The Marriage Relation

Celestial Marriage

Love should be the predominant ruling principle in all family governments. There is no danger of the different members of a family loving one another too much. They should love one another with all their hearts, and be willing, if required, to lay down their lives for each other. God is love, and He is the great fountain from which the beings of all worlds derive this heavenly attribute ; it flows out in infinite streams, imparting joy and happiness to the whole universe, so far as it is received, nourished, and cherished by intelligent beings. Love, like all other gifts of God, can be cultivated and increased, or it can be neglected and diminished : it is subject to the control of the other faculties of the mind : it is not a principle such as is often described in novels, which acts irresistably, forcing all the other powers of the mind into subjection. The love which the sexe3 have for each other is implanted within them by Him who is the God of love. GoJ controls this attribute of His nature according to wisdom, Justice, mercy, and every other attribute which He possesses. He has prescribed laws for the government of His own attributes and he never suffers himself to love that which is evil or sinful, but always loves that which is good, and virtuous, and upright : so likewise ought man to* control his love by the attributes of his nature, according to the laws which God has given, and never suffer himself to love anything which is evil, or which God has forbidden. Man should love all the wives which God may give him with a perfect love : it is impossible for him to love them too Avell, providing that his love isregulated and controlled in all thingsaccording to the law of righteousness*.  The Seer: Orson Pratt, 1853