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Sensuality in the Young
353
particular time we are not watching unto prayer we shall be taken
by the enemy and meet with decided loss.
What a responsibility has rested upon you as parents! How little
have you felt the weight of this burden! Pride of heart, love of show,
and the indulgence of appetite have occupied your minds. These
things have been first with you, and the incoming of the foe has
not been perceived. He has planted his standard in your house and
stamped his detestable image upon the characters of your children.
But you were so blinded by the God of this world, so deadened to
spiritual and divine things, that you could not discern the advantage
which Satan had gained nor his workings right in your family.
You have brought children into the world who have had no voice
in regard to their existence. You have made yourselves responsible
in a great measure for their future happiness, their eternal well-being.
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The burden is upon you, whether you are sensible of it or not, to train
these children for God, to watch with jealous care the first approach
of the wily foe and be prepared to raise a standard against him. Build
a fortification of prayer and faith about your children, and exercise
diligent watching thereunto. You are not secure a moment against
the attacks of Satan. You have no time to rest from watchful, earnest
labor. You should not sleep a moment at your post. This is a most
important warfare. Eternal consequences are involved. It is life or
death with you and your family. Your only safety is to break your
hearts before God and seek the kingdom of heaven as little children.
You cannot be victors in this warfare if you continue to pursue the
course you have pursued. You are not very near the kingdom of
heaven.
Some who have not professed Christ are nearer the kingdom
of God than are very many professed Sabbathkeepers in-----. You
have not kept yourselves in the love of God and taught your children
the fear of the Lord. You have not taught them the truth diligently,
when you rose up, and when you sat down, when you went out,
and when you came in. You have not restrained them. You look
to other children and solace yourselves by saying: “My children
are no worse than they.” This may be true, but does the neglect of
others to do their duty lessen the force of the requirements which
God has especially enjoined upon you as parents? He has placed
upon you the responsibility to bring these children up for Him, and