Faithful Reproofs Necessary
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themselves. Then how can they succeed in controlling their children,
who follow in their steps and rebel against their authority and all other
restraint, even as they themselves rebel against the authority of the
church and the institutions with which they are connected? Some of
these professed Christians have yielded themselves into the hands of
Satan and have become his instruments. They influence souls against
the truth by exhibiting their insubordination and restless discontent.
While professing righteousness, they are flying in the face of the
Almighty, and before they are aware of the enormity of their sin they
have accomplished the object of the adversary. The impression has
been made, the shadow of darkness has been cast, the arrows of Satan
have found their mark. Verily, a little leaven has leavened the entire
lump. Unbelief creeps in and fastens its grasp upon minds that would
have wholly accepted the truth.
Meanwhile, these spasmodic workers for Satan look innocently
upon those who have drifted into skepticism, and who stand unmoved
under reproof or entreaty. While those persons who have been thus
influenced have gone farther in unbelief than even they themselves
had dared to venture, they flatter themselves that in comparison with
them, they are virtuous and righteous. They fail to understand that
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those sad cases are the result of their own unbridled tongues and
wicked rebellion, that the tempted ones have fallen through their evil
influence. They started the difficulty; they sowed the seeds of anarchy
and unbelief.
No family is justified in bringing children to-----who are not under
the control of their parents. If their parents have disregarded the word
of God in the matter of instructing and training their children,-----is
no place for them. They will only be the means of demoralizing the
young people of that place and bringing discord where peace and
prosperity should reign. Let such parents take up the neglected work
of restraining and disciplining their children before they venture to
impose them upon the church at-----.
Many are as guilty of neglect toward their children as was Eli, and
the punishment of God will as surely rest upon them as upon him.
The case of Brother E was a marked one. God’s hand was stretched
out in the wrath of His retribution, not only over his children, but
over himself also. The word of God was plain, but its admonitions
had been trampled underfoot; warnings had been given him, reproofs