Every
woman, then, ought to start with the assumption, that the moral and
religious interests of her family are of more consequence than any
worldly concern, and that, whatever else may be sacrificed, these shall
be the leading object, in all her arrangements, in respect to time,
money, and attention.
It is also one of the plainest requisitions of Christianity, that we
devote some of our time and efforts to the comfort and improvement of
others. There is no duty so constantly enforced, both in the Old and
New Testament, as that of charity, in dispensing to those who are
destitute of the blessings we enjoy. In selecting objects of charity,
the same rule applies to others as to ourselves; their moral and
religions interests are of the highest moment, and for them, as well
as for ourselves, we are to "seek first the kingdom of God."
Another general principle is, that our intellectual and social interests
are to be preferred to the mere gratification of taste or appetite.
A portion of time, therefore, must be devoted to the cultivation of
the intellect and the social affections.
Another is, that the mere gratification of appetite is to be placed
last in our estimate; so that, when a question arises as to which shall
be sacrificed, some intellectual, moral, or social advantage, or some
gratification of sense, we should invariably sacrifice the last.
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