MARRIAGE

God made from the man a woman, to be a companion and helpmeet for him, to be one with him, to cheer, encourage, and bless him, he in his turn to be her strong helper. All who enter into matrimonial relations with a purpose, the husband to obtain the pure affections of a woman’s heart, the wife to soften and improve her husband’s character and give it completeness-fulfill God’s purpose for them.

The divine love emanating from Christ never destroys human love, but includes it. By it human love is refined and purified, elevated and ennobled. Human love can never bear it precious fruits until it is united with the divine nature and trained to grow heavenward. Jesus wants to see happy marriages, happy firesides.

You have united in a lifelong covenant. Your education in married life has begun. The first year of married life has begun. The first year of married life is a tear of experience, a year in which husband and wife learn each other’s traits of character, as a child learns lessons in school. In this first year of your married life, let there be no chapters that will mar your future happiness.

To gain a proper understanding of the marriage relation is the work of lifetime. Those who marry enter a school from which they are never in life to be graduated. My brother, your wife’s time and strength and happiness are now bound up with yours. Your influence over her may be a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Be very careful not to spoil her life.

My sister, you are now to learn you first practical lessons in regard to responsibilities of married life. Be sure to learn these lessons faithfully day by day. Do not give way to discontent or moodiness. Do not long for a life of ease and inactivity. Guard constantly against giving way to selfishness.

Marriage, a union for life, is a symbol of the union between Christ and His church. The spirit that Christ manifests toward the church is the spirit that husband and wife are to manifest toward each other.

Neither husband nor wife is to make a plea for rulership. The husband is to cherish the wife as Christ cherishes the church. And the wife is to respect and love her husband. Both are to cultivate the spirit of kindness, being determined never to grieve or injure the other.

Before a man enters a union as close as the marriage relation, he should learn how to control himself and how to deal with others.
Husbands should be kind, patient, forbearing. Remember that your wife accepted you as her husband, not that you might rule over her, but that you might be her helper. Never be overbearing and dictatorial. Do not exert your strong will power to compel your wife to do as you wish. Remember that she has a will and that she may wish to have the advantage of your wider experience. Be considerate and courteous.