Benevolence and Rectitude in Married Life
89
of her. His love she found to be of so base a quality that she became
disgusted.
Very many families are living in a most unhappy state, because the
husband and father allows the animal in his nature to predominate over
the intellectual and moral. The result is that a sense of languor and
depression is frequently felt, but the cause is seldom divined as being
the result of their own improper course of action. We are under solemn
obligations to God to keep the spirit pure and the body healthy, that we
may be a benefit to humanity, and render to God perfect service. The
apostle utters these words of warning: “Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
Romans
6:12
. He urges us onward by telling us that “every man that striveth
for the mastery is temperate in all things.”
1 Corinthians 9:25
. He
exhorts all who call themselves Christians to present their bodies “a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
Romans 12:1
. He says,
“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
1 Corinthians 9:27
.
Care of the Wife
It is an error generally committed to make no difference in the life
of a woman previous to the birth of her children. At this important
period the labor of the mother should be lightened. Great changes are
[77]
going on in her system. It requires a greater amount of blood, and
therefore an increase of food of the most nourishing quality to convert
into blood. Unless she has an abundant supply of nutritious food,
she cannot retain her physical strength, and her offspring is robbed of
vitality. Her clothing also demands attention. Care should be taken
to protect the body from a sense of chilliness. She should not call
vitality unnecessarily to the surface to supply the want of sufficient
clothing. If the mother is deprived of an abundance of wholesome,
nutritious food, she will lack in the quantity and quality of blood. Her
circulation will be poor, and her child will lack in the very same things.
There will be inability in the offspring to appropriate food which it
can convert into good blood to nourish the system. The prosperity
of mother and child depends much upon good, warm clothing, and