| Author | Message | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 43 Registered: 11-2005 |
A few excerpts from some of EGWís letters to her sons while she was away doing, in her view, the Lordís work. Note: the full text of these letters can be found online in the Estateís collection of her writings. Not sure what the link is right now. One thought I had while reading some of this stuff: WOW!! In a way I almost felt sad for her that she was so troubled for her childrenís salvation; her warped views and her lack of assurance of her own salvation seemed to color her parenting. I canít imagine what was going on in her brain and I canít imagine what her sons must have felt whenever they received a letter from their ìAffectionate Motherî (I would have been tempted not to read these but then would have been afraid of my every action and thought being recorded by the angels!!) This is my definition of HELL on earth. To think that lots of families ever listened to her counsels on anything and everything, ( food, marriage, raising our children, dress, Sabbath-keeping, tithing). ************************************************************************* Green Spring, Ohio, March 2, 1858. My Dear Henry and Edson: Dear children, your mother has not forgotten you. She thinks of you many times every day. We hope you will be good and faithful children. I have been thinking, what if either of you should be taken sick and die, and your father and mother see you no more? Would you be prepared to die? When you do wrong don't conceal your wrong, but heartily and honestly confess it. This I believe you will do. I have confidence in you that you have tried to do it. Continue to do so, and we shall love you better than if you kept your wrongs concealed. God loves honest-hearted, truthful children, but cannot love those who are dishonest. Be obedient, dear children. God has been very merciful to you and to us. Your parents have to travel from place to place among the people of God to try to do them good and save souls. And the Lord has inclined sisters Jenny and Martha to come into our family, to feel an interest for you, to love you, and to care for you, that we may leave home feeling free. They are not related to you. They make a sacrifice. What for? Because they love you. When you grieve them you grieve your parents also. It is not a desirable task to have the care of children if they are ungrateful and disobedient. If you perseveringly try to do right, you will make them happy, and they will feel it a pleasure to deny themselves to have a care for you. When asked to do anything, do not say, "Wait a minute, till I do this." It is unpleasant to repeat to you the same things. Now, dear children, obey because you love to, not because you are driven to. I shall have confidence that you will do as I wish you to. I shall confide in your honor, your manliness. {AY 42.2} Many times I ask myself the question, Will my dear children be saved in the kingdom? I cannot bear the thought of their being shut out of the City with the wicked. I love my children, but God says that only the good and holy can be saved. And if you will overcome your wrongs, love one another, and be at peace among yourselves, the Lord will bless and save you. You cannot be good, or do right, in your own strength. You must go to God and ask him for strength. Ask him that his grace may influence your hearts, and make you right. Believe the Lord will do it; trust him to do it. You can be little Christians; you can love and serve God. {AY 43.1} Be good to Willie. Love him. Teach him right things. If you do wrong, you not only sin yourselves, but you teach him to sin. When you do wrong, you teach him to do wrong; so double sin rests upon you. {AY 48.1} Topsham, Maine, Sept. 20, 1859. My Dear Little Willie: I will write you a few lines, as I have written to Henry and Edson. We hope little Willie is well, and happy, and striving to be a good, obedient boy. We shall be glad to see you, my dear boy, again, and hear your loving voice. We want you to be good, pleasant, and lovely; then every one will love you. {AY 48.2} You must often visit your grandparents, and try to make them happy. Do not grieve them by being noisy, but be quiet, mild, and gentle--then they will love you. I am glad, Willie, you have never troubled us or them with mischievous actions. {AY 48.3} As we were riding in the cars, there were three children in the seat before us, one of them a little boy about your age. He was dressed prettily. He had a pretty face and curly hair, yet he did not behave prettily. He disturbed those who sat near him by his loud, sharp voice, contending with, and annoying, his sisters, giving them no peace. They threatened to tell their mother, but he did not seem to care for this. He behaved so rudely, that we were all glad when he left the cars. {AY 49.1} I thought then how bad I should feel if my little Willie was so disagreeable. Now, Willie, that wicked boy's pretty clothes and handsome face did not make people love him. His behaviour was bad, and made those who had the care of him ashamed of him. All seemed pleased to get rid of the troublesome little fellow. If Willie acts prettily, if he is