Dangers of the Young
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Christ’s disciples, what a burden is lifted from the hearts of careful,
faithful parents! Yet even then the labor of the parents must not cease.
The children should not be left to take their own course and always
choose for themselves. They have but just commenced in earnest the
warfare against sin, pride, passion, envy, jealousy, hatred, and all the
evils of the natural heart. And parents need to watch and counsel their
children, and decide for them, and show them that if they do not yield
cheerful, willing obedience to their parents, they cannot yield willing
obedience to God, and it is impossible for them to be Christians.
Parents should encourage their children to confide in them, and
unburden to them their heart griefs, their little daily annoyances and
trials. Thus the parents can learn to sympathize with their children,
and can pray with and for them that God would shield and guide them.
They should point them to their never-failing Friend and Counselor,
who will be touched with the feeling of their infirmities, who was
tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.
Satan tempts children to be reserved with their parents and to
choose as their confidants their young and inexperienced companions,
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such as cannot help them, but will give them bad advice. Girls and
boys get together and chat, and laugh, and joke, and drive Christ out of
their hearts, and angels from their presence, by their foolish nonsense.
Unprofitable conversation upon the acts of others, small talk about
this young man or that girl, withers noble, devotional thoughts and
feelings, and drives good and holy desires from the heart, leaving it
cold and destitute of true love for God and His truth.
Children would be saved from many evils if they would be more
familiar with their parents. Parents should encourage in their children a
disposition to be open and frank with them, to come to them with their
difficulties, and when they are perplexed as to what course is right,
to lay the matter just as they view it before the parents and ask their
advice. Who are so well calculated to see and point out their dangers
as godly parents? Who can understand the peculiar temperaments of
their own children as well as they? The mother who has watched every
turn of the mind from infancy, and is thus acquainted with the natural
disposition, is best prepared to counsel her children. Who can tell as
well what traits of character to check and restrain, as the mother, aided
by the father?