Sexual Excess within Marriage
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partakers together of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust.
The power of influence can be great to lead the mind to high and
noble themes, above the low, sensual indulgences for which the heart
unrenewed by grace naturally seeks. If the wife feels that in order to
please her husband she must come down to his standard, when animal
passion is the principal basis of his love, and controls his actions, she
displeases God; for she fails to exert a sanctifying influence upon
her husband. If she feels that she must submit to his animal passions
without a word of remonstrance, she does not understand her duty to
him nor to her God. Sexual excess will effectually destroy a love for
devotional exercises, will take from the brain the substance needed to
nourish the system, and will most effectually exhaust the vitality. No
woman should aid her husband in this work of self-destruction. She
will not do it if she is enlightened, and has true love for him....
Preservation of Mind and Body—Let God-fearing men and
women awake to their duty. Many professed Christians are suffer-
ing with paralysis of nerve and brain because of their intemperance
in this direction. Rottenness is in the bones and marrow of many who
are regarded as good men, who pray and weep and who stand in high
places, but whose polluted carcasses will never pass the portals of the
heavenly city.
Oh, that I could make all understand their obligation to God to
preserve the mental and physical organism in the best condition to
render perfect service to their Maker....
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Transmission of Vice From Parents to Children—From their
youth up they have weakened the brain and sapped the constitution
by the gratification of animal passions. Self-denial and temperance
should be the watchword in their married life; then the children born
to them will not be so liable to have the moral and intellectual organs
weak, and the animal strong. Vice in children is almost universal. Is
there not a cause? Who have given them the stamp of character? May
the Lord open the eyes of all to see that they are standing in slippery
places!
From the picture that has been presented before me of the cor-
ruption of men and women professing godliness, I have feared that
I should altogether lose confidence in humanity. I have seen that a
fearful stupor is upon nearly all. It is almost impossible to arouse the