Many are as guilty of neglect toward their children as was Eli, and the punishment of God will as surely rest upon them as upon him. The case of Brother E was a marked one. God’s hand was stretched out in the wrath of His retribution, not only over his children, but over himself also. The word of God was plain, but its admonitions had been trampled underfoot; warnings had been given him, reproofs administered, but all were unheeded, and the curse fell upon him. It is a terrible thing to neglect the education of children. Not only will they be lost in consequence, but the parents themselves, who have so far departed from God as to lose all sense of their sacred responsibility, stand in a very perilous position as regards eternal life. {4T 204.2}

Mange er lige så skyldige i børneforsømmelse som Eli var og Guds straf vil lige så sikkert komme over dem, som den kom over ham. Bror E's tilfælde var bemærkelsesværdig. Guds hånd blev udrakt i vrede for hans straf, ikke kun over hans børn, men også over ham selv. Guds ord var tydeligt, men dets formaninger er blevet trådt under fode; de advarsler han fik, de irettesættelser han fik tildelt, gik upåagtede hen og forbandelsen faldt over ham. Det er en frygtelig ting at forsømme børns opdragelse. De vil ikke blot gå tabt som følge deraf, men også forældrene selv, som er kommet så langt væk fra Gud som at miste al fornemmelse for helligt ansvar og de vil stå i den allerfarligste situation, hvad angår evigt liv.