Imperfect Patterns of Motherhood
185
in preparing something to eat or to wear, the husband and sons go in
and come out as strangers.
While the mistress of the household may perform her outward
duties with exactitude, she may be continually crying out against the
slavery to which she is doomed, and exaggerate her responsibilities and
restrictions by comparing her lot with what she styles the higher life
of woman.... While she is fruitlessly yearning for a different life, she
is nourishing a sinful discontent and making her home very unpleasant
for her husband and children
Occupied With the World’s Follies—Satan has prepared pleas-
ing attractions for parents as well as for children. He knows that if he
can exert his deceptive power upon mothers, he has gained much. The
ways of the world are full of deceitfulness and fraud and misery, but
they are made to appear inviting; and if the children and youth are not
carefully trained and disciplined, they will surely go astray. Having no
fixed principles, it will be hard for them to resist temptation
Assuming Unnecessary Burdens—Many mothers spend their
time in doing needless nothings. They give their whole attention
[250]
to the things of time and sense’ and do not pause to think of the things
of eternal interest. How many neglect their children, and the little ones
grow up coarse, rough, and uncultivated
When parents, especially mothers, have a true sense of the impor-
tant, responsible work which God has left for them to do, they will not
be so much engaged in the business which concerns their neighbors,
with which they have nothing to do. They will not go from house
to house to engage in fashionable gossip, dwelling upon the faults,
wrongs, and inconsistencies of their neighbors. They will feel so great
a burden of care for their own children that they can find no time to
take up a reproach against their neighbor
If woman looks to God for strength and comfort and in His fear
seeks to perform her daily duties, she will win the respect and confi-
dence of her husband and see her children coming to maturity honor-
able men and women, having moral stamina to do right. But mothers
who neglect present opportunities, and let their duties and burdens
2
Ibid
.
3
The Review and Herald, June 27, 1899
.
4
The Signs of the Times, July 22, 1889
.
5
Testimonies For The Church 2, 466
.