Counsel to Children
227
like him. You will be miserable yourselves and will make all about
you miserable. Do not complain of how much you have to do and how
little time you have for amusement, but be thoughtful and care-taking.
By employing your time in some useful work, you will be closing a
door against Satan’s temptations. Remember that Jesus lived not to
please Himself, and you must be like Him. Make this matter one of
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religious principle, and ask Jesus to help you. By exercising your mind
in this direction, you will be preparing to become burden bearers in the
cause of God as you have been caretakers in the home circle. You will
have a good influence upon others and may win them to the service of
Christ
Give Mothers Change and Rest—It is difficult for a loving
mother to urge her children to help her when she sees they have no
heart in the work and will frame any and every excuse to get rid of
doing a disagreeable task Children and youth, Christ is looking upon
you, and shall He see you neglecting the trust He has put into your
hands? If you want to be useful, the opportunity is yours. Your first
duty is to help your mother who has done so much for you. Lift her
burdens, give her pleasant days of rest; for she has had few holidays
and very little variety in her life. You have claimed all the pleasure
and amusement as your right, but the time has come for you to shed
sunshine in the home. Take up your duty; go right to work. Through
your self-denying devotion give her rest and pleasure
God’s Reward for the Daniels of Today—There is now need of
men who, like Daniel, will do and dare. A pure heart and a strong,
fearless hand are wanted in the world today. God designed that man
should be constantly improving, daily reaching a higher point in the
scale of excellence. He will help us if we seek to help ourselves. Our
hope of happiness in two worlds depends upon our improvement in
one....
Dear youth, God calls upon you to do a work which through His
grace you can do. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac-
ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Stand forth in
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your God-given manhood and womanhood. Show a purity of tastes,
appetite, and habits that bears comparison with Daniel’s. God will
8
The Youth’s Instructor, January 30, 1884
.
9
The Youth’s Instructor, March 2, 1893
.