Appeal to Mothers
7
responsible position in this life? Will they sacrifice comeliness, health,
intellect, and all hope of Heaven, everything worth possessing, here
and hereafter, to the demon passion? May God grant that it may be
otherwise; and that our children, who are so dear to us, may listen to
the voice of warning, and choose the path of purity and holiness.
How important that we teach our children self-control from their
very infancy, and teach them the lesson of submitting their wills to
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ours. If they should be so unfortunate as to learn wrong habits, not
knowing all the evil results, they can be reformed by appealing to their
reason, and convincing them that such habits ruin the constitution,
and affect the mind. We should show them that whatever persuasions
corrupt persons may use to quiet their awakened fears, and lead them
still to indulge this pernicious habit, whatever may be their pretense,
they are really their enemies and the devil’s agents. Virtue and purity
are of great value. These precious traits are of heavenly origin. They
make God our friend, and unite us firmly to his throne.
Satan is controlling the minds of the young, and we must work
resolutely and faithfully to save them. Very young children practice
this vice, and it grows upon them and strengthens with their years,
until every noble faculty of body and mind is debased. Many might
have been saved if they had been carefully instructed in regard to the
influence of this practice upon their health. They were ignorant of the
fact that they were bringing much suffering upon themselves. Children
who are experienced in this vice, seem to be bewitched by the devil
until they can impart their vile knowledge to others, even teaching
very young children this practice.
Mothers, you cannot be too careful in preventing your children
from learning low habits. It is easier to guard them from evil, than
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for them to eradicate it after it is learned. Neighbors may permit their
children to come to your house, to spend the evening and the night
with your children. Here is a trial, and a choice for you, to run the
risk of offending your neighbors by sending their children to their own
home, or gratify them, and let them lodge with your children, and
thus expose them to be instructed in that knowledge which would be a
life-long curse to them.
To save my children from being corrupted, I have not allowed them
to sleep in the same bed, nor in the same room, with other boys, and
have, as occasion has required, when traveling, made a scanty bed