Training of Children
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trials and difficulties on the church. A moral leprosy that is contagious,
polluting the bodies and souls of the youth, often results from a failure
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to discipline and restrain the young; and it is time that something was
done to check its ravages.
The Bible gives explicit directions concerning the important work
of educating children: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command
thee this day, shall be in thine heart.” The parents are themselves to
be connected with God; they are to have His fear before them and to
have a knowledge of His will. Then comes their work: “And thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind
them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between
thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and
on thy gates.”
The Lord commanded Israel not to make marriages with the idol-
atrous nations around them. “Thy daughter thou shalt not give unto
his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will
turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods:
so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee
suddenly.” “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the
Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself,
above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did
not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more
in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but
because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath
which He had sworn unto your fathers.”
Here are positive directions that reach down to our time. God is
speaking to us in these last days, and He will be understood and obeyed.
God spoke to Israel through His servants: “This book of the law shall
not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
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shalt have good success.” “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting
the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”
“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto