Chapter 40—Exemplify Christian Principles
Children Will Imitate Parents—Fathers and mothers, you are
teachers; your children are the pupils. Your tones of voice, your
deportment, your spirit, are copied by your little ones
Children imitate their parents; hence great care should be taken to
give them correct models. Parents who are kind and polite at home,
while at the same time they are firm and decided, will see the same
traits manifested in their children. If they are upright, honest, and
honorable, their children will be quite likely to resemble them in these
particulars. If they reverence and worship God, their children, trained
in the same way, will not forget to serve Him also
In the family, fathers and mothers should ever present before their
children the example they wish to be imitated. They should manifest
one to the other a tender respect in word, and look, and action. They
should make it manifest that the Holy Spirit is controlling them, by
representing to their children the character of Jesus Christ. The powers
of imitation are strong; and in childhood and youth, when this faculty is
most active, a perfect pattern should be set before the young. Children
should have confidence in their parents, and thus take in the lessons
they would inculcate
Teach by Precept and Example—The mother, in the education
of her children, is in a continual school. While teaching her children,
she is herself learning daily. The lessons which she gives her children
in self-control must be practiced by herself. In dealing with the varied
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minds and moods of her children, she needs keen perceptive powers
or she will be in danger of misjudging and of dealing partially with
her children. The law of kindness she should practice in her home life
is she would have her children courteous and kind. Thus they have
lessons repeated, by precept and example daily
1
The Signs of the Times, March 11, 1886
.
2
Testimonies For The Church 5:319, 320
.
3
The Review and Herald, March 13, 1894
.
4
Pacific Health Journal, June, 1890
.
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