the woman explained. "The family is so cultured and refined. She does not have any bad habits, sings beautifully, and is an accomplished pianist!" Dr. Eldersveld remarked, "That is very good, but what is her religion?" The woman stiffened at that question. What business was it of his? With great indignation, she snapped quickly, "Oh, don't worry. If it gets that far, I am sure she will come to church with my son." Her minister was not satis fied. "You have not answered my -''question. Who is her God? Does she use the same Bible your son does? Does she love His Saviour? If not, then she is not the girl for him no matter how gifted she may be in every other respect!" While the remarks may not have been appreciated, they were the kindest things he could have said. Several years ago a woman sat in my study telling of the remorse in her heart resulting from mar riage to a man who did not love Christ. She had struggled to bring up her children to trust and obey her Saviour, but her husband con stantly stood in the way. He re sented her Christian faith. Those youngsters were caught in the crossfire. She confided, "Pastor Robinson, when you talk to young Christians, urge them to listen to the Bible. It is unfair to your hus band, unfair to your children, un fair to yourself, and most certainly unfair to God to be joined in love to someone who does not honor your Saviour." She was right. As the old adage puts it, "God chooses best for those who leave the choice with Him." Yes, if you want God's blessing on your ro mance and marriage, marry only in the Lord! Page 11
rule. Why gamble with your effec tiveness and future sanity? Mark Twain fell in love with Miss Olivia Langdon. "Livy," as he called her, was brought up in a Christian home. She had firm religious con victions. The well-known Ameri can humorist was not a believer, although he appears to have been touched by his wife's exemplary life. Early in their marriage Twain regularly asked a blessing on the food at mealtime. He even joined in family worship. The practice, however, did not last. One day he announced, "Livy, I do not believe the Bible." Bit by bit his lack of faith worked like a cancer on his wife's spiritual life. Later, during a period of crushing sorrow, Mark Twain tried to strengthen his wife with the words, "Livy, if it comforts you to lean on the Christian faith, do so." All she could reply by now was, "I cannot; I do not have any!" Marriage is not the place for mis sionaries. This is not God's pur pose. Marriage is difficult enough without the strain of an unshared faith. God calls believers to live lives that will glorify Him. The Lord did not create and redeem you only to have you live unto yourself. Yours is a high and sacred calling in mag nifying Him. Only a real Christian home can bring glory to God. Chil dren born into such a home are surrounded by a ministry of love through the personally indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. A mixed marriage is a civil war, standing in the way of God's purpose for the children. The late Dr. Peter Eldersveld told about a mother in one of his con gregations. She came to him one day excited about her son's new girl. "She is such a lovely person,"
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