The Independent Baptist:

"Plains Baptist Challenger"

November 2003

The Purpose Driven Life - By E. L. Bynum

Marriage Re-Defined - By Bill Mosley

The Missing Majority - By Norman H. Wells

A Word Of Warning To Unsaved Mothers - From C. H. Spurgeon's Autobiography

America The Melting Pot - Author Unknown

Ecumenical fads come and go, and the latest one down the pike is "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. These fads catch on and spread like wildfire across the churches. After a while it is soon forgotten as another fad arises to take its place.

Let me remind you of some of the more recent ecumenical endeavors that spread to a lot of denominations. A few years ago it was the "I Found It," campaign which was the brain child of the founder of Campus Crusade. We are quite sure that he knows better now since his death. By their projected success they were going to make the world Christian, but they faded and the world remained unchanged.

Then we had "The Jesus Film," which was promoted by a lot of churches from different denominations. Signs sprouted in yards of church members touting this life changing film being shown in the local churches. Like the "I Found It" campaign, it was a flash in the pan that soon was all but forgotten.

Another fad was "The Prayer of Jabez" study based on a popular religious book. This book was based on one verse of scripture. "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." (1 Chron. 4:10). Thousands of people were deluded into thinking that this would answer most of their spiritual problems. They were taught to repeat this prayer each day, without any biblical proof that we should do so. It is a great text of Scripture, and, as a matter of fact, I preached from this text long before the book was written. People never even considered that neither Jesus, His apostles or any other New Testament preachers taught anyone to recite this prayer. If it is a prayer that we should pray daily or any other time, surely the Bible would have taught us to do so. Jesus and the other N.T. preachers surely knew about it, since it was found in the O.T. Never mind reasoning when you can follow some fad.

The author of "The Prayer of Jabez" recommends "The Purpose Driven Life." His endorsement is printed on the jacket of the book, along with that of other ecumenical leaders.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (LAJ) of 11-1-03 carried an article written by our LAJ Religion Editor. She wrote that "Numerous Lubbock churches such as Monterey Church of Christ, Southcrest Baptist Church and Indiana Avenue Baptist Church are involved in the study. LakeRidge United Methodist Church did the study in January and February and may repeat it in the fall of 2004."

Rick Warren, the author of the book and study, is pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. This Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, but the name Baptist does not appear in the name of the Church. Warren claims that 2,600 churches would be going through this study in October of 2003. More than 100 denominations have already used this 40-day study. The pastor of LakeRidge United Methodist Church reported that they had a 35 to 40 percent increase in Sunday School as a result of this study. The United Methodist Denomination is one of the most liberal and apostate denominations in the U.S.A. Now we have a so-called Baptist preacher that is helping them to increase their attendance. That is a shame. If John Wesley was around today, we venture to say, he would never be welcomed in one of them. If they did let him preach it would turn out to be a one time affair.

The answer to that question is a resounding NO! A bunch of liberals are not going to line up to study the truth. Trinity Church is a large Charismatic Church and they have used this study. At my residence I received a large, slick, colored postcard through the mail touting this Purpose Driven Life study. They invited me to come for a "FREE Family Breakfast" on October 11. This would be followed by a simulcast direct from the Saddleback Church. The study was scheduled to last from October 12 - November 23. This invitation came from the Monterey Church of Christ.

You need to understand that Lubbock is a stronghold for the Churches of Christ. I believe there are about 24 of them located in the city of Lubbock. They hold to the old Campbelite doctrines, which is be dipped or be damned. Baptismal regeneration is a hallmark of this group. To them there is no salvation except through the baptistry. They use no pianos, organs or other musical instruments in their churches, unless you would count a tuning fork or a tuning whistle as a musical instrument. Not so many years ago, no Church of Christ would have entered into cooperation with other denominations, but that is changing as they become more liberal.

A pastor friend of mine sent me a promotional CD that was sent to him by the Saddleback Church. I put it in my computer and sure enough the sound and pictures came through. It is certainly a professional presentation which features Rick Warren himself. He makes some fantastic success claims for churches that have participated in his 40-day program. It is easy to see how pastors would be attracted to use such a program, if they are looking for an increase in attendance in their churches. We are living in an age where success in numbers and finances predominates over fidelity to the truth of God's Word.

