is common to them with men; and this seems to have been the case with her to whom our text refers. We are not, indeed, expressly told that such was the fact. But the circumstances which are narrated appear to indicate, that what she did was unlooked for by the whole company, except by Him who knew all things-that neither Lazarus nor Martha was acquainted with their sister's design, till it was executed. If this were so, the expensive purchase which Mary had made, was probably made from her separate and independent part of the family estate; or from her own earnings. Be this as it might, it is an obvious duty for every Christian woman to submit to her relatives, implicitly, the disposition of their own property; after laying before them, as she lawfully may, the considerations and motives which influence her own mind in favour of a contemplated charity.

I cannot, however, forbear to mention here, that it is a noble expression of Christian benevolence, which is now witnessed in various parts of our country, where pious and publick spirited females cheerfully sacrifice superfluous expense in dress or equipage; and others as cheerfully labour with their own hands, in forming garments, or in making for sale to the rich, certain articles of taste or ornament; and both classes put the proceeds of the whole into the treasury of the Lord; -to extend, in various ways, the inestimable blessings of his precious Gospel. These sacrifices and labours, when kept within any moderate bounds, are by no means to be considered as violations of female duty; and those who endeavour harshly to restrain them, or to discourage them by ridicule and banter, act a part, to which we give only its proper character, when we say that it is, at once, unmanly, base and wicked.

On the circumstance, that the opportunities which women have to do

good are more circumscribed than those of men, we only remark in general, that as we can easily see that the propriety of what was done by her to whom the text relates, depended much, not only on the known character of the Saviour, but on what she did being done at the house of a friend, and in the presence of her own family and of many other witnesses; so Christian women now, ought to be sensible, that they can seldom be required to expose their persons to insult, or their characters to unfavourable imputations, by any enterprises or errands of benevolence; or by any exertions to propagate the Gospel. I

will not indeed say, that there may not be some extraordinary occasions, on which it may be their duty to put both safety and reputation at considerable risk. But all such cases must be clearly and strongly marked. Duty, in general, will consist, in submitting to the allotments of God's providence, in all the circumstances of our character and state; and not in disregarding his order, by an indiscreet attempt to render services, beyond the limits which he has prescribed.

Let us now consider, more directly,

II. What Christian women may properly do, as a manifestation of their love to their Saviour, or for the promotion or extension of his religion.

Here we might say, summarily and at once, that women may and ought to do, in the service of their Saviour, whatever is not prohibited in the exceptions and restrictions that have been specified-That, with these exceptions and restrictions, their moral and religious duties, are, in all respects, the same as those of men: and this is unquestionably the general truth, in regard to this subject, which ought to be remembered and acted on. But questions sometimes arise, as to the particular acts that ought, or that ought not, to be considered as

But I cannot pretend to detail all that pious and intelligent mothers may do and that pious sisters, who will act a mother's part, may sometimes do-to train the infant mind to heavenly aspirings, and to the love of virtuous action. Point me to an instance of very early and eminent piety, which might not be clearly traced to this source, and you will show me such an instance as my reading and observation hitherto, have never furnished.

Nor does maternal influence, in favour of piety and virtue, terminate with the infant, or early years of children. A mother's influence is of the utmost consequence-very often it is greater than any other influence through the whole of youth, and even to a more advanced age. The young man, or young woman, on whom the counsels, prayers, and tears of a pious mother have lost their commanding effect, has indeed reached the threshold of hopeless perdition.

I have spoken of early religion, but in reading the history of the church, both by inspired and uninspired penmen, it is worthy of remark, how often the matured and eminent religion of the most distinguished men, and all their extensive usefulness, has been plainly, and sometimes confessedly, the fruit and product of a mother's goodness and care, early begun and long continued. Nor is this wonderful. Roman virtue and ambition, was often traceable to the same powerfully operative cause; and its effects in the production of modern sages and heroes, has sometimes been equally conspicuous. To the nursery, Christian friends-to the nursery, both the Church and the State must look, for their best support; for those who are destined to become their firm est pillars, and their brightest orna

ments.

Allow the speaker to say, before leaving this part of his subject, that the leading ideas which have just been thrown out, were those which

induced him to take the early and zealous part which he has taken, in recommending the institution of such Societies, as that at whose instance he now addresses you.

The influence of the sex is, and ought to be, great, in ways almost innumerable. But their agency, in first forming the minds and habits of children and youth, is, and must be, nearly exclusive. Till the women of India, therefore, are raised from that state of ignorance and degradation, in which they have been sunk for ages past, the diffusion of Christianity in that country cannot be general and lasting. To produce this effect, we must-at least till the time shall arrive when "a nation shall be born in a day"-look for a generation to arise, which well instructed Christian mothers shall have helped to form, and on which well informed Christian women, shall exert all their natural and incalculable influence.

3. Christian women may show their love to the Saviour, and promote his cause, in a variety of instances of a private nature, at which we can do little more than glance. They may devise, and suggest, and recommend schemes of benevolence and piety, the execution of which must chiefly be left to men.-Having as deep an interest as the other sex, in the proper choice, settlement, and support of a minister of the gospel, and in all the concerns of a Christian church and congregation, it is reasonable, that on these subjects their opinions and wishes should be regarded, and that, with modesty and discretion, they should be made known to those, on whom the active ordering of such concerns must ultimately depend.-There seems to be no reasonable doubt, that it was the office of the deaconnesses-for such a description of females there certainly was-in the primitive church, to distribute Christian charities, in a discreet. and beneficial manner; to visit, instruct, and console the poor, the

sick, and the afflicted; to converse in private with all who might seek their counsel on the concerns of their souls; and especially with persons of their own sex, in cases in which a community of sex might invite to an increased freedom of communication. There is no evidence that these deaconnesses were ever formally or officially appointed. Their services seem to have been perfectly voluntary at first, and afterwards, when found to be useful, to have received the encouragement and approbation of the apostles, and other ministers of the church. In all these ways, then, the door of duty is as fully open to the Christian women of this age, as to those in the days of the apostles. And as there are some with us who are willing to enter upon, and to perform to a considerable extent, the services that have been specified, so would to God, that their number were increased a hundred

fold.

