Now, when a man forgets that love, companionship, and the thousand attentions which sweeten and brighten life, are due to his wife, and when he lifts up the drudgery and the slavery of life into prominence, and tells her that she is only fitted to hold a menial place, he insults, if he does not destroy the woman, and degrades himself.  On the other hand, let a woman refuse to be influenced by this law of charity, and she becomes a curse instead of a blessing, a hinderance instead of a helpmeet.

It is a very common complaint that a good servant is difficult to find.  Some are slovenly, some are dishonest, while those who are both able and truthful, are pronounced intolerable, frequently because of their impertinence.  All can understand the reason.  The servant has no interest in her employer who refuses to give anything.  The servant works for so much money.  “As to rights, privileges, and perquisites, it is not unfrequently either a battle or a sort of armed treaty between kitchen and parlor.”  Many will admit this, and will forget or ignore the cause.  Listen to the servants’ story, and you will find them complaining of the stinginess, or tyranny, or selfishness of the employer.

Let the law of charity rule both employer and employed, and behold the change.  The mistress recognizes her weight of obligation to a good and faithful domestic.  She feels that her services are beyond price, invaluable to her.  The effect is seen at once.  The sluggish step is quickened.  Love takes the place of indifference if not of dislike, and the relations of friendship are at once recognized.  No mistress has a right to expect that her servants will be bound to her by the ties of friendship, if she manifest no friendly feeling for them; or that they will become devoted to her interests, if she take no interest in their welfare.  The law of mutual dependence must be recognized and obeyed.  God is love.  God loves.  Therefore, it is a pleasure to love and serve God.  It is a pleasure to serve whoever is appreciative and lovable.  It is a task to serve those who are unappreciative and unlovable.  At the same time a Christian servant has no right to slight her work, or be unfaithful, because of the harshness or unkindness of her employer.  Live for God, and serve Christ in serving well those by whom you are employed, and you will not lose your reward on earth nor in heaven.  Trusty and true, your services will become of immense importance, and doors to usefulness will open before you because of the superintending care of Him who is too wise to err and too good to be unkind.  Let not woman dislike the term service or servant.  Christ honored it by becoming the servant of all, and made it honorable by commanding that he who would be chief must serve, and by his service rise.

Woman sometimes revolts because her work is classed under the head of domestic, and yet this is the chief characteristic that must distinguish it.  That is, her work must have a look homeward, whether she toils in the store or factory or printing-office or kitchen.  Somehow the stream of love must sing as it goes babbling by, “Home, home, there is no place like home,” else woman fails in her life-work.