Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-04-09
THE DUTIES OF A WIFE.

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THE DUTIES OF A WIFE.
The Rev. Dr. J. p. Wilson, of Newark,
is delivering a course of Sermons on the
"Family Circle" The fourth of the series
was devoted to the "Duties of Wife," and
the Newark Advertiser gives the following
outline of its leading points:
The first duty of the wife is submission,
reverence and Difference for the husband
The Bible commands the husband to love
the wife, but it does not say one word of the
wife's loving the husband that is taken fol-
granted.
She should acquiese in the authority Of
the husband, who should also remember that
when command begins, happiness ends.-
She should have submission to the reasonable
authority of the husband, not like that Of the
servant to the master, but quiet submis,
sion which tends to her own advantage more
than her husbands.
Some women arc weak enough to marry
husbands to rule them Such marriages arc
always unhappy, as the wife acknowledges
she marries a fool, and is obliged to drag
him, after her all her life, and in the end
finds she has less advantage over him than
she supposed. Women should submit, as
our first mother Eve had the sentence passed
on hor that her husband should be her de-
sire, and should rule over her. A woman
should not, however be submissive in divine
matters, but should differ in mcekuess, leav-
ing God to decide.
The second duty is real and high respect
to her husband. If her husband is no mod
del in the eyes of the world, heshould be in a
wife's; and when the latter thinks meanly
of her husbands appearance Or talent, the
next thing is contempt. When this begins,
the delicate sentiment that belong to the re-
lationship of man and wife is gone forever.
If woman marries a man of stupidity, v d
she can't respect, she is the more foolish,
and breaks that holy vow to honor, love and
obey. A wife should respect the husband
when she can't the man, and should never
complain of his improprieties, because seal
should be forever set on the improprieties of
the husband, which, when broken, destroys
the family circle, and makes the wife and
husband no longer one. She should not even
conide in mother, for one concealmcnt is
the true path, and these faults should be hid
den, and though it bring her to her grave
with broken heart, they should be screwed
up in her coffin.
The third duty is quieness and gentlencss
of spirit. A wife should be cheerful and
unmurmering, and should acquiesce with the
husband in the management of family af-
fairs. He should locate the residence, re-
gulatc the family expenses, and have the
power of deciding such matters; for on him
the responsibility rests to keep the wolf from
the door. A wife's complaint of her husband,
because she cannot go to as much expense as
some other women, is at once mean, ungen-
erous and cruel.
She should have the control of her tongue,
knowing how to say just the right word in
season. She should not try to have the last
word, or to take husband down, for like an
ancient General, another such victory will be
her ruin.
The fourth duty is that she should be a
help meet. If a help meet was necessary in
the days of innocence, what is now? She
should be wise and judicious in the manage
ment of the household affairs and should fol-
low the commands of the third chapter of
Solomon, which is more than many modern
wives do. A part of female education should
be to attend to common things, and no fine
music, or worsted piece, can take the place of
order and neatness at home. Fancy pursuits
should be secondary to family duties.
She should have tender Cancellation and
sympathy for her husband, who comes from
the cares of the world to fndrepose and sin
cere affection at home, and should make him
forget in its genial sunshine the storm with
out. In times Of sorrow and grief she should
be an alienation, and make the burthen
lighter by bearing part of it. But in sick
ness, wife shows the true woman, which
the preacher said the English language was
too poor to describe.
Woman's love should be constant, and as
an illustration he referred to case in his
own knowledge, where woman redeemed a
husband from intoxication, after 20 years
suffering, by her constant love. He also re-