Allison: 0:03

Hello homemakers and welcome to this special summer reading edition of The Art of home podcast where we are still exploring how homemakers cultivate a place to belong. I am your host, Allison Weeks. I am a wife, a mom to four grown kids, grandmother to one baby boy do to arrive this fall. And I have been practicing the art of home for 30 years. If this is your first time visiting us here on the podcast, welcome. We are here to encourage and inspire you in your practice of homemaking, whatever that looks like for your family. Whether you practice full time or in the margins of holding down another job, homemaking is valuable, meaningful work that makes an impact on generations. Typically on the art of home, we present homemaker portraits and hear stories of individual homemakers. And we also present deep dives into different topics and skills related to homemaking. For the month of August 2022, we are doing something a little different. It's a book club of sorts. I will be reading to you from a classic homemaking book that will encourage and inspire and challenge you in your practice of the art of home. I believe that just listening you will glean some helpful insight. If you want to take it even further, we are providing chapter reflection questions as well. Every week in August, we will publish the audio version of two chapters from the book on Wednesday, and then on Friday, we will send out the chapter reflection questions for that week's reading. To sign up for questions, click the link in the notes or go to theartofhomepodcast.com/summer. If you don't have time to do the study, or even just to listen right now these episodes will always be available in our podcast catalog on our website, and all listening apps. The study guide will be published in full at the end of the summer and posted on our website as well for you to access at any time. Today we kick off our summer reading with a brief intro on the life of JR Miller, the author. Then I will read to you chapter one of his book,"Homemaking." While most of what Reverend Miller presents in his writing is timeless, biblically based truth. We must remember that this was written over 140 years ago, that's one, four, zero. Some of what he says might great a bit against our 21st century cultural ideals and norms. That's kind of the point of this series. If there are sensitive things in the text that need to be clarified, we will try to address those in the study questions. Just listen with grace, and keep in mind, the time, the culture and the original audience of this book. So whether you are folding towels, or cleaning out your junk drawer, I pray you will be blessed by this summer reading and that it will enrich your story of home. John Thompson Faris, Miller's biographer, a good friend and colleague of Miller's at the Presbyterian board of publication, and Sabbath schoolwork, opens his account of Miller's life with these words."Dr. Miller was too much occupied with things deemed by him more important to give any attention to the selection and putting aside of material concerning his life. He was so busy writing and speaking and living and loving, with the shaping of the lives of others in view, that he took no time to think of the world's interest in his life. It never occurred to him that there would be any demand for the story of his life. And he discouraged the efforts of friends who sought to gather material for a biography." With those words in mind, you can understand that it was rather challenging to find information on Reverend Miller, aside from this single biography by JT Faris. However, as Faris expresses in the foreword of his book on Miller, we can understand the man by reading his extensive writing, he was expressing in his writing, not only how he thought his readers should daily walk with Jesus, but how he himself was aiming to live his life in light of the gospel. So here are a few interesting facts that I was able to round up about Reverend Miller. He was born to a family of Scottish heritage in 1840, and the American state of Pennsylvania. He was the second of 10 children, three of whom died in infancy. While Miller was at college, the American Civil War broke out and in 1863, he agreed to serve as a delegate for the US Christian commission, a support organization for soldiers, providing them with religious support, social, recreational and medical services in the field. Miller ministered to Union soldiers through his work with the Christian commission for two years before returning to complete his studies at Allegheny Theological Seminary. After graduation, he received a call to pastor first United Presbyterian Church of new Wilmington, Pennsylvania, the first of five churches he would pastor during his lifetime. He married Louise king of New York in 1870, and they had three children. Miller began his writing career by contributing articles to religious papers throughout his seminary and early pastoral years. In 1880, he began his editorial work with the Presbyterian board of publication, where over the course of 30 years, he helped to quadruple the number of periodicals produced by the board. Besides his work at the Presbyterian board, Miller authored more than 80 books, booklets and pamphlets, including devotionals and practical guides for daily Christian living. His pamphlets and books were inspired by his sermons, which were inspired by the interactions he had as he ministered during