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The Adventist Home
professed Christians. In the day of God inquiry will be made for those
whom Heaven gave them the opportunity of saving. But they wished
to be excused, and would not engage in the good work unless they
could make it a matter of profit to them. I have been shown that those
who refuse these opportunities for doing good will hear from Jesus:
“As ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.” Please
read
Isaiah 58
: [
verses 5-11
]
An Appeal to Childless Couples—Some who have not children
of their own should educate themselves to love and care for the children
of others. They may not be called to go to a foreign field of labor,
but they may be called to work in the very locality in which they live.
In place of giving so much attention to pets, lavishing affection upon
dumb animals, let them exercise their talent upon human beings who
have a heaven to win and a hell to shun. Let them give their attention
to little children whose characters they may mold and fashion after
the divine similitude. Place your love upon the homeless little ones
that are around you. Instead of closing your heart to the members of
the human family, see how many of these little homeless ones you
can bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There is an
abundance of work for everyone who wants work to do. By engaging
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in this line of Christian endeavor, the church may be increased in
members and enriched in spirit. The work of saving the homeless and
the fatherless is everyone’s business
If those who have no children and whom God has made stewards
of means would expand their hearts to care for children who need
love, care, and affection, and assistance with this world’s goods, they
would be far happier than they are today. So long as youth who have
not a father’s pitying care nor a mother’s tender love are exposed to
the corrupting influences of these last days, it is somebody’s duty to
supply the place of father and mother to some of them. Learn to give
them love, affection, and sympathy. All who profess to have a Father
in heaven, who they hope will care for them and finally take them to
the home He has prepared for them, ought to feel a solemn obligation
resting upon them to be friends to the friendless and fathers to the
2
Ibid., 2:33
.
3
Manuscript 38, 1895
.