caution. You will not suffer lovesick sentimentalism to so blind
your vision that you cannot discern the high claims that God has upon you
as a Christian.
Dear youth, I address myself to you three. Let it be your aim to glorify
God and attain His moral likeness. Invite the Spirit of God to mold your
characters. Now is your golden opportunity to wash your robes of character
and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. I regard this as the turning
point in the destiny of each of you. Which will you choose, says Christ,
Me or the world? God calls for an unconditional surrender of the heart
and affections to Him. If you love friends, brothers or sisters, father or
mother, houses or lands, more than Me, says Christ, you are not worthy
of Me. Religion lays the soul under the greatest obligation to her claims,
to walk by her principles. As the mysterious magnet points to the north,
so do the claims of religion point to the glory of God. You are bound
by your baptismal vows to honor your Creator and to resolutely deny self
and crucify your affections and lusts, and bring even your thoughts into
obedience to the will of Christ.
Avoid running into temptation. When temptations surround you, and
you cannot control the circumstances which expose you to them, then
you may claim the promise of God, and with confidence and conscious
power exclaim: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.” There is strength for you all in God. But you will never feel your
need of that strength which alone is able to save you, unless you feel your
weakness and sinfulness. Jesus, your precious Saviour, now calls you to
take your position firmly upon the platform of eternal truth. If you suffer
with Him, He will crown you with glory in His everlasting kingdom. If you
are willing to sacrifice all for Him, then He will be your Saviour. But if you
45
choose your own way you will follow on in darkness until it is too late to
secure the eternal reward.
What have you been willing to suffer for the truth’s sake? You have a
very short period in which to cultivate the noble traits of your characters.
You have all been, to some extent, dissatisfied and unhappy. You have had
many complaints to make. You have talked unbelief and have censured
others. Especially is this true of F and H. Your hearts have been filled with
pride, and even with bitterness at times. Your closets have been neglected,
and you have not loved the exercises of religious duties. If you had been
persevering in your efforts to grow up into Christ, your living Head, you
would now be strong, and competent to bless others with your influence. If
you had cultivated a steady, uniform, unwavering energy you would now be
strong to resist temptation. But these precious qualities can only be gained
through a surrender of the soul to the claims of religion. Then the motives
will be high, and the intellect and affections will be balanced by noble
principles. God will work with us if we will only engage in healthy action.
We must feel the necessity of uniting our human efforts and zealous action
with divine power. We can stand forth in God, strong to conquer. You,
Brother E, have greatly failed in energy of purpose to do and to endure.
What a great mistake is made in the education of children and youth, in
favoring, indulging, and petting them. They become selfish and inefficient,
and lack energy in the little things of life. They are not trained to acquire
strength of character by the performance of everyday duties, lowly though
they may be. You neglect to do willingly and cheerfully that which lies
directly before you to do, and which someone must do. There is a great
desire with all of us to find a larger, more exalted work.
No one is qualified for great and important work unless he has been
faithful in the performance of little duties. It is by degrees that the
character is formed and that the soul is trained to put forth effort and energy
proportionate to the task
46
which is to be accomplished. If we are creatures of circumstance, we
shall surely fail of perfecting Christian characters. You must master
circumstances, and not allow circumstances to master you. You can find
energy at the cross of Christ. You can now grow by degrees, and conquer
difficulties, and overcome force of habit. You need to be stimulated by
the life-giving force of Jesus. You should be attracted to Christ and
clothed with His divine beauty and excellence. Brother G’s daughter has an
education to gain; she is no more competent for the duties and difficulties
of life as a wife than a schoolgirl ten years old.
Religion should dictate and guide you in all your pursuits, and should
hold absolute control over your affections. If you yield yourselves
unreservedly into the hands of Christ, making His power your strength,
then will your moral vision be clear to discern quality of character that
you may not be deceived by appearances and make great mistakes in your
friendship. Your moral power must be keen and sensitive, that it may bear
severe tests and not be marred. Your integrity of soul should be so firm that
vanity, display, or flattery will not move you.
Oh, it is a great thing to be right with God, the soul in harmony with its
Maker, so that, amid the contagion of evil example, which by its deceitful
appearance would lure the soul from duty, angels may be sent to your
rescue! But bear in mind, if you invite temptation, you will not have divine
aid to keep you from being overcome. The three worthies endured the fiery
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
furnace, for Jesus walked with them in the fiery flame. If they had, of