the week. Faris notes, "During the week he lived close to people, he saw them in their homes and in his office, and entered into the deepest secrets of their hearts. On Sunday, he gave his people messages that reached their hearts because they were prepared with a sympathetic knowledge of their needs. On Monday, from the sermons of Sunday, articles would be written for the papers. Almost at once after publication, messages would begin to come from those who had been helped by reading them. In a few months, a new volume would be made up by revising and rewriting the articles, which had already served double duty. This volume would not be long out of the publishers hands before from all parts of the world, letters would pour in from readers. Many of these letters would bring heart revelations that inspired fresh sermons and articles and books." Miller was known to do the work of three men, and his physician feared for his health, but he persevered and was active as ever. Until not long after his 70th birthday, he suffered the first of two strokes that would inevitably slow him down to merely doing the work of two men. When others thought Miller had reached the end of His earthly strength, he would rally and persist in his faithful ministering as best he could, with his ailing and aging body. Faris recounts while he tried to cooperate with the physician and in relieving the conditions of his deteriorating health, he felt that he could not take the time to stop work and care for himself. At length increasing feebleness led him to ask for the severing of the ties with the church, which he had seen grow from nothing. Yet even then he could not forego the privilege of going to the sick room of some suffer or kneeling with those from whom God had called a loved one. Sometimes it was necessary to use a cab for these visits, but he continued them as long as he could, and this was far longer than almost anyone else would have thought possible. Reverend Miller died peacefully in his home at the age of 72. His memorial service was simple, according to his wishes, made known months earlier to his family. There was no eulogy or sermon, only prayer, scripture reading, and the congregational repeating of the 23rd Psalm and singing of Miller's favorite hymn, "Oh, Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go." The Presbyterian banner published in the city where Dr. Miller received his seminary training, wrote this tribute at his passing, "Dr. Miller was an acceptable preacher and a winsome pasture. As was shown in the way time and again, a handful of people gathered up by himself grew to a great congregation. But his chief gift and work was as a writer, he had a genius for seeing the homiletical uses of things. And every common thing or daily event or experience became a text in his hand for a practical application, and interesting bit of preaching. His writings are wonderfully tender and beautiful. His books are restful and soothing, full of quiet but fresh inspiration and cheery optimism. And they have comforted and encouraged countless 1000s of readers. The whole church will mourn and miss him and his loss will be felt far beyond our bounds." Oh love that wilt not let me go. I rest my weary soul in thee. I give the back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths it's flow may richer, fuller be. O light that follow all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee. My heart restores it's borrowed ray, that in thy sun shine's blaze its day may brighter, fairer be. Oh joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee. I trace the rainbow through the rain and feel the promise is not vain, that mourn shall tearless be. Oh cross that lifteth up my head. I dare not ask to fly from thee. I lay in dust, life's glory dead. And from the ground there blossoms red life that shall endless be. George Matheson 1882 Homemaking by JR Miller. Introductory. This book is written in the hope that its pages may carry inspiration and a little help perhaps to those who desire to do faithful work for God within their own doors. Its aim is to mark out the duties and responsibilities of each member of the household and to suggest how each may do a part in making the home life what God meant it to be. J R M. Chapter One, The Wedded Life. The benediction that falls upon the homes of a country is like the gentle rain that descends among the hills 1000 springs are fuller afterward and along the banks of 1000 stream that's flowing through the valleys the grass is greener and the flowers pour out richer fragrance. Homes are the springs among the hills whose many streamlets uniting form like giant rivers society, the community, the nation, the church. If the springs run low, the rivers waste. If they pour out bounteous currents, the rivers are full. If the springs are pure, the rivers are clear like crystal. If they are foul, the rivers are defiled. A curse upon homes sends a poisoning blight everywhere. A blessing since healing and new life into every channel. Homes are the divinely ordained fountains of life. It is not by accident that men live in families rather than solitarily. The human race began in a family and Eden was a home. The Divine Blessing has ever rested upon nations and communities just in the measure in which they have adhered to these original institutions, and have kept marriage and the home pure and totally. The blight and curse have come just in the measure