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Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

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378 <strong>Testimonies</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Church</strong> <strong>Vol</strong>ume 1[403]<strong>the</strong>mselves, <strong>the</strong>ir conversation is often upon subjects which will notrefine or elevate <strong>the</strong>m, or increase <strong>the</strong>ir love <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> things of religion.The more <strong>the</strong>y are permitted to visit, <strong>the</strong> greater will be <strong>the</strong>ir desire togo, and <strong>the</strong> less attractive will home seem to <strong>the</strong>m.Children, God has seen fit to entrust you to <strong>the</strong> care of your parents<strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m to instruct and discipline, and thus act <strong>the</strong>ir part in <strong>for</strong>mingyour character <strong>for</strong> heaven. And yet it rests with you to say whe<strong>the</strong>ryou will develop a good Christian character by making <strong>the</strong> best of<strong>the</strong> advantages you have had from godly, faithful, praying parents.Notwithstanding all <strong>the</strong> anxiety and faithfulness of parents in behalfof <strong>the</strong>ir children, <strong>the</strong>y alone cannot save <strong>the</strong>m. There is a work <strong>for</strong><strong>the</strong> children to do. Every child has an individual case to attend to.Believing parents, you have a responsible work be<strong>for</strong>e you to guide <strong>the</strong>footsteps of your children, even in <strong>the</strong>ir religious experience. When<strong>the</strong>y truly love God, <strong>the</strong>y will bless and reverence you <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> carewhich you have manifested <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, and <strong>for</strong> your faithfulness inrestraining <strong>the</strong>ir desires and subduing <strong>the</strong>ir wills.The prevailing influence in <strong>the</strong> world is to suffer <strong>the</strong> youth to follow<strong>the</strong> natural turn of <strong>the</strong>ir own minds. And if very wild in youth, parentssay <strong>the</strong>y will come right after a while, and when sixteen or eighteenyears of age, will reason <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>mselves, and leave off <strong>the</strong>ir wronghabits, and become at last useful men and women. What a mistake! Foryears <strong>the</strong>y permit an enemy to sow <strong>the</strong> garden of <strong>the</strong> heart; <strong>the</strong>y sufferwrong principles to grow, and in many cases all <strong>the</strong> labor afterwardbestowed on that soil will avail nothing. Satan is an artful, perseveringworkman, a deadly foe. Whenever an incautious word is spoken to <strong>the</strong>injury of youth, whe<strong>the</strong>r in flattery or to cause <strong>the</strong>m to look upon somesin with less abhorrence, Satan takes advantage of it and nourishes<strong>the</strong> evil seed that it may take root and yield a bountiful harvest. Someparents have suffered <strong>the</strong>ir children to <strong>for</strong>m wrong habits, <strong>the</strong> marksof which may be seen all through life. Upon <strong>the</strong> parents lies this sin.These children may profess to be Christians, yet without a specialwork of grace upon <strong>the</strong> heart and a thorough re<strong>for</strong>m in life <strong>the</strong>ir pasthabits will be seen in all <strong>the</strong>ir experience, and <strong>the</strong>y will exhibit just <strong>the</strong>character which <strong>the</strong>ir parents allowed <strong>the</strong>m to <strong>for</strong>m.The standard of piety is so low among professed Christians generallythat those who wish to follow Christ in sincerity find <strong>the</strong> workmuch more laborious and trying than <strong>the</strong>y o<strong>the</strong>rwise would. The in-

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