Faithful Reproofs Necessary
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their young feet in the right path, but they educate themselves in their
most holy duties. Impressions made upon the minds of the young are
hard to efface. How important, then, that these impressions should
be of the right sort, bending the elastic faculties of youth in the right
direction.
Certain parents have come to-----with their children and dropped
them into the church as if they resigned from thenceforth all respon-
sibility of their moral and religious training. Brother and Sister C
and Brother and Sister D have made a decided failure in disciplin-
ing their children as well as in properly regulating themselves. Their
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children have gloried in their freedom to do as they pleased. They
have been released from home responsibilities and have despised re-
straint. A life of usefulness appears to them like a life of drudgery.
Lax government at home has unfitted them for any position, and as
a natural consequence they have rebelled against school discipline.
Their complaints have been received and credited by their parents,
who, in sympathizing with their imaginary troubles, have encouraged
their children in wrong-doing. These parents have in many instances
believed positive untruths that have been palmed off upon them by
their deceiving children. A few such cases of unruly and dissembling
children would do much toward breaking down all authority in the
school and demoralizing the young people of our church.
There is perfect order in heaven, perfect concord and agreement. If
parents so neglect to bring their children under proper authority here,
how can they hope that they will be considered fit companions for
the holy angels in a world of peace and harmony? Indulgent parents,
who justify their children in their wrongdoing, are thereby creating an
element that will bring discord into society and subvert the authority
of both school and church.
Children need watchful care and guidance as never before; for
Satan is striving to gain the control of their minds and hearts, and to
drive out the Spirit of God. The fearful state of the youth of this age
constitutes one of the strongest signs that we are living in the last days,
but the ruin of many may be traced directly to the wrong management
of the parents. The spirit of murmuring against reproof has been taking
root and is bearing its fruit of insubordination. While the parents are
not pleased with the characters their children are developing, they fail
to see the errors that make them what they are.