August 8, 1899

Disease and Its Causes

EGW

The first important lesson for children to learn is the proper denial of appetite. It is the duty of mothers to attend to the wants of their children, by soothing and diverting their minds, instead of giving them food, and thus teaching them that eating is the remedy for life's ills.RH August 8, 1899, par. 1

If parents had lived healthfully, being satisfied with a simple diet, much expense would have been saved. The father would not have been obliged to labor beyond his strength, in order to supply the needs of his family. A simple, nourishing diet would not have had an influence unduly to excite the nervous system and the animal passions, producing moroseness and irritability. If he had partaken only of plain food, his head would have been clear, his nerves steady, his stomach in a healthy condition; and with a pure system, he would have had no loss of appetite, and the present generation would be in a much better condition than it now is. But even now, in this late period, something can be done to improve our condition. Temperance in all things is necessary. A temperate father will not complain if he has no great variety on his table. A healthful manner of living will improve the condition of the family in every sense, and will allow the wife and mother time to devote to her children. The great study with parents will be in what manner they can best train their children for usefulness in this world, and for heaven hereafter. They will be content to see their children with neat, plain, comfortable garments, free from embroidery and adornment; and will earnestly labor to see them in possession of the inward adorning, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.RH August 8, 1899, par. 2

Before the Christian father leaves his home, to go to his labor, he will gather his family around him, and bowing before God, will commit them to the care of the Chief Shepherd. He will then go forth to his labor with the love and blessing of his wife, and the love of his children, to make his heart cheerful through his laboring hours. And that mother who is aroused to her duty realizes the obligations resting upon her to her children in the absence of the father. She will feel that she lives for her husband and children. By training her children aright, teaching them habits of temperance and self-control, and teaching them their duty to God, she is qualifying them to become useful in the world, to elevate the standard of morals in society, and to reverence and obey the law of God. Patiently and perseveringly will the godly mother instruct her children, giving them line upon line, and precept upon precept, not in a harsh, compelling manner, but in love; and in tenderness will she win them. They will consider her lessons of love, and will happily listen to her words of instruction.RH August 8, 1899, par. 3

Instead of sending them from her presence, that she may not be troubled with their noise, nor be annoyed with the numerous attentions they would desire, she will feel that her time can not be better employed than in soothing and diverting their restless, active minds with some amusement, or light, happy employment. The mother will be amply repaid for her efforts in taking time to invent amusement for her children.RH August 8, 1899, par. 4

Young children love society. They can not, as a general thing, enjoy themselves alone; and the mother should feel that in most cases the place for her children, when they are in the house, is in the room she occupies. She can then have a general oversight of them, and be prepared to set little differences right, when appealed to by them, and correct wrong habits, or the manifestation of selfishness or passion, and can thus give their minds a turn in the right direction. That which children enjoy they think mother will be pleased with, and it is perfectly natural for them to consult her in little matters of perplexity. And the mother should not wound the heart of her sensitive child by treating the matter with indifference, or by refusing to be troubled with such small matters. That which may be small to the mother is large to her children. A word of direction, or caution, at the right time will often prove of great value. An approving glance, a word of encouragement or praise, from the mother, will often cast a sunbeam into their young hearts for a whole day.RH August 8, 1899, par. 5

The first education children should receive from the mother in infancy, should be in regard to their physical health. They should be allowed only plain food, of that quality that will preserve to them the best condition of health; and that should be partaken of only at regular periods, not oftener than three times a day, and two meals would be better than three. If children are disciplined aright, they will soon learn that they can receive nothing by crying or fretting. In training her children, a judicious mother will act not merely in regard to her own present comfort, but for their future good. And to this end, she will teach them the important lesson of controlling the appetite, and of self-denial, that they should eat, drink, and dress with reference to health.RH August 8, 1899, par. 6

A well-disciplined family, who love and obey God, will be cheerful and happy. The father when he returns from his daily labor, will not bring his perplexities to his home. He will feel that home, and the family circle, are too sacred to be marred with unhappy perplexities. When he left his home, he did not leave his Saviour and his religion behind. Both were his companions. The sweet influence of his home, the blessing of his wife, and the love of his children, make his burdens light; and he returns with peace in his heart, and cheerful, encouraging words for his wife and children, who are waiting joyfully to welcome his coming. As he bows with his family at the altar of prayer to offer up his grateful thanks to God for his preserving care of himself and loved ones through the day, angels of God hover in the room, and bear the fervent prayers of God-fearing parents to heaven, as sweet incense, which are answered by returning blessings.RH August 8, 1899, par. 7

Parents should impress upon their children that it is sin to consult the taste, to the injury of the stomach. They should impress upon their minds that by violating the laws of their being they sin against their Maker. Children thus educated will not be difficult of restraint. They will not be subject to irritable, changeable tempers, and will be in a far better condition for enjoying life. Such children will the more readily and clearly understand their moral obligations. Children who have been taught to yield their will and wishes to their parents will the more easily and readily yield their wills to God, and will submit to be controlled by the Spirit of Christ. Why so many who claim to be Christians have numerous trials, which keep the church burdened, is because they have not been correctly trained in their childhood, and were left in a great measure to form their own character. Their wrong habits, and peculiar, unhappy dispositions were not corrected. They were not taught to yield their will to their parents. Their whole religious experience is affected by their training in childhood. They were not then controlled. They grew up undisciplined, and now, in their religious experience, it is difficult for them to yield to that pure discipline taught in the word of God. Parents should realize the responsibility resting upon them to educate their children in reference to their religious experience.RH August 8, 1899, par. 8

Those who regard the marriage relation as one of God's sacred ordinances, guarded by his holy precept, will be controlled by the dictates of reason. They will consider carefully the result of every privilege the marriage relation grants. Such will feel that their children are precious jewels committed to their keeping by God, to remove from their natures the rough surface by discipline, that their luster may appear. They will feel under most solemn obligations so to form their characters that they may do good in their life, bless others with their light, and the world be better for their having lived in it, and they be finally fitted for the higher life, the better world, to shine in the presence of God and the Lamb forever.RH August 8, 1899, par. 9