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Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene
The power of Satan over the youth of this age is fearful. 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. The greatest danger of the young is from a
lack of self-control. Indulgent parents do not teach their children self-
denial. The very food they place before them is such as to irritate
the stomach. The excitement thus produced is communicated to the
brain, and as a result the passions are roused. It cannot be too often
repeated, that whatever is taken into the stomach affects not only the
body, but ultimately the mind as well. Gross and stimulating food
fevers the blood, excites the nervous system, and too often dulls the
moral perceptions, so that reason and conscience are overborne by the
sensual impulses. It is difficult, and often well-nigh impossible, for one
who is intemperate in diet to exercise patience and self-control. Hence
the special importance of allowing children, whose characters are yet
unformed, to have only such food as is healthful and unstimulating.
It was in love that our heavenly Father sent the light of health reform,
to guard against the evils that result from unrestrained indulgence of
appetite.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all
to the glory of God.” [
1 Corinthians 10:31
.] Are parents doing this
when they prepare food for the table and call the family to partake
of it? Do they place before their children that only which they know
will make the very best blood, that which will keep the system in the
least feverish condition, and will place it in the best relation to life
and health? Or do they, regardless of the future good of their children,
provide for them unhealthful, stimulating, irritating food?
There is nothing which more surely leads to evil than to lift all
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burdens from children, leaving them to an idle, aimless life, to do
nothing, or to occupy themselves as they please. The minds of children
are active, and if not occupied with that which is good and useful, they
will inevitably turn to what is bad. While it is right and necessary for
them to have recreation, they should be taught to work, to have regular
hours for physical labor, and also for reading and study. See that they
have employment suited to their years, and are supplied with useful
and interesting books. Satan improves the opportunity to educate
idle minds. It is a sin to let children grow up in idleness. Let them
exercise their limbs and muscles, even if it wearies them. If they are