Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

for parents to allow their children to grow up in ignorance. They should supply themwith useful and interesting books, and should teach them to work, to have hours forphysical labor, and hours to devote to study and reading. Parents should seek to elevatethe minds of their children and to improve their mental faculties. The mind left to itself,uncultivated, is generally low, sensual, and corrupt. Satan improves his opportunity andeducates idle minds.Parents, the recording angel writes every impatient, fretful word you utter to yourchildren. Every failure on your part to give them proper instruction, and show themthe exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the final result of a sinful course, is marked againstyour name. Every unguarded word spoken before them, carelessly or in jest, everyword that is not chaste and elevated, the recording angel marks as a spot against yourChristian character. All your acts are recorded, whether they are good or bad.Parents cannot succeed well in the government of their children until they first haveperfect control of themselves. They must first learn to subdue themselves, to controltheir words, and the very expression of the countenance. They should not suffer thetones of their voice to be disturbed or agitated with excitement and passion. Then theycan have a decided influence over their children. Children may wish to do right, theymay purpose in their hearts to be obedient and kind to their parents or guardians; butthey need help and encouragement from them. They may make good resolutions; butunless their principles are strengthened by religion and their lives influenced by therenewing grace of God, they will fail to come up to the mark.Parents should redouble their efforts for the salvation of their children. They shouldfaithfully instruct them, not leaving them to gather up their education as best they can.The young should not be suffered to learn good and evil399