“Prayer is the simplest means that man can use in coming to God. It is within reach of all,–the sick, the aged, the infirm, the paralytic, the blind, the poor, the unlearned,–all can pray. It avails you nothing to plead want of memory, and want of learning, and want of books, and want of scholarship in this matter. So long as you have a tongue to tell your soul’s state, you may and ought to pray (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 19).”

“See that they read it all (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 18).”

“See that your children read the Bible regularly. Train them to regard it as their soul’s daily food, as a thing essential to their soul’s daily health. I know well you cannot make this anything more than a form; but there is no telling the amount of sin which a mere form may indirectly restrain (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 18).”

“Any system of training which does not make a knowledge of Scripture the first thing is unsafe and unsound (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 17).”

“A true Christian must be no slave to fashion, if he would train his child for heaven. He must not be content to do things merely because it is unusual; to allow them to read books of a questionable sort, merely because everybody else reads them; to let them form habits of a doubtful tendency, merely because they are the habits of the day. He must reign with an eye to his children’s souls. He must not be ashamed to hear his training called singular and strange. What if it is? The time is short,–the fashion of this world passeth away. He that has trained his children for heaven, rather than for earth,– for God, rather than for man,– he is the parent that will be called wise at last and throughout all eternity, enjoy each other’s love and fellowship (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 17).”

“This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all you do for your children. In every step you take about them, in every plan, and scheme, and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty questions, ‘How will this affect their souls (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 16?’”

“Beware of that miserable delusion into which some have fallen,–that parents can do nothing for their children, that you must leave them alone, wait for grace, and sit still. These persons have wishes for their children in Balaam’s fashion,–they would like them to die the death of the righteous man, but they do nothing to make them live his life. They desire much, and have nothing (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 14).”

“We depend in a vast measure, on those who bring us up (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 13).”

“If, then, you would deal wisely with your child, you must not leave him to the guidance of his own will. Think for him, judge for him, act for him, just as you would for one weak and blind; but for pity’s sake, give him not up to his own wayward tastes and inclinations. . . . Train him in the way that is Scriptural and right, and not in the way that he fancies (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 12).”

“Remember children are born with a decided bias towards evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents, p. 11).”