The last part of the CD features services either at Saddleback Church or some other large church. It features a hypnotic type music with upraised hands and a considerable amount of swaying back and forth. It looks very much like what you see in the telecasts of Charismatic services. Without a doubt they encourage casual dress and contemporary music, which constitute a dangerous and deadly trend among churches today.

A few days ago I was in Mardel's bookstore and they had a large stack of "The Purpose Driven Life" books. Their discount price was a little more than $13.00 a copy and I believe that the members of all these churches are urged to buy it. They also sell a sort of workbook and diary that goes along with the study.

In looking at this book I noted that he used a number of different versions. I turned over to the appendix and counted exactly 15 versions of the Bible that he used. He said that this was necessary to bring out the true meaning of the texts. This of course implies that no one will really know what God said, unless they have 15 versions. Most of these are of recent translation, so the natural conclusion is that no one knew what the Bible said until the 15 versions were translated. If you can't afford to have 15 different Bibles, you need not worry, for Rick Warren or some other person like him will be around to tell you what God said.

I am constantly amazed at the unmitigated gall of such so-called scholars and teachers. We have come to a sad and dangerous era of the Christian religion. Truth no longer matters, but success in numbers and finances are all that matter. It is no wonder that Jesus asked the question, "...when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). This and many other prophetic warnings should cause us to be extra careful about running after any new trend that is being popularized today.

Before any of my critics blow a gasket, I would urge them to read my tract # A-322 entitled "Is it Right to Judge?" The full text can be found on our website www.llano.net/baptist/

We need to seriously pay heed to what Jude said. "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3) We need men who will not sell out the truth, but who will "earnestly contend for the faith."

Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that came to live in America because it is the Country of Choice? Think about it. . .

All I have to say is, when will they do something about MY RIGHTS? I celebrate Christmas, but because it isn't celebrated by everyone, we can no longer say Merry Christmas. Now it has to be Season's Greetings. It's not Christmas vacation, it's Winter Break. Isn't it amazing how this winter break ALWAYS occurs over the Christmas holiday? We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that.

This says it all!

After hearing that the state of Florida changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's license with her face covered this is an editorial written by an American citizen, published in a Tampa newspaper. He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please!

Immigrants, Not Americans, must Adapt. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.

Author Unknown

A strange societal atmosphere has settled on our nation. A nation began on the premise of being free to worship the true and living God. I fear that "One nation, under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag is soon to disappear, if the anti-God group succeed. The pledge was recited without the disapproval of even the atheist until a few years ago. After being recited by many for decades, suddenly the antagonistic, false religionist, and agnostics are mortally wounded at heart as a result. The truth is that our nation is bordering on mockery to claim that we are indeed a nation under the guidance of a Holy God. Of course there is that group who say that the gods of all religions are the same as the God of creation, or the Christian believer's God.

It would be slightly short of ignorance for anyone to deny that Satan has blinded minds to the truth of God's redemptive power and protective watchfulness. This is not a new condition that believers have had to face. This is, however, the result of a gospel defying and denying society that have largely been blinded by Satan. Paul warns of the devil's ability to do this. (2 Cor. 4:4) "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." In the previous verse Paul gave the condition of such as being lost. Spiritually blind men do not know where they are going and will follow the most appealing guide.
One of the results of a society that is in general blinded by Satan is their inherent ability to think of only evil continually. God looked on the world's populace in the days of Noah in this manner. (Gen. 6:5) "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Jesus used this to illustrate the status of humanity when the Lord would return, or the days of the Son of man. (Luke 17:26) Just how far into wickedness mankind has fallen can only be imagined. The Lord did say at that time the character of the people had eroded into merry-making mockery of marriage, home, and family.

