| Show DUTY TO CHILDREN the sacred obligations of parents among the latter day saints in properly training and educating their children is frequently and earnestly sought to be impressed upon the whole people it to in a principle to which the attention of the shinto saints in every age has been special specially jy directed direct ea speaking of abraham and the blessing be received in iii the promise that in him should all nations of the earth be blessed the he lord said for I 1 know him that he will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the lord to do justice and judgment 11 II through his hia integrity abraham gained the proud dit distinction of father of the faithful he not only sought to lo conform personally to gospel laws and ordinances but comprehended his big kiuly to the extent that he be commanded hta his children and his hia household to walk in ID the way of the liori and so lar aar as he was able to lead them therein he did so no the savior said to the jews if ye were the children of abraham ye would do the works of Abr abraham ahava ai ibey were lineal descendants of af the patriarch according to the abe flesh but that was nut not sufficient to eatable them to enter into beirs bip to lu the bl blessings spiritual and temporal that were conferred erred upon their great progenitor the lord proved them with another test which reached to the fact as to whether or not they had by a departure from the patriarchs archis Is example of obedience to god forfeited their birthright this test teat ol of their works judged each person on his lu individual merits when the gospel was carried to the gentile nations the same rule was wag applied to them if they could dothe do the works of abraham they could become heirs to the promise maus made to him those who hear the gospel in this dispensation are in a similar situation if they obey the gospel they are numbered with the seed of the father of the ibe faithful it is not enough for them to run well for a season and then fall away the patriarch sets seta no such example his bis work was not partially done he aimed at faithfulness to all the laws of god and aad maintained to the end his hie efforts to accomplish that object As aa seen in the quotation from the scriptures one feature of the works of abraham which the almighty specially commended commanded was that he commanded those under his bis control in the way of the lord all who have a standing among the saints and especially parents will do well to bear this hie in mind for it conveys a lesson of importance in this dispensation the almighty has by direct revelation called the attention of the salute sainte to the special obligation resting upon them to teach their children to un deru oera taud tand the doctrine of faith in christ repentance and of baptism and the gilt gift ol of the holy ghost by toe the lay ing on of hands when eight years old little children are to be instructed to trust in the lord jesus tor for their salvation to forsake and avoid evil and tu to understand that at the age of eight years they are entitled to and should receive the ordinances which give them membership in the church this feature of a childs education la Is a responsibility that cannot be evaded by parents bringing condemnation the rhe lord sends bends hie hib servants eer to aj ad nations to preach the everlasting dospel abe only beaus oi 01 galva salvation tiou in the kingdom or of heaven and they are admonished to search diligently and spare not 22 that their garme ta is may be clean of the blood 0 flats generation the saints sainte are commanded to every one warn hie bit Delab bor that no sin ein of omi omission way may be laid at their door the law being thus thug particular with respect to the world how can parents in justify themselves tor for failure to train their own flesh and blood in int the helear tear and admonition of the th lord eLord fornea for neglecting to instruct their own offspring over whom they have entire control cout rol iu in the principles that tire are essential to salvation the lord has haa declared that when the parental duty in this regard Is nut not berf perfus med the sin bin to is upon ulf the head af the parents ii 11 through brough omission to bring the first principles of the gosp l to the attention of their children par ants are the cause of their offspring taking the downward road what judgment must be passed upon them by a just judigo the word of the lord to the saints to that their children shall be baptized for the remission of their ains when eight stars old and receive the laying on of toe the hands 32 it to is as necessary for a child who has haa reached the age ol of eight years to be born of the water and of the spirit a as it to is for a person who has attained maturity and it parents do not see that their children arp are properly instructed and that the ordnances ordinances are administered when the way to la open they become abe means or keeping their offspring out aide the church they are barriers barriera to the progress of the he children in the path ul of life eternal eter and are standing in the way of their admission to the kingdom lf if i f heaven instead of doing their met r duty by leading them in at the door people urge they would rather leave their children till they grow old enough to judge for themselves of the truth and power of the gospel doubtless there are some people who prefer preer to disobey rather than obey the commands of the lord but the fact of their pre pree arence renoe iu in that particular p line does doe not make the wrong anything but wrong these same people would probably think it a very foolish thing to retrain refrain from their children the of parental care and experience in temporal mat tore ten and ana so BO it would be lose leas unwise only than to neglect to give them proper care and guidance in things that relate to their and eternal welfare children of members of the church have the right to receive these gospel ordinances but what right has a person who professes to be a saint to deprive intentionally or by carelessness a child of the precious boon of divine cleansing from sin on or of the price priceless lets gift that to ig conferred by the laying en cn of the hands bands at the time of confirmation in the church none whatever and those who do so commit a Rrie grievous error children child reu at eight years become accountable before the lord for their act antiono iono they are ok fecto of assault ly by the adversary and unless protected are liable to be led into temptation what would we think of persons who deliberately left poisonous foud within the reach of ahse these who knew nothing of its it ii jurious natura they would be regarded as deserving of severe punishment for thus endangering life then what must be said of those who imperil both body and soul of the comparatively ively helpless help lees ones entrusted to their heir care by leaving them in the bondage of sin min and exposing them to the influent ce of evil without even an opportunity to obtain that spiritual nourishment that is essential to their protection and develop mem it may be that there are few if indeed there are any among the saints sainte who are ara responsible by neglect to have the proper ordinances attended to at the proper time for their children not being numbered in the fold of christ but it is a situation against which every parent should be warned hy by being instructed thoroughly in the gospel requirements the rho principle of the proper and necessary tra training laing of children cannot be too deeply and forcibly impressed upon the minds of the saints it is the duty of the teacher to see Pee that there therel is stio no irl iri equity in the church and there Is 1 a measure of iniquity it if a child is sinned against so that by wilful neglect it is excluded from the he sacred rights associated with membership in the church it is the duty also of other instructors to warn against evil and there baby bably are no parents entitled to fellowship with the saints who when they realize their obligation to their children in this respect would desire to eo do other wise than follow the example of father abraham in directing his bis household in the way of the lord J |