gentle, kind, and obedient, his father and mother, and all good people, will love him. {AY 49.2} {AY 49.3} Newport, N. H., Oct. 4, 1859. My Dear Henry: My heart has been pained to witness the movements of an unfortunate child, without a mind. His skin is fair, his features good; but he has no intellect. Dear Henry, how thankful I felt to the Lord that my dear boys were blessed with intellect. I would not have you, my Henry, like that poor boy, for a house full of gold. How thankful should you be that the Lord has blessed you with quite good health, and with your reason. {AY 50.1} Now, children, if you would not wish to be like this unhappy man, you must learn to govern yourselves while young. Don't give way to fretful, unkind feelings; but remember that the Lord reads even the thoughts of the heart, and nothing is concealed from his all-seeing eye. Right acts, right thoughts, will be remembered in heaven, and every victory you gain when tempted to do wrong, every temptation manfully resisted, will be recorded in heaven. Don't forget, dear children, that evil deeds are faithfully recorded, and will bring their punishment unless repented of, and confessed, and washed away by the atoning blood of Jesus. It is easier to go in an evil way than to do right; for Satan and his angels are constantly tempting to do wrong. {AY 58.1} Every one of your efforts to do right is regarded of God. Dear children, live for God--live for heaven, so that when the wrath of God shall come upon the earth, Jesus may say to the destroying angel, Spare those two praying boys, Henry and Edson White.{AY 58.2} Dear children, will not such a precious commendation from Jesus be worth a great deal more than for you to have your own will here, and to give up to sin and temptation, and to have no thoughts of God or heaven, and make those unhappy around you, and at last be separated from Jesus, destroyed with the wicked, and miserably perish from the earth? Learn, my dear Willie, to be patient, to wait others' time and convenience; then you will not get impatient and irritable. The Lord loves those little children who try to do right, and he has promised that they shall be in his kingdom. But wicked children God does not love. He will not take them to the beautiful City, for he only admits the good, obedient, and patient children there. One fretful, disobedient child, would spoil all the harmony of heaven. When you feel tempted to speak impatient and fretful, remember the Lord sees you, and will not love you if you do wrong. When you do right and overcome wrong feelings, the Lord smiles upon you. {AY 61.3} Although he is in heaven, and you cannot see him, yet he loves you when you do right, and writes it down his book; and when you do wrong, he puts a black mark against you. Now, dear Willie, try to do right always, and then no black mark will be set down against you; and when Jesus comes he will call for that good boy Willie White, and will put upon your head a wreath of gold, and put in your hand a little harp that you can play upon, and it will send forth beautiful music, and you will never be sick, never be tempted then to do wrong; but will be happy always, and will eat of rich fruit, and will pluck beautiful flowers. Try, try, dear boy, to be good. {AY 63.1} Your affectionate Mother. {AY 66.2} Plum River, Ills. March 25, 1861. My Dear Sons, Henry, Edson, and Willie: I have been troubled in mind in regard, to you. The evening after the Sabbath I dreamed I was watching over Edson. He had been very sick, and was dying. Oh the anguish of my heart in that hour. I could not have the evidence that he loved God, and was prepared to die. I called Henry to me and told him that he and Willie were all that were 67 left me. The three-fold cord was broken, and how lonely we all felt. I thought in my dream of the death-struggle of my dear babe, and next of Edson, and then of the unprepared state in which he died, and it seemed that my heart would break. I awoke myself weeping aloud. {AY 66.3} Dear children, this dream has caused me to reflect, and has cast a sadness upon my spirits that I cannot immediately throw off. You are none of you too young to die. Do you understand the plan of salvation? Your righteousness cannot recommend you to God. I do not think that you are yet adopted into his family. Our sins caused Jesus to die a shameful death, that through his sufferings and death we might receive pardon. Can we receive the forgiveness of sins before we feel that we are sinners? and before we realize the sinfulness of sin? I think not. {AY 68.2} Eagle Harbor, N. Y., July 26, 1861. My Dear Children, Henry and Edson: We have not forgotten you, dear boys; but we often think of you, and pray that blessing of God may be with you. We are anxious that you should form correct habits. We are from you so much, and you are left so much to yourselves, that you may be in danger of falling into careless habits, which will not increase your happiness, and which may make those around you unhappy. 