A CHRISTIAN mother who, through the grace of God given her, had been most successful herself in bringing up a large family of girls and boys, once jotted down on paper the following few words, which all parents would surely do well to bear in mind: ―
“Children must, in the first place, be brought up in the fear of the Lord; then in the fear and love of their parents. They should, however, be drawn to love their parents more than to fear them, for if fear predominates, there will be a deficiency in love, but if love be greatest, there will be no lack of fear.”
Would that all believing parents walked by the same rule, ever striving to teach by their lives as much as by their lips the wholesome counsels of God’s word. In these closing days of widespread independence and lawlessness, when respect to parents is deemed by many old-fashioned and unworthy of such an age of advancement, how solemn is the responsibility resting upon us all as parents to acquire early an influence over the minds of our children which shall be, under God’s blessing, of lasting benefit to them. Jehovah’s message to His chosen people of old is still refreshing to the hearts of all His own — “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 their children” (Deut. 4:1010Specially 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 their children. (Deuteronomy 4:10)); as also that sweet word, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children.” E. G.