Basic HTML Version
Chapter 37—Severity in Family Government
Brother L,
Last June I was shown that there is a work before you to correct
your ways. You do not see yourself. Your life has been a mistake.
You do not pursue a wise and merciful course in your family. You
are exacting. If you continue to pursue the course that you have been
pursuing toward your wife and children, her days will be shortened,
and your children will fear, but not love, you. You feel that your
course is in Christian wisdom, but in this you deceive yourself.
You have peculiar views in regard to managing your family. You
exercise an independent, arbitrary power which permits no liberty
of will around you. You think yourself sufficient to be head in your
family, and feel that your head is sufficient to move every member,
as a machine is moved in the hands of the workmen. You dictate and
assume authority. This displeases Heaven and grieves the pitying
angels. You have conducted yourself in your family as though you
alone were capable of self-government. It has offended you that
your wife should venture to oppose your opinion or question your
decisions.
After much long-suffering on her part, and patient waiting upon
your whims, she has rebelled against unjust authority, and has be-
come nervous and distracted, and shown contempt for your course.
You have made the most of these manifestations on her part, and
have charged her with sin and being led by the spirit of the devil,
when you were the one at fault. You drove her almost to desperation,
and afterward taunted her with it. How easy it would have been for
[254]
you to have made her life cheerful and pleasant. But it has been the
opposite of this.
You have been rather indolent. You have not been ambitious to
exercise the strength the Lord has given you. This is your capital. A
judicious use of this strength, and persevering, industrious habits,
would have enabled you to obtain the comforts of life. You have
erred, and thought it was pride which led your wife to desire to
229