Beecher, Catharine E. (Catharine Esther)

“Children can be very early taught...that they can hereafter find their chief happiness in giving up their will to God, and in living to do good to others, instead of living merely to please themselves.”

“It is impossible for a conscientious woman to secure that peaceful mind and cheerful enjoyment of life which all should seek, who is constantly finding her duties jarring with each other, and much remaining undone, which she feels she ought to do. In consequence of this, there will be a secret uneasiness, which will throw a shade over the whole current of life, never to be removed, till she so efficiently defines and regulates her duties that she can fulfill them...”

“Many persons imagine that, if they violate the laws of health, in order to attend to religious or domestic duties, they are guiltless before God. But such greatly mistake. We directly violate the law, "Those shalt not kill," when we do what tends to risk or shorten our own life.”

“There is nothing which has a more abiding influence on the happiness of a family than the preservation of equable and cheerful temper and tones in the [mother].”

“The family state then, is the aptest earthly illustration of the heavenly kingdom...[The mother] is to rear all under her care to lay up treasures, not on earth, but in heaven. All the pleasures of this life end here; but those who train immortal minds are to read the fruit of their labor through eternal ages.”