in which they have departed from these divine models. dishonouring marriage and tearing down the sacred walls of home. Back of the home lies marriage. The wedding day throws its shadow far down the future. It may be ought to be a shadow of healing and benediction. And a tale of medieval English life a maiden goes before the bridal party on her way to the church strewing flowers in their path. This was meant to signify that their wedded life should be one of joy and prosperity. Almost universally, wedding ceremonies and festivities have some features of similar significance, implying that the occasion is one of gladness. In some countries, flowers are worn as bridal wreaths. In some they are woven into garlands for the waist, the tying of the ends being a part of the ritual. In others they are carried in the hand, are worn in the hair or on the bosom. Music comes in also, always joyous music, implying that the ceremony is one of peculiar gladness. In some places, two wedding bells are rung, their appeals being Mary and gladsome. All these and similar bridal customs indicate that the world regards the wedding as the crowning day of life and marriage as an event of the highest Felicity and occasion for the most enthusiastic congratulations. Yet not always are these happy prophecies fulfilled. Sometimes the flowers wither and the music grows discordant, and the wedding peels die away into a memory only of gladness. It ought not to be so It is not so when the marriage has been true, and when the wedded life is ruled by love. Then the bridal wreath remains fresh and fragrant, till it is laid upon the coffin by the loving hands of the one who survives to close the eyes of the other. And the wedding music and the peels of the bells continue to echo in tones of gladness and peace, until hushed in the sobbing tears of sorrow when the singers sing and dodges, and the bells toll out the number of the finished years. Marriage is intended to bring joy. The married life is meant to be the happiest, fullest, purest, richest life. It is God's own ideal of completeness. It was when he saw that it was not good for man to be alone, that woman was made and brought to him to supply what was lacking. The divine intention therefore, is that marriage shall yield happiness, and that it shall add to the fullness of the life of both husband and wife, that neither shall lose, but that both shall gain. If in any case, it fails to be a blessing and to yield joy and a richer, fuller life. The fault cannot be with the institution itself, but with those who under its shadow failed to fulfill its conditions. The causes of failure may lie back of the marriage altar, for many are united in matrimony who never should have entered upon such a union. Or they may lie in the life after marriage, for many who might attain to the very highest happiness and what in life failed to do so, because they have not learned the secret of living happily together. To guard against the former mistake, the sacred character and the solemn responsibilities of marriage should be well understood and thoughtfully considered by all who would enter upon it. Marriage is a divine ordinance. It was part of God's original intention when He made man. It is not a mere human arrangement, something that sprang up in the race as a convenience along the history of the ages. It was not devised by any earthly lawgiver. It is not a habit into which men fell in the early days, the stamp of Divine intention and ordination is upon it. As a relationship, it is the closest and most sacred on Earth. The relation of parent and child is very close. Children are taught in all the scriptures to honor their parents to revere them to cleave to them to brighten and bless their lives in every possible way. Yet the marriage relation is put above the filial for a man is to leave his father and his mother give up his old home with all its sacred ties and memories, and cleave to his wife. After marriage, a husband's first and highest duties are to his wife, and a wife's to her husband. The two are to live for each other. Life is to be lost for life. Every other interest is thenceforward, secondary to the home interest. Then the marriage relation is indissoluble, the two become in the fullest, truest sense, one. Each is incomplete before marriage is the uniting of two halves in one complete whole. It is the knitting together of two lives in a union so close and real, that they are no more twain, but one so close that nothing saved death, or the one crime of infidelity to the marriage bond itself can dis unite them. Marriage therefore is not a contract which can be unraveled at the will of one or both of the parties. It may be discovered after the marriage has been formed, that the parties are ill mated one may find in the other traits or habits unsuspected before, which seemed to render happiness in Union impossible. The husband may be cruel and abusive, or the wife ill tempered thrifty plus, or a burden. Yet the scriptures are very explicit in their teachings that the tie once formed is indissoluble. There is one crime said the pure and holy Jesus, which committed by either leaves the guilty one as dead, the other free. But besides this, the teaching of Christ recognizes no other lawful Sundering of the marriage tie. When two persons stand at the marriage altar, and with clasped hands promised before God and in the presence of human witnesses, to take each other as