Parents would better burn the idle tales of the day and the novels as they come into their houses. It would be a mercy to the children. Encourage the reading of these storybooks, and it is like enchantment. It bewilders and poisons the mind. Parents, I saw that unless you awake to the eternal interest of your children, they will surely be lost through your neglect. And the possibility that unfaithful parents will be saved themselves is very small. Parents should be exemplary. They should exert a holy influence in their families. They should let their dress be modest, different from the world around them. As they value the eternal interest of their children, they should rebuke pride in them, faithfully rebuke it, and encourage it not in word or deed. Oh, the pride that was shown me of God's professed people! It has increased every year, until it is now impossible to designate professed advent Sabbathkeepers from all the world around them. I saw that this pride must be torn out of our fa…
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
Ephesians 6:4 directly addresses fathers (parents) about raising their children in the Lord. The EGW passage echoes this principle by emphasizing the parents' responsibility to guide their children away from harmful influences and toward spiritual growth.
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."
The EGW passage discusses the importance of parents raising their children in a godly manner, avoiding worldly influences. The verse from Matthew speaks of good trees bearing good fruit, which can be applied to the idea of parents raising children who exhibit godly characteristics. The connection is thematic, but not a strong direct principle.