American Womans Home | Page 7

Jesus Christ came to teach the fatherhood of God and consequent
brotherhood of man. He came as the "first-born Son" of God and the
Elder Brother of man, to teach by example the self-sacrifice by which
the great family of man is to be raised to equality of advantages as
children of God. For this end, he "humbled himself" from the highest to
the lowest place. He chose for his birthplace the most despised village;
for his parents the lowest in rank; for his trade, to labor with his hands
as a carpenter, being "subject to his parents" thirty years. And, what is
very significant, his trade was that which prepares the family home, as
if he would teach that the great duty of man is labor--to provide for and
train weak and ignorant creatures. Jesus Christ worked with his hands
nearly thirty years, and preached less than three. And he taught that his
kingdom is exactly opposite to that of the world, where all are striving
for the highest positions. "Whoso will be great shall be your minister,
and whoso will be chiefest shall be servant of all."
The family state then, is the aptest earthly illustration of the heavenly
kingdom, and in it woman is its chief minister. Her great mission is
self-denial, in training its members to self-sacrificing labors for the
ignorant and weak: if not her own children, then the neglected children
of her Father in heaven. She is to rear all under her care to lay up
treasures, not on earth, but in heaven. All the pleasures of this life end
here; but those who train immortal minds are to reap the fruit of their
labor through eternal ages.
To man is appointed the out-door labor--to till the earth, dig the mines,
toil in the foundries, traverse the ocean, transport merchandise, labor in
manufactories, construct houses, conduct civil, municipal, and state
affairs, and all the heavy work, which, most of the day, excludes him
from the comforts of a home. But the great stimulus to all these toils,
implanted in the heart of every true man, is the desire for a home of his

own, and the hopes of paternity. Every man who truly lives for
immortality responds to the beatitude, "Children are a heritage from the
Lord: blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them!" The more a
father and mother live under the influence of that "immortality which
Christ hath brought to light," the more is the blessedness of rearing a
family understood and appreciated. Every child trained aright is to
dwell forever in exalted bliss with those that gave it life and trained it
for heaven.
The blessed privileges of the family state are not confined to those who
rear children of their own. Any woman who can earn a livelihood, as
every woman should be trained to do, can take a properly qualified
female associate, and institute a family of her own, receiving to its
heavenly influences the orphan, the sick, the homeless, and the sinful,
and by motherly devotion train them to follow the self-denying
example of Christ, in educating his earthly children for true happiness
in this life and for his eternal home.
And such is the blessedness of aiding to sustain a truly Christian home,
that no one comes so near the pattern of the All-perfect One as those
who might hold what men call a higher place, and yet humble
themselves to the lowest in order to aid in training the young, "not as
men-pleasers, but as servants to Christ, with good-will doing service as
to the Lord, and not to men." Such are preparing for high places in the
kingdom of heaven. "Whosoever will be chiefest among you, let him be
your servant."
It is often the case that the true humility of Christ is not understood. It
was not in having a low opinion of his own character and claims, but it
was in taking a low place in order to raise others to a higher. The
worldling seeks to raise himself and family to an equality with others,
or, if possible, a superiority to them. The true follower of Christ comes
down in order to elevate others.
The maxims and institutions of this world have ever been antagonistic
to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Men toil for wealth,
honor, and power, not as means for raising others to an equality with
themselves, but mainly for earthly, selfish advantages. Although the

experience of this life shows that children brought up to labor have the
fairest chance for a virtuous and prosperous life, and for hope of future
eternal blessedness, yet it is the aim of most parents who can do so, to
lay up wealth that their children need not labor with