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Peter’s Counsel to Parents
Speech to be sanctified
Great blessings are lost because of discouraging and passionate
words. Brethren and sisters, learn lessons of self-control. When
someone speaks passionately to you, keep silent: Feelings of anger,
when met in this way, die out very quickly. A hastily spoken reply
only makes matters worse.
Negligence to children to be confessed
Brethren and sisters, I beg of every one of you to make the most of
this camp meeting. If you have backslidden, I entreat you, for Christ’s
sake, to return to Him. Be reconverted. Let the conversions begin
today. Let parents confess to their children in regard to the points on
which they have neglected their duty. Let them confess their negligence
in regard to allowing their children to follow the fashions and to mingle
in worldly society simply because they wanted to be like the world. It
is impossible for us to be Christlike while we are worldly-minded. We
cannot separate ourselves from the world itself; we must remain in the
world; but we should separate from its evil practices, its wrong ideas,
its sinfulness. We should practice self-denial in everything, in order
to have power by living faith in Christ to claim the richest promises
given us in His Word.
Example of the Israelites
Just before the firstborn were slain in Egypt, the Lord instructed
the Israelites to gather their children into their houses with them, and
to strike the lintel and the two side posts of their doors with blood,
so that when the destroying angel went through the land, he would
recognize the houses thus marked as the dwelling places of Christ’s
followers, and pass over them.
Today we must gather our children about us, if we desire to save
them from the destructive power of the evil one. The conflict between
Christ and Satan will increase in intensity until the end of this earth’s
history. We are to have faith in the blood of Christ, in order that we
may pass safely through the perilous times just before us.
Let the children receive the blessings of this meeting. If you try
to help them by personal labor in your family tents, working with