The Blessed Experience of a Christian Mother

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 11, 1915

The Blessed Experience of a Christian Mother

[The following experience of a dear Christian mother is so practical and helpful that I want all our mothers to read it; but for fear of embarrassment to the parents I am withholding the name. If mothers will only write me their experiences freely for the good of others, I will not betray their confidence, especially if they request that their names be not published. At the same time I should like short articles from parents over their own names.—MRS. C. C. L.]

JAMES is our only child, and the “way” before us is untried. One of the things we have often heard said is that “a child can go so long, and then you’ve got to whip him.” The particular morning I am going to tell you of found our little man of three years in a different mood. Nothing seemed to suit. He couldn’t get up in his high chair alone;

he didn’t want to “just have prayers all the time.” This last “straw” caused me to say in an undertone to his father, “That child has gone about as long as he can without a whipping.” To this his father agreed, saying, “Now straighten up, or I shall have to help you.”

Breakfast being ready, we all sat down to have worship. The way to handle the little son’s bad humor weighed on my heart so heavily that before my time to join in prayer came I just poured out my feelings to the Lord silently, and asked for wisdom to know how to deal with my child. He usually says the Lord’s Prayer at worship, and this time joined willingly; so some way the matter of his misconduct slipped my mind entirely until that evening when my husband and I were speaking of the events of the day. Then I suddenly remembered how the morning was started; and as I went over the day again in my mind, I remembered that my boy had not given one bit of trouble, and I had not even thought until then of his ill humor of the morning.

Now I firmly believe in the Bible plan of child training as I understand it, but I do not believe it is given to any one to know, without asking the Lord, how to “train up a child in the way he should go,” so he will not depart from it when he is old. I believe that “way” only God knows, and he will reveal it to us when we rely on him and ask for wisdom. I use the “rod of correction” sometimes, and yet I believe if I had used it that time I should have done wrong. The Lord mercifully saved me from it. How thankful I am for the privilege of being a mother, and also for morning and evening family worship. “Morning family worship is a strong seam well stitched on the border of the day to keep it from traveling out into contention, confusion, and ungodliness. Wise is that Christian parent who hems every morning with the Word of God and fervent prayer.”