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Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 1
not the heart of one connected with you starve for the want of kindness
and sympathy.—
The Ministry of Healing, 360
(1905).
The Love Plant to Be Treated Tenderly—The precious plant of
love is to be treated tenderly, and it will become strong and vigorous
and rich in fruit-bearing, giving expression to the whole character.—
Letter 50, 1893
.
Loving Impulses Not to Be Stifled—Encourage the expression
of love toward God and toward one another. The reason why there
are so many hardhearted men and women in the world is that true
affection has been regarded as weakness and has been discouraged
and repressed. The better nature of these persons was stifled in child-
hood; and unless the light of divine love shall melt away their cold
selfishness, their happiness will be forever ruined. If we wish our chil-
dren to possess the tender spirit of Jesus and the sympathy that angels
manifest for us, we must encourage the generous, loving impulses of
childhood.—
The Desire of Ages, 516
(1898).
Love Not Passion—Love is a plant of heavenly origin. It is not
unreasonable; it is not blind. It is pure and holy. But the passion of
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the natural heart is another thing altogether. While pure love will take
God into all its plans and will be in perfect harmony with the Spirit
of God, passion will be headstrong, rash, unreasonable, defiant of all
restraint, and will make the object of its choice an idol.
In all the deportment of one who possesses true love, the grace
of God will be shown. Modesty, simplicity, sincerity, morality, and
religion will characterize every step toward an alliance in marriage.—
The Review and Herald, September 25, 1888
. (
Messages to Young
People, 459
.)
True Love Preparation for Successful Marriage—True love is
a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that
love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when
severely tested. It is by faithfulness to duty in the parental home that
the youth are to prepare themselves for homes of their own. Let them
here practice self-denial and manifest kindness, courtesy, and Christian
sympathy. Thus love will be kept warm in the heart, and he who goes
out from such a household to stand at the head of a family of his own
will know how to promote the happiness of her whom he has chosen
as a companion for life. Marriage, instead of being the end of love,
will be only its beginning.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 176
(1890).