heart.  She is a fallen, depraved being, influenced, until she comes under divine grace, by unholy and unworthy motives.  Her first and imperative duty, therefore, if she would fulfill her mission, is to return to God by the way of his appointment, to come to Jesus, repenting of sin and believing on him, to receive pardon and eternal life.  This, indeed, is the imperative duty of all, but it will be seen in the prosecution of our subject, that, as far as the welfare of society is concerned, it is most imperative upon woman.  She needs it most for her own happiness here; she needs it most on account of her greater influence upon the happiness of others.

Having thus seen the general and ultimate design of woman’s creation is to glorify God, our next inquiry is, Is there any particular mode by which she is to fulfill this duty?  How can she most glorify God and enjoy him in this life?  In order to answer these inquiries it becomes necessary for us to examine her peculiar nature.  That woman differs from man in her very nature is obvious, and the peculiarities of her organization clearly intimate that her Maker has assigned to her peculiar duties—­that she has her allotted sphere for which infinite wisdom has fitted her.  To enter upon all these peculiarities would require a volume.  I must therefore be content with a brief notice of some of the more prominent and acknowledged ones.

Her physical organization is more delicate than that of man.  She possesses not the muscular power which belongs to him, and is therefore not designed to undergo the outward toil and hard labor of life.  The same toil and physical exertion which will strengthen and increase the power of the man, will often weaken and destroy her more delicate organism.  And when, in addition to this, you consider that to her alone is committed the entire maternal care, you have not only the difference between the two sexes distinctly marked, but you have also an intimation of where her peculiar sphere is to be found, and in accordance with this physical difference you will find a corresponding difference in her true spiritual and moral nature.  No one who has had around him a youthful family circle has failed to notice that even from the cradle there is a difference in the very nature of sons and daughters.  Every little girl knows that she is different from boys of her own age, though she may not be able just now to point out that difference; she knows that there are many things which boys like, and which they do, which she does not like and will not do, and this difference only widens as we advance in life.