"It is against the beginnings of alienations, therefore, that sacred watch must be kept. Has a hasty word been spoken? Instantly recall it and ask for forgiveness. Is there a misunderstanding? No matter whose the fault may be, do not allow it to remain an hour. Is the home-life losing a little of its warmth? Ask not for the cause nor where the blame lies, but hasten to get back to the old fervor at any cost. Never allow the second word to be spoken in a quarrel. Let not the sun go down on an angry thought or feeling between two hearts that have been united as one. Pride must have no place in wedded life.There must never be any standing upon any dignity, nor any nice calculation as to whose place it is to make the apology or to yield to the other. True love knows no such casualty; it seeks not its own; it delights in being foremost in forgiving and yielding. There is no lesson that husbands and wives need more to learn than instantly and always to seek forgiveness of each other whenever they are conscious of having in any way caused pain or committed a wrong. The pride that will never say, "I did wrong; forgive me," is not ready for wedded life...Surely too much is involved, too great a responsibility, too many and too precious interests, to venture upon wedded life without Christ. The lessons are too hard to learn to be attempted without a divine Teacher. The burdens are too heavy to be borne without a mighty Helper. The perils of the way are too many to be passed through without an unerring Guide. The duties are too delicate, and the consequences of failure in them too far-reaching and too terrible, to be taken up without wisdom and help from above."

Home-Making, by J.R. Miller