If parents would feel that it is a solemn duty enjoined upon them of God to educate their children for usefulness in this life; if they would adorn the inner temple of the souls of their sons and daughters for the immortal life, we should see a great change in society for the better. There would not then be manifest so great indifference to practical godliness, and it would not be so difficult to arouse the moral sensibilities of children to understand the claims that God has upon them. But parents become more and more careless in the education of their children in the useful branches. Many parents allow their children to form wrong habits and to follow their own inclination, and fail to impress upon their minds the danger of their doing this and the necessity of their being controlled by principle. {3T 147.1}

Hvis forældre var sig deres Gud-givne ansvar bevidst, at uddanne deres børn til et nyttigt liv her og hvis de ville pryde deres sønners og døtres indre tempel for det udødelige liv ville vi se en forvandling i hele menneskesamfundet til det bedre.] Der vil ikke blive vist så stor ligegyldighed overfor praktisk gudsfrygt og det vil ikke være så svært at vække børns moralske forståelse for Guds krav på dem. Men forældre bliver mere og mere uforsigtige i deres opdragelse af deres børn i de nyttige ting. Mange forældre tillader at deres børn danner forkerte vaner og lader dem følge deres egen tilbøjelighed og gør dem det ikke de farer klart som de har i deres gøremål og det nødvendige i at de styres ud fra principper. [ samme s 270]