Counsels to Walter and Laura
45
find the same, after the marriage novelty has passed? But when you
made your vow before God and holy angels, you knew you were not
perfect and your husband was not perfect; but this is no excuse for
breaking your marriage vow. There is a need of training your mind and
heart that you shall bear with one another, to be kind to one another,
and not to allow distrust and hatred to come in.
Resurrection of Dead Love—I love you, my sister, and I do not
want you to take a course to ruin your own happiness and that of your
husband. Those who have come in to teach you to do this had better
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be searching their own hearts. When you bring your will more to your
aid, and conscientiously move in the fear of God, then the love you
now suppose to be dead will be found to have a resurrection, unless
you play upon each other’s evil nature and stir up the worst qualities
of the human heart. The fountain of love will increase day by day and
in time will exclude all bitterness and disappointments.
You know you have kindly feelings toward your husband, for he is
your husband and he loves you with all his heart. Your love would be
precious to him, a light, an inspiration to his life. Your husband will
appreciate your love; he will value it, and it will have a modifying,
elevating influence upon his life. You may have fancies and ideas and
whims that you may not at once surrender, and your husband may have
to bear humbly and patiently with you. But you have noble traits of
character that, if not disregarded and abused, will come to your help.
Need of Forbearance—Now, I tell you that you cannot break your
marriage vow and be guiltless before God. Unite your interest with
your husband. Love him and bear with him and work with him. Bid
the evil advisers depart. The case is between you and your husband
and your God. It is a pride of heart that shuts your eyes that you cannot
and do not discover the justice and righteousness in the case of fidelity
to your husband. Adhere faithfully to your marriage vows because
you are upright of heart, and will you regret this keeping of your vows
when you shall be clothed in the garments of Christ’s righteousness?
Perfection Only in Christ—We have only a brief season here
upon the earth, a time when licentious practices under the marriage
vow are ruining thousands and tens of thousands. While you have
some cross to lift, do not, I beg you for Christ’s sake, depart from
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justice and righteousness. Let your lives be in sobriety, and bring your
will power into the matter, looking not for perfection in each other,