In all these respects, they are required to do more for
their children than for the children of others, unless the latter are
adopted by them, or come under their guardianship. It is doubtless my
duty and my privilege to seek more directly and more assiduously the
salvation of my children than the salvation of the children of others.
This seems to be according to the will of God, and according to the
family constitution. And, moreover, it is most reasonable and right.
And if parents have a just apprehension of their responsibilities, they
cannot rest satisfied without laboring for the salvation of their
offspring, and laboring assiduously and perseveringly for its
attainment. And among other things which they will do--they will _pray_.
The Christian parent who does not pray for his children, is not entitled
to the name of Christian. There is no such Christian parent, and we
doubt if there can be.
But it is obvious that the spirit of Salome, at least in the selfishness
of that spirit, may sometimes be even the governing principle of the
parent in his prayers for the salvation of his child. Knowing, as he
must know, something of the value of his child's soul, and the eternal
misery of it if finally lost, how natural to desire his conversion as
the only means of escape from a doom so awful! And we admit that the
parent is justified, and his parental affinities require him to make
all possible efforts to bring that soul to repentance.
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