69 {AY 72.3} We want you, dear boys, to be patterns of neatness and order. Willie looks to you for example. He has great confidence that you do everything about right. Any wrong, careless habits in you, would be learning your youngest brother lessons which would make him unhappy, and cause us much inconvenience and grief. We are absent from you much, and you should feel that a responsibility rests upon you, my dear boys, to strictly guard yourselves from falling into wrong habits, and also save your brother Willie from doing wrong. A noble example before him, will do much to influence him to preserve correct habits. {AY 74.2} Henry, you are my first-born, the eldest of my boys. A responsibility rests upon you. You will have to render an account for the influence you exert over your brothers. Love your brothers. Their salvation depends much on the course you pursue. We are very anxious for your salvation, and pray earnestly that you may be lambs of Christ's fold, and have the constant watchcare of the good Shepherd. I feel grateful that I can leave you and feel so free in regard to home. {AY 76.1} Newport, N. H., Oct. 23, 1863. My Dear Children, Henry, Edson, and Willie: We feel somewhat anxious in regard to you. We know that you are with one of the best of families, and we wish you to act in a manner to be esteemed by them. Cultivate habits of refinement. Be elevated in your conversation and all your acts. Be constantly fitting for the society of the good and holy here, and the pure and heavenly in the kingdom of God. Be ever striving to fill some position where you can be of use and do good. Don't chat and talk merely for the sake of saying something. Never talk unless you have something to say--something which will add to the general information of those with whom you converse. Children, let your aim be to be right, just right. {AY 79.1} Cause the family with whom you live as little trouble as you can. Be very guarded on the Sabbath. Henry, you must try to interest your brothers in scriptural and moral reading. I think it your duty to study the Bible more on the Sabbath. | ||
| Lrcrabtree Registered user Username: Lrcrabtree Post Number: 21 Registered: 1-2007  |
Did all of her children remain in her church? When were her children born; how old were they when these letters were written? These is some scary brainwashing going on here. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5433 Registered: 12-2003  |
I think that Henry died prematurelyóbut I don't remember the details. Edson beccame distant from his parents' ministry; after their parents' death, it was Willie who inherited his mother's mantle and continued "the work". I'm not sure whether or not Edson remained an AdventistóI believe, though, that he was not actively functioning as one. I hope someone else knows more than I do; I don't have time at this moment to do more research, but you do ask very good questions. Scary brainwashing, to be sure...! Reading these, I finally understand many of the things I heard over the years, both as a child and as an adult. I never knew before exactly where that idea came from that the eldest child is held more responsible and deserves extra punishment if the younger siblings act up. Now I know! Colleen | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 468 Registered: 6-2006  |
I just wonder how often she was away from her kids? Also she put so much pressure on those poor kids to behave perfectly, which would reflect on her. A small amount of that would be fine, however there isn't much in the way of "I miss you, I love you, I can't wait to see you again". That might have been Victorian era parenting. I can't imagine the kind of pressure those poor kids were up against. It makes me more afraid of her than of God! Too bad. | ||
| Bobalou Registered user Username: Bobalou Post Number: 50 Registered: 2-2005 |
"That might have been Victorian era parenting." Grace, I think you are being too kind. My thoughts are that she was a neurotic, mostly unfeeling and a person that always seem to put the blame on others. I see a marked difference in her style of writing here compaired with her books. This maks me believe that much of what she was accredited, really came from her editors, James, Willy and/or copied. For a child or for that matter anyone to believe that God doesn't love them because they have been bad is a stigma that would make them feel worthless. All I can say is that she was a very ignorant woman. And to think, she now has over ten million adherents. Boggles the mind doesn't it. :-) | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 44 Registered: 11-2005 |
Hope the following link works; it may answer some of your questions concerning EGW's sons. The chapter in this book (follow the link)tries to answer any concerns readers might have about the things she said in letters to her children. Olga http://www.whiteestate.org/books/mol/Chapt5.html#Messenger Mother | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1555 Registered: 7-2003 |