wife and as husband, to keep and to cherish each other. Only death can unclasp their hands. Each takes into sacred keeping the happiness and the highest good of the other to the end of life. But in view of the sacredness and indissolubleness of this relation, and the many tender and far reaching interests that inherent in it, it is but the simplest commonplace to say that the greatest care should be taken before marriage, to make sure that the union will be a true one, that the two lives will sweetly blend together, and then each will be able to make the other at least measurably happy. Yet obvious as is the fact. Nonetheless, it is profoundly important that it should be heated. If there were more wise and honest forethought with regard to marriage, there would be less after thought of regret and repenting. A word may fitly be spoken here concerning the marriage formalities. The wedding day is one that should ever be remembered and held sacred among life's anniversaries. It is the day whose benadiction should fall on all other days to the end of life. It should stand out in the calendar bright with all the brightness of love and gratitude. The memory of the wedding hour and a happy married life should shine like a star, even in old age. It is surely worthwhile. Therefore, to make the occasion itself just as delightful as possible, to gather about it and Intuit whatever will help to make it memorable, so that it shall stand out bright and sacred among all life's days and hours. This is not done when the marriage is secret. There are no associations about the event, in that case to make its memory a source of pleasure in after years. Nor is it done when on the other hand, the occasion is made one of great levity or of revelry. The joy of marriage is not hilarious, but deep and quiet. On the wedding day, the happy pair should have about them their true friends, those whom they desire to hold in close relations in their afterlife. It is no time for insincerity, it is no place for empty professions of friendship, everything about the circumstances, the festivities, the formalities, the marriage ceremony itself. The congratulations should be so ordered as to cause no jar, no confusion, nothing tomorrow, the perfect pleasure of the occasion, and so as to leave only the pleasantest memory behind. These may seem to insignificant matters for mention here. Yet it is surely worthwhile to make the occasion of one's wedding such that it shall always be remembered with the thrill of delight, with only happy associations, and without one smallest incident or feature tomorrow the perfectness of its memory. But it is when the wedding ceremony is over. And the two are one, that the life begins which has so many possibilities of happiness, of growth, of nobleness of character of heroism and living of tender romance and loving angels hover about the marriage altar, and hush their songs while hands are clasped, and holy vows are plighted and then spread their sheltering wings over the happy pair, as they start out together on the voyage of life. The greatest blessedness the highest development of character, the noblest manhood and womanhood. The most perfect attainments in Christian life are to be reached in the marriage relation. If it is made what God meant it to be. It will be the fault of those who wed of one or of both. If marriage proves ought been a blessing, and if the happiness of either is wrecked in the voyage together, yet it must not be concluded that the bridle gate opens essentially into a garden of Eden. Marriage is not the panacea for all life's ills. It does not of itself lead invariably unnecessarily to all that is noble and beautiful in life. While its possibilities of happiness and blessing are so great, its possibilities of failure must not be ignored. Only a true and wise, only the truest and wisest wedded life will realize the blessings of the ideal marriage relation. The first lesson to be learned and practiced is loving patience. It requires some time to bring any two lives into perfect unison, so that they shall blend in every chord and tone. No matter how intimate the relations may have been before, neither knows much of the real life of the other until they meet with every separating wall and every thinnest veil removed. In China, the bridegroom does not see his bride until she is brought to him on his wedding day, closely veiled and locked up in a sedan chair. The key is handed to him when the chair reaches his house, and he unlocks the door, lifts the veil and takes his first look at his treasure. Brides and bridegrooms with us are not usually such strangers to each other as among the Celestials. They see each other's face often enough, but it is doubtful whether as a rule they really know much more of each other's inner life, even without any intention to hide their true selves or to appear veiled. It is only after marriage that their acquaintanceship becomes complete. There are graces of character and disposition that are then discovered for the first time, and there are also faults, peculiarities of habit of taste of temper, never suspected before, which then disclosed themselves. It is just at this point that one of the greatest perils of wedded life is met. Some are disappointed and discouraged by the discovery of these points of uncongenial ality, these possibilities of discord, concluding at once that their marriage was a mistake and must necessarily be a