亮光已从上帝的道和祂圣灵的证言照耀出来,以致谁也不必对于自己的本分有所误解。上帝要求父母们教养自己的儿女认识祂,尊重祂的要求;他们要训练自己的小孩子,作主家庭的幼小成员,有美好的品格和可爱的性情,以便他们可以配在天庭发光。父母若疏忽职守,放任自己的儿女行错,便是向他们关闭上帝圣城之门。这些事实必须铭记在父母们的心上;并须唤醒他们负起久已荒疏的工作。(二)
(一)《文稿》一九○九年第三十一号。
(二)《证言》卷五第325,326页。
AS MARRIAGE UNITES TWO HEARTS AND LIVES IN LOVE, AND A NEW HOME IS CREATED, AN EARLY CONCERN OF ITS FOUNDERS IS THAT THE CHILDREN WHICH GRACE THIS NEW HOME SHALL BE PROPERLY REARED. THE QUESTION OF MANOAH OF OLD, "HOW SHALL WE ORDER THE CHILD?" IS THOUGHTFULLY PONDERED BY PARENTS TODAY AS THEY LOOK INTO THE FACE OF THE PRECIOUS AND HELPLESS GIFT ENTRUSTED TO THEIR CARE.[1]
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INSTRUCTION ON CHILD GUIDANCE IS BEST UNDERSTOOD AS WE NOTE THE IMPORTANT PLACE IT TAKES IN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE FREQUENT AND DETAILED REFERENCES TO THE SUBJECT IN THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY WRITINGS. IN HER SEVERAL BOOKS, BUT MORE PARTICULARLY IN THE ARTICLES ON PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN LIVING WHICH APPEARED FROM WEEK TO WEEK IN THE VARIOUS JOURNALS OF THE DENOMINATION, MRS. WHITE SET FORTH A WEALTH OF COUNSEL TO PARENTS. IN ADDITION TO THIS, SHE ADDRESSED TO VARIOUS FAMILIES HUNDREDS OF PERSONAL TESTIMONIES IN WHICH SHE DEALT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE PROBLEMS THEY FACED. IN THESE ARTICLES AND PERSONAL TESTIMONIES SHE DESCRIBED THE PRINCIPLES WHICH SHOULD GUIDE PARENTS, AND THE PROCEDURES THEY SHOULD FOLLOW AS THEY WERE KEPT BEFORE HER IN VISION.[2]
IN HER LATER YEARS MRS. WHITE EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO BRING OUT A BOOK FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS THAT WOULD MAKE CLEAR "THE MOTHER'S DUTY AND INFLUENCE OVER HER CHILDREN." IN THE RECENTLY ISSUED THE ADVENTIST HOME AND THIS COMPANION WORK, THAT DESIRE IS NOW FULFILLED. ONLY THE THOUGHTFUL AND PRAYERFUL PERUSAL OF THE SIGNIFICANT COUNSELS OF THIS VOLUME CAN REVEAL THE TREMENDOUS AND FAR-REACHING INFLUENCE OF TRAINING THE CHILD PROPERLY AS GOD HAS PLACED THE RESPONSIBILITY WITH PARENTS.[3]
THE FACT THAT ELLEN WHITE WAS THE MOTHER OF FOUR BOYS ENABLED HER TO SET FORTH IN AN UNDERSTANDING AND SYMPATHETIC MANNER THE INSTRUCTION IMPARTED TO HER. HER EXPERIENCE IN THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES SHE HAS SET BEFORE OTHERS BEGETS CONFIDENCE IN THE HEART OF THE READER.[4]
ALL THE E. G. WHITE SOURCES, PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED, HAVE BEEN DRAWN UPON IN PREPARING CHILD GUIDANCE. FULL SOURCE CREDITS APPEAR AT THE CLOSE OF EACH CHAPTER. BECAUSE THE CONTENT OF THIS VOLUME HAS BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES WRITTEN OVER A PERIOD OF SEVENTY YEARS, THERE OCCASIONALLY OCCURS AN UNAVOIDABLE BREAK IN THOUGHT AND MANNER OF ADDRESS AS THE SEVERAL STATEMENTS ARE LINKED TOGETHER IN THEIR NATURAL SUBJECT SEQUENCE. THE COMPILERS WERE LIMITED IN THEIR WORK TO THE SELECTING AND ARRANGING OF THE VARIOUS STATEMENTS AND TO THE SUPPLYING OF HEADINGS.[5]
CHILD GUIDANCE WAS PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS IN THEIR OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THE WORK WAS DONE IN HARMONY WITH MRS. WHITE'S INSTRUCTION TO HER TRUSTEES THAT THEY SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THE PRINTING OF COMPILATIONS FROM HER MANUSCRIPT AND PUBLISHED SOURCES.[6]
THE NEED FOR THIS VOLUME IS GREAT. ETERNAL INTERESTS ARE AT STAKE. THE DETAILED COUNSELS ON DISCIPLINE, CHARACTER BUILDING, AND PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION WILL BE TREASURED BY EVERY THOUGHTFUL PARENT. THAT THIS VOLUME, STANDING BY THE SIDE OF THE ADVENTIST HOME, MESSAGES TO YOUNG PEOPLE, AND OTHER OF THE E. G. WHITE BOOKS OF COUNSEL TO PARENTS AND YOUTH, MAY SERVE TO GUIDE FATHERS AND MOTHERS IN THEIR MOST IMPORTANT WORK IS THE SINCERE WISH OF THE PUBLISHERS AND[7]
THE TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS.[8]
To the Reader
It is the privilege of parents to take their children with them to the gates of the city of God, saying, "I have tried to instruct my children to love the Lord, to do His will, and to glorify Him." To such the gate will be thrown open, and parents and children will enter in. But all cannot enter. Some are left outside with their children, whose characters have not been transformed by submission to the will of God. A hand is raised, and the words are spoken, "You have neglected home duties. You have failed to do the work that would have fitted the soul for a home in heaven. You cannot enter." The gates are closed to the children because they have not learned to do the will of God, and to parents because they have neglected the responsibilities resting upon them. [MANUSCRIPT 31, 1909.] {CG 13.1}[9]
Light has been shining from the Word of God and the testimonies of His Spirit so that none need err in regard to their duty. God requires parents to bring up their children to know Him and to respect His claims; they are to train their little ones, as the younger members of the Lord's family, to have beautiful characters and lovely tempers, that they may be fitted to shine in the heavenly courts. By neglecting their duty and indulging their children in wrong, parents close to them the gates of the city of God. These facts must be pressed home upon parents; they must arouse and take up their long-neglected work. [TESTIMONIES FOR THE CHURCH, VOL. 5, PP. 325, 326.] Ellen G. White. {CG 13.2}[10]