians not Censorious
- 9: 233 Comforting Considerations
- 10: Christian Character in General
- 11: But the moment the leaven begins to work
- 12: That they have so little piety
- 13: With a continual and uninterrupted cheerfulness
- 14: Maintaining the Christian conflict under temptations
- 15: Besides its essential doctrines
- 16: Such religious feeling is to be suspected as spurious
- 17: He will reconcile them hereafter
- 18: For an increase of doctrinal knowledge
- 19: And spreadeth out her roots by the river
- 20: Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit
- 21: So panteth my soul after thee
- 22: Every one that loveth him that begat
- 23: MEEKNESS is a twin sister of Peace
- 24: And all our sins and short comings from unbelief
- 25: We are commanded to search the Scriptures
- 26: Seek the aid of the Holy Spirit
- 27: Study the Scriptures systematically
- 28: The Psalms are detached from each other
- 29: It is full of types and prophecies relating to Christ
- 30: Those predictions whose fulfilment is recorded in the Bible
- 31: With all prayer and supplication in the Spirit
- 32: And proceeds with supplication and intercession
- 33: So that Esau became reconciled to him
- 34: And threatened with destruction
- 35: This slave's name was Newport Gardner
- 36: He maketh intercession for the saints
- 37: And observe them punctually and faithfully
- 38: Observe special seasons of prayer
- 39: And thanksgiving for mercies received
- 40: Where you find your prayers have been amiss
- 41: In his temptation of our Saviour
- 42: H Footnote G Abaddon signifies destroyer
- 43: Or in levity and unseemly mirth
- 44: Satan manages temptation with the greatest subtlety
- 45: Especially in the presence of the unconverted
- 46: There can be no selfishness in this
- 47: He that loveth father or mother more than me
- 48: To sacrifice these lawful enjoyments
- 49: The plan of synagogue worship is continued
- 50: He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day
- 51: Attend on the stated ministrations of your pastor
- 52: Punctuality is so necessary in matters of business
- 53: The apparent feeling of the preacher
- 54: Addressed exclusively to impenitent sinners
- 55: The Sabbath school opens a wide field of usefulness
- 56: By an ingenious mode of catechizing
- 57: Study every Sabbath school lesson in your closet
- 58: Be tempted to indulge in sloth
- 59: Religious meditation is a serious
- 60: This was the constant delight of the Psalmist
- 61: Self existence being underived
- 62: As committed against infinite benevolence
- 63: How proved from the Scriptures
- 64: How human depravity manifests itself
- 65: The instrument of sanctification
- 66: All of which can neither be ascribed to men
- 67: What benefits believers may derive from his intercession
- 68: What is implied in this relation
- 69: And how he will bless the meek
- 70: Make attention to health a matter of conscience
- 71: Thereby deranging the whole system
- 72: When this perspiration is obstructed
- 73: Uneasy or burning sensations of the stomach
- 74: When we partake in moderation of the bounties of Providence
- 75: If we neglect the proper cultivation of them
- 76: You will improve with every exercise
- 77: With the fulfilment of prophecy
- 78: All this you may find in religious biographies
- 79: Newspapers and periodicals contain much trash
- 80: This leads to the waste of immense portions of precious time
- 81: A systematic plan to regulate your daily employments
- 82: You do not discharge your obligations
- 83: After finishing the distribution
- 84: For the conversion of the heathen
- 85: Because her husband is intemperate and vicious
- 86: As intemperance is not a common vice of their own sex
- 87: You may make your influence directly felt by the impenitent
- 88: If they neglect to warn sinners
- 89: Upon the morning of the Sabbath
- 90: By earnest effort and untiring perseverance
- 91: The immediate discovery of their nakedness
- 92: Needlessly to squander it upon your person
- 93: In the adaptation and adjustment of apparel
- 94: As it existed in the patriarchal ages
- 95: The Scriptures insist upon the duty of brotherly love
- 96: It is both unamiable and unchristian
- 97: With all lowliness and meekness
- 98: Be not conformed to this world
- 99: He that speaketh evil of his brother
- 100: He that winketh with the eye causeth shame
- 101: Charity vaunteth not itself
- 102: But charity not only suffereth long
- 103: This is the spirit that brought Haman to the gallows
- 104: Is not rash is not puffed up
- 105: Charity doth not behave itself unseemly
- 106: If not to encroach upon their rights
- 107: There are many such sons and daughters of Belial
- 108: Then it is impossible for us to obey the sacred injunction
- 109: Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity
- 110: But charity not only rejoiceth not in iniquity
- 111: Where charity reigns in the heart
- 112: And the palate is delighted with savory dishes
- 113: He was exhorting to growth in grace
- 114: To patience must be added godliness
- 115: But very deficient in strength and energy of character
- 116: Careth for the things of the world
- 117: Unequally yoked with unbelievers
- 118: Another indispensable requisite is an AMIABLE DISPOSITION
- 119: Will learn prudence by experience
- 120: You will need to exercise forbearance
- 121: Pay the strictest regard to propriety and delicacy
- 122: If the union had been consummated
- 123: Whatever may be our earthly afflictions
- 124: But godliness with contentment
- 125: Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption
- 126: Till he sees his own image there
- 127: By sitting down in your closet
- 128: Which accompanies true contrition
- 129: Have I indulged self complacency or self seeking
- 130: And my afflictions submissively
- 131: Without first visiting my closet
- 132: Can we expect temporal prosperity
- 133: Entitled Helps to Self Examination
- 134: Which worketh repentance not to be repented of
- 135: Trusting in the atonement he has made
- 136: Forgiving injuries and offences
- 137: Before partaking of the Lord's Supper
- 138: Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History
- 139: Wesley's Predestination Considered
- 140: Southey's Life and Correspondence of Cowper
