The Adventist Home Ellen G. White 1952 Copyright © 2011 Ellen G. White Estate, Inc. Information about this Book Overview This eBook is provided by the Ellen G. White Estate. It is included in the larger free Online Books collection on the Ellen G. White Estate Web site. About the Author Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered the most widely translated American author, her works having been published in more than 160 languages. She wrote more than 100,000 pages on a wide variety of spiritual and practical topics. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she exalted Jesus and pointed to the Scriptures as the basis of one’s faith. Further Links A Brief Biography of Ellen G. White About the Ellen G. White Estate End User License Agreement The viewing, printing or downloading of this book grants you only a limited, nonexclusive and nontransferable license for use solely by you for your own personal use. This license does not permit republication, distribution, assignment, sublicense, sale, preparation of derivative works, or other use. Any unauthorized use of this book terminates the license granted hereby. Further Information For more information about the author, publishers, or how you can support this service, please contact the Ellen G. White Estate at [email protected]. We are thankful for your interest and feedback and wish you God’s blessing as you read. i Foreword The Adventist home is a home where Seventh-day Adventist stan- dards and practices are lived and taught, a place to which Seventh-day Adventist fathers and mothers are commissioned by Christ to go and make Christians of the members of theirown households. And in order to perform that task well, Seventh-day Adventist parents are looking for all the help they can possibly find. Ellen G. White has written much and very valuable counsel for parents. She has touched upon every phase of the home, and offers specific instruction on many of the problems which give so much con- cern to thoughtful and often anxious parents today. Some years before her death, she indicated her desire to get out “a book for Christian parents” that would define “the mother’s duty and influence over her children.” In the present work an endeavor has been made to fulfill this expectation. This book, The Adventist Home, is at once a sort of handbook or manual for busy parents, and a pattern or ideal of what the home can and should become. Here are the answers to your many questions, the words of wisdom from the heavenly Father. In compiling this work, excerpts have been drawn from the Ellen G. White writings penned through seven decades, but especially from the thousands of E. G. White articles which were prepared for the journals of the denomination. The current published works, special testimonies issued in pamphlet form, and the E. G. White manuscript files have also enriched the Volume. Appropriate source credits are given in connection with each chapter. As the excerpts drawn from [6] different sources written at different times are linked together in their logical sequence, there may be occasionally a slight unavoidable break in thought or manner of address, for the compilers are limited in their work to selecting and arranging the subject matter and supplying the headings. This document has been prepared in the office of the Ellen G. White Publications. The work has been done in harmony with Mrs. ii White’s instruction to her trustees in providing “for the printing of compilations” from her manuscripts, for they contain, she said, “in- struction that the Lord has given me for his people.” Never in the history of the world has a book like this been needed more urgently than it is right now. Never have parents and children been more anxious for the right answer to the things which trouble them. Never have homes been in such jeopardy as they are today. Everyone ofus knows thatconditionsin societyare butareflection of conditions in the homes of the nation. We likewise know that a change in the home will be mirrored in a changed society. To this end this Volume—The Adventist Home—has been prepared and, as a part of the Christian home library, is now sent forth on its important mission by the publishers and The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Publications Washington, D.C., May 8, 1952. [7] [8] Contents Information about this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii Section 1—The Home Beautiful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chapter 1—Atmosphere of the Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chapter 2—Fundamentals of True Homemaking . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Chapter 3—The Eden Home a Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Section 2—A Light in the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter 4—Far-Reaching Influence of the Home . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Chapter 5—A Powerful Christian Witness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Section 3—Choosing the Life Partner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chapter 6—The Great Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Chapter 7—True Love or Infatuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Chapter 8—Common Courtship Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Chapter 9—Forbidden Marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Chapter 10—When Counsel is Needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Section 4—Factors that Make for Success or Failure . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Chapter 11—Hasty, Immature Marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Chapter 12—Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Chapter 13—Domestic Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Chapter 14—True Conversion a Requisite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Section 5—From the Marriage Altar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Chapter 15—Solemn Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Chapter 16—A Happy, Successful Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Chapter 17—Mutual Obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Chapter 18—Marital Duties and Privileges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Section 6—The New Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Chapter 19—Where Shall the Home Be? