Appeal to Mothers
13
given you of God to be used for a better purpose. A plain, nourishing
diet will not require so great an amount of labor. We should devote
more time to humble, earnest prayer to God, for wisdom to bring up
our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The health
of the mind is dependent upon the health of the body. As Christian
parents, we are bound to train our children in reference to the laws of
life. We should instruct them, by precept and example, that we do not
live to eat, but that we eat to live. We should encourage in our children
a love for nobleness of mind, and a pure, virtuous character. In order to
strengthen in them the moral perceptions, the love of spiritual things,
we must regulate the manner of our living, dispense with animal food,
and use grains, vegetables, and fruits, as articles of diet.
Mothers, is there not a work for you to do in your families? You
may inquire, How can we remedy the evils which already exist? How
shall we begin the work? If you lack wisdom, go to God. He has
promised to give liberally. Pray much, and fervently, for divine aid.
One rule cannot be followed in every case. The exercise of sanctified
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judgment is now needful. Be not hasty and agitated, and approach your
children with censure. Such a course would only cause rebellion in
them. You should feel deeply over any wrong course you have taken,
which may have opened a door for Satan to lead your children by his
temptations. If you have not instructed them in regard to the violation
of the laws of health, blame rests upon you. You have neglected an
important duty, the result of which may be seen in the wrong practices
of your children. Before you engage in the work of teaching your
children the lesson of self-control, you should learn it yourself. If
you are easily agitated, and become impatient, how can you appear
reasonable to your children while instructing them to control their
passions? With self-possession, and feelings of the deepest sympathy
and pity, you should approach your erring children, and faithfully
present to them the sure work of ruin upon their constitutions, if
they continue the course they have begun; that as they debilitate the
physical and mental, so, also, the moral must feel the decay, and they
are sinning, not only against themselves, but against God.
You should make them feel, if possible, that it is God, the pure and
holy God, that they have been sinning against; that the great Searcher
of hearts is displeased with their course; that nothing is concealed
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from him. If you can so impress your children, that they will exercise