As hard as it is to read those letters, it's gotta have been better than living with her and having those words spoken multiple times a day. We can only hope their caregivers were more mentally healthy than she was. But who could blame them if they were totally neurotic? It fits in with the narcisstic personality, however. Those boys were reflections and extensions of her. They were not individuals. Even my own pastor, before he's about to speak about family, asks for grace for his own children as they are not perfect, and they do not practice everything he believes scripture teaches perfectly...but that does not prevent him from teaching the truths of scripture and to continue to try in his own family. That takes his kids out from under the magnifying glass as having 'arrived'. The guilt and fear White's boys must have had...can you imagine? | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 538 Registered: 9-2006  |
I took some liberties with some of the quotes from those letters. One thing I had to ask myself, in the first place, why was these letters kept by people and so carefully recorded? I think her reflections of what she thought Godís love to be, were, in reality, her own inability to love children. This is reflected in her story of the mischievous boy in the rail cars also, terming him wicked. I think she must have viewed anyone not totally submissive as wicked. The thing is that I see her narrow attitude reflected in some of my Adventist friends. To my mind the doctrine if the IJ reflects her narrow view of God and reflects her personality. Her views of God reflected here was of a God that did not have the ability to love the unloved and ungodly. If our God were this way, where would that leave the most of us to say the least? Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ***************************************************************** God loves honest-hearted, truthful children, but cannot love those who are dishonest. but God says that only the good and holy can be saved. And if you will overcome your wrongs, love one another, and be at peace among yourselves, the Lord will bless and save you When you do wrong, you teach him to do wrong; so double sin rests upon you. You must often visit your grandparents, and try to make them happy. Do not grieve them by being noisy, but be quiet, mild, and gentle--then they will love you. (her attitude toward the ability of the grandparents to love only the meek and mild is actually a reflection of her own inability to love) (she said ìand then they will love youî) (does this reflect her own parents as possibly one or both being demanding of total submission?) Now, Willie, that wicked boy's pretty clothes and handsome face did not make people love him. (Did the boyís appearance of prosperity and possibly that of his parents set off a hidden resentment and envy at the rich and more prosperous and culminate in a hidden resentment toward God for their own status in life? After all ìWe are the chosen ones who carry the ìTrue lightî.) But wicked children God does not love. Although he is in heaven, and you cannot see him, yet he loves you when you do right, and writes it down his book; and when you do wrong, he puts a black mark against you. I think it your duty to study the Bible more on the Sabbath. ************************************************ What I see reflected in her writings is what I see in the Adventist church today. Even though the writings of the Adventist prophetess reveal a totally inadequate view of scripture, her writings have been kept as some precious commodity too be included in their Sabbath worship and reflected in their fundamental beliefs. Although what seems and impossibility for a people follow, is in effect, a reality and does reflect the spiritual blindness of Adventism. Now I am going to make a bold and possibly erroneous statement. The people in Adventism, for the most part ìAre her childrenî maybe even more so than her flesh and blood boys. I just am curious as to how many of you, if any, agree with this statement? River | ||
| Stevendi Registered user Username: Stevendi Post Number: 100 Registered: 10-2006 |
River, I remember one day in the 60's (the decade of shock) watching the Today show with my mom. The Byrds came on to sing their new release "Turn, Turn, Turn". I remarked how cool that was that they were singing lyrics from the Bible. My Mom's response? "Well, I just don't see how Jesus could love them". She doesn't remember saying this, but it stuck with me. This is the Adventist mind encapsulized. The Adventist mind is judging, critical, superior, seeking to destroy the salvation of others unless it's their way. Adventism is evil and murderous. It has caused untold pain and destruction to so many. Yes I agree with your statement. SDA's consider themselves Ellen's children. They worship her and her words. Jesus is conveniently placed in the back seat. His name is thrown around a lot, but Ellen is in charge. She truly is the Adventist "Mary". Steve | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5437 Registered: 12-2003 |
