Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Lt 4, 1860

Waggoner, J. H.

Battle Creek, Michigan

April 14, 1860

Previously unpublished.

Dear Brother Waggoner:

While in Iowa some things were shown me in regard to messengers and their wives. I was shown in regard to your home troubles and was shown that it was very wrong for you to curse the churches with your wife, when she is in total darkness, without a ray of light, and your usefulness is destroyed by carrying such a body of darkness with you. The Lord frowns upon her course continually. And even when at home she makes you a weak man and then to travel with this shackle and clog with you, it is wrong, and it would be better for you to leave the gospel field entirely than to take this course and carry with you death and a medium for Satan to work through. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1860, par. 1

I have been shown that unless messengers take a decided stand and rise above the influence of their unconsecrated companions, it were better for the cause for them to cease laboring in the gospel field. I saw that your oldest boy was nearly ruined. He is naturally a good-hearted boy, but is not restrained, and his ways are evil and bad habits are growing stronger upon him. His every fault has been excused by his mother, and you have not realized the necessity of his being under strict discipline. He is allowed to follow his own way, grow up in idleness, and with his passions unsubdued. You, Brother Waggoner, will be accountable for this. Long since you should have put him under a guardian where he should have been taught industry and been under strict discipline. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1860, par. 2

You have tried every means in your power to remove every cause of fretfulness from your wife. You have made every effort to please, but in vain. She is a medium for Satan to work through, to destroy your influence. The influence of her continual fretfulness and finding fault is ruinous to your children. But you must press against this blackening influence. You must decidedly rule your own house. 1LtMs, Lt 4, 1860, par. 3