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Appeal to the Church
409
disappointment, a hindrance to their doing the work they had hoped
to do.
Oh, what wretchedness exists in families that might be happy!
These women are a curse to themselves and a curse to their husbands.
In supposing themselves to be angels, they make themselves fools,
and are nothing but heavy burdens. The common duties of life which
the Lord has left for them to do, they leave right in their path, and are
restless and complaining, always looking for an easy, more exalted,
and more agreeable work. Supposing themselves to be angels, they
are found human after all. They are fretful, peevish, dissatisfied,
jealous of their husbands because the larger portion of their time
is not spent waiting upon them. They complain of being neglected
when their husbands are doing the very work they ought to do. Satan
finds easy access to this class. They have no real love for anyone
but themselves. Yet Satan tells them that if such a one were their
husband, they would be happy indeed. They are easy victims to the
device of Satan, being readily led to dishonor their own husbands
and to transgress the law of God.
I would say to women of this description: You can make or
destroy your own happiness. You can make your position happy
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or unbearable. The course which you pursue will create happiness
or misery for yourself. Have these persons never thought that their
husbands must tire of them in their uselessness, their peevishness,
their faultfinding, their passionate fits of weeping while imagining
their case so pitiful? Their irritable, peevish disposition is indeed
weaning from them the affections of their husbands and driving
them to seek for sympathy, and peace, and comfort elsewhere than at
home. A poisonous atmosphere is in their dwelling, and home is to
them anything but a place of rest, peace, or happiness. The husband
is subject to Satan’s temptation, and his affections are placed on
forbidden objects, and he is lured on to crime and finally lost.
Great is the work and mission of women, especially those who
are wives and mothers. They can be a blessing to all around them.
They can have a powerful influence for good if they will let their
light so shine that others may be led to glorify our heavenly Father.
Women may have a transforming influence if they will only consent
to yield their way and their will to God, and let Him control their
mind, affections, and being. They can have an influence which will