failure. Their beautiful dream is shattered, and they make no effort to build it again. But really, all that is needed is wise and loving patience. There is no reason for discouragement, much less for despair. It is entirely possible, not withstanding the discovery of these points of friction, and uncongeniality, to realize the highest ideal of wedded life. It is like the meeting of two rivers. At first, there is confusion, excitement, commotion, and apparent conflict and strife as the two flow together and it seems as if never would blend and commingle. But in a little time, they unite in one broad peaceful stream, rolling and majesty and strength without a trace of strife. So when to independent lives with diverse habits, taste and peculiarities first meet to be united in one, there is embarrassment there is perplexity, there is seeming conflict, there is the dashing of life against life, at many points. Sometimes it seems as if they never could blend in one. And as if the conflict must go on hopelessly forever. But with loving patience, the two will in due time coalesce and unite in one life, nobler, stronger, fuller, deeper, richer, and move on in calmness and peace. perfect harmony cannot be forced in a day cannot indeed be forced at all, but must come through gentleness and perhaps only after many days. There must be mutual adaptation, and time must be allowed for this. The present duty is unselfish love. Each must forget self and devotion to the other. Each must blame self and not the other when anything goes wrong. There must be the largest and gentlest forbearance, and patience may wreck all a sharp word may retard for months the process of soul blending, there must be the determination on the part of both to make the marriage happy, and to conquer everything that lies in the way then the very differences between the two lives will become their closest points of union. When they have passed through the process of blending, though it may for the time be painful and perilous. The result will be a wedded life of deep peace, quiet joy, and inseparable affection. Another secret of happiness and married life is courtesy. By what law of nature or of life is it that after the appeals of the wedding bells have died away, and they have established themselves in their own home. So many husbands and wives drop the charming little amenities and refinements of manner toward each other that so invariably and delightfully characterize their intercourse before marriage, is there no necessity for these civilities any longer? Are they so sure now of each other's love that they do not need to give expression to it, either an affectionate word or act is wedded love such a strong, vigorous and self sufficing plant that it never needs sunshine, rain or dew? Is politeness merely a manner that is necessary in intercourse with the outside world, and not required when we are alone with those we love the best. Are home hearts so peculiarly constituted that they are not pained or offended by things that would never be pardoned in us, if done in ordinary society? Are we under no obligations to be respectful, and to pay homage to our dearest friends, while even to the rudest clown or the various stranger we meet outside our own doors we feel ourselves bound to show the most perfect civility. On the contrary, there is no place in the world where the amenities of courtesy should be so carefully maintained as in the home. There are no hearts that hunger so for expressions of affection as the hearts of which we are most sure, there is no love that so needs its daily bread, as the love that is strongest and holiest. There is no place where rudeness or incivility is so unpardonable, as inside our own doors and toward our Best Beloved, the tender or the love, and the truer the more it craves the 1000 little attentions and kindnesses which so satisfy the heart. It is not costly presents at Christmas and on birthdays and anniversaries that are wanted. These are only mockeries if the days between are empty of affection and expressions, jewelry and silks and ritually bound volumes will never atone for the want of warmth, and tenderness between husband and wife there should be maintained without break or pause, the most perfect courtesy the gentlest attention, the most unselfish amiability the utmost affection, Agnes Coleridge says, the happiness of life is made up of minut fractions. The little soon forgotten charities have a kiss or a smile, the kind look, a heartfelt compliment, and the countless infinitesimals of pleasurable thought and genial feeling. These may seem trifles, and the omission of them may be deemed unworthy of thought, but they are the daily bread of love, and hearts go hungry when they are omitted. It may be only carelessness at first in a busy husband or a weary wife that fails in these small sweet courtesies, and it may seem a little matter, but in the end, the result may be a growing far apart of two lives, which might have been forever very happy and each other had their early love but been cherished and nourished. For Love will starve if it is not fed, and true hearts pray for their daily bread. Another important element in married life is unity of interest. There is danger that wedded lives drift apart because they're employments are nearly always different. The husband is absorbed in business in his profession in severe daily toil. The wife has her home duties, her social life, her