passion in the children, and stirs up the evils of their nature. Some parents correct their children severely with a spirit of impatience, and often in passion. Such corrections produce no good result. In seeking to correct one evil, they create two. Continual censuring and whipping hardens children, and weans them from their parents. Parents should first learn to control themselves; then they can more successfully control their children. Every time they lose self-control, and speak and act impatiently, they sin against God. They should first reason with their children, clearly point out their wrongs, show them their sin, and impress upon them that they have not only sinned against them, but against God. With your heart subdued and full of pity and sorrow for your erring children, pray with them, before correcting them. Then your correction will not cause your children to hate you. They will love you. They will see that you do not punish them because they have put you to inconvenience, or because you wish to vent your displeasure upon them; but from a sense of duty for their good, that they may not be left to grow up in sin and wickedness. p. 140, Para. 1, [4SGb].
Some parents have failed to give their children a religious education, and have also neglected their school education. Neither should have been neglected. Children's minds will be active. If not engaged in physical labor, or occupied with study, they will be exposed to bad influences. It is sin for parents to suffer their children to grow up in ignorance. They should be supplied with useful and interesting books. They should be learned to work, and have hours for physical labor, and hours to devote to study and reading. p. 141, Para. 1, [4SGb].
Parents should seek to elevate the minds of their children. They should cultivate their intellect, and strive to improve their mental faculties. The mind left to itself uncultivated will be generally low, sensual, and corrupt. Satan improves his opportunity, and educates idle minds. p. 141, Para. 2, [4SGb].
Parents, the recording angel writes every impatient, fretful word you utter to your children. Every failure on your part to give your children proper instruction, and show them the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the final result of a sinful course, is marked against your name. Every unguarded word spoken before your children carelessly, or in jest, not chaste and elevated, the