EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.
If the time comes when those we love stand in a trying place, where they must stand for what they believe is right against opposition, if we as wives or mothers will bid them be firm for principle, assuring them that we will stand by them, how much lighter-hearted they will go forth to meet their task. We may have an influence over our husbands which is marvelous. Not long ago my husband and I were passing through a severe trial. It seemed that things never did look so dark. He was called away on business, and I received a letter showing that he was very much discouraged. When it reached me, I was in the same condition, but I determined that I would not let him know it. So I earnestly sought the Lord before answering, and wrote him a letter full of courage and hope; and he told me that he thanked God on his knees for that letter, and that it helped him through that crisis. If we faithfully stand by the side of our companions, encouraging them to stand true to principle, and with a woman's quick intuition and ingenuity grasp the situation and find the bright side, keeping our own hearts in touch with Him who never fails nor is discouraged, we shall be able to prevent many a domestic calamity. I presume all of us know what it is to have our husbands become discouraged. My husband sometimes feels that way, and I realize that we as wives have a great opportunity at such times to stay up their hands and encourage them. When my husband is the most discouraged, I find it helps him for me to remind him that God is not dead, but that he still lives and is able to do all things. Of course he knows this, but sometimes cares press in so heavily that he loses sight of this assurance. We can also save our husbands a great deal of trouble by living within our means, and thus help to keep out of debt, and have a little something ahead for a rainy day. Nothing discourages a man much more than to be burdened with debts; and by economy in various ways we may be able to save a little here and a little there, and so make it possible for our husbands to respond to the calls for help in the work, and to keep of good courage. To-night as I read in the Home and Woman's Gospel Work departments of the REVIEW I am constrained to write a few words of encouragement to those who are growing weary by the way, or perhaps not weary, but discouraged because they can not see any results of their labor. Remember the faithfulness of Noah in his work. He preached one hundred and twenty years, and all that he could see as the result of his labor was its effect upon his own family. This might seem a small return for so much toil; but God counted Noah as righteous and his work as faithfully done. Our part is the faithfulness; God's part, the results. Ofttimes we look too much for the result of our labor, forgetting that it does not belong to us, and are tempted to give up. The most noble work a woman can do—the work which God gave her—is to train her children in the way they should go. This does not imply that she can not do anything else, but her home and family come first. I believe the best work a woman can do is to make a true home, filled with sunshine, where angels are pleased to dwell, and every woman can do this if she will, by seeking God for wisdom, and acting as if the Saviour presided in visible form in the home, and treating each member of the family as if he were the representative of Christ. Take courage, dear sisters, and work faithfully for God by doing the things he has given you to do, though they may seem to be humble. Leave all results to God, and be sure that at the end of each day you can say, “I did the best I knew;” and you will have the smile of Jesus, which brings joy and peace. I believe that as we are in the home, so we are outside. If we are happy in our homes, we will be happy everywhere. If we can stand alone with God in the experiences of home life, we need not be afraid to stand anywhere. When my husband and I started out in life we both had high ideals, and wanted to have everything of the very best. We were both strong, and we did have a good start in life. I determined that whatever I had, be it ever so much or ever so little, I would make go just as far, and show just as much, as possible; and that I would keep my house in such order that I would not be ashamed to have the angels come in. When I wash my dishes, or make my bed, I do it for the Lord. There is great satisfaction in doing your work so you can talk to the Lord about it. If your work is done as you would do it for the Lord himself, you will not be disturbed if a stranger should step to your cupboard, or go anywhere in your house. I visit with the Lord while I wash my dishes, sweep my floors, and make my bed. I have not always had all I wanted to do with, but I have stuck to the rule with which I started out, and have done the best I could with what I had, asking the blessing of the Lord to be upon it. Many a time in preparing something for the table I have been unable to get what I thought was necessary to make it palatable; but I told the Lord all about it, and asked him to make up the lack; and when it was upon the table, my husband and others would remark of its fine quality. I knew that it was not what I had done, but that it was the Lord's work. If we ask the blessing of the Lord upon anything which we do in his name, we may know that we have it. Since I began to live this way, everything seems purer and sweeter, and I find I can get along with about half what I did before.