A WARNING TO PARENTS by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 4, 1868

A WARNING TO PARENTS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

A SHORT time ago I was conversing with a young woman who told me in substance as follows:

She had for some time felt convicted of her duty to become a Christian. But she delayed a long time to take up the cross. At last she prayed one day in secret, and there obtained a blessing with strength to resolve to take up her cross. It was impressed on her mind that she should pray that evening at family prayers. This she resolved to do, and thus to openly take up the cross. Evening came, cares pressed hard, the parents were tired, and finally one after another retired, and prayers were omitted. This threw her into doubt and darkness. She ceased her efforts to become a Christian, and is now indulging in doubts and darkness, fast tending to infidelity.

If this precious soul, for whom Christ died, is lost, will not these parents have an account to render for the influence which their lack of devotion had upon her? I fear they will, and so will others. The “cares of this world” choke the spiritual life of many nominal Christians, so that they will never bring any fruit to perfection. There was a chance for the parents to bear fruit; but no, the cares of this world pressed too hard; no fruit was borne. Parents, beware! D. M. CANRIGHT.