"Your beauty...should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight" (1 Peter 3:3,4).

"How shall we become lovely? By loving Him who is ever lovely" (St. Augustine); "Some glances of real beauty may be seen in their faces, who dwell in true meekness. There is a harmony in the sound of that voice to which Divine love gives utterance, and some appearance of right order in their temper and conduct whose passions are regulated" (John Woolman).

Regardless of the strident voices for liberation, the Christian woman's true makeup--her character--is one of nurture, calm, and service. These are the ornaments that shine more brightly as we get older. Christian character should become exquisite with age. The Christian spirit is a tempered spirit, not a spirit of temper. It is tempered with the heavenly alloy of Christ-like refinement, disposition and habits. It is only by ardently beholding Christ that we can "makeup" such a character.

J. Orr wrote this many years ago but it is just as true today:

Of meekness and quietness of spirit: ­

I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN A MEEK AND QUIET SPIRIT.

1. A calm submission under the merely natural evils and calamities which we meet with in the world.

2. A moderation of our anger and resentment upon occasion of moral wrongs or injuries.

3. A sincere desire of the harmony and happiness of society, and a disposition to cultivate peace and friendship with all about us.

II. WHY WE SHOULD ACQUIRE AND CULTIVATE THIS TEMPER.

1. The intrinsic dignity and value of a meek and quiet temper, which is of great price in the sight of God.

2. The importance of a meek and peaceable spirit in religion, and its necessity for our obtaining the mercy and forgiveness of God.

3. Another argument may be brought from the great examples of Gods clemency and patience, and our Saviours meek, gentle, and peaceable behaviour while He was in this world.

4. We should cultivate a meek and quiet spirit from a regard to the peace of mankind and the happiness of the particular persons with whom we have any intercourse.

5. We should cultivate a meek and peaceable spirit for our own interest and satisfaction. There is hardly anything that can be more prejudicial to a person than a wrathful and turbulent temper.

III. THE METHODS OF FORMING AND RAISING A SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS AND QUIETNESS. 1. For attaining to that part of it, which consists in a patient submission to the purely natural evils which befall us in the world, the great rule is to impress our minds with a deep conviction of the wisdom, equity, and goodness of Providence, by the direction or permission of which all such evils come upon us.

2. As the most difficult part of meekness and quietness of spirit consists in the due government of our resentment with respect to the authors of moral injuries, we must take care to represent such persons in the most favourable light that we justly can to ourselves.

3. When we feel our angry passions beginning to move in us let us carefully guard against their rising to any criminal or unbecoming height in us.

4. Let us observe the direction which our Lord has given us, to express a meek and peaceable spirit when we exercise our devotion and offer up our prayers to Almighty God. From what has been said we may see that the notions which so commonly prevail in the world, concerning the honour, courage, and magnanimity of men are extremely ill-founded. (J. Orr.)

I realize that the meek and gentle spirit is asking for trouble in these cacophonous days, but if we wish to be like Jesus, then we must heed His own admission that He is gentle and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29). He asks us to come to Him so He can give us rest from our burdens of pride and self-importance.

The following poem is what we ladies are all about:

THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN by Reverend M. Lowry:

The rights of women! What are they? The right to labor, love and pray;     The right to weep with those who weep, the right to wake when others sleep.       The right to dry the falling tear, the right to quell the rising fear,       The right to smooth the brow of care, and whisper comfort in despair.       The right to watch the parting breath, to sooth and cheer the bed of death;       The right when earthly hopes all fail, to point to that within the vail.       The right the wandered to reclaim, and win the lost from paths of shame;       The right to comfort and to bless the widows and the fatherless.       The right the intellect to train and guide the soul to noble aim,       Teach it to rise above earth's toys, and wing its flight for heavenly joys.       The right to live for those we love, the right to die that love to prove;       The right to brighten earthly homes with pleasant smiles and gentle tones.       Are these thy rights? Then use them well, thy silent influence none can tell;       If these are thine, why ask for more? Thou hast enough to answer for.       Are these thy rights? Then, murmur not that woman's mission is thy lot!