The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-11-07
biblical ReeOrder.l

lUS I1OUSS8OI0s
biblical Reeorder.l
We have heard much about sHome
Rule in Ireland" but, we must confess
We are more concerned about home
rule in America. The husband is the
head Of the family; and being pro-
claimed by both nature and revelation
as leader, his authority should be rec
ognized throughout the home. Inas-
much as this is Gods plan, it is, o
course, the best plan. 1t is not asser-
ted that the husband is the wife's mas.
ter; only as the stronger, he is to pro-
tect the weaker, and in the common
journey of life to guide his equal part
ner. He is not to rule his home with
ar bitrary laws and nonsensical whims
but to consult the Interests of his wife
submitting in his governance to the
Bible. No superiority to the wife is i'm
piled excep: that which arises f,om the
position in which God has placed him
the head of the household. He may
be inferior in point of wealth, social
position, culture, intellect; still, hi:
headship is secured by divine right, and
must be maintained, though assailed
by fire and sword and broomsticks.
Every institution must have some
recognized head. Take the State as
an illustration. 1t must have gov
ernor. There may be many men in
the commonwealth possessing more
craftsmanship, more learning, more
executive ability, yet these men must
not undertake to perform the duties OF
governor, nor resist authority; for such
a course would result in anarchy; and
a poor governor is better than no gov
ernor. Thus, the superiority is often
due only to the position the husband
holds under God. The wife must rem
der cheerful and loving obedience to
the house band, for he is the band
holding the house together. If this
tie be broken, every other tie OF the
family..is endangered.
If the husband is incompetent, over
bearing, unreasonable, dictatorial, the
wife's greatest embarrassment will be,
not in obeying, but in having such a
husband. Still, even in so sad case
the wife will find that, for the peace OF
the home, as we'll as for the social
standing of the family, it is wisest to
be governed by the Bible and respect
the authority OF her official half.
Some times the husband assumes the
attitude of boss. He tries to rule by
mere force; but such course produces
friction, and in various ways under:
mines the harmony otthe home. The
wives of such men obey because they
fear, not because they love. They
realize the fact that in the eyes of their
husbands they have no rights, are in
ferior members of the home, and mere
appendages of their domineering lords.
There is, however, another side to
this question. Instead of bossing he
is bossed: the home rule is then rever-
sed, and the husband enters that un-
conscious state-for he seems never to
be conscious OF it-which we may term
hen-peckery. The wife's stronger ma
ture prevails, and she fills her hus-
bands place as we'll as her own. This
unfortunate condition of things is
against the success Of the home; yet,
if the man will not lead the woman
must. Instinct teaches that the man
should direct the affairs Of his home.
The home cannot be ruled by thun'
der and lightning and storm. The
law of the home is love. When the
wife is the man of the house, the hus-
band is the woman OF the house. He
cannot maintain his rightful leader
ship by grumbling, peevishness, fault
finding, or by any of the little mean
nesses ofwhich female men are capable.
The wife's broader sympathies will
prevail; her noble character will assert
itself; her larger nature will overshado"
the pigmy she, as queen, leads by
her apron strings. If the husband is a
cipher, the intelligent wife will be likely
to regard him as naught; and if he is
a zero she knows he can never be a
hero. So it is not difficult to discern
the general principles that determine
home rule.