PATIENCE AT HOME by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 27, 1876

PATIENCE AT HOME.

By Jos. Clarke

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.” James 5:7.

It is comparatively easy to be patient when we are associating with the people we meet on the highway of life; for we know we may meet those who would give a blow for an insulting word, or we might have a running fight if we should rasp every one with our fretful dispositions; so we smooth down our tempers when we sally forth on the business of life.

But at home, look out. There is the place where we can give vent to passion and fretfulness to a considerable extent without risking so much as we would if we should fret at any one we meet. It would be really humiliating to be looked upon by every passer as a termagant and scold; so most of us reserve our spite and pettishness for the home circle.

The patient, pious wife (or vice versa) is always close by, and we can, when tried in the crucible of every-day life, come home, and pour forth upon her all the ill nature we have been hoarding up for the day. And she has become so accustomed to it that she thinks it a matter of course, and balances the account by some act of kindness, friendly and well-timed.

The one thus soothed by the power of kindness takes the credit of his good temper to himself, and considers himself a noble personage, when, in fact, the temper is yet unsubdued.

Now we may be sure of this: If we are at any time fretful and peevish, the impression will be lasting as the rock; and such tempers do as surely hinder our efforts to do good as sunken trees impede the navigation of our western rivers.

Good temper is necessary, and indispensable, to all who would do good and work in God’s cause; and an ill temper and a peevish disposition he will not approbate, nor will he always tolerate them.

Age does not of itself sweeten a temper naturally acid, but religion does; and he who does not grow more calm, even, and placid with age, may reckon that he has not yet been wholly renewed in heart, and that he is yet in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. Many of us must yet be converted, or fail of eternal life.

Jos. CLARKE.