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Selected Messages Book 2
prepared with grease and indigestible spices, the result will be far more
injurious. The digestive organs will be severely taxed, and exhausted
nature will be left a poor chance to rest, and recover strength, and
the vital organs soon become impaired, and break down. If care and
regularity is considered needful for dumb animals, it is as much more
essential for human beings, formed in the image of their Maker, as
they are of more value than the dumb creation.
The father in many cases, exercises less reason, and has less care,
for his wife, and their offspring, before its birth, than he manifests
for his cattle with young. The mother, in many cases previous to the
birth of her children, is permitted to toil early and late, heating her
blood, while preparing various unhealthy dishes of food to suit the
perverted taste of the family, and of visitors. Her strength should have
been tenderly cherished. A preparation of healthful food would have
required but about one-half of the expense and labor, and would have
been far more nourishing.
The mother, before the birth of her children, is often permitted to
labor beyond her strength. Her burdens and cares are seldom lessened,
and that period, which should be to her of all others, a time of rest,
is one of fatigue, sadness, and gloom. By too great exertion on her
part, she deprives her offspring of that nutrition which nature has
provided for it, and by heating her blood, she imparts to it, a bad
quality of blood. The offspring is robbed of its vitality, robbed of
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physical and mental strength. The father should study how to make the
mother happy. He should not allow himself to come to his home with
a clouded brow. If he is perplexed in business, he should not, unless it
is actually necessary to counsel with his wife, trouble her with such
matters. She has cares and trials of her own to bear, and she should be
tenderly spared every needless burden.
The mother too often meets with cold reserve from the father. If
everything does not move off just as pleasantly as he could wish, he
blames the wife and mother, and seems indifferent to her cares and
daily trials. Men who do this, are working directly against their own
interest and happiness. The mother becomes discouraged. Hope and
cheerfulness depart from her. She goes about her work mechanically,
knowing that it must be done, which soon debilitates physical and
mental health. Children are born to them suffering with various dis-
eases, and God holds the parents accountable in a great degree; for