FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

THIRD SERIES.

VOL. II.	BETHANY, VA. MAY, 1845.	NO. V.

      WHEN our bountiful Creator had formed man in his own image, after his own likeness, he said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him." In order to this, he cast the man into a deep sleep and took out one of his ribs, of which he made a woman, and presented her to the man, who gratefully received her, saying, "This is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall be one flesh." According to this it is evident that the matrimonial relation was designed but for the union of two; that is, of one male and one female, for matrimonial purposes. And it appears from Genesis iv. 19., that Lamech, a descendant of wicked Cain, was the first who violated this divine law of our nature. But we learn, that, in process of time, polygamy not only became fashionable, but also divorcement--See Deut. xxiv. 1-4. See also our Lord's answer to the Pharisees upon this subject, Matth. xix. 3-9. "They came to him tempting him, saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered, and said to them, Have ye not read that he that made them at the beginning made them a male and a female? And said, For this cause, shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And I say to you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery." Thus our Lord settles the matter concerning divorce. Moreover, while the practice of polygamy was permitted, that is, under the Mosaic dispensation, a man was not permitted to take his wife's sister to wife, during her lifetime. See Lev. xviii. There were also other laws prohibiting marriage within specified limits of consanguinity, which for the [204] natural reasons assigned, have never been repealed. See Lev. xviii. 6-17. To all these, therefore, Christians should manifest a pious reverential obedience; and especially to the duties enjoined upon the parties, under the matrimonial relation; for upon the faithful performance of these depends not only their social happiness, both natural and spiritual, but also that of their posterity. For, saith the Psalmist, Psalm xxxvii. 25, 28, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread:--But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off."

      And who are the righteous but they who love and obey God? and, of course, perform their relative duties to each other, and "train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." But can this be done in families where the parents do not dwell together in love?--do not treat each other with kindness and respect? Surely it cannot. Therefore, Christian husbands are commanded to love their wives, even as Christ loved his body the church, and gave himself for it: so ought men to love their wives even as their own bodies. Also, Christian wives are to submit themselves to their own husbands as to the Lord: for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Eph. v. 22, 23, 24, 25-28. Now as families are the very moulds of human character,--the formative seminaries of society; it is therefore perfectly consistent with the divine goodness to be so particular and copious, in giving directions to parents how to conduct themselves for this all-important purpose. See Deut. vi. 6-9, and xi. 18-21; Psalm lxxxviii. 1-8; Col. iii. 18-21; Tit. ii. 1-5; 1 Pet. iii. 1-7.

      Upon the whole, as the marriage relation lies at the very foundation of society, therefore the teachers and rulers in the churches should be very particular in inculcating upon the parties the duties incumbent upon them to each other, and to their families; and where these are neglected or transgressed, if scriptural admonitions and exhortations will not produce the designed effect. the persevering disobedient ought to be formally rejected; especially where the law of Christ expressly enjoins it, as in the case of adultery, above specified, Matth. xix. 9. See also Matth. v. 31, 32, with 1 Cor. v. 11, 13. "Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." In so doing God will be glorified, and Christian character saved from reproach.

T. C.      

[The Millennial Harbinger (May 1845): 204-205.]

      Thomas Campbell's "A Brief Scriptural Exhibition of the Laws and Duties of Matrimony" was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, Vol. 2, No. 5, May 1845. The electronic version of the essay has been produced from the College Press reprint (1976) of The Millennial Harbinger, ed. Alexander Campbell (Bethany, VA: A. Campbell, 1845), pp. 204-205.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. I have let stand variations and inconsistencies in the author's (or editor's) use of italics, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the essay. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
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 p. 205:    all-important pnrpose. [ all-important purpose.
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 25 March 1998.
Updated 9 July 2003.