# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1900_S10
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

10 Proceedings of the eighteenth convention

[establishes] it must not be done in the belief that the parents are now relieved of their duties toward their child. Indeed, even the parents' right to decide about the use or non-use of the school may not be taken from them, although in the great majority of cases it will not be hard to convince a Christian father that he should send his child to the congregational school.

But just as no one can take from parents the duty of bringing up their children as Christians, so they may not wish to unload it upon anyone else. They may indeed use every good opportunity by which help is given them. But it is they who bear the responsibility for their children and retain it from beginning to end, even when others stand at their side in the education of the children. We cannot stress too sharply and emphatically that parents can never, and may never, rid themselves of their duty.

There is by no means any contradiction with this in the fact that the care for the spiritual welfare of the young, and so also for their Christian instruction and education, is committed also to the public ministry instituted by Christ. Parents have the duty to instruct their children, their own children. As soon as a congregation exists, all the children in it are committed to the pastor for pastoral care, according to Christ's word to Peter to feed not only the sheep but also the lambs, and according to his command to the congregation that it should teach those who have become his disciples through baptism to keep all that he commanded the Twelve. Therefore the holder of the public office in the congregation may not withdraw from the duty of gathering the little ones around him and bringing God's Word near to them in a manner suited to them. But even when a pastor, or an assistant set at his side by the congregation for this special service, faithfully performs this duty toward the little ones, the parents are not released from their duty; even then the Word remains in its full force for them: "Fathers, bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

The question now arises whether the Christian home is able to do justice to this duty. There were times when that was the case. Think only of the early age of the world, when the old patriarchs, with their long lifespans, could serve their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren through many generations as skilled and experienced teachers. Among the patriarchs too the father was the real teacher of his children, and this manner was intended for all Israel. Of Abraham God himself says, Gen. 18:19: "He will command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and just." Jacob "built an altar and called on the name of the strong God of Israel," Gen. 33:20, and taught his children also to know and call upon this name. Through Moses God commands all Israelites to