A Negligent Father
1 Timothy 3:12
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.…


I was once the guest, says Mr. Moody, of a Christian man, whose children were turning out badly. One night a conversation took place about them; and with tears trickling down his cheek he said, "My four eldest sons turned out badly, and I am afraid that the others are following their example." I said: "Let us look into this thing. Tell me about your family. How many nights do you go to church?" "On Sunday night. I am an officer in the church, and I am there on Sunday night." "What about Monday?" "Oh, I am a deacon, and I am at the church on Monday night." "What about Tuesday night?" "I am connected with the city government, and I have to attend committee-meetings of the council." "Wednesday night is prayer-meeting, and you go to church?" "Yes." "That is how you are occupied four nights. What do you do the other three?" "I belong to the Masons. I hold a high office in the lodge, and have to be there." "That accounts for five nights. Of course, as you hold a high social position, you are often out at dinner-parties and committees. You go out perhaps one night each week to dinners and committees." "It will average all that." "Then," I said, "there is one more night, that is, Saturday night; what do you do then?" "Oh, I am superintendent of the Sabbath school, and I lock myself in my room and prepare the lesson for my Bible-class on the following day." "You don't let your children into your room then, do you?" "No; certainly not." "Then your children have to get off early in the morning, and they are away from family prayer?" "Yes; some get off early, and others rise late, and they are not present at morning worship." "And you have to get away as early, as possible to your business" as soon as I get through worship I am off. What time do you take dinner. At six o'clock." "You see your children at six. But you are not always prompt. I suppose half-past six, is it not?" "Yes, that is about the average." "And your meetings begin about half past seven; so that you have but little time with your children. What have you done for them?" And at that very time he was trying to be made mayor of the city. He dropped his head, and said that he had never thought of it in that light before. There are many just like that. They are giving their time to public affairs, to the utter neglect of their children and their homes.



Parallel Verses
KJV: Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

WEB: Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.




The Qualifications of Deaconesses
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