Holy Matrimony

       Nutrition

 

     He brought his own family to his rigid rules, but failed to control his own animal propensities. He failed here to bring himself to the mark, and to keep his body under. If he had correct knowledge of the system of health reform, he knew that his wife was not in a condition to give birth to healthy children. His own unsubdued passions had borne sway, without reasoning from cause to effect. Before the birth of his children he did not treat his wife as a woman in her condition should be treated. He carried out rigid rules for her, according to Bro. M's ideas, which proved a great injury to her. He did not provide the quality and quantity of food that was necessary to nourish two lives instead of one. Another life was dependent upon her, and her system did not receive the vitality it needed, from nutritious, wholesome food, to sustain her strength. There was a lack in the quantity and quality. Her system required changes, variety, and a quality of food that was more nourishing. Her children were born with feeble nutritive powers, and impoverished blood. The mother, from the food she was compelled to receive, could not furnish a good quality of blood, and she gave birth to children filled with humors.    

     The course pursued by the husband, the father of these children, deserves the severest censure. His wife suffered from want of wholesome, nutritious food. She did not have sufficient food and clothing to make her comfortable. She has borne a burden which has been galling to bear. He became to his wife, God, conscience, and will. There are natures which will rebel against this assumed authority. They will not submit to such surveillance. They become weary of the pressure, and rise above it. It was not so in this case. She has endured his being conscience for her, and tried to feel that it was for the best. But outraged nature could not be so easily subdued. Her demands were earnest. The cravings of her nature for something more nourishing, led her to use entreaty; but without effect. Her wants were few, but they were not considered. Two children have been sacrificed to his blind errors and ignorant bigotry. Should men of intelligent minds treat dumb animals in regard to food, as he has treated his wife, the community should take the matter into their own hands, and bring them to justice.    

     In the first place, H. S. Giddings should not have committed so great a crime, as to bring into being offspring who, reason must teach him, would be diseased, because they must receive a miserable legacy from their parents. They have transmitted to them a bad inheritance. The blood of the children must be filled with scrofulous humors, from both parents, especially the father, whose habits have been such as to corrupt the blood, and enervate his whole system. Not only must these poor children take the scrofula taint in a double sense, but what is worse, they will bear the mental and moral deficiencies of the father, and the lack of noble independence, moral courage and force, in the mother. The world is already cursed by the increase of beings of this stamp, who must fall lower in the scale than their parents, in physical, mental, and moral strength,  for their condition and surroundings are not even as favorable as were those of their parents.    

     H. S. Giddings is not capable of taking care of a family. He should never have had one. His marriage was all a mistake. He has made a life of misery for his wife, and has accumulated misery by having children born to them. This man cannot sustain a family as they ought to be sustained. Some of them exist, and that is about all.    

     No persons professing to be Christians should enter the marriage relation until the matter has been carefully and prayerfully considered from an elevated standpoint, to see if God can be glorified by the union. Then they should duly consider the result of every privilege of the marriage relation, and sanctified principle should be the basis of every action. In the increase of their family they should take into consideration whether God would be glorified or dishonored by their bringing children into the world. They should seek to glorify God at their first union, and during every year of their married life. They should calmly consider what provision can be made for their children.                                                                           

They have no right to bring children into the world to be a burden to others. Have they a business that they can rely upon to sustain a family, so that they need not become a burden to others? If they have not, they commit a crime in bringing children into the world to suffer for want of proper care, food and clothing. In this fast, corrupt age these things are not considered. Lustful passion bears sway, and will not submit to control, although feebleness, misery and death are the result of its reign. Women are forced to a life of hardship, pain and suffering, because of the uncontrollable passions of men who bear the name of husband--more rightly could they be called brutes. Mothers drag out a miserable existence, with children in their arms nearly all the time, managing every way to put bread into their mouths, and clothes upon their backs. Such accumulated misery fills the world.    

     There is but little real, genuine, devoted, pure love. This precious article is very rare. Passion is termed love. Many a woman has had her fine and tender sensibilities outraged because the marriage relation allowed him, whom she called husband, to be brutal in his treatment of her. His love she found was of so base and low a quality that she was disgusted.    

     Very many families are living in a most unhappy state, because the husband and father allows the animal in his nature to predominate over the intellectual and moral. The result is that a sense of languor and depression is frequently felt, but the cause is seldom divined as being the result of their own improper course of action. We are under solemn obligations to God to keep the spirit pure, and the body healthy, that we may be of benefit to humanity, and render to God perfect service. The apostle warns, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." He urges us onward, by telling us that "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." He exhorts all who call themselves by the name of Christian, to present their bodies "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God." He says, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."                                                                               

     There is an error generally committed in making no difference in the life of a woman previous to the birth of her children than if she were in other conditions. At this important period the labor of the mother should be lightened. Great changes are going on in her system. Her system requires a greater amount of blood, and therefore requires an increase of food of the most nourishing quality, to convert into blood. Unless she has an abundant supply of nutritious food, she cannot retain her physical strength, and her offspring is robbed of vitality. The clothing demands attention. Care should be taken to protect the body from a sense of chilliness. She should not call vitality unnecessarily to the surface, to supply the want of additional clothing. If the mother is deprived of an abundance of wholesome, nutritious food, she will lack in the quantity and quality of blood. Her circulation will be poor, and her child will lack in the very things where she has lacked. There will be an inability in the offspring to appropriate food that will nourish the system, and which it can convert into good blood. The prosperity of mother and child depends much upon good,  warm clothing, and a supply of nourishing food. There is an extra draft upon the vitality of the mother, which must be considered and provided for.    

     But on the other hand, the idea that women, because of their special conditions, may let the appetite run riot, is a mistake based on custom, but not sound sense. The appetite of women in this condition may be variable, fitful, and difficult to gratify. And custom allows her to have anything she may fancy, without consulting reason whether such food can supply nutrition for her body, and for the growth of her child. The food should be nutritious, but should not be of an exciting quality. Custom says, if she wants flesh meats, pickles, spiced food, or mince pies, let her have them. Appetite alone is to be consulted. This is a great mistake, and does much harm. The harm cannot be estimated. If ever there is necessity of simplicity of diet and special care as to the quality of food eaten, it is in this important period.    

     Women who possess principle, and are well instructed, will not depart from simplicity of diet at this time of all others. They should consider that another life is dependent upon them, and should be careful in all their habits, and especially in diet.

PH101 5-13