Chapter 12—Obedience Must Become a Habit
Use Gentle but Persistent Effort—Children are to be taught that
their capabilities were given them for the honor and glory of God. To
this end they must learn the lesson of obedience.... By gentle, persistent
effort the habit should be established. Thus to a great degree may be
prevented those later conflicts between will and authority that do so
much to arouse in the minds of the youth alienation and bitterness
toward parents and teachers, and too often resistance of all authority,
human and divine
Allow No Arguments or Evasions—The first care of the parents
should be to establish good government in the family. The word of the
parents should be law, precluding all arguments or evasions. Children
should be taught from infancy to implicitly obey their parents
Strict discipline may at times cause dissatisfaction, and children
will want their own way; yet where they have learned the lesson
of obedience to their parents, they are better prepared to submit to
the requirements of God. Thus the training received in childhood
influences the religious experience and molds the character of the
man
Permit No Exceptions—As teachers in their own family, parents
are to see that the rules are not disobeyed.... By allowing their chil-
dren to go on in disobedience, they fail to exercise proper discipline.
Children must be brought to the point of submission and obedience.
Disobedience must not be allowed. Sin lies at the door of the parents
who allow their children to disobey.... Children are to understand that
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they are to obey
Require Prompt, Perfect Obedience—When parents fail to re-
quire prompt and perfect obedience in their children, they fail to lay
the right foundation of character in their little ones. They prepare their
1
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 110, 111
.
2
Pacific Health Journal, January, 1890
.
3
The Signs of the Times, February 26, 1880
.
4
Manuscript 82, 1901
.
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