Divorce
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I feel very sad about this matter. I feel indeed sorry for D, but I
cannot advise you to go to him against your judgment. I speak to you
as candidly as I spoke to him; it would be perilous for you to again
place yourself under his dictation. I had hoped that he would change....
The Lord understands all about your experiences.... Be of good
courage in the Lord; He will not leave you nor forsake you. My heart
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goes out in tenderest sympathy for you
To a Deserted Husband—“Shoulder Your Cross.”—I cannot
see what more can be done in this case, and I think that the only thing
that you can do is to give up your wife. If she is thus determined not
to live with you, both she and you would be most miserable to attempt
it. And as she has fully and determinedly set her stakes, you can only
shoulder your cross and show yourself a man
Still Married in God’s Sight, Although Divorced—A woman
may be legally divorced from her husband by the laws of the land and
yet not divorced in the sight of God and according to the higher law.
There is only one sin, which is adultery, which can place the husband
or wife in a position where they can be free from the marriage vow in
the sight of God. Although the laws of the land may grant a divorce,
yet they are husband and wife still in the Bible light, according to the
laws of God.
I saw that Sister _____, as yet, has no right to marry another man;
but if she, or any other woman, should obtain a divorce legally on the
ground that her husband was guilty of adultery, then she is free to be
married to whom she chooses
Separation From an Unbelieving Companion—If the wife is an
unbeliever and an opposer, the husband cannot, in view of the law of
God, put her away on this ground alone. In order to be in harmony
with the law of Jehovah, he must abide with her unless she chooses
of herself to depart. He may suffer opposition and be oppressed and
annoyed in many ways; he will find his comfort and his strength and
support from God, who is able to give grace for every emergency. He
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should be a man of pure mind, of truly decided, firm principles, and
God will give him wisdom in regard to the course which he should
pursue. Impulse will not control his reason, but reason will hold the
7
Letter 148, 1907
.
8
Letter 40, 1888
.
9
Letter 4a, 1863
.