Physical labor will not prevent the cultivation of the intellect. Far from it. The advantages gained by physical labor will balance a person and prevent the mind from being overworked. The toil will come upon the muscles and relieve the wearied brain. There are many listless, useless girls who consider it unladylike to engage in active labor. But their characters are too transparent to deceive sensible persons in regard to their real worthlessness. They simper and giggle, and are all affectation. They appear as though they could not speak their words fairly and squarely, but torture all they say with lisping and simpering. Are these ladies? They were not born fools, but were educated such. It does not require a frail, helpless, overdressed, simpering thing to make a lady. A sound body is required for a sound intellect. Physical soundness and a practical knowledge of all the necessary household duties will never be hindrances to a well-developed intellect; both are highly important for a lady. (3T 152.1) MC VC

All the powers of the mind should be called into use and developed in order for men and women to have well-balanced minds. The world is full of one-sided men and women who have become such because one set of their faculties was cultivated while others were dwarfed from inaction. The education of most youth is a failure. They overstudy, while they neglect that which pertains to practical business life. Men and women become parents without considering their responsibilities, and their offspring sink lower in the scale of human deficiency than they themselves. Thus the race is fast degenerating. The constant application to study, as the schools are now conducted, is unfitting youth for practical life. The human mind will have action. If it is not active in the right direction, it will be active in the wrong. In order to preserve the balance of the mind, labor and study should be united in the schools. (3T 152.2) MC VC

You love to think and talk about young men. You interpret their civilities as a special regard for yourself. You flatter yourself that you are more highly esteemed than you really are. Your conversation should be upon subjects that will profit, that will refine and elevate. You are not, my dear child, cultivating habits of frankness and sincerity. Your heart is not right. Your influence is not good upon the young, for you have not the mind of Christ; yet you flatter yourself that you have made great advancement in the Christian life. (3T 337.1) MC VC

A reformation must commence in your father’s family. You bear the stamp of your father’s character. You should endeavor to shun his errors and his extremes. If you are truly a disciple of Christ you will see important work to do at your home. Every family may be a perpetual school. The elder sisters can exert a strong influence upon the younger members of the family. The younger, witnessing the example of the older, will be led more by the principle of imitation than by oft-repeated precepts. The eldest daughter should ever feel it a Christian duty devolving upon her to aid the mother in bearing her many toilsome burdens. Hours are worse than lost that are spent in bed, in sleep, or in gloomy musings, while the shoulders of some in the family are bowed to carry the heavy, toilsome load. (3T 337.2) MC VC

The elder daughters may assist in the education of the younger members of the family. Here is an excellent opportunity for you, kindly, diligently, and having the fear of the Lord before you, to teach those less advanced than yourself. You may gain the affections of those you try to help. You may here have one of the best of schools in which to exercise the Christian graces. You do not love children. In fact, you do not love anything which requires steady, earnest, persevering effort. You do not love steady application. You love change and variety, and are constantly seeking to find something that will please yourself and give you happiness. You need self-education, and you can obtain this better now than at any future time. You have almost every change to make in your life, and may God help you to take hold of the work without delay. Only the pure, the good, and the holy will dwell with Christ when He cometh into His kingdom. (3T 337.3) MC VC