Here too we must mention those kind and gratifying attentions, and some most substantial services, which Christian women may privately render to Missionaries, and to the Ministers of Christ in general. Holy women "ministered of their substance" to their Saviour, in the days of his flesh. Our text itself, is but the record of one such illustrious instance. And the apostle Paul had been deeply indebted, for personal kindnesses and services, to another Mary. "Greet Mary (said he) who bestowed much labour on us." The Missionaries of the present day, owe a large part of their comforts to their Christian sisters. And the settled pastors in nearly all our churches, would, I am confident, be ready to testify, that the kind services and attentions which they and their families receive, from the pious women of their several charges, are among the greatest and most grateful alle viations of the anxious cares, and laborious exertions, of their arduous VOL. IV.-Ch. Adv.

office-endearing their people to them exceedingly, and rendering them doubly willing to spend and be spent in their service. These things are good and acceptable to God; and in these, let women, who love their Saviour, be careful to abound.

4. Christian women, who are engaged in the teaching of children and youth, may express their love to their Saviour, and manifest a commendable zeal in his service, by the instruction of those committed to their care, in the elementary principles of revealed truth; by endeavouring to impress that truth on the hearts and consciences of their tender charge; and by constantly imploring for them, in earnest prayer, the special blessing of God their Heavenly Father. That these are duties proper for female teachers, is as clear as that it is right for them to be teachers at all. For no instruction is so important as that which relates to our eternal well being; and which therefore ought never to be omitted, by those to whom the education of youth is entrusted. The schools of female teachers, moreover, are wholly composed, either of youth of their own sex, or of those of the other who are but little advanced beyond the age of infancy. Blessed be God, the duty here contemplated, has, we have reason to believe, been more frequently and carefully performed of late, than at some former periods. Schools under female instruction, have been opened and closed with prayer; and in them religious knowledge has been acquired, and religious duty inculcated, in the whole course of a useful and ornamental education.

But what shall we say of Sabbath Schools? We say, without reserve, that they appear to be among the happiest devices of Christian ingenuity, in an age of Christian enterprise, for carrying instruction and piety into the families of the poor, the ignorant and the vicious; and of

B

thus extending the blessings of the Gospel to a very large portion of every community, which had before, even in Christian lands, been almost entirely neglected. In the instruction of these schools, pious and benevolent females, without any other earthly reward than that which they find in doing good, have taken a most active and efficient part. In some regular Christian congregations, as well as in other places, they are the only instructers of these schools; and in every place, so far as my knowledge extends, their exertions have kept full pace with those of their fellow labourers, of the other sex; and in certain places, have far outgone them. God has remarkably smiled on those concerned in this blessed work. Numbers of them have been visited with his special grace, and been added to his church on earthwith numbers of those in whose conversion their labours have been instrumental: and doubtless it will be with peculiar delight, that the teachers and the taught will meet, and rejoice together, in the church triumphant above. Let every Christian woman be, as far as she can, the patroness and promoter of Sabbath Schools.

5. Christian women may manifest their love to their Saviour, to his cause, and to communion with himself, by associations for prayer among themselves; and by keeping up the worship of God in their households, in the absence of a male head of the family. We have not time for extended argument, on the propriety of what is here stated as female duty. We only remark, that it interferes in no respect, with what has been shown to be divinely prohibited. The supposition is, that in female prayer meetings, women only meet with women. In the devotional exercises carried on in such circumstances, there is surely no ground for the charge of arrogant assumption, or of any trespass on female decorum. Why

then should any object to this sacred communion of sisterhood, in which devout women mingle their prayers and their praises their prayers for each other, for their husbands, for their children, and for the church of God? Verily, we believe that these female offerings come up as sweet incense, before the throne of a prayer-hearing God; and that often, in the most signal manner, he returns to the offerers answers of peace.

In the absence of a husband, the wife becomes the head of the family, and ought to maintain family prayer. Let her do it without a form, if she can do it thus, with freedom; but let her not scruple to use a form, rather than to omit the duty.-Spirit of my sainted mother! If I shall be so happy as to join thee in thy celestial abode, shall I not thank thee there, for the family prayers which in my early years, and in the absence of a praying father, I heard from thy hallowed lips! Well may I recommend what I know to be practicablewhat I know to be profitable.-The obligation to pray with their households is statedly incumbent on widows, unless a pious son, or other inmate, will assume the service.

Christian women too, especially if they have prayerless husbands, ought frequently to pray with their children, by themselves apart. That husband must be without feeling, as well as without religion, who would not rather rejoice at this, than regard it with displeasure.

6. Christian women may testify their love to their Saviour, and their desire to extend the benefits of his redemption, by taking part, in a variety of ways, in missionary concerns. "Have we not power (says St. Paul) to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas." Here, we believe, is a complete scriptural warrant, for missionaries to be attended by their wives. Some of the apostles-the