“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the5:25–29.

“Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Colossians 3:19.

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4.

“Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Colossians 3:21.

“The father is the priest and the house-band of the home. The mother is the teacher of the little ones from their babyhood, and the queen of the household. Never is she to be slighted. Never are careless, indifferent words to be spoken to her before the children. She is their teacher. In thought and word and deed the father is to reveal the religion of Christ, that his children may see plainly that he has a knowledge of what it means to be a Christian.” 2

“A great responsibility rests upon the husband—house-band—to bind the household together, by the ties of kindness, love, and harmony. In the patriarchal ages, the husband and father was the priest of his own household. And still it is his duty to invoke in their behalf the divine blessing and to instruct and guide them in the way of life.” 3

“The mother should ever have the cooperation of the father in her efforts to lay the foundation of a good Christian character in her children. A doting father should not close his eyes to the faults of his children because it is not pleasant to administer correction.” 4

“A Christian father is the houseband of his family, binding them close to the throne of God. Never is his interest in his children to flag. The father who has a family of boys should not leave these restless boys wholly to the care of the mother. This is too heavy a burden for her. He should make himself their companion and friend. He should exert himself to keep them from evil associates. It may be hard for the mother to exercise self-control. If the husband sees that his wife’s weakness is endangering the safety of the children, he should take more of the burden upon himself, doing all in his power to lead his boys to God.” 5

“And Abram passed, through the land unto the place of Sichem . . . , and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.” “And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. . . . Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.” Genesis 12:6–8; 13:3, 4, 18.

“Abraham, the friend of God, set us a worthy example. His was a life of prayer and humble obedience, and he was a light in the world. Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it was set up his altar, calling for the morning and evening sacrifice of each member of his family. When his tent was removed, the altar remained. The roving Canaanite, as he came across that altar, knew who had been there before him; and when he had pitched his tent, he repaired the altar, and worshiped the living God.” 6

“Before leaving the house for labor, all the family should be called together; and the father, or the mother in the father’s absence, should plead fervently with God to keep them through the day. Come in humility, with a heart full of tenderness, and with a sense of the temptations and dangers before yourselves and your children; by faith bind them upon the altar, entreating for them the care of the Lord. Ministering angels will guard children who are thus dedicated to God.” 7

“You should never separate Christ from your life and family, and close the doors against him by un- Christlike words and actions. There are those who profess the truth who neglect family prayer. But how can you venture to go to your labor without committing the care of your souls to your heavenly Father.You should show that you trust in Him.You should consecrate your families to God before you leave your homes. Every prayer that you offer up to God in faith will surely be respected and answered by your heavenly Father. When Abraham was told to go out into a place which he knew not, wherever he pitched his tent he built an altar, and offered up his prayer morning and evening; and the Lord said of Abraham, ‘I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.’ This is the very work that should be done in every family, but it is strangely neglected. We want to live as in the sight of God in this world. It is of the greatest importance that we constantly make preparation here for the future, immortal life.We may have that life that measures with the life of God; if we are faithful, we shall behold the matchless charms of our blessed Saviour.” 8

“The characters we form will speak in the home life. If there is sweet accord in the home circle, the angels of God may minister in the home. If there is wise management at home, kindness, meekness, forbearance, combined with firm principles, then be assured that the husband is a house band; he binds the family together with holy cords and presents them to God, binding himself with them upon the altar of God. What a light shines forth from such a family!” 9

“Make the home life as nearly as possible like heaven. Let the members of the family forget not, as they gather round the family altar, to pray for the men in positions of responsibility in God’s work. The physicians in our sanitariums, the ministers of the gospel, those in charge of our publishing houses and schools, need your prayers. They are tempted and tried. As you plead with God to bless them, your own hearts will be subdued and softened by His grace.We are living amid the perils of the last days, and we are to cleanse ourselves from all defilement and put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.” 10

“In a sense the father is the priest of the household, laying upon the family altar the morning and evening sacrifice. But the wife and children should unite in prayer and join in the song of praise. In the morning before he leaves home for his daily labor, let the father gather his children about him and, bowing before God, commit them to the care of the Father in heaven. When the cares of the day are past, let the family unite in offering grateful prayer and raising the song of praise, in acknowledgment of divine care during the day.” 11

“Those who profess the name of Christ should not neglect to establish the family altar, where they can seek God daily with all the earnestness with which they would seek him in a religious assembly. They should make the season of family prayer a season of special interest, and in this way they will be obtaining an education that will fit them to become a benefit to the church.You may obtain a knowledge of how to serve God acceptably in the home.You may learn how to pray, you may learn how to believe in God; and those who neglect this means of grace in their families, are not preparing themselves for usefulness in the church.” 12

“Fathers and mothers, however pressing your business, do not fail to gather your family around God’s altar. Ask for the guardianship of holy angels in your home. Remember that your dear ones are exposed to temptations.” 13

“A well-disciplined family, who love and obey God, will be cheerful and happy. The father, when he returns from his daily labor, will not bring his perplexities to his home. He will feel that home, and the family circle, are too sacred to be marred with unhappy perplexities. When he left his home, he did not leave his Saviour and his religion behind. Both were his companions. The sweet influence of his home, the blessing of his wife, and love of his children, make his burdens light, and he returns with peace in his heart, and cheerful encouraging words for his wife and children, who are waiting to joyfully welcome his coming. As he bows with his family, at the altar of prayer, to offer up his grateful thanks to God, for His preserving care of himself and loved ones through the day, angels of God hover in the room, and bear the fervent prayers of God-fearing parents to Heaven, as sweet incense, which are answered by returning blessings.” 14

“With such a household Jesus will tarry, and through His quickening influence the parents’ joyful exclamations shall yet be heard amid more exalted scenes, saying: ‘Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me.’ Saved, saved, eternally saved! freed from the corruption that is in the world through lust, and through the merits of Christ made heirs of immortality!” 15

The brethren in leadership of a certain church were very surprised once when a lady came to them with an unusual proposal: “I would like to ask you permission to bring all our furniture into the area of the church and live here with my family.” Knowing that that family had a good financial situation, the brethren asked the lady why she brought such a proposition. They were astonished by her answer: “Because here is a wonderful place. My husband is a Christian person when he is here. He is a kind, calm, social man always when he is here. In our home, he is exactly the opposite. Because of that, I would like to live here forever.”

Do you know any similar case?

“How different is it in the Christian home, where the mother is attentive to the wants of husband and children, and takes pleasure in the performance of her sweet duties; where the father cooperates in all her efforts to make home happy, and to lay the foundation of a good Christian character by training the children in the way they should go. Such parents, while they win the affections of their children by their sympathy and tender care, will yet be firm and decided in their government, and will guard them with jealous care. They will exhort, reprove, and counsel their children when they rise up, and when they sit down, when they go out, and when they come in.” 16

“Watch, pray, work! To be in a position of watching, working, praying, and waiting, is to be in the proper position.We are to act as wise stewards, as faithful servants doing the work of the Master.” 17

May the Lord help the families of His people all around the world to be ready to fulfil this sacred mission in preparing for heavenly citizenship!