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Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

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420 <strong>Testimonies</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Church</strong> <strong>Vol</strong>ume 1[451][452]If things around <strong>the</strong>m are not as agreeable as she could wish (as <strong>the</strong>ywill not always be), she should not indulge homesick feelings, or bylack of cheerfulness and by spoken complaints harass <strong>the</strong> husband andmake his task harder, and perhaps by her discontent draw him from<strong>the</strong> place where he could do good. She should not divert <strong>the</strong> interestof her husband from laboring <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> salvation of souls, to sympathizewith her ailments and gratify her whimsical, discontented feelings. Ifshe would <strong>for</strong>get herself and labor to help o<strong>the</strong>rs, talk and pray withpoor souls, and act as if <strong>the</strong>ir salvation was of higher importance thanany o<strong>the</strong>r consideration, she would have no time to be homesick. Shewould feel from day to day a sweet satisfaction as a reward <strong>for</strong> herunselfish labor; I cannot call it sacrifice, <strong>for</strong> some of our ministers’wives do not know what it is to sacrifice or suffer <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> truth’s sake.In <strong>for</strong>mer years <strong>the</strong> wives of ministers endured want and persecution.When <strong>the</strong>ir husbands suffered imprisonment, and sometimesdeath, those noble, self-sacrificing women suffered with <strong>the</strong>m, and<strong>the</strong>ir reward will be equal to that bestowed on <strong>the</strong> husband. Mrs.Boardman and <strong>the</strong> Mrs. Judsons suffered <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> truth, suffered with<strong>the</strong>ir companions. They sacrificed home and friends in every sense of<strong>the</strong> word to aid <strong>the</strong>ir companions in <strong>the</strong> work of enlightening thosewho sat in darkness, to reveal to <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> hidden mysteries of <strong>the</strong> wordof God. Their lives were in constant peril. To save souls was <strong>the</strong>irgreat object, and <strong>for</strong> this <strong>the</strong>y could suffer cheerfully.I was shown <strong>the</strong> life of Christ. When His self-denial and sacrificeis compared with <strong>the</strong> trials and sufferings of <strong>the</strong> wives of some of ourministers, it causes anything which <strong>the</strong>y may call sacrifice to sink intoinsignificance. If <strong>the</strong> minister’s wife speaks words of discontent anddiscouragement, <strong>the</strong> influence upon <strong>the</strong> husband is disheartening andtends to cripple him in his labor, especially if his success dependsupon surrounding influences. Must <strong>the</strong> minister of God in such casesbe crippled or torn from his field of labor to gratify <strong>the</strong> feelings of hiswife, which arise from an unwillingness to yield inclination to duty?The wife should con<strong>for</strong>m her wishes and pleasures to duty, and giveup her selfish feelings <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> sake of Christ and <strong>the</strong> truth. Satan hashad much to do with controlling <strong>the</strong> labors of <strong>the</strong> ministers through<strong>the</strong> influence of selfish, ease-loving companions.If a minister’s wife accompanies her husband in his travels, sheshould not go <strong>for</strong> her own special enjoyment, to visit, and to be waited

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