APPEAL TO MOTHERS by Daniel T. Bourdeau

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 23, 1867

APPEAL TO MOTHERS.

By Daniel T. Bourdeau

We left Knoxville this morning about two hours before day, intending to reach this place in time to take the train for Fairfield. But as we were detained in crossing the Des Moines river by an unusual amount of snow and ice floating down the river, occasioned by a recent snow-storm, we failed to make a connection, and must stop in this place over night. And as we have a few leisure moments, we are deeply impressed with the conviction that in no better and more profitable way can we employ our time than in calling the attention of the readers of the Review to the work indicated by the heading of these lines.

We call the attention of parents and youth to this work. 1. Because of its importance, which will be seen, not only in perusing its pages, but also by comparing the instructions it contains with what other able and judicious writers have said on the subject upon which it treats, with the laws of our being, and with what the Sacred Scriptures teach on the subject. 2. Because from our own observation in traveling among the churches, we fear, we know that all have not read this work, and that many of those who have, have not given it the serious attention that it demands. We are satisfied that quite a number of well-meaning youth are kept from embracing the truth, for a want of proper instruction on this subject; and that parents and preachers may labor and pray for them while mercy lasts; but they will fail to turn them to the Lord, unless the parents take hold of this matter in the manner pointed out in the work herein recommended.

If you are not yet sufficiently satisfied of the importance of the subject before us to make the duty it inculcates a matter of conscience, pray God to open your eyes that you may see the corruptions of this wicked age. Use your own eyes and senses, and observe the words, physiognomies and actions of most of the children and youth around you. Go to the Insane Asylum at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, as I have done, or to the one at Brattleboro, Vermont, or to others in other parts of the Union, and ask the superintendents of those institutions what is one of the main causes of the insanity of their patients, and see what they will say. See if they will not tell you that it is the foul, health and soul-destroying transgression that I allude to, which has been the cause of the sad degeneracy of many of them. That some were promising young men and women, but that they ruined themselves by this vice.

Lay aside false delicacy, and mercifully do your duty to your children; and when the snare is broken, and they see where they have been, they will thank you, and will soon be where they can begin to appreciate the solemn truths for these last days. Do you say that this is too delicate a matter to touch? Then cease reading your Bibles; for they use great plainness in exposing and condemning this abominable sin. Never read why the cities of the plain were destroyed. Never read the first chapter of Romans, and other passages which treat on the same subject. But if this awful sin is not too delicate to commit, is it too delicate to be exposed? Can sin go where righteousness cannot? Has it come to this, that you will be thus duped by Satan, and give him the ground to ruin your dear children? Will you not be responsible for the lives of your children if you neglect your duty? I beseech you to read up on this subject, and act accordingly, and I shall have the satisfaction that these lines were not written in vain.

D. T. BOURDEAU.

Pella, Iowa, March 26, 1867.