Parental Vigilance and Help
351
You should make them feel, if possible, that it is God, the pure and
holy God, that they have been sinning against; that the great Searcher
of hearts is displeased with their course; that nothing is concealed
from Him. If you can so impress your children that they will exercise
that repentance which is acceptable to God, that godly sorrow which
worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of, the work
will be thorough, the reform certain. They will not feel sorrow merely
because their sins are known; but they will view their sinful practices
in their aggravated character and will be led to confess them to God,
without reserve, and will forsake them. They will feel to sorrow for
their wrong course, because they have displeased God and sinned
against Him and dishonored their bodies before Him who created them
and has required them to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy
[460]
and acceptable unto Him, which is their reasonable service
Guard the Association of Children—Unless the minds of our
children are firmly balanced by religious principle, their morals will
become corrupted by the vicious examples with which they come in
contact
Shield them, as faithful mothers should, from becoming contam-
inated by associating with every young companion. Keep them, as
precious jewels, from the corrupting influence of this age. If you are
situated so that their intercourse with young associates cannot always
be overruled, as you would wish to have it, then let them visit your
children in your presence; and in no case allow these associates to
lodge in the same bed or even in the same room. It will be far easier to
prevent an evil than to cure it afterward....
They [parents] let them visit other young friends, form their own
acquaintances, and even go from their parental watch care, some
distance from home, where they are allowed to do very much as they
please. Satan improves all such opportunities and takes charge of the
minds of these children whom mothers ignorantly expose to his artful
snares
The Diet Is Important—You cannot arouse the moral sensibilities
of your children while you are not careful in the selection of their food.
6
An Appeal to Mothers, 21, 22
.
7
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 134
.
8
An Appeal to Mothers, 13, 14
.