Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)

Lt 52a, 1874

Children

Kokomo, Indiana

September 25, 1874

Previously unpublished.

My Dear Children:

I was not able to sleep the latter part of last night because of my anxiety for my children. I spent the hours of wakefulness in pleading with God in behalf of my children. We, your parents, are responsible to God for this solemn charge, the children committed to our trust. We are so to do our work that the purpose of God shall be accomplished in your life of usefulness in this world, and that you shall be awarded the precious blessing of the life everlasting in the future world. The question will come up again and again, Does God require this great sacrifice of us, to have so little opportunity to enjoy the society of our children, and labor to bring sons and daughters to God? I am wearied, often wearied, in settling this question. It is true I have not neglected to write you, to counsel you by letter, to give you practical lessons in the life of Christ, to seek to bring your minds up to realize the claims of God and humanity upon you. 2LtMs, Lt 52a, 1874, par. 1

I do not cease my prayers in your behalf. How pleased I should be, could I be with you more as other mothers are with their children. I will tell you how you can help me and relieve me of anxiety. You are men grown and you can be so thoroughly devoted to God that [incomplete]. 2LtMs, Lt 52a, 1874, par. 2

I have just written to several young women, children of Sabbathkeepers. Some of these now have families of their own, but have made a sad failure in the earlier experience. They made crooked paths for their feet and the lame in consequence have been turned out of the way. They lived deceptive lives, concealed their wrongs and their follies by prevarication and direct falsehoods. These stand registered in the books of heaven. This experience has been sad, and has dwarfed their Christian growth. They might now have had moral strength, and a valuable, rich experience more precious than gold. But they did not make their standard high. There were no high motives, no stern integrity of purpose to be a blessing to others in this life and to love and fear God and attain to the future life. A lovesick sentimentalism has perverted the gold of character. Selfishness of the most aggravating kind has stamped the life and marred the character. I have thought what these will have to repent of. What a work is before them! 2LtMs, Lt 52a, 1874, par. 3