Christian Homekeeping

The following quote flowed from a paragraph showing the position commonly held in early New England that, “no repectable person questioned that a woman’s place was in the home. . .”

“. . . However, this view went beyond the Puritans and was the perspective of all branches of the church and a central aspect of Western Christian culture. For example, Lenski, the eminent Lutheran commentator, stated that the phrase ‘keepers at home’ indicates domestic responsibility and that the home is the place of a married woman’s work; she is a ‘housekeeper’ who dispenses ‘all good things in this domain.’
“Her role is so vital to the well-being of her husband and children, her responsibilities in keeping the home so demanding, that it would not be possible to properly fulfill them unless she devotes herself entirely to them. She cannot do what God has called her to do unless she abides at home. “Furthermore, ‘guide’ is a present infinitive indicating that managing the home is the wife’s constant occupation, her full-time job.”

“Thus the roles assigned to the married woman by God confirms that ‘keepers at home’ refers to those who remain at home so that they might properly attend to their duties of caring for their family and managing its everyday affairs. When her duties are understood in all their scope and significance, it becomes clear that only by being ‘keepers at home’ can a wife and mother fulfill her high calling from God to be a helper to her husband, a mother to her children, and a manager of her household.” ~ William O. Einwechter

“The Woman’s first duty is the making and keeping of her home. Many a modern woman chooses a career, hires a baby-sitter, and rushes her children through childhood so that she can be free to pursue her selfish interests. The Bible teaches that women are to be ‘keepers at home’ (Titus 2:5). This means a women is to be there, loving her husband, teaching and enjoying her children, and applying the homemaking arts with joy in her heart. This mother is the heartbeat of the home. She helps lay the foundation of moral standards there. The warmth of her spirit quietly establishes security in the lives of the little children, brings confidence, that in spite of their problems and fears, all will be right. Why would any woman trade this noble place for some dollars earned or for some coveted position?” ~ “Woman’s Role”, Mennonite tract

“Nowadays when the godless element is putting a premium on childless homes and sneering at the faithful wife and mother, some homes are becoming centers of crime; marriage is becoming a merchandise; wives are becoming business women, and children are unavoidable nuisances. The few children who do make it into the world are turned over to milk bottles and babysitters, to public schools where there is now danger in the classroom, and to modernistic colleges, where young people live together without the legality of marriage and where drugs and drink abound on campus. But memories of old-fashioned mothers truly bring us back home to the simple things. How different her home? How different her life and sphere of activity! Rarely do we find her equal in this modern age. Her home was her realm — she was always there. . .” ~ Great Preaching on Mothers

“My dear sister, the Bible teaches that womenfolk are to be ‘. . . keepers at home. . .’ (Titus 2:5), not a social gadabout or a professional career woman in public employment. No woman can fulfill her duty to either her husband or her children who spends eight hours per day away from home and family. It takes real spiritual determination for any woman to properly perform her duty before God towards her husband and children.” ~ Bob Gray

“. . . the career-chasing of mothers who are not satisfied with simple, unapplauded home duties; the selfishness of wives who criminally avoid motherhood. In addition to these difficulties, heightened, as they are, under the laxity of war, American mothers are being coaxed away from their families into high-salaried positions. I have some startling figures for you. They are reliable, submitted to me by Frank X. Reller of the St. Lois juvenile court, and show that in this city almost one third of all juvenile offenders under seventeen came from homes in which both father and mother were employed. ‘But,’ you say, ‘perhaps their mothers had to work. Perhaps these families could not exist without her extra salary.’ What does Mr. Reller say? He answers, ‘In every one of these cases the father was employed with an adequate income to support his family without the necessity of the mother’s employment or her leaving the home.’ ‘Why, then you ask, do these mothers work? Again, this juvenile court official explains, ‘They are actually sacrificing the welfare of their children for a few paltry dollars and a few items of luxury.’ You may be ready to denounce me for what I will now say; but I am certain that if you follow this advice, some day you will be ready to thank me: Mothers, give up your work now! Go back to your family! Pray God to show you how your children should be trained! Watch over them as the gift of the Lord’s love! You may lose a little money, but how rich you will be when your boys or girls — under parental direction — become stalwart Christians!” ~ Walter Maier