Manuscript Releases, vol. 9 [Nos. 664-770]

MR No. 758—Reverence on the Sabbath

The next thing that was shown me was the great sin of parents neglecting their children. I saw that they would have an awful account to give in _____. They had fostered and cherished the evil tempers of their children until God's frown was upon them and their children. They have forgotten that which is written in the Holy Word. “He that spareth the rod hateth his son” (Proverbs 13:24), and the children are left to come up instead of being brought up or trained up. The poor little children are thought not to know or understand a correction at eight, nine, or ten months old. They begin to show stubbornness very young, and it is cherished and nourished by their parents until these evil passions grow with their growth, and strengthen with their strength. 9MR 321.1

The house of God is desecrated and the Sabbath violated by Sabbath believers’ children. They run about the house, play, talk, and manifest their evil tempers in the very meetings where the saints have met together to glorify God and to worship Him in the beauty of holiness. The place that should be holy, where a holy stillness should reign, and where there should be perfect order, neatness and humility, is made to be a perfect Babylon and a place where confusion, disorder, and untidiness reign. This is enough to shut out God from our assemblies and cause His wrath to be kindled, that He will not be pleased to go out with the armies of Israel to battle against our enemies.... 9MR 321.2

Parents, I saw, stood in the place of God to their children and they will have to render an awful account whether they have been faithful to the little few that were committed to their trust. 9MR 321.3

I saw that you were rearing children to be cut down by the destroying angel unless you speedily turn square about and be faithful to your children. Think you God can cover or hide and preserve children whose iniquity He hates? No, never. God hates the passion, evil tempers, etc., manifested by unruly children. He cannot save them in the time of trouble. They will be eternally lost. Parents, negligent, unfaithful parents, their blood will be upon you, and can you expect to be saved in the day of God's fierce anger with the blood of your children upon you—children who might have been saved had you acted as faithful parents should? God said of Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19), and He gave him the name of being the father of the faithful. 9MR 322.1

Parents, it is your duty to have your children under perfect subjection, having all their passions and evil tempers perfectly subdued. I saw that if they were carried to the house of God, they should be made to know where they are, that they are not at home, but where God meets with His people. They should be kept quiet, from all play and running about, then God will deign to meet with His people. 9MR 322.2

The truth, I saw, had had but little effect. When it was talked, there seemed to be no power to stir up the depth of the soul. A death-like stupor has hung upon the professed people of God, and the reason is that the ark is not with them, for its holy commandments have been violated, and God has taken it away in His anger. 9MR 322.3

Parents, correct your children. Commence while they are young, when impressions can be made early and their evil temper subdued before it takes deep root and is strengthened with their strength. Correct your children in love. Do not correct them in passion or let them have their way until even you yourself are angry and then punish them. Correct your children, and then after you have done your duty, carry them to God and ask God to help you. Tell Him you have done your part, and then plead with Him to do His part, that you cannot do. Beg of Him to temper their dispositions, to make them mild and gentle by His Holy Spirit. God will hear you pray. He will love to answer your prayers. But He despises your prayers while you neglect your duty to your children and then pray Him to do the work for them. God corrects us when we go astray from Him, and you are bound to correct your children when they disobey you and show passion and an evil temper. 9MR 323.1

Above everything, take care of your children upon the Sabbath. Do not let them violate it, for you may just as well violate it yourself as to let your children do it. When you suffer your children to play upon the Sabbath, God looks upon you as a commandment breaker. You transgress His Sabbath. 9MR 323.2

Your children should be made to mind you. Your word should be their law. Parents, take hold of this work, for the destroying angel is soon to pass around and slay utterly both old and young—men, women, and little children. He will spare only those upon whom is the mark. Oh, do not be weighed in the balances and found wanting!—Manuscript 3, 1854, pp. 6-8. (“Testimony for the Churches in New York State,” February 12, 1854.) 9MR 323.3

White Estate

Washington, D.C.,

January 2, 1980.