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The Adventist Home
God, you are supposed to be a well-disposed boy; but often, by your
waywardness, you dishonor your father and mother and counteract the
work they are seeking to do. Has not your mother sufficient to oppress
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and crush her spirits without your waywardness? Will you still pursue
such a course of action that your father’s heart will be weighed down
with grief? Is it a pleasure for you to have all heaven looking upon
you with displeasure? Is it a satisfaction for you to place yourself in
the ranks of the enemy, to be ordered and controlled by him?
Oh, that now, while it is called today, you would turn to the Lord!
Your every deed is making you either better or worse. If your actions
are on Satan’s side, they leave behind them an influence that continues
to work its baleful results. Only the pure, the clean, and the holy can
enter the city of God, “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your
hearts,” but turn to the Lord, that the path you travel may not leave
desolation in its track
Minister to Treat Children With Kindness and Courtesy—Let
the kindness and courtesy of the minister be seen in his treatment of
children. He should ever bear in mind that they are miniature men and
women, younger members of the Lord’s family. These may be very
near and dear to the Master and, if properly instructed and disciplined,
will do service for Him, even in their youth. Christ is grieved with
every harsh, severe, and inconsiderate word spoken to children. Their
rights are not always respected, and they are frequently treated as
though they had not an individual character which needs to be properly
developed that it may not be warped and the purpose of God in their
lives prove a failure
Let the church take a special care of the lambs of the flock, exerting
every influence in their power to win the love of the children and to
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bind them to the truth. Ministers and church members should second
the efforts of parents to lead the children into safe paths. The Lord is
calling for the youth, for He would make them His helpers to do good
service under His banner
13
Letter 15a, 1896
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14
Testimonies For The Church 4, 397, 398
.
15
The Review and Herald, October 25, 1892
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