River, once again you have grasped the essence of Adventism. Yes, in many ways Adventists are Ellen's childrenóand I do not say this harshly as an outsider looking in; I say this as one who was one of those "children" for over four decades. Even when I had decided not to pay attention to her writings anymore, still she "sat" in the back of my mind, the woman who shaped my church, and I could never completely dismiss herówhat if she really HAD been inspired by God? I had at least to consider her counsels and teachings. Much like when a young adult pulls away from Mom and Dad's personal habits and house rules, he or she never really loses those original imprintings. They reassert themselves as the young adult matures and establishes his own home. Ellen was like that overarching parental, shaping influence that gave me my whole world view. River, your analyses of Ellen's statements are very insightful. Thank you, once again, for helping us see ourselves from a different "window". Colleen | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 374 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hello dear friends, It was with interest that I read the about quotes. Thank-you Olga for going to the trouble of digging those out for us. Is it little wonder that children and youth do not feel welcome in the typical SDA Church sanctuary as there are many "saints" who still glare and reprimand young children and their young parents when the "reverence" of the service is spoiled by the noise of a child. I assume many of you baby boomers like myself were brought up on a steady diet of Uncle Arthur's bedtime storys. As I read through the EGW letters to her children, I could not help but see the influence of that mentality in all those Arthur Maxwell stories. It was all about being good, to be acceptable. In reality much of his stories, in hindsight taught the same salvation be being good, that is so strongly noted in the Ellen White letters to her boys. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5439 Registered: 12-2003 |
Oh, Randy, I've so often theought that about the Uncle Arthur Bedtime Stories. They were based on fear and shame, and they definitely gave me the message that I had to be properly behaved in order to be acceptable. I still remember some of the horrifying moments in those stories, such as the lilttle girl who sassed her mother at home but was always NICE at school, so her mother secretly invited the teacher over, installed her in a room behind a closed door, and proceeded to allow her daughter to sass her without knowing her beloved teacher was listening in the next room. Then the mother opened the door and revealed the presence of the teacher...From this persepctive, there are so many things wrong with that story, not the least of which is the mother deceiving her daughter in order to shame her. During our "purge", we got rid of all the Uncle Arthur books, too, including The Bible Stories. Colleen | ||
| Lucybugg Registered user Username: Lucybugg Post Number: 5 Registered: 2-2007 |
I do not see how a child could have ever felt loved and accepted in that household! But, now I know where my mom was coming from when I was disciplined for the acts of my younger siblings. | ||
| Tisha Registered user Username: Tisha Post Number: 226 Registered: 3-2005 |
Boy - I could just sit here and cry! It really makes me see why I felt the way I did - unlovable, angry for being responsible for my younger sister, punished when SHE messed up because I should have somehow stopped her, conditional love from my parents, grandparents, God, the Church, etc.. I have had such a struggle with feeling loved and worthy. I am a child of the 50's and so my upbringing was pretty strict (New England background!). But somehow, I blamed my parents for their perfectionist attitudes, never realizing how the SDA indoctrination influenced them so much. It seemed that they were more worried about appearences and good (or bad) behavior as a reflection on them, than sin in and of itself. Mom was a very judgemental person, and I NEVER measured up to her standards. Now I have to re-evaluate all those feelings, and place the blame squarely on EGW and the SDA Church rather than my parents - they were only doing what they were taught was right! What a waste of childhood!!! I will be processing this for awhile I'm sure. -tisha | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 738 Registered: 7-2004  |
Thankfully, I don't recall the older kids being punished for things the younger kids did in our family. Wonder how that would have worked with 6 kids ranging over 18 years. "She spanked them all soundly and put them to bed" makes sense now...  | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5450 Registered: 12-2003 |
Tisha, I feel for you. I remember being told I was to be an example for my younger sisteróbut I didn't get the double punishment that I know some other kids my age got. (I got PLENTY just for myself!) I was, to be sure, never able to measure up or to adequately honor the "family name"óI resonate to those feelings of never being worthy or capable. Ellen really did orchestrate every area of life. Colleen | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 47 Registered: 11-2005 |
