Chapter 7—Admonition to Walter’s Second
Mother-in-law
Dear Sister,
[
Written August 26, 1895, to the mother of Walter C’s second
wife.
] In regard to the marriage of your daughter with Walter C, I
see where you are troubled. But the marriage took place with your
consent, and your daughter, knowing all about him, accepted him as
her husband; and now I can see no reason why you should carry any
burden over this matter. Your daughter loves Walter C, and it may be
that this marriage is in the order of God in order that both Walter and
your daughter may have a richer Christian experience and be built up
where they are deficient. Your daughter has pledged herself to Walter
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C in marriage, and to break her marriage vows would be far from right.
She cannot now disannul her obligations to him.
You say that Walter was engaged to some young lady in Topeka. I
cannot speak concerning this, for I have not heard Walter’s reasons for
breaking his engagement, if he did so. But I had a personal knowledge
of his former relations with his first wife, Laura. Walter loved Laura
far too well, for she was not worthy of his regard. He did all in his
power to help her, and sought in every possible way to retain her as
his wife. He could not have done more than he did do. I pleaded with
her, and tried to show her the inconsistency of her course, and begged
her not to obtain a divorce; but she was determined and willful and
stubborn, and would have her own way. While she lived with him she
sought to secure all the money possible from him, but she would not
treat him kindly as a wife should treat her husband.
A Right to Happiness—Walter did not put his wife away. She
left him, and put him away, and married another man. I see nothing
in the Scripture that forbids him to marry again in the Lord. He
has a right to the affection of a woman who, knowing his physical
defect, shall choose to give him her love. The time has come when
a sterile condition is not the worst condition to be in. I see wives
who have borne large families of children, and they are unable to give
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