The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-10-22
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Earnest Words to Parents.

Earnest Words to Parents.
Parents, God has given you children
they are heritage from the Lord" Your
hearts cling to them in fond affection; they
are part of yourselves you love them as
you do your own lives, and are concerned
for their interest as for your own. In early
infancy you dedicated them to God; they
are now sacramentally connected with His
Church-planted in the rich soil of His
vineyard. At their baptism you promised to
train them up in the nurture and admoni-
ton of the Lord, to pray for and with them,
and teach them to pray, to instruct them
and cause them to be instructed in the doc
trines of our holy Christianity, and to con-
firm your instructions by pious example.
You have, therefore, assumed solemn duties
and responsibilities, the weight of which, if
you are indeed Christian parents, you deeply
feel. Have you not often, as you looked
upon your dear children, your sons and your
daughters, entertained the questions: What
will become of them what will be their
future will they all be obedient and lead
godly lives, or will any Of them despise their
birthright and yield themselves up to sin
and the follies of the world 4? Such anxious
thoughts have often occupied yonr minds,
and drawn tears to your eyes. You have
observed the disobedience, the waywardneSs
and impiety of many other children, and in
some cases, too, where the parents did not
seem to be at fault; hence your anxiety
about your own children. Allow me to say
to you there is reason for your anxiety; you
should feel thus, even in reference to your
selves" work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling" At the same time,
however, you have no cause for despair in
reference to your children. You have the
promise, Train up child in the way he
should 90, and when he is old he will not
depart from it." To discharge this duty
properly, however, requires mnch effort,
carefulness and prayer. Many parents for
felt the promise God has given them by
their sinfnl neglect of duty. They are too
careless themselves and hence have no right
to expect their children to be earnest and
consistent. Some parents live without
prayer they do not even say grace at meals,
and show no earnest piety in their families
in any way. They do not instruct their chill
dren, nor do they require them to commit to
memory the Catechism as they grow up, and
the Bible is scarcely ever read in their hear
ing. The parents, besides, neglect for the
most part public worship on the Lords Day,
and are otherwise unworthy and inconsistent
Such parents should not be surprised at all
should their children follow in their footsteps,
and even exceed them in worldliness and
wrong doing, Such parents, if not aroused
from their sinful lethargy, and brought to
repentance, will not only perish themselves,
but are likely to prove the guilty agents in
the destruction of their childrenl If parents
would exercise Salutary influence upon
their children, they must be in a state Of
grace themselves; without living interest
in their own salvation, they cannot cherish
for their children proper sOlicitude, nor
discharge toward them the sacred obligations
of parents. Let all parents, then, see to it
that their own hearts are right with God,
that they live in His Holy fellowship, and
then will their hearts yearn for the true wei
fare, usefulness and salvation of their off
spring. Besides, let parents be cautioned
against the too common delusiOn that others
can perform the work which God has i'm
posed upon parents. Thong h much can be
done in the Sunday School and catechetical
class; yet there is a work that can be done
by parents only. God requires them to
"train up their children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord" May God give all
parents grace themselves to lead holy lives,
to faithfully instruct their beloved children,
and bear them continually on the arms of
their faith and prayer before throne of
grace, and thus may parents and children
rejoice together in the possession of Gods
favor, in their usefulness in the Church and
the world, and at last share together, in
blessed reunion, eternal felicity in the heav
ly world Christian World.