Homosexuals, gay men and lesbian women, have gained ground enough for many to feel we must have laws to protect normal marriage. Laws abound in the Bible of God's plan and view of marriage to settle every petty scheme of denunciation against it. Adam needed a wife. This was no surprise to the Creator. He made them male and female (Gen. 1:27). Wife is referred to near 400 times in God's word. Every time it is in relationship to a male companion. The root of the problem then is found, not in the lack of laws protecting marriage, but in the lack of accepting and following the laws of God.

There is no room found in God's law to permit homosexuality. Keep in mind that prophecy, God's directive to humanity, did not come by the will of man "..but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Pet. 1:21) God moved Moses to reveal that homosexuality is an abomination to Him. (Lev. 18:21) The Holy Ghost impressed Paul to remind the Roman saints that a same-sex relationship was not natural. (Rom. 1:26,27) Since God never changes and is always the same, man-made laws have no bearing on His holy character and attributes. Any normal individual, one with natural instincts toward the opposite sex, does not have to know this is a law of God. The normal response that God gives man is toward a woman. After all of God's creation had passed before Adam, seeing Woman brought this response: (Gen. 2:23) "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Adam concluded that from that time forth a man would leave his father and mother (man and woman) and be joined together with Woman as one.

Most states in our union has at one time or another passed an anti-sodomy law. This was no more than endorsing the law of God on this matter which no earthly system can repeal or strike down. Earlier this year Texas' "Homosexual Conduct Law" was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Other states, with like laws, are sure to have their heads to roll from the high court's guillotine platform. Remember, this has no effect on any law of the God of the universe. This law of God, as well as all others established by Him, can not and will not be repealed or struck down by human courts. Much anti-gay violence, such as unwarranted murder, of many who stand against this debauched lifestyle, has actually been a catapult for gay rights activist.

The state of our union would never had reached this plateau of spiritual corruption if God had not be expelled from our public school system. It would never have happened if so-called Christians had not fallen for the lie that true religion has no place in politics. God certainly felt different about this when Paul wrote this exhortation to Timothy. (1 Tim. 2:1,2) "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." Then the great need of any people is that they may lead a peaceable life in all godliness, or according to the design of God. This can never happen where godless lawmakers become ungodly lawbreakers. This will never change until true believers in Christ vote doctrinally instead of politically.

Not in the slightest manner. Their desire, and likely too soon accomplishment, is to have benefits and acceptance the same as married men and women. Many of their objectives are being maneuvered to fulfillment on a frenzied pace. A network endorsing and supporting the advancement of privileges for homosexuals is the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network. Their agenda is to prevent a slowdown in the ground-gaining of sodomite acceptance. They are going to make sure that the Supreme Court's reversing of state's anti-sodomy laws are more than a piece of paper.

One of the principal desires of this group is to put an end to sources supporting institutions that refuse to give them service. This would include the Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and others, according to their view. Then their primary desire is to have more than a formal legal action aired as a major victory for them. They want `genuine equality' with the normal family of husband, wife, and children brought into this world the natural way. That is one `genuine equality' the homosexuals will never be able to achieve. They can have all the networks, marches, gay rights agendas, and sodomite implementation they can muster, yet with all this they will never be capable of fulfilling God's command to the first man and woman. (Gen. 1:27,28) Multiply! The unnatural will never be qualified to produce the natural.

Be sure this abominable assembly will not stop with equal rights in employment, etc. At this time the right to be married as man and woman is pursued in America. Segments of North America have already sanctioned homosexual marriage. It is reported that Virginia has declared such a marriage legal if not acceptable. Imagine how George Washington might feel about his home state's retreat in this battle. Picture our first president upon hearing Ellen DeGeneres say that she and Anne Heche, her former lesbian lover, would move to Vermont if it recognized homosexual marriage. Since their split, who left who(?), both may well be looking for other such filthy relationships. Heche has returned to her acting career and DeGeneres now has a talk show on TV. Both continue to poison the minds of adult and youth alike.

