Care of Our Children by Harriet S. Zoller

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 30, 1869

Care of Our Children.

By Harriet S. Zoller

Do NOT let us neglect our children. If we do not see that they are supplied with spiritual food, Satan will feed them with envy, lust, and pride. He will see that the passions, especially the grosser ones, are fully nourished, and he will spare no pains to sever our influence from those whom God has given us.

But, we ask, how shall we reach our children, particularly if we have not watched them from the cradle to know that they are kept from every secret sin?

If in our heart there burns a desire to be pure in the sight of holy angels and our great High Priest; if, like our Saviour, we would, although tempted, be without sin, and would, in the earnestness of our souls, have our children innocent before God; if we really hate sin and love righteousness; if we walk with God; circumstances and occasions above our control, will occur by which the Spirit will operate, and our prayers be answered.

Let us exercise more faith, and, when we discover their sins, let us not be angry with them, and scold and lose our self-possession, thus separating ourselves farther from them, but let us draw them closer to us, and explain to them the nature of sin, the power of our great adversary, and the sure victory that Christ can give them.

HARRIET S. ZOLLER.

Marquette Co., Wis.