5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

A man should never permit the words of a woman to intervene between him and the laws of God. This is a rock upon which myriads have made shipwreck of the faith. Adam sinned in consequence of listening to Eve's silvery discourse. No temptation has proved more irresistible to the flesh than the enticing words of woman's lips.

Adam was a striking illustration of this truth...

Elpis Israel 1.4.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

According to the Scriptures a wife has to come first (after God) in a man's affections. Her needs, physical and spiritual, claim the primary place in all his arrangements.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the ecclesia"

(Ephes 5:25; Col. 3:19; 1 Pet. 3:7).

How did Christ love the ecclesia? His love was shown in his tender regard, his eagerness to comfort and enlighten, in his ever-readiness to make sacrifices for the advancement of its well-being.

These are the qualities that should be exhibited by husbands in their treatment of their wives. It is not weak for a man thus to love his wife. Where a husband is faithful to God's will, the wife is not treated as a servant.

She is not unnecessarily stinted in money or food. Her authority is not lowered in the presence of her children, nor her position in the eyes of strangers. The husband will not be found here and there on pleasure, whilst the wife is solitary and miserable at home.

He will not be careful concerning his own salvation and indifferent concerning hers. God's mind respecting a husband's obligations are interestingly shown in Deut. 24:5; Lev. 18:18; Prov. 5:18–19; Eccles. 9:9; Mal. 2:14.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, July 1900