V. Gene Robinson is near (Nov. 2) to becoming the first Episcopal priest to be elevated to the position of bishop. The glaring persuasion of this man's homosexual lifestyle and his disgusting rhetoric could hardy be outstripped. In an interview with AP religious writer, Rachel Zoll, the debauched heart of Robinson is at least partially revealed. Robinson brazenly states that `only God will keep me from this post.' There is little doubt that this man and those who support him do not know the difference from the God of heaven and the god of this world. He is aware that his being "consecrated" to the position by the Diocese of New Hampshire would cause a church crisis. Yet he said, "God and I have been about this for quite a while now and I would be really surprised if God were to want me to stop now." I'm sure the (g)or he is following would want him to cease. I would be even more surprised if a Holy God ever discussed this with Robinson. If V. Gene would only read the KJV he would readily know that the Ancient of Days is eternally opposed to his life-style and has determined eternal consequences for this abomination against Him.

Robinson is right about one thing. Him giving up leadership in the New Hampshire diocese will not end the debate over homosexuality. He added in this AP report that he knew of a "good number" of gay bishops both in the U.S. and abroad. This should not be a surprise considering the moral corruption in the Catholic church. Another of his comments was, "There are enormously gifted Episcopal priests around this church who are gay and lesbian, some of whom are partnered, who would make wonderful bishops . . ." He closed this interview by saying, "It's not about me. It's about not having to be ashamed." This is the primary aim of all sodomites. This is the reason they run in bunches. Every agenda they pursue is in order to suppress feeling ashamed. It matters not how many favorable laws are passed in behalf of the homosexual, the shame and abomination in the sight of God remains intact.

The interview tells of Robinson's support from his family. "Among those participating in the ceremony will be his male partner, his daughters, his ex-wife and his parents." This is nothing short of a celebration of sin, a mockery of righteousness and denying the existence of a Holy God. God has classified these far better than any other. (Prov. 14:9) "Fools make a mock at sin: . ." and (Prov. 15:2) " . . the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness."

For centuries there has been a universal acceptance that marriage is constituted by a union between a man and woman. Even in remote areas in the days when this nation was settle, common law marriages between a man and woman were considered binding. No one questioned the arrangement that God had made in the beginning. It is the method by which God designed to populate the world. God told Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives to multiply and replenish the earth after the flood. What a dilemma if the likes of "Rev.'s" Mel White, V. Gene Robinson, and their partners, were the only ones on the ark.

At this writing there is a Federal Marriage Amendment in consideration by the U.S. Congress. It has been bounced around for years but was reintroduced by Rep. Musgrave this past May. The Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, has endorsed this measure aspiring to prevent federal and state constitutions from being interpreted to command that marriage and its benefits apply to homosexuals. Adding this amendment to the U.S. constitution will as surely stir up the indignation of the gay rights militants as did the anti-sodomy laws of individual states.

Any law, amendment, or movement that would genuinely protect the moral atmosphere surrounding our present populace and our posterity would surely be acceptable. As has been indicated earlier in this article, the problem is not that enough laws have not been passed. It is that God's law of righteousness has been ruled of none effect or dismissed and forgotten by humanist. Should a Federal Marriage Amendment be added to the U.S. constitution, how long would it take the ACLU and their cohorts to challenge its constitutionality? Such an amendment has great hurdles before it materializes. Two-thirds of the House or Reps. and Senate have to be convinced it is needed. Three-fourths of the state legislatures in three-fourths of the states must also ratify this amendment. Be sure the gay activist are bird-dogging every scared bird from their hiding place. They are already flushing out those scattered from the covey that flew off to escape being found with the group.

The legal clout available on the side of evil is causing many, who oppose homosexuality and abortion, to tremble. Some legal observers expect the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court to rule there is a right in their constitution for homosexuals to marry. Our federal constitution can be read to say that all other states must recognize such `marriages' performed in Mass. Vermont has now legalized same-sex unions that include nearly all the benefits of marriage between a man and woman. The aim of those who support the Federal Marriage Amendment, H.R. Res. 56, hope it will prevent this from happening. Will this stop the forces of such evil? Will this prevent the devil's children from slandering the children of righteousness? How dreadful it would be if such an amendment was passed and then struck down by the high court as was the anti-sodomy law of Texas and other states. This would be an unsurpassed ground-gaining victory by gay-rights militants. What a sad day in the history of our nation when marriage, which was instituted by God as a union between one man and one woman, has to be re-defined.

