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Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce
up to him and honor him as a wife should honor her husband. When
she married you under these circumstances, she did not distinguish
between a heaven-born love and an earthly love, not of divine origin.
A man who will sacrifice his love for his heavenly Father for a wife
will also sell his wife for another woman. This quality of love is base;
it is of this earth, and will never bear the test of trial.
The Lord does not revise the laws of His government, the laws
which control His subjects both in this world and in the heavenly
universe. Natural laws must be obeyed. But you were so determined to
obtain your wife that you broke down every barrier, and broke God’s
law by yielding up the Sabbath; and you have been reaping only that
which you have sown.
[211]
After marrying your wife, you again accepted the Sabbath. This
was the right move to make if you made it in sincerity and in the fear
of God. Said Christ [
John 14:21, 23
, quoted].
But you secured your wife under a promise which you afterwards
broke. You paid a dear price for her, and by breaking your word you
have given her every reason to be tempted. Thus Satan has had every
opportunity to deceive her, and he has presented this matter to her
in his own light. You sacrificed the truth and sold your allegiance
to God to obtain a wife, and after you again commenced keeping
the Sabbath, your course toward your wife should have been entirely
different from what it has been. You should have shown her all the
tenderness, forbearance, and love which you manifested toward her
before your marriage. But this was not done. You did not pursue a
course which would keep her love. I myself cannot put confidence in
you as a Christian, and under present developments, I could not give
my consent for you to become a member of any church.
You thought that when you were once married you could do as
you pleased. This has embittered your married life, and your wife has
had every reason for refusing to leave her home and come to you to
this country. Your acceptance of fanatical views was nothing in your
favor, and gave your wife an opportunity to strengthen herself against
the principles of truth.
For years you have been away from your home. Leaving as you
did was a wrong against your family. You have told me that you
would never humiliate yourself by going back, never. But the Lord
has presented this matter before me. I know that you cannot be clear