The Christian Mother and Her Duties by John Abbott 1833

Compliments of Gracegems HOME  read by John Abbott topics important to proper family government.

It is an awesome task raising children. FinalIy I realize now and very much fear the Lord and I pray his grace, mercy and forgiveness. I know I have already failed many times in properly teaching my children in my own ignorance but I believe the Lord hears my prayers, so I try not to turn it into my pity party and then I keep going. What more can I do but try everyday to grow in His word and pray for obedience and for His love to rein in my heart. The Lord has taught me much having children that I am in awe He is so patient with me because I act so much like a child frequently myself.  I wished that I had read more things like The Mother at Home and this next quote when some 22 years ago when I first began to read my bible and others for understanding in how to follow the Lord,

Growing worse?

(John Angell James, “Christian Progress” 1853)

One of the last lessons we effectually learn, is
that true godliness is a constant conflict in a
believer’s heart–between sin and holiness.Some sincere believers mistake a clearer view, and
deeper sense of their depravity, for an actual increase
of sin. The Christian seems sometimes to himself, to
be growing worse, when actually it is only that he
sees more clearly what in fact he really is! In the early stages of our Christian life, we have
usually but a slender acquaintance with the evil
of our sinfulness, and the depravity of our heart.
The mind is so much taken up with pardon and
eternal life, that it is but imperfectly acquainted
with those depths of deceit and wickedness,
which lie hidden in itself.At first we seem to feel as if the serpent were killed.
But we soon find that he was only asleep–for by the
warmth of some fiery temptation, he is revived and
hisses at us again! Nothing astonishes an inexperienced believer more
than the discoveries he is continually making of the
evils of his heart. Corruptions which he never dreamt to
be in him, are brought out by some new circumstances.It is like turning up the soil, which brings out worms
and insects, which did not appear upon the surface.Or to vary the illustration, his increasing knowledge
of God’s holy nature, of the perfect law, and the
example of Christ–is like opening the shutters, and
letting light into a dark room, the filth of which,
the inhabitant did not see until the sunbeams
disclosed it to him.

 

I still pray Lord help my unbelief I am always mindful how depraved I really am when like Peter I fail to trust Him…. recalling seventy times seven gives hope. In my strength I realize I just cannot be obedient but very selfish filling up my cup of wrath if it were not for his redeeming me, but His Strength is sufficient.

 

For me serving the Lord and admitting my failures and seeking his grace and forgiveness is my personal struggle. To faithfully seek Him first, serve my family and love my children frees me from any notion that self help or psychology books or counseling could give anything that simple will crushing submission to my Saviours convictions could not give and give abundantly more. I remember I must decrease and He must increase. We grow up when we die to our desires which I am finding seems to be taking until I die…nevertheless I press on and hope he will say good and faithful servant not depart from me I never knew you. I always remember no servant is greater than his master, the scripture says;

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt. 10:38-39

 

Here are a few more of some of my favorite quotes;

Sinfulness of Sin

Ralph Venning

……as God is Holy, all Holy, only Holy, altogether Holy and always Holy so sin is sinful, all sinful, only sinful, altogether sinful, and always sinful. (Gen. 6:5) In my flesh, that is, in my sinful corrupt nature, there dwelleth no good thing (Romans 7:18). As in God there is no evil, so in sin there is no good. God is the chiefest of goods and sin is the chiefest of evils. As no good can be compared with God for goodness so no evil can be compared with sin for evil. pg.31

Men judge our inside by our outside, our heart by our work; but God judges our outside by our inside, our works by our heart.(eccl.12:14)pg. 230

…….know this, that of yourself you are not sufficient to think one good thought, nor to subdue one evil thought….pg 231

Or my favorite;

The Glory Of Christ

John Owen

Who can measure the distance between that which is infinite and that which is finite? It cannot be done. So, the infinite, essential greatness of the nature of God, with His infinite distance from the nature of all creatures, means that God has to humble himself to take notice of things infinitely below him.

God is so infinitely high and lofty, so inhabits eternity in his own eternal being, that it is an act of mere grace in him to take notice of things infinitely below him. Therefore he does it in a special way. He does it by taking special notice of those whom the world despises, ‘the humble and the contrite ones’. (Isaiah 57:15)

God is infinitely self-sufficient both in himself and all he does. Man is continually seeking for self-satisfaction. But no creature can find eternal blessedness or satisfaction in itself, for no creature is self-sufficient. pg 40

 THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER

by John Abbott, 1833, Worcester, Mass.
Published by the American Tract Society

 The Mother’s RESPONSIBILITY

 The Mother’s AUTHORITY

 The Mother’s DIFFICULTIES

FAULTS and ERRORS

 RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

 FRUITS of PIETY

 RESULTS

“Be an example . . . in speech, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

The object of this book is practical utility, not literary effect. It was written for mothers in the common walks of life. There are many mothers, in every village of our land, who are looking eagerly for information respecting the government of their children. It is hoped that the following treatise may render them some assistance.

Some people may object to the minuteness of detail, and the familiarity of illustration, occasionally introduced. We, however, are persuaded that this objection will not be made by mothers. Education consists in attention to little things.

The religious sentiments inculcated in this book are those usually denominated evangelical. We have proceeded upon the principle that this present life is the commencement of external existence, and that the great object of education is to prepare the child for its heavenly home.