"We take by the hand you, your wife, and urge you to carry on the work of God unitedly. I would say, Make God your counselor. Blend, blend together. You each have an identity of your own, but in that identity there must be a unity."
"You are not called to give up your identity; you each have an identity of your own. These may not always run in the very same channel, and yet there may be that blending that God required. ... How shall they blend? Counsel together. And if there be any difference of opinion, yet we would say, Counsel together, and the blessing of God will come right into the heart."
Ms 170, 1905
An Excerpt
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California
May 1, 1905
This manuscript is published in entirety in 2SAT 270-273.
(Remarks at the wedding of Dores E. Robinson and Ella M. White, Sanitarium, California, May 1, 1905.) {Ms 170, 1905, par. 1}
...
The blessing of God in the home where this union shall exist is as the sunshine of heaven, because it is the Lord’s ordained will that man and wife should be linked together in holy bonds of union, under Jesus Christ, with Him to control, and His Spirit to guide, His Holy Spirit to listen to the petitions that shall come up to Him—where two or three, He says, are together, I am in their midst. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 4}
God wants the home to be the happiest place on earth, the very symbol of the home in heaven. Bearing the marriage responsibilities in the home, linking their interests with Jesus Christ, learning upon His arm and His assurance, husband and wife may share a happiness in this union that angels of God commend. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 5}
Marriage does not lessen their usefulness, but strengthens it. They may make that married life a ministry to win souls to Christ; and I know whereof I speak, because for thirty-six years my husband and myself were united, and we went everywhere that the Lord said, Go. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 6}
In this matter we know that we have the commendation of God in the marriage relation. Therefore it is a solemn ordinance. It has always seemed so very inappropriate to me to see the marriage ordinance associated with hilarity and glee and a pretense of something. No, it is an ordinance ordained of God, to be looked upon with the greatest solemnity. As the family relation is formed here below, it is to give demonstration of what they shall be, the family in heaven above. The glory of God is ever to be made first. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 7}
And now I can at this time take by the hand this our brother whom we love in the Lord—he has our confidence; and we take by the hand you, your wife, and urge you to carry on the work of God unitedly. I would say, Make God your counselor. Blend, blend together. You each have an identity of your own, but in that identity there must be a unity. There is constantly to be a development of the faculties that God has given you, that you may improve, improve, and that you may indeed be looked upon by the heavenly angels with commendation. We care more for that than everything else besides. Let the light of heaven shine right in the home—and we believe it will—in every word and in every action. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 8}
You are not called to give up your identity; you each have an identity of your own. These may not always run in the very same channel, and yet there may be that blending that God required. The husband is the houseband, the husband, the priest of the household; and the wife is the teacher, as she shall fill her place in the household, whatever may be her employment. If she has children to nurse and take care of, let me tell you there is a lesson there, O such a lesson, that God wants every one to learn. The wife, united with the husband in the fear of God, is to be a strength and power in the church. God can make them thus. Well, then, how shall they blend? Counsel together. And if there be any difference of opinion, yet we would say, Counsel together, and the blessing of God will come right into the heart. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 9}
Christ was at the marriage in Cana. There He worked the miracle of turning the water into wine. Our Saviour ever honored the marriage relation, and we want to say, wherever you may be, and whatever your circumstances may be, we have a God, One who loves us, One whom we can honor. If we would honor Him, our lips should ever speak in wisdom. Here is the wife, the queen of the home—the blessing of God can rest upon her that she may be a sunshine, a sunbeam in the house. Never, never, in any way, speak in a manner that would irritate. The voice is a talent; it is a talent of God. It is to be so cultivated that it will bring peace and harmony and light and love. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 10}
Here are these who are covenanted to the work of God. A great work is before us. Where their ministry will be we cannot say; but unitedly they can carry forward the work much better than separately. They can help one another; they can encourage one another; they can be a blessing to one another; and the Holy Spirit of God can rest on them, as they bear the ministry to those who shall need their help. Both have an experience in this line; both feel an intense interest to cultivate the ability of talents which God has given to them to the very best and highest account; and if they are connected with the God of heaven, what a power they can be unitedly to blend together, to strengthen one another, and to carry forward the work of God intelligently. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 11}
I am very thankful today that I believe the Lord is present in this very assembly to accept this ordinance of marriage; and we thank you all that are here that you are present. We want to say to every one of you, There is a very great and a very grand work before us. We cannot discern it now. Time steals on, steals on so gradually, and the powers of darkness, like a thief, are watching their chance, that they may make all the evil possible. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 12} ...
Now here is the work of overcoming. These do not give up this work, but they are blended together, to strengthen themselves in the work, and to go wherever the light of heaven shall shine upon their pathway. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 13}
We believe God will lead them; therefore we are fully in harmony with this unity, and we believe heaven is in harmony with it. Therefore, these young people that have worked in the cause of God, that have tried to do His work, can now double their influence, increase their capabilities and their talents, by blending in the work of God. It is not a less work that is before them, but it is a higher, it is a more sacred, it is a more important work that they will have to do in the future than in the past; and may the blessing of God rest upon them right here. {Ms 170, 1905, par. 14} ...