28
Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce
opening the way before him, that he may do a great and good work for
His people. Christ is his Saviour, and in beholding Christ he will be
changed into His image.
Your father has been a kind, tender husband. For many years he
served faithfully her whom he has always loved. Death separated him
from the one who for so long has been his special charge. Then his
sister was taken from him, and his home was broken up. Is it any
wonder that under these circumstances he should, after your mother’s
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death, become attached to a woman in whose conversion to the truth
he was instrumental? This woman is not young, but of an age to be
a help to him in his work. Should your father’s age have stood as a
barrier to his happiness? ...
Had your father married this lady, I believe that the Lord would
greatly have blessed them both. But I do not think, seeing that the
matter has been treated as it has, it will go any further. Those who
refused to sanction this union should remember that one day they must
meet the result of their action. But I must leave this matter with those
who have been acting a part in it.—
Letter 117, 1902
.
When Ages Widely Differ—Another cause of the deficiency of
the present generation in physical strength and moral worth, is, men
and women uniting in marriage whose ages widely differ. It is fre-
quently the case that old men choose to marry young wives. By thus
doing, the life of the husband has often been prolonged, while the wife
has had to feel the want of that vitality which she has imparted to her
aged husband. It has not been the duty of any woman to sacrifice life
and health, even if she did love one so much older than herself, and felt
willing on her part to make such a sacrifice. She should have restrained
her affections. She had considerations higher than her own interest to
consult. She should consider, if children be born to them, what would
be their condition? It is still worse for young men to marry women
considerably older than themselves. The offspring of such unions in
many cases, where ages widely differ, have not well-balanced minds.
They have been deficient also in physical strength. In such families
have frequently been manifested varied, peculiar, and often painful,
traits of character. They often die prematurely, and those who reach
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maturity, in many cases, are deficient in physical and mental strength,
and moral worth.