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  THE PARENT
  by J.R. Miller
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CONTENT
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God has so constituted us, that in loving and caring for our own
children—the richest and best things in our natures are drawn out.
Many of the deepest and most valuable lessons ever learned, are read
from the pages of unfolding child life. We best understand the feelings
and affections of God toward us—when we bend over our own child and
see in our human parenthood, a faint image of the divine Fatherhood.
Then in the culture of character, there is no influence more potent than
that which touches us when our children are laid in our arms. Their
helplessness appeals to every principle of nobleness in our hearts.
Their innocence exerts over us a purifying power. The thought of our
responsibility for them, exalts every faculty of our souls. In the very
care which they exact, they bring blessing to us. When old age comes,
very lonely is the home which has neither son nor daughter to return
with grateful ministries, to bring solace and comfort to the declining
years!

It is a new marriage, when the first born enters the home. It draws the
wedded lives together in a closeness they have never known before. It
touches chords in their hearts, which have lain silent until now. It
calls out powers, which have never been exercised before. Hitherto
unsuspected beauties of character appear. The laughing, heedless girl of
a year ago—is transformed into a thoughtful woman! The careless,
unsettled youth—leaps into manly strength and into fixedness of
character, when he looks into the face of his own child and takes it in
his bosom. New aims rise up before the young parents; new impulses begin
to stir in their hearts. Life takes on at once, a new and deeper
meaning. The glimpse they have had into its solemn mystery, sobers them.
The laying in their hands of a new and sacred trust—an immortal life,
to be guided and trained by them—brings to them a sense of
responsibility which makes them thoughtful. Self is no longer the
center. There is a new object to live for, an object great enough to
fill all their life, and engross their highest powers! It is only when
the children come, that life becomes real, and that parents begin to
learn to live. We talk about training our children—but they train us
first, teaching us many a sacred lesson, stirring up in us many a
slumbering gift and possibility, calling out many a hidden grace, and
disciplining our wayward powers into strong and harmonious character.

Our homes would be very cold and dreary, without the children. Sometimes
we weary of their noise. They certainly bring us a great deal of care
and concern. They cost us no end of toil. When they are very young they
break our rest many a weary night, with their colics and teethings; and
when they grow older they well-near break our hearts many a time with
their waywardness! After they come to us, we may as well bid farewell to
living for self, and to personal ease—if we mean to do faithful duty
as parents.

There are some who therefore look upon the coming of children as a
misfortune. They talk about them lightly as "responsibilities." They
regard them as an obstacle to their personal pleasure. They see no
blessing in them. But it is cold selfishness which looks upon children
in this way. Instead of being hindrances to true and noble living—they
are helps! They bring blessings from heaven when they come—and while
they stay they are perpetual blessings.

When the children come—what shall we do with them? What duties do we
owe to them? How may be discharge our responsibility? What is the
parents\

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/jr-miller/the-parent/
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