The Conversion of Our Children by T. E. BOWEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 15, 1907

The Conversion of Our Children

By T. E. BOWEN

T. E. BOWEN

WE are in the season of our camp-meetings, when many of the youth and children gather at these annual convocations to seek the Lord. These are important occasions, and places to which children and youth should assemble with their parents.

At these meetings opportunities are given to seek the Lord in a special way. And this is right. But there are some points of instruction the Lord has been pleased to give us which parents and others would do well to study. It sometimes occurs that parents, in their great anxiety to have their children go forward in a public profession of Christ, overlook some very important points that have a bearing upon true conversion of heart. The Lord does not always operate in the same manner. And it must be remembered that God is constantly looking upon the heart, and not so much upon the outward demonstrations. Some who seem to have a wonderful experience at camp-meetings may not really make that true and lasting advancement in those inner struggles and victories which count so much in conversion as do those who are more retiring and reserved in their ways.

Again: parents often seem to think that unless some special meeting can be cited where their boy gave his heart to God, or where their girl surrendered to Christ, they have not been accepted of him. This is a mistaken idea. Please study carefully the following words from “Desire of Ages,” page 515:—

“Fathers and mothers should look upon their children as younger members of the Lord’s family, committed to them to educate for heaven. The lessons that we ourselves learn from Christ we should give to our children [in the home], as the young minds can receive them, little by little opening to them the beauty of the principles of heaven. Thus the Christian home becomes a school, where the parents serve as under-teachers, while Christ himself is the chief instructor.

“In working for the conversion of our children, we should not look for violent emotion as the essential evidence of conviction of sin. Nor is it necessary to know the exact time when they are converted. We should teach them to bring their sins to Jesus, asking his forgiveness, and believing that he pardons and receives them as he received the children when he was personally on earth.”

How simple this all is! And the beauty and strength of it is that it is so simple. Neither we ourselves nor our children need go on week after week burdened with a sense of sin. Bring it all to Jesus, in secret prayer, or about the family altar in confession, and then believe Jesus has heard and forgiven, which is really true.

Then so much depends upon the father’s conduct in the home. Often it is that unnecessary harshness that drives the children away from the Lord. “Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged” (Col. 3:21), is God’s word upon this point.

“Jesus was the pattern for children, and he was also the father’s example. He spoke as one having authority, and his word was with power; yet in all his intercourse with rude and violent men he did not use one unkind or discourteous expression. The grace of Christ in the heart will impart a heaven-born dignity and sense of propriety. It will soften whatever is harsh, and subdue all that is coarse and unkind. It will lead fathers and mothers to treat their children as intelligent beings, as they themselves would like to be treated.” —“Desire of Ages,” page 515.

Often the confession of parents to the children of their harshness and unkindness and failure to treat them in the home as they should be treated, is the last obstruction needing to be removed from before them in their efforts to find Jesus. The Lord did not fail, but as parents we do, on the point of kindness (not to be interpreted to mean loose government). But simple, heartfelt confession, alone with the children, will bring forgiveness, and prove effective in winning their affection and love both to parents and to the dear Saviour.