Security in the Home
129
How to Create Peace in Home Circle—When the husband has
the nobility of character, purity of heart, elevation of mind, that every
true Christian must possess, it will be made manifest in the marriage
relation.... He will seek to keep his wife in health and courage. He will
strive to speak words of comfort, to create an atmosphere of peace in
the home circle.—
Manuscript 17, 1891.
(
The Adventist Home, 228
.)
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Husbands should study the pattern and seek to know what is meant
by the symbol presented in Ephesians, the relation Christ sustains to the
church. The husband is to be as a Saviour in his family. Will he stand
in his noble, God-given manhood, ever seeking to uplift his wife and
children? Will he breathe about him a pure, sweet atmosphere? Will
he not as assiduously cultivate the love of Jesus, making it an abiding
principle in his home, as he will assert his claims to authority?—
Manuscript 17, 1891.
(
The Adventist Home, 117
.)
Husband Not to Dwell on His Position—It is no evidence of
manliness in the husband for him to dwell, constantly upon his position
as head of the family. It does not increase respect for him to hear him
quoting Scripture to sustain his claims to authority. It will not make
him more manly to require his wife, the mother of his children, to act
upon his plans as if they were infallible.
The Lord has constituted the husband the head of the wife to be
her protector; he is the house-band of the family, binding the members
together, even as Christ is the head of the church and the Saviour of the
mystical body. Let every husband who claims to love God, carefully
study the requirements of God is his position. Christ’s authority is
exercised in wisdom, in all kindness and gentleness; so let the husband
exercise his power and imitate the great Head of the church.—
Letter
18b, 1891
(
The Adventist Home, 215
.)
Wife Cheerfully to Help Husband Maintain Dignity—I have
also been shown that there is often a great failure on the part of the
wife. She does not put forth strong efforts to control her own spirit
and make home happy. There is often fretfulness and unnecessary
complaining on her part. The husband comes home from his labor
weary and perplexed, and meets a clouded brow instead of cheerful,
encouraging words. He is but human, and his affections become
weaned from his wife, he loses the love of his home, his pathway is
darkened, and his courage destroyed. He yields his self-respect and
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that dignity which God requires him to maintain.