p. 165 | HOLINESS IN THE HOME

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 11.

HOLINESS IN THE HOME.

HOLINESS at home means habitual sweetness of temper and word, not feigned or affected, but the pure, honest outflow of a pure heart. This makes full allowance for annoyances, perplexities, sadness, grief, but rules out all "bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, . . . with all malice." Eph. 4:31.

In the home, as elsewhere, things will sometimes go wrong; disappointments will come; occasions of sudden excitement occur; provocations to anger and rashness arise; but if "the heart be established with grace," the result will be patient endurance, without either sudden sourness of spirit, or violent ebullition of passion. The presence of these would but too surely prove the absence of that wisdom from above, and which is "first pure [equivalent of holy], then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated," etc.

Holiness at home means a cheerful mingling of holy precept and example. To achieve the highest result for good upon the home circle, these must never be separated, and especially must never be in conflict. Are there children in the home? Paul enjoins with reference to the children of all Christian parents: "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." This can only be done by wise union of precept and example.

—Selected.