406
Child Guidance
When the Sabbath commences, we should place a guard upon our-
selves, upon our acts and our words, lest we rob God by appropriating
to our own use that time which is strictly the Lord’s. We should not
do ourselves, nor suffer our children to do, any manner of our own
work for a livelihood or anything which could have been done on the
six working days. Friday is the day of preparation. Time can then be
devoted to making the necessary preparation for the Sabbath and to
thinking and conversing about it. Nothing which will in the sight of
Heaven be regarded as a violation of the holy Sabbath should be left
unsaid or undone, to be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires
not only that we refrain from physical labor upon the Sabbath, but
that the mind be disciplined to dwell upon sacred themes. The Fourth
Commandment is virtually transgressed by conversing upon worldly
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things or by engaging in light and trifling conversation. Talking upon
anything or everything which may come into the mind is speaking our
own words. Every deviation from right brings us into bondage and
condemnation
Sabbath Time Too Precious to Sleep Away—None should per-
mit themselves, through the week, to become so absorbed in their
temporal interests, and so exhausted by their efforts for worldly gain,
that on the Sabbath they have no strength or energy to give to the
service of God. We are robbing the Lord when we unfit ourselves
to worship Him upon His holy day. And we are robbing ourselves
as well; for we need the warmth and glow of association, as well as
the strength to be gained from the wisdom and experience of other
Christians
Let not the precious hours of the Sabbath be wasted in bed. On
Sabbath morning the family should be astir early. If they rise late,
there is confusion and bustle in preparing for breakfast and Sabbath
school. There is hurrying, jostling, and impatience. Thus unholy
feelings come into the home. The Sabbath, thus desecrated, becomes
a weariness, and its coming is dreaded rather than loved
Attend Public Worship With Children—Fathers and mothers
should make it a rule that their children attend public worship on the
Sabbath, and should enforce the rule by their own example. It is
9
Testimonies For The Church 2:702, 703
.
10
The Review and Herald, June 13, 1882
.
11
Testimonies For The Church 6:357
.