Co-Ordination of Home and Church
421
man can bring into the church an influence that he does not exert in
his home life and in his business relations
Proper Church Conduct Is Learned at Home—The home is a
school where all may learn how they are to act in the church. When
all are members of the royal family, there will be true politeness in the
home life. Each member of the family will seek to make it pleasant
for every other member. The angels of God, who minister to those
who shall be heirs of salvation, will help you to make your family a
model of the heavenly family. Let there be peace in the home, and
there will be peace in the church. This precious experience brought
into the church will be the means of creating a kindly affection one
for another. Quarrels will cease. True Christian courtesy will be seen
among church members. The world will take knowledge of them
that they have been with Jesus and have learned of Him. What an
impression the church would make upon the world if all the members
would live Christian lives
[550]
Why There Is Weakness in the Church—Many seem to think
that the declension in the church, the growing love of pleasure, is
due to want of pastoral work. True, the church is to be provided with
faithful guides and pastors. Ministers should labor earnestly for the
youth who have not given themselves to Christ, and also for others
who, though their names are on the church roll, are irreligious and
Christless. But ministers may do their work faithfully and well, yet it
will amount to very little if parents neglect their work. It is to a lack
of Christianity in the home life that the lack of power in the church is
due. Until parents take up their work as they should, it will be difficult
to arouse the youth to a sense of their duty. If religion reigns in the
home, it will be brought into the church. The parents who do their
work for God are a power for good. As they restrain and encourage
their children, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord, they bless the neighborhood in which they live. And the church
is strengthened by their faithful work
Neglectful Parents Cannot Uplift the Church—If disobedience
is allowed in the home life, the hearts of the children will be filled
with opposition to the government of God. The power of the Holy
3
Manuscript 57, 1903
.
4
Manuscript 60, 1903
.
5
The Signs of the Times, April 3, 1901
.