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Chapter 20—The Family and the City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Chapter 21—Advantages of the Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Chapter 22—Building and Furnishing the Home . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Section 7—Heritage of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Chapter 23—Children a Blessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Chapter 24—Size of the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Chapter 25—Caring for Needy Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 iv Contents v Chapter 26—Parents’ Legacy to Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Section 8—The Successful Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Chapter 27—A Sacred Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 Chapter 28—The Child’s First School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Chapter 29—A Work That Cannot Be Transferred . . . . . . . . . . 137 Chapter 30—Family Companionship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Chapter 31—Security Through Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Chapter 32—Preoccupy the Garden of the Heart. . . . . . . . . . . .148 Chapter 33—Promises of Divine Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Section 9—Father—The House-Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 Chapter 34—Father’s Position and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . .156 Chapter 35—Sharing the Burdens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 Chapter 36—A Companion With His Children . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Chapter 37—The Kind of Husband Not To Be . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Section 10—Mother—Queen of the Household . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Chapter 38—Mother’s Position and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . 171 Chapter 39—Influence of the Mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Chapter 40—Misconception of the Mother’s Work. . . . . . . . . . 181 Chapter 41—Imperfect Patterns of Motherhood . . . . . . . . . . . .184 Chapter 42—Mother’s Health and Personal Appearance . . . . . 187 Chapter 43—Prenatal Influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 Chapter 44—Care Of Little Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194 Chapter 45—Mother’s First Duty Is To Train Children . . . . . . 197 Chapter 46—The Stepmother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Chapter 47—Christ’s Encouragement to Mothers . . . . . . . . . . .205 Section 11—Children—The Junior Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Chapter 48—Heaven’s Estimate of Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209 Chapter 49—Mother’s Helpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 Chapter 50—The Honor Due Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 Chapter 51—Counsel to Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 Section 12—Standards of Family Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229 Chapter 52—Home Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230 Chapter 53—A United Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Chapter 54—Religion in the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 Chapter 55—Moral Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Chapter 56—Divorce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 Chapter 57—Attitude Toward an Unbelieving Companion . . .264 Chapter 58—The Minister’s Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268 vi TheAdventistHome Chapter 59—The Aged Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274 Section 13—The Use of Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278 Chapter 60—Stewards of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Chapter 61—Principles of Family Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 Chapter 62—Economy to be Practiced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290 Chapter 63—Instructing Children How to Earn and Use Money294 Chapter 64—Business Integrity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298 Chapter 65—Provision for the Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Section 14—Guarding the Avenues of the Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304 Chapter 66—The Portals We Must Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 Chapter 67—Enticing Sights and Sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309 Chapter 68—Reading and its Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312 Section 15—Graces that Brighten Family Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319 Chapter 69—Courtesy and Kindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320 Chapter 70—Cheerfulness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Chapter 71—Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330 Chapter 72—Hospitality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339 Section 16—The Home and its Social Relationships . . . . . . . . . .345 Chapter 73—Our Social Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .346 Chapter 74—Safe And Unsafe Associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349 Chapter 75—Parental Guidance In Social Affairs . . . . . . . . . . .355 Chapter 76—Holidays And Anniversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360 Chapter 77—Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .364 Chapter 78—The Family a Missionary Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .369 Section 17—Relaxation and Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375 Chapter 79—Recreation is Essential. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376 Chapter 80—What Shall We Play? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380 Chapter 81—Recreation that Yields Enduring Satisfactions . .386 Chapter 82—How the Christian Chooses His Recreation. . . . . 391 Chapter 83—The Lure of Pleasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398 Chapter 84—Directing Juvenile Thinking Regarding Recreation402 Section 18—Thou Shalt be Recompensed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .406 Chapter 85—The Reward Here and Hereafter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 Chapter 86—Life In the Eden Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412 Chapter 87—Pen Pictures of the New Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417