A Mother's Influence by A. S. Nason

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 22, 1873

A Mother's Influence.

By A. S. Nason

THE power of a mother's influence cannot be estimated, either for good or evil. Fearful is her responsibility, and how weak and feeble are all her efforts, if unsustained by religion. The rich blessing of a godly mother is beyond all price. As I write, memory carries me back to my childhood days, ere I had known the grief of being motherless. The years were brief that I enjoyed a mother's love and holy teaching. But they stamped upon my mind an influence that has followed me through all the changing scenes of my life. Never can I sufficiently thank God for the gift of a Christian mother. I believe her prayers have shielded me in many a dark hour of temptation, and have been the means of leading me to be a follower of Jesus.

I think the Lord especially cares for the children who are committed to his love by praying mothers. Sometimes, perhaps, they will wander in the paths of sin for years, unmindful of the holy instruction of their early years, and apparently reckless of their eternal welfare. But God does not forget the mother's prayers, and circumstances will be brought to bear upon these misguided ones which will lead them to renounce the world and find pardon, in the Saviour, for their sins. I shall never cease to hope, while life is spared, that those youth who have been blessed with earnest, prayerful mothers, though now in the pursuit of folly and sin, will yet come to repentance.

I see many dear youth around me who have prayerless mothers, and my heart yearns in pity over them. Such mothers think chiefly of an honored position in this life for their children. Pride and fashion must be followed at the risk of life and health. What anguish will fill the hearts of these mothers if at last their children are shut out of the kingdom of Heaven, and they feel that they might have been saved, had their influence been to lead them to deny self and seek the honor of Jesus instead of the applause of a corrupt world. Oh! may God open the eyes of unfaithful parents to a sense of their duty while yet mercy lingers for them and their children. A mother cannot be too earnest, too prayerful. Satan is laying snares on every hand, for the inexperienced youth. My heart almost sinks within me as I look abroad in the world, and realize the terrible influence that is drifting so many down to death. I am led to ask, Who shall be able to stand against this tide of evil? We who are parents, need a power such as earnest, agonizing prayer alone can give us.

Christ has said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” All weak and erring as we are, if we throw ourselves upon His strength, we shall be enabled to perform our duty, and save ourselves and our children.

If we are permitted to see the dear ones God has intrusted to our care, fitted at last to share the inheritance of the righteous, we shall feel repaid for all our toil and care. Though hardship and anxiety be the mother's lot in this life, a shining crown shall deck the brows of the faithful ones in the life hereafter.

A. S. Nason.

Lynn, Mass.