friends and friendships her children, and the two touch at no point. Unless care is taken, this separation of duties and engagements will lead to actual separation in heart and life. To prevent this, each should keep up a constant loving interest in whatever the other does. The husband may listen every evening to the story of the home life of the day. Its incidence, its pleasures, its perplexities, its trials, the children's sayings and doings what the neighbor said who dropped in the bits of news that have been heard and may enter with zest and sympathy into everything that is told him. Nothing that concerns the wife of his heart should be too small for even the gigantic intellect of the greatest of husbands. And personal biography Few things are more charming and fascinating than the glimpses into the homes of some of the greatest men of Earth. When we see them, having laid aside the cares and honors of the world, into their own doors, to romp with the children, to listen to their prattle, and to talk over with loving interest all the events and incidences of the day's home history. In like manner, every wise and true hearted wife will desire to keep up an interest in all husbands affairs. She will want to know of every burden, every struggle, every plan every new ambition. She will wish to learn what undertaking has succeeded and what is failed, and to keep herself thoroughly familiar and in full sympathy with all his daily personal life. No marriage is complete, which does not unite and blend the wedded lives at every point. This can be secured only by making every interest common to both. Let both hearts throb with the same joy and share each pang of sorrow. Let the same burdens rests on the shoulders of both. Let the whole life be made common. In another sense, still should their lives blend. They should read and study together, having the same line of thought helping each other toward a higher mental culture. They should worship together, praying side by side, communing on the holiest themes of life and hope and together, carrying to God's feet the burdens of their hearts for their children and for every precious object. Why should they not talk together have their personal trials, their peculiar temptations, their infirmities, and help each other by sympathy, by brave word and by intercession to be victorious and living. Thus they should live one life as it were not to every plan and hope of each should embrace the other. The moment a man begins to leave his wife out of any part of his life, or that she has plans, hopes, pleasures, friendships, or experiences from which she excludes him, there is peril in the home, they should have no secrets which they keep from each other, they should have no companions or friends, save those which they have in common. Thus, their two lives should blend in one life, with no thought, no desire, no feeling, no joy or sorrow, no pleasure or pain unshared into the inner sanctuary of this wedded life, no third party should ever be admitted. In its derivation, the word home contains the idea of seclusion. It shuts its inmates away from all the other life of the world about them. I have read of a young wife who prepared one little room in her house into which none but herself and her husband were ever to enter. The incident is suggestive, even in the sanctuary of the home life, there should be an inner Holy of Holies, open only to husband and wife, into which no other eye ever shall peer, in which no other voice ever shall be heard to speak. No stranger should ever inter meddle with this holy life. No confidential friend should ever hear confidences from this inner sanctuary, no window or door should ever be opened into it. And no report should ever be carried out of what goes on within the blended life they twain our living should be between themselves and God only. Another rule for wedded life is to watch against every smallest beginning of misunderstanding or alienation. In the wreck of many a home there lingers still the memory of months or years of very tender wedded life. The fatal estrangement that rent the home asunder and made scandal for the world began in a little difference which a wise patient word might have composed. But the word was not spoken, an unwise impatient word was spoken instead, and the trivial breach remained unclosed and grew wider till two hearts that had been knit together as one were torn forever apart. Rarely are estrangements the work of one day, or caused by one offense, they are growths. It is the little rift within the lute, that by and by, will make the music mute and ever widening slowly silence all the little rift within the lovers loot, or little pitted speck in garnered fruit, that rotting inward, slowly molders all. It is against the beginnings of alienation, therefore, that sacred watch must be kept, has a hasty word been spoken? instantly recall it and ask for forgiveness. Is there a misunderstanding, no matter whose the fault may be, do not allow it to remain one hour is the home life losing a little of its warmth, asked not for the cause, nor where the blame lies, but hastened to get back the old fervor at any cost. Never allow a second word to be spoken in a quarrel. Let not the sun go down upon an angry thought or feeling between two hearts that have been united as one. Pride must have no place in wedded life. There must never be any standing upon dignity, nor any nice calculation as