340
Child Guidance
The Mental Powers Are Weakened—Fond and indulgent parents
will sympathize with their children because they fancy their lessons
are too great a task, and that their close application to study is ruining
their health. True, it is not advisable to crowd the minds of the young
with too many and too difficult studies. But, parents, have you looked
no deeper into this matter than merely to adopt the idea suggested by
your children? Have you not given too ready credence to the apparent
reason for their indisposition? It becomes parents and guardians to
look beneath the surface for the cause
The minds of some of these children are so weakened that they
have but one half or one third of the brilliancy of intellect that they
might have had, had they been virtuous and pure. They have thrown it
away in self-abuse
High Resolve and Spiritual Life Destroyed—Secret vice is the
destroyer of high resolve, earnest endeavor, and strength of will to
form a good religious character. All who have any true sense of what
is embraced in being a Christian know that the followers of Christ
are under obligation as His disciples to bring all their passions, their
physical powers and mental faculties into perfect subordination to His
will. Those who are controlled by their passions cannot be followers
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of Christ. They are too much devoted to the service of their master,
the originator of every evil, to leave their corrupt habits and choose
the service of Christ
Religion May Be Formal, but It Is Destitute—Some who pro-
fess to be followers of Christ know that they are sinning against God
and ruining their health, yet they are slaves to their own corrupt pas-
sions. They feel a guilty conscience and have less and less inclination
to approach God in secret prayer. They may keep up the form of
religion, yet be destitute of the grace of God in the heart. They have
no devotedness to His service, no trust in Him, no living to His glory,
no pleasure in His ordinances, and no delight in Him
Power of Self-government Seems Lost—Some will acknowl-
edge the evil of sinful indulgences, yet will excuse themselves by
saying that they cannot overcome their passions. This is a terrible
5
Testimonies For The Church 4:96, 97
.
6
Testimonies For The Church 2:361
.
7
An Appeal to Mothers, 9, 10
.
8
An Appeal to Mothers, 25
.