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| Going to Church, 1853 George Henry Durrie |
There is such a thing as a legal or legitimate family. This is one where there is a husband and wife and their children. This is a proper home and considered to be a "good home." This is where the parents raise up "good girls" and "good boys." It is a solid home where good values and morals are taught and loved. It is the ideal where the Bible is paramount. The standards of godly living, prayer, church attendance, the reading of Scripture, family altar, charitable giving, and the service of others are the foundation that keep the home together.
This is a stable home. It is a place a child will love and remember fondly when he is grown.
Many years ago, if a child was born outside of wedlock, the clerk would stamp "illegitimate" (or a much harsher term) on the birth certificate.
An illegitimate baby had a stigma attached to the child for its entire life. It meant that this child was not "issued" from a married mother and father. It did not come out of a pure and holy union (a legal union). When this child grew up and wanted to marry, the records would come up letting all know that this person was from an "illegitimate" union, which was very sad and certainly unfair to the innocent child!
A fear of having this stamped on a legal document made many women marry
quickly. Marriage before the birth protected both the good name of the
mother and the good name of the child. Marriage helped establish a
legal family and start a proper home.
In 1936, the first law was passed, in the state of Texas, to remove the word "illegitimate" from birth certificates. There was opposition to this law, arguing that it would destroy the "sanctity of the home." While it is true that our society has changed drastically since this time period, there is also some truth to the fact that a "legal" home, or one of Biblical values and morals, is more rare than not.
Today, Mothers and Fathers are not in any hurry to marry. It is okay, in the eyes of our culture, to live together without first having a wedding. It is even common to move around from house to house and from person to person, without the stability of having the same mother and father through one's childhood.
This ought not to be!
There should be a call from the older and wiser to teach the next generation that a legitimate family is a beautiful and necessary thing. Biblical standards are not outdated. There is an incredible blessing when one follows the path to a sanctified home and strives for a holy and pure family life starting with a wedding.
In these days, homes across the land can be restored and "legitimate" by taking those simple steps of getting married and committing to the family unit regardless of the popularity of marriage, or the financial difficulties!
Certainly, this may not be possible in all situations, but it should be the goal for every home to one day be "legitimate." What a wonderful ambition is this, to restore godliness and happy homes to Biblical standards, bringing back the sanctity of the home!
Blessings
Mrs. White
To help with a happy home:
From the Archives -
Motherhood - "How a Godly Mother May Guide an Imperfect Family"
Some Help - "Getting Along in Marriage"
Financial Struggles - "When We Can't Endure a Little Hardship"
The Joy of Having Children in the Home - "A House Full of Babies"
Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."
Our first son was born before we were married. We were both raised in Christian homes, but were born with a sin nature. We recognized our mistakes and repented to our families and each other as well as to God. We were married when our baby was 6 weeks old. We have now been married 10.5 years and have 6 children together, with our seventh due in March. I am so thankful that God has allowed us to have a good marriage together, though not without difficulties, and has allowed a stable home for our children. And I'm thankful for a husband who "manned up" when he needed to and has been a wonderful husband and daddy.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree,all people who have children should be married. I am not a believer in no sex before marriage on the contrary in fact, but I do believe that before we bring children into this world we should tie the knot.
ReplyDeleteThere has been such acceptance within the church. It will be hard to turn around. BUT GOD.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you friend,
Laura
Hello Mrs. White,
ReplyDeleteIt is so lovely to see you posting again. I hope your break was refreshing.
As always, another good and timely post.
Blessings,
Mrs.B
It is wonderful to have this ideal and certainly much more advantageous to the children! Doing away with the stigma is also a good thing, but the 'ideal' is always best. If only people would try to realize the impact of their decisions on innocent children, this world would be a better place! Blessings to you, my dear. xo Karen
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you but my mother's parents got married because they had to and never got along. My mother was that first child and she always felt that her mother blamed her for having to marry my grandfather. After 42 years of being at war with each other and often not speaking to each other for weeks at a time, they divorced and the six children took sides. I do not know what the best answer for them would have been but getting married hastily was not it. Both grandparents are now gone but the family bears the scars of this unhappy union and upbringing.
ReplyDeleteOh, Amen Mrs. White! You have a wonderful way of speaking the truth with boldness and yet in love. You are a blessing. Thank you so much for writing. I am always encouraged by what you have to say. Love,
ReplyDeleteRebecca