to whose place it is to make the apology, or to yield first to the other. True Love knows no such causal story. It seeks its own, it delights in being foremost in forgiving and yielding. There is no lesson that husbands and wives need more to learn than instantly and always to seek forgiveness of each other, whenever they are conscious of having in any way caused pain or committed a wrong the pride that will never say I did wrong, forgive me, is not ready for wedded life. Oh, we do all offend. There's not a day of wedded life if we count at its close the little bitter sum of thoughts and words and looks unkind and forward. silence that chides and woundings of the eye, but prostrate at each other's feet we show On each night forgiveness ask. A writer closes a book on home life with this earnest word. The great care should be so to live in the home that when it shall, anyway be lost. There may be no accompanying sting of memory, harder to bear than any will of God. A little constant thought, self denial fidelity, a true life, each with each and each with God will not only save all unavailing regret, and ensure the purest peace under all experience, but make the thought of reunion and life again in the home of God. Chief among incentives to his service. The only way to ensure a memory without paying, when the separating hand has done its work is to make each hour of wedded life as it comes tender and true. As to loving hearts can make it to crown all the presence of Christ should be sought at the marriage festivity and His blessing on every day of wedded life. A lady was printing on a blackboard, a text for her little girl. The text was Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Just as she had finished it. The child entered the room and began to spell out the words. Presently she exclaimed, Oh, mama, you have left out Jesus. True enough, she had left out the sacred name and transcribing the verse. It is a sad omission. When in setting up their home, any husband and wife leave out Jesus, no other omission they could possibly make would cause so great a want in the household. Without His presence to bless the marriage, the congratulations and good wishes of friends will only be empty words. Without his benediction on the wedded life day by day, even the fullest richest tenderness of true affection, will fail to give all that is needed to satisfy hungry hearts. Without the divine blessing, all the beauty, the gladness the treasure which Earth can give to a home will not bring peace that may not at any moment be broken. Surely too much is involved, too great responsibility, too many and too precious interest to venture upon wedded life without Christ. The lessons are too hard to learn to be attempted without a Divine Teacher. The burdens are too heavy to be born without a mighty helper. The perils of the way are too many to be passed through without an unerring guide. The duties are too delicate and the consequences of failure in them too far reaching and too terrible to be taken up without wisdom and help from above. The prayer of the Bretton Mariner as he puts out on the waves is a fit prayer for every wedded life as its bark is launched. Keep me oh god for my boat is so small, and the ocean is so wide. That concludes this first installment of our summer reading series. I would love to hear your thoughts. What is a quote or an idea that really stood out to you? What did you agree with about Reverend Miller's teaching? What did you disagree with? I genuinely want to hear your thoughts. Click the link in the notes to leave me a voicemail or send me an email or go to theartofhomepodcast.com/contact. We are already starting to see how JR Miller's writings have left a lasting legacy and continue to impact generations. But as his biographer Faris pointed out, he impacted countless numbers of people all over the world during his lifetime. And a contingency of those people were present at his simple memorial service that I referred to in the biography section at the beginning of this episode, I would love to have been there to sing that beautiful hymn with that congregation of people who were mourning the man who had had such a huge impact on their lives. It's one of my favorite hymns too. And there's a modern version that I really, really love. It's by Robbie C band and Audrey Assad. And I will link it down in the show notes so that you can enjoy listening to it as well. And don't forget the study questions for each week will go out on Friday. So if you want to go deeper into this book, go and sign up using the link in the notes or at the art of home podcast.com/summer. As always, if this episode was valuable to you, and you would like to show your appreciation, there's a few ways you can do that. First, share this episode with someone you know who could use some encouragement in her homemaking. Maybe you would even like to partner with her this month and do the study together. Second, leave us a rating and a review on your listening app. And then finally, you can leave us a tip and our virtual tour. Tip Jar buy me a coffee. Just go to buy me a coffee.com/the art of home. We really appreciate all the ways that you are supporting the podcast through liking and sharing and commenting and emailing us and giving. That's all for this week. Meet you back here next Wednesday for chapters two and three have Jr Miller's homemaking. Until then, keep practicing your art of making a home