Reverence for that which is Holy
415
Teach Children to Enter Reverently—Parents, elevate the stan-
dard of Christianity in the minds of your children; help them to weave
Jesus into their experience; teach them to have the highest reverence
for the house of God and to understand that when they enter the Lord’s
house, it should be with hearts that are softened and subdued by such
thoughts as these: “God is here; this is His house. I must have pure
thoughts and the holiest motives. I must have no pride, envy, jealousy,
evil surmising, hatred, or deception in my heart; for I am coming into
[542]
the presence of the holy God. This is the place where God meets with
and blesses His people. The high and holy One who inhabiteth eternity
looks upon me, searches my heart, and reads the most secret thoughts
and acts of my life.
Remain With Their Parents—The moral taste of the worshipers
in God’s holy sanctuary must be elevated, refined, sanctified. This
matter has been sadly neglected. Its importance has been overlooked,
and as the result disorder and irreverence have become prevalent, and
God has been dishonored. When the leaders in the church, ministers
and people, fathers and mothers, have not had elevated views of this
matter, what could be expected of the inexperienced children? They
are too often found in groups, away from the parents, who should have
charge of them. Notwithstanding they are in the presence of God, and
His eye is looking upon them; they are light and trifling; they whisper
and laugh, are careless, irreverent, and inattentive
To Be Sober and Quiet—Do not have so little reverence for the
house and worship of God as to communicate with one another during
the sermon. If those who commit this fault could see the angels of God
looking upon them and marking their doings, they would be filled with
shame and abhorrence of themselves. God wants attentive hearers. It
was while men slept that the enemy sowed tares
Not to Act as in a Common Place—There should be a sacred
spot, like the sanctuary of old, where God is to meet with His people.
That place should not be used as a lunchroom or as a business room,
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but simply for the worship of God. When children attend day school
in the same place where they assemble to worship on the Sabbath,
they cannot be made to feel the sacredness of the place, and that they
15
Testimonies For The Church 5:494
.
16
Testimonies For The Church 5:496, 497
.
17
Messages to Young People, 266
.