Randyg, you said: "Is it little wonder that children and youth do not feel welcome in the typical SDA Church sanctuary as there are many "saints" who still glare and reprimand young children and their young parents when the "reverence" of the service is spoiled by the noise of a child." Your statement above reminded me of a Sabbath at church when I was sitting in the sanctuary during the service holding my 4-month old baby (he's 8 yrs.old now). My son was asleep but there was another baby who was making "noise." The pastor stopped his sermon to tell parents to please remember the sanctity of the service and proceeded to remind parents that there was a mother's room available. Needless to say, and even though it wasn't my baby crying at that time, I remember feeling embarrased to have been so 'toughtless' as to want to sit among all of 'the saints'. I hated being in the mother's room as it was always crowded, suffocating and of course, 'noisy' so much so that you couldn't hear the pastor. From that time on I remember not feeling happy at church since I wasn't getting any 'meat' to feed my soul (Now I thank God for that discomfort!!). Church attendance for me went down as I figured I wasn't welcome. With the birth of my second baby, I tried going back for a while and even assisted in the children's classroom for a while, however, he had chronic ear infections that took their toll so badly I stopped going to church until he was almost 2. Now I wonder if the Lord wasn't using these experiences to help me in my eventual leaving of the church. Once I decided to go back to church, I found the children's service boring and lacking something; I tried one of the "celebration" churches and the kids seemed happier there, though eventually, I stopped going once I found out what I now know. Rambling all over the place but the comments here brought back some memories of how some of my disastifaction started. Just for the record, the pastor I spoke about was actually a really nice pastor(he died before I left the church); I think he thought there was nothing insensitive about his statement. | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 741 Registered: 7-2004 |
That reminds me of when our two kids were age two and under. As was often the case in church, both were very unhappy and loud about it, so I went to the mother's room just like I was supposed to. But once there, I quickly felt even more out of place when several moms gave me dirty looks for my screaming kids disrupting their peacefully nursing babies. Maybe they needed two mothers rooms, one for nursing and one for the noisy kids. I wonder how prevalent mothers rooms are in most mainstream churches? Best I can tell, the norm is to have a nursery that kids can be dropped off at if the parent chooses. Otherwise they're in the service and it never seems to be an issue. | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 48 Registered: 11-2005 |
Raven, the church I'm currently visiting (Methodist), has a great set up. There are lots of classes and programs specific by age group so they have nursery for the babies, preschool, kindergarten all the way up to youth classes/worship programming (not sure what to call it). In any case, my 3 children (ages 4-8) are sent to different classes; they love it and so do I since I get to hear the service knowing my kids are in good hands. The plus, is that my husband who's not Christian attends with me and he actually says he enjoys it better than when I "forced" him to attend the SDA church. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5457 Registered: 12-2003 |
I've pondered this "children in church" phenomenon, too. I've also noticed how well it works for kids to be in their own nurseries or Sunday school during church. Our church gives parents of very small children a pager in case they're needed, and both moms and dads can listen to the sermon and participate fully while the kids get lots of attention and talk about Jesus as they're cared for. I've thought about how the Adventist tradition of Sabbath school followed (or preceded sometimes) by children sitting in church without making any noise bears a lot of similarity to brainwashing. Church was very trying for me as a childóand I know our boys struggled with it when we were still going to the Adventist church. (I remember as a jr-high and high school student finding the sermons SO BORING. In thinking back, I realize that usually they really were!) WowóI still marvel at what a gift it is to sit in deep and honest Biblical sermons where Jesus and the cross are always the center of the messageóeven when the Biblical passage for the day is from the Old Testament! God is so faithful. Colleen | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1557 Registered: 7-2003 |
Our church does have a nursing mother's room where you can watch the service on closed circuit tv and still have the privacy to nurse your baby, but it is definitely JUST for that purpose. All other children have age appropriate classes and our pastor feels pretty strongly that's where children belong so that God can have the full attention of the adult and worship without the distraction (let's face it, love them as we do, it can be very distracting to have a child squirming next to you) of expecting a child to behave as an adult. I never could understand why it was so appauling to have age appropriate lessons for everyone. B actually said if God was going to get your attention in church, he could do it whether there was a disruptive child or not. I always thought it highly inconsiderate towards people God might be speaking to...if they could hear..... |
