Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-04
GRAND RAPIDSVWTS., THURSDAY, DEC. A. 1873
Husbands and Wives.
Notes from the sermon at the Cony.
Church on Sabbath evening.

Church on SdObdth euenlny.
"Likewise We wives be in subsection
to your own husbands, that if any obey
not the word, they also may without
the word be won by the chaste conver.
sation of the wives; while they behold
your chaste conversation coupled with
fear. Whose adorning let 1t not be
that outward adorning of plating the
hair and of wearing of gold or of put
ting on of apparel; but let it be the
hidden man of the heart, in that which
is not corruptable, even the adornment
Of meek and quiet spirit which is in
the sight Of God of great price. =.
Likewise ye husbands dwell with
them according to knowledge, giving
honor unto the wife as unto the weak
er vessel, and as being heirs together
Of the grace Of life !; that your prayers
be not hindered." Isl. Peter 2. ii, &
7.
"M suJection to your oocn has
bands. There was danger in those
days when women generally were but
little better than servants o. even slaves
Of the men, that christian wives whose
husbands had not yet accepted the
faith, ard who were apt to be all the
more unpleasant and unkind to then
wives on account Of this difference
there was danger, that those christian
wives would lose their regard for such
unchristian husbands, and be attracted
by, and pay more attention to, the
few christian men whom they met and
heard at their religious meetings; and
whose christianity had made them
much better men. Inasmuch as their
oacn Husbands would suffer by compari-
son with these christian men, the views
and opinions and prejudices of these
husbands, would be less regarded; and
the wives were in great danger Of
losing all wifely respect for them, and
of losing al sense Of special obliga-
ton to them. Hence the Apostles
caution "be in subsection to your own
husbands" even if they are not christ
ians; even if it is true that shcy dc
not regard your feelings and comfort
as much as some others do: even il
you SEQ that they are selfwilled and
selfish, obstinately rejecting what
you now heartily receive; even ''it
they obey not the word" which you
find to be the word Of life, yet are they
your husbands, and you owe to them
by virtue Of that relation, Especial re-
spect and honor. Let not your rehg-
ion and their want Of it be a cause OF
separation, but take occasion Of the
difference to show them that it makes
better wives of you and so is clear gain
to them, :. Thot If ony odcy not Tx
word hey mag be scon dy the choste
conpcrsatio" Of the eeices." Now it
will be said that in our advanced civ
ilization wives are safe enough and
need no special caution, that thousands
respect the religion Of their wives ii
they do not profess it themselves.
This is largely true, yet human nature
and human weakness is the same as OF
old. 1t is still true that while s'of the
honorable women, not few, are
christians, Of the men there are al
least fewer In most Of our evangclic,
al churches, the wives outnumber the
husbands two to one In our OWL
church it is more than three to one.
And even ifthey do not need the cau
ton, these wives do surely need the
encouragement ofthis scripture. "They
mag be a0on by the chaste conversation
of the wives"
r. e word here rendered "conversa
ii, is, in the original language, ;
word of much broader meaning, anC
might be rendered by ''manner of life, ,
and the words would be more nearly
correct thus, "may be won by the man
ner Of life Of the wives. that is wor
to obey the word Of truth in the Cos
pel-to be christians by the christian
conduct of the wives-their christian
way of talking and their christian way
of doing.
Be encouraged then 0 ye christian
wives who pray much and long all the
time for unchristian husbands. L
your life is truly christian there is pow
=. :. l.. ,~;n o,I c,ro fbop,