THE HOME by Elder G. B. Thompson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 19, 1901

THE HOME.

By Elder G. B. Thompson

ELDER G. B. THOMPSON. (Rome, N. Y.)

Through the institution of marriage the Lord gave to man one of his most priceless gifts—the home. There is no place like it. In youth and old age it is a haven of rest, a refuge from storm. What tender memories cluster round the word! We can think of nothing in this sin-cursed earth more beautiful than a Christian home, a home where husband and wife manifest love and gentleness, and the children are trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Angels as well as men admire the scene, and delight to hover round, bringing their heavenly influence to every member.

But, alas! how many homes whose inmates profess the name of Christ are such only in name. How many are made sad by unkind words, fretfulness, and complaining! How many wives have lost the buoyancy of youth, become downcast, frail, and discouraged by reason of the fretful words of a complaining, irritable husband. Likewise the angry words of an unappreciative wife have brought despondency to many an affectionate, loving husband. The following words from the Spirit of the Lord tell the sad story: “Unkindness, complaining, and anger shut Jesus from the dwelling. I saw that angels of God will flee from a house where there are unpleasant words, fretfulness, and strife.”—“Testimony for the Church,” Vol. I, page 307.

Reader, have the holy angels ever been grieved away from your home by the things here mentioned—“unpleasant words, fretfulness, and strife”? A home from which the angels of light and glory have departed is a dismal picture. Yet the impatience of the husband toward the wife, of the wife toward the husband, and of both the parents toward the children, has grieved many a good angel away, and left many a sad heart. Strange that any home would permit this wicked thing to remain, much less a home whose members are preparing for the coming of the Lord.

Again I quote: “We must subdue a hasty temper, and control our words; and in this we shall gain great victories. Unless we control our words and temper, we are slaves to Satan. We are in subjection to him. He leads us captive. All jangling, and unpleasant, impatient, fretful words are an offering presented to his satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more costly than any sacrifice we can make for God; for it destroys the peace and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness.”—Id., page 310.

What is needed most of all is a life the light of which shines in the home. If it does not shine in the home, it will never shine any place. The religion of Christ takes homes full of strife, impatience, fretfulness, and every wickedness, and makes them peaceful. Foreign-mission work is simply planting in the midst of heathen darkness a Christian home, where the gentle graces of the Holy Spirit will shine forth, and be a miniature of that eternal home toward which the feet of the weary pilgrims are tending.