214
Counsels on Stewardship
one family where I visited, the daughters expressed a desire for an
expensive piano. Gladly would the parents have gratified this wish, but
they were embarrassed with debt. The daughters knew this, and had
they been taught to practice self-denial, they would not have given their
parents the pain of denying their wishes; but although they were told
that it would be impossible to gratify their desires, the matter did not
end there. The wish was expressed again and again, thus continually
adding to the heavy burden of the parents.
On another visit I saw the coveted musical instrument in the house,
and knew that some hundreds of dollars had been added to the burden
of debt. I hardly know whom to blame most, the indulgent parents
or the selfish children. Both are guilty before God. This one case
will illustrate many. These young persons, although they profess to
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be Christians, have never taken the cross of Christ; for the very first
lesson to be learned of Christ is the lesson of self-denial. Said our
Saviour, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.” In no way can we become disciples
of Christ, except by complying with this condition.—
The Signs of the
Times, March 31, 1887
.
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