Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

duty. When you take up the long-neglected work
which the Lord has left for you to do; when you,
with the spirit of Christ, resolutely arouse yourself
to set your house in order, then you may hope that
God will aid your efforts and impress the hearts of
your family. While you have made your children
an excuse for your remaining at home, you have
not done the work for which you pleaded to stay at
home. You have not disciplined your children.
Your wife is deficient in this respect, therefore
there is the greater need that you be in a position to
do your duty. Her love is of that kind which will
lead her to indulge them in doing as they please
and in choosing their own society, which will lead
to their ruin. Your presence at home, while you
allow your children to do as they please, is worse
for your family than if you were away from them;
and it has a worse influence upon the cause of
truth.
God calls for earnest, unselfish, disinterested
laborers in His cause who will keep up the various
branches of the work, such as obtaining subscribers
for the periodicals, teaching them promptness in
1130