138
The Adventist Home
Nor Can the Minister—You roll vast responsibilities upon the
preacher and hold him accountable for the souls of your children; but
you do not sense your own responsibility as parents and as instructors....
Your sons and daughters are corrupted by your own example and lax
precepts; and, notwithstanding this lack of domestic training, you
expect the minister to counteract your daily work and accomplish the
wonderful achievement of training their hearts and lives to virtue and
piety. After the minister has done all he can do for the church by
faithful, affectionate admonition, patient discipline, and fervent prayer
to reclaim and save the soul, yet is not successful, the fathers and
mothers often blame him because their children are not converted,
when it may be because of their own neglect. The burden rests with
the parents; and will they take up the work that God has entrusted to
them and with fidelity perform it? Will they move onward and upward,
working in a humble, patient, persevering way to reach the exalted
standard themselves and to bring their children up with them
Are not many fathers and mothers placing their responsibilities
into others’ hands? Do not many of them think that the minister should
take the burden and see to it that their children are converted and that
the seal of God is placed upon them?
Nor Can the Sabbath School—It is their [the parents’] privilege
to help their children obtain that knowledge which they may carry with
[189]
them into the future life. But for some reason many parents dislike
to give their children religious instruction. They leave them to pick
up in Sabbath school the knowledge they should impart concerning
their responsibility to God. Such parents need to understand that
God desires them to educate, discipline, and train their children, ever
keeping before them the fact that they are forming characters for the
present and the future life
Do not depend upon the teachers of the Sabbath school to do your
work of training your children in the way they should go. The Sabbath
school is a great blessing; it may help you in your work, but it can
never take your place. God has given to all fathers and mothers the
responsibility of bringing their children to Jesus, teaching them how
to pray and believe in the word of God.
6
Testimonies For The Church 5, 494, 495
.
7
The Review and Herald, May 21, 1895
.
8
The Review and Herald, June 6, 1899
.