Chapter 39—The State of the World
I was shown the state of the world, that it is fast filling up its cup
of iniquity. Violence and crime of every description are filling our
world, and Satan is using every means to make crime and debasing
vice popular. The youth who walk the streets are surrounded with
handbills and notices of crime and sin, presented in some novel or to
be acted at some theater. Their minds are educated into familiarity
with sin. The course pursued by the base and vile is kept before them
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in the periodicals of the day, and everything which can excite curiosity
and arouse the animal passions is brought before them in thrilling and
exciting stories.
The literature that proceeds from corrupted intellects poisons the
minds of thousands in our world. Sin does not appear exceeding
sinful. They hear and read so much of debasing crime and vileness
that the once tender conscience which would have recoiled with horror
becomes so blunted that it can dwell upon the low and vile sayings
and actions of men with greedy interest.
“As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the
Son of man.” God will have a people zealous of good works, standing
firm amid the pollutions of this degenerate age. There will be a people
who hold so fast to the divine strength that they will be proof against