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The Adventist Home
law. If she is a Christian, under God’s control, she will command the
respect of her children
The children are to be taught to regard their mother, not as a slave
whose work it is to wait on them, but as a queen who is to guide and
direct them, teaching them line upon line, precept upon precept
A Graphic Comparison of Values—The mother seldom appre-
ciates her own work and frequently sets so low an estimate upon her
labor that she regards it as domestic drudgery. She goes through the
same round day after day, week after week, with no special marked
results. She cannot tell at the close of the day the many little things
she has accomplished. Placed beside her husband’s achievement, she
feels that she has done nothing worth mentioning.
The father frequently comes in with a self-satisfied air and proudly
recounts what he has accomplished through the day. His remarks
show that now he must be waited upon by the mother, for she has
not done much except take care of the children, cook the meals, and
keep the house in order. She has not acted the merchant, bought nor
sold; she has not acted the farmer, in tilling the soil; she has not acted
the mechanic—therefore she has done nothing to make her weary.
He criticizes and censures and dictates as though he was the lord
of creation. And this is all the more trying to the wife and mother,
[233]
because she has become very weary at her post of duty during the day,
and yet she cannot see what she has done and is really disheartened.
Could the veil be withdrawn and father and mother see as God sees
the work of the day, and see how His infinite eye compares the work of
the one with that of the other, they would be astonished at the heavenly
revelation. The father would view his labors in a more modest light,
while the mother would have new courage and energy to pursue her
labor with wisdom, perseverance, and patience. Now she knows its
value. While the father has been dealing with the things which must
perish and pass away, the mother has been dealing with developing
minds and character, working not only for time but for eternity
4
Counsels to Teachers, Parents, and Students, 111
.
5
Letter 272, 1903
.
6
The Signs of the Times, September 13, 1877
.