"Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. [See Deut. v, 1.] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Mal. iv, 4—6.
There is no doubt but what we are living in the very time of the fulfillment of this prophecy. How important then, that parents, who keep the statutes and judgments, turn their attention to their children, and teach them the commandments of the Lord; that they with them "may enter in through the gates into the city." The parents must feel the responsibility that now rests upon them. The salvation of their children depends on their strict attention to cultivate their minds to serve God, by precept and example. All that are saved now, must keep the commandments of God, in accordance with the third angel's message.—Rev. xiv, 12. No matter how much else we do, if this third and last message is unheeded, we cannot be saved, any more than those who are now condemned for rejecting the first and second messages in verses 6—8. When the Master of the house (the Lord Jesus) rose up and shut to the door, all honest believers, that had submitted to his will, and children that had not arrived to the years of accountability, were undoubtedly borne in on his breast-plate of judgment which is over his heart.—The names of all that fully keep the commandments are retained. These that do not, will have their names erased before Jesus leaves the Holiest.
The children, that are taught, and that keep the commandments of God, as they come to the years of accountability, are believers just as fully as adult persons, that are now embracing all of the commandments, in addition to what they believed before.
It is true, some persons that are ignorant of this message may, and undoubtedly will be saved if they die before Jesus leaves the Holiest.—I mean those that were believers before 1844. Sinners and backsliders cannot get their names on the breast-plate of judgment now. God in infinite mercy has borne with our ignorance on this subject until now; and our children have been neglected as they should not have been.—Let us then do all that our hands find to do towards their salvation,10we are rejoiced to know that many are doing their duty. Bro. White has spoken out on this subject, in the "Present Truth." Also Sister Whitcomb; yet there are some, that are not doing all they can, in the way of instructing their children at home, and in taking them with them to the Sabbath and other meetings. God wants to save the children, as well as their parents.
Moses was especially instructed about this thing. "Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may TEACH THEM CHILDREN." Deut. iv, 10. "Thou shalt keep, therefore, his statutes and his commandments which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with THY CHILDREN after thee," &c. Verse 40.
See also Deut. xi, 19—21. And ye shall teach them your CHILDREN, [my commandments which I command you this day. See verse 13.] speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.—And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates," &c.
When the whole people promised to keep this covenant, God said, "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their CHILDREN FOREVER." Chap. v, 29.
Isaiah also, when teaching of things that would come to pass in the last days, says, "For I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will SAVE THY CHILDREN." Chap. xlix, 25. "And all thy CHILDREN shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy CHILDREN." Chap. liv, 13.
At the day of Pentecost, Peter points to the same day that Malachi does. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, (saith God,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions," &c. Acts, ii, 17. "For the promise is unto you and your children," &c. Verse 39.
When God, by his outstretched arm, recovered ancient Israel from the power of the king of Egypt, their children were included, and went out with them, and finally entered the promised Canaan. God in setting his hand the second time to recover the remnant of Israel, has shown by his prophets, that the children will come with their parents. See Jer. xxx, 20; Eze. xxxvii, 25; Zec. x, 7, 9. Praise our God, we have the evidence that he is now doing this very work among the remnant. Let us look at it also in the example or type according to Paul. 1 Cor. x, 6, 11. The Lord said unto Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my LAW, or no." Ex. xvi, 4. This LAW was the keeping, or restoring the seventh-day Sabbath. Proof, verses 27—30. Here the children were included with their parents; so also in the other passages quoted above. So now, in the second and last time, when God is recovering the true Israel, that are keeping and restoring the same seventh day Sabbath, with the keeping of all the commandments of God, they will have their children, that are in like manner obedient, to go with them into the heavenly Canaan.
With what energy and zeal should the parents who keep the commandments, grasp these precious promises for their dear children; and beseech God for help and strength from the Holy Sanctuary, to bring their children to him, before "the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come." At which time their wicked children will be cut down before their eyes, if they have neglected to lead them to God.
With us, we have set apart a portion of the Sabbath to pray with and instruct all the children that come to our meetings, and have already felt the blessing of God attending it. Sensible we are, that our time in doing any more for our children is short. It must be done quickly, or it will be too late. JOSEPH BATES. Fairhaven, Mass., Nov. 24, 1850.