Perilous times are indeed here. (2 Tim 3:1-5) "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." Blasphemers without natural affection abound. Those lovers of pleasure without self-control are in abundance in our nation. A form of godliness that denies the power of God is seen in the statements of V. Gene Robinson. His spiritual blindness is seen in this remark: "The folks who are saying this is a communion-breaker are saying that this is more important than all of those things that bind us together and I just don't agree with that." So approving of a homosexual relationship will further bind the Episcopal church together. Many will fall into the trap that what is good for one church is good for all others. (1 Cor. 6:9,10) "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 15:33) "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."

There is a harvest day coming. Both for the righteous and the unrighteous. (Gal. 6:7) "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Chapter 17 from the book "The Religion Racket." The failure of religion today is due mainly to a neglect of the local church. For one thing, the majority of church members do not attend church. It is common for a church to have two or three times as many members as it has attendance on a Sunday morning. The popular concept of the church as a universal, invisible body composed of all those who profess religion is well liked. Most church members are like this kind of church ... invisible.

The excuses that people give for not attending the services of the church are well known. There are some who say they do not attend because there are too many hypocrites in the church. Following this line of reasoning, the father in the home should quit his job because there are many shirkers there. The children should quit school because there are so many delinquents. The mother should stop going to the grocer because so many bad cooks are shopping there.

The wife can always excuse herself from attending because her husband won't go. The husband can decline because his wife won't attend. If they happen to be together, they can blame the children ... they just won't get up and go to church. If they are all present and can't blame one another, they'll reach an agreement that they don't want to leave their dog alone.

The pastor, making a call in the home to urge a family to attend church, is likely to hear, "Well, pastor, I know I should attend but I don't want to make promises that I might not keep." The father knows he's going to work every morning, and the children know they're going to school. The mother has club dates, committee meetings, etc. that she is going to make. They're sure about this, but church ... well, that's something else.

Then, there's the family that never attends church but always will declare they are going to get started one of these days. If all these folks got started on the same Sunday, it would look like a double Easter!

Some families when urged to attend church seem to take comfort in expressing their sentiment towards all churches. "I believe in all churches. They are all good," is the statement that is often heard. They believe in all churches and suppose that excuses them from attending any!

People seem to think if they take shelter behind some difficult theological question it excuses them from attending church. A pastor will be dealing with a man about the need of attending church, and the man will reply by asking, "What is God going to do with the heathen?" The pastor could interpret this as the man's concern about his own spiritual welfare, but he knows this is not the case. If the pastor gets by this question, the next one is likely to be, "What about the 144,000?" The weary pastor thinks to himself, "I don't know, but they sure weren't in church last Sunday."

The pastor usually has answers to all these stock questions that he never uses. For instance, when someone asks, "Where did Cain get his wife?" he could reply, "It looks like you have trouble enough with your wife without worrying about Cain's."

Some very pious looking people will always excuse themselves by saying, "I'm not going to start until I am sure I can live it." This is like a sick person saying, "I'm not going to the hospital until I get well."

When invited to attend church, some will decline by saying, "I attended church and Sunday School all my life up until a few years ago." It seems they feel they have already attended enough to last the rest of their life. Closely related to this are those who do not attend now because their parents made them go when they were children.

A lot of folks always need Sunday to recuperate from the ailments that have plagued them all week, and thus are never able to attend church. There are always those who will plead, "This is the only day I have to rest, to sleep, to play, to work at home, etc."

Some folks feel they are already as good as those in the church, and consequently can't see any reason for attending. They would rather join the crowd outside the church than join with those in the church.

The attitude that supposedly religious folks take toward their church is a little confusing. They say everybody should attend church ... yet never go themselves. They expect the church to be there when they need it ... yet never support it. They encourage the effort to seek new members for a church they do not attend. Parents want their children to attend the church even though they never go.

There is the old story of the minister who had been invited into the home of one of his members for dinner. The minister looked at one of the small children in the home and asked, "What are we having for dinner?"

"Buzzard," was the reply.

"Buzzard!" the preacher exclaimed.

"Yeah! I heard Mom say we were going to have that old buzzard for dinner," the boy explained.

The attitude of children toward the church, the pastor, and religion in general is formed by what they see and hear from the parents. Generally, what they see and hear is a constant flow of belittling criticism. All this has reduced the church to the status of standing around, hat in hand, begging its members, "Please, if you get a chance, and you are not doing anything else, drop in and see us next Sunday. If you can't make it then, what about the following Sunday? No? What about Easter?"

The average individual gives the invitation of the church the same response they would a door-to-door salesman who rang the doorbell while they were taking a nap.

A minister will never, I should think, forget his earliest converts. He lives to see hundreds begotten unto God by his means. But of these who were the children of his youth he still treasures delightful memories, for are they not his firstborn, his might and the beginning of his strength?

I can recall an elderly woman who had found peace with God through my youthful ministry. Especially do I recollect her wail of woe as she told of the days of her ignorance and the consequent godless bringing up of her children. Her words were somewhat as follows, and I write them down for the good of mothers who labor hard out of love to their dear ones and provide them with all necessaries for this life but never think of the life to come:
"Oh, sir! I should be quite happy now, only I have one sore trouble which keeps me very low. I am so sad about my dear children. I was left with eight of them. I worked hard at the washtub and in other ways, morning, noon and night, to find bread for them. I did feed and clothe them all, but I am sure I don't know how I did it. I had often to deny myself, both in food and clothing; and times were very hard with me.

"Nobody could have slaved worse than I did, to mend, clean and keep a roof over our heads. I cannot blame myself for any neglect about their bodies; but as to their souls, I never cared about my own, and of course I never thought of theirs.

"Two of them died. I dare not think about them. God has forgiven me, but I can't forget my sin against my poor children. I never taught them a word which could be of any use to them. The others are all alive, but there is not one of them in the least religious. How could they be when they saw how their mother lived? It troubles me more a good deal than all the working for them ever did, for I'm afraid they are going down to destruction, and all through their cruel mother."
Here she burst into tears. I pitied her so much that I said I hardly thought she was cruel, for she was in ignorance and would never intentionally have neglected anything that was for her children's good. She replied:

"Don't excuse me, for if I had used my common sense, I might have known that my children were not like the sheep and the horses which die and there's an end of them. I never thought about it at all, or I might have known better; and I feel that I was a cruel mother never to have considered their souls at all.

"They are all worldly, and none of them go to a place of worship, year in and year out. I never took them there, and how can I blame them? As soon as I was converted, I went down to my eldest son, who has a large family, and I told him what the Lord had done for me and entreated him to come here with me to the services; but he said he wondered what next, and he had no time. When I pleaded hard with him, he said he was sure I meant well, but `it was no go', he liked his Sunday at home too well to go to hear parsons.

"You know, sir, you can't bend a tree. I ought to have bent the twig when I could have done it. Oh, if I had but led him to the house of God when he Was little! He would have gone then, for he loved his mother. So he does now, but not enough to go where I want him. So, you see, I can do nothing with my son now. I was a cruel mother and let the boy go into the field or the streets, when he should have been in the Sunday school.

"Oh that I could have my time back again and have all my children around me as little ones, that I might teach them about my blessed Saviour! They are all beyond me now. What can I do?"

She sat down and wept bitterly. I heartily wish all unconverted mothers could have been here and heard her lamentations. It was very pleasant to know that she was herself saved and to see in her very sorrow the evidence of her genuine repentance; but still, the evil which she lamented was a very terrible one and might well demand a lifetime of mourning.

Young mother, do not, as you love your babe, suffer him to grow up without divine instruction. But you cannot teach your child if you do not know the Lord Jesus yourself.
May the good Lord lead you to give your heart to Christ at once and then help you to train your dear little ones for Heaven!

From C. H. Spurgeon's Autobiography, via The Sword Of The Lord.