with so little power to resist them.
Brother E, I was shown that you are infatuated; you are deceived as
to your motives and the real purposes of your heart. I saw you in the
society of Brother G’s daughter. She has never yielded her heart to Christ.
I was shown her affected and convicted. But your course was not of that
character to deepen conviction, or to give her the impression that there was
special importance attached to these matters. You profess to hold sacred
the salvation of the soul, and the present truth. She does not respect the
Sabbath from principle. She loves the vanity of the world and enjoys the
pride and amusements of
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life. But you have been departing so gradually from God, and from the
light, that you do not see the separation which the truth necessarily brings
between those who love God and those who are lovers of pleasure more
than lovers of God. I saw that you were attracted to her society. Religious
meetings and sacred duties were of minor importance, while the presence
of a mere child, who has no knowledge of the truth or of heavenly things,
fascinated you. You have overlooked self-denial and the cross, which lie
directly in the pathway of every disciple of Christ.
I was shown that if you had been walking in the light you would have
taken your position decidedly for the truth. Your example would have
shown that you considered the truth you profess of that importance that
your affections and heart could go only where the image of Christ was
discernible. Christ now says to you: Which will you have, Me or the world?
Your decision is to be made here. Will you follow the promptings of an
unsanctified heart, turn away from self-denial for Christ’s sake, and step
over the cross without lifting it? Or will you lift that cross, heavy though it
may be, and make some sacrifice for the truth’s sake? May God help you to
see where you are, that you may place a true estimate upon eternal things.
You now have so little spiritual eyesight that the holy and sacred are placed
upon a level with the common. You have responsibilities. Your influence
affects your sisters to a great extent. Your only safety is in separation from
the world.
I was shown you, my brother, taking the young with you to scenes of
amusement at the time of a religious interest, and also engaging in singing
schools with worldlings who are all darkness and who have evil angels all
around them. How does your feeble, dim light appear amid this darkness
and temptation? Angels of God do not attend you upon these occasions.
You are left to go in your own strength. Satan is well pleased with your
position; for he can make you more efficient in his service than if you did
not profess to be a Christian keeping all
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the commandments of God. The True Witness addresses the Laodicean
church: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou
wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel
thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
You are blinded and infatuated. You have felt strong when you were
weakness itself. You can be strong in the Mighty One. You can be an
instrument of righteousness if you are willing to suffer for Christ’s sake.
You and your sisters may redeem the time if you will, but it will cost
an effort. Your younger sister is linked to one who is not worthy of her
affections. There are serious defects in his character. He does not have
reverence for sacred and holy things; his heart has not been changed by the
Spirit of God. He is selfish, boastful, and loves pleasure more than duty.
He has no experience in self-denial and humiliation.
In forming friendship, great caution should be exercised lest an
intimacy be contracted with one whose example it would not be safe to
imitate; for the effect of such an intimacy is to lead away from God, from
devotion, and the love of the truth. It is positively dangerous for you to be
intimate with friends who have not a religious experience. If either of you,
or all three of you, follow the leadings of God’s Spirit, or value your soul’s
salvation, you will not choose as your particular and intimate friends those
who do not maintain a serious regard for religious things, and who do not
live under its practical influence. Eternal considerations should come first
with you. Nothing can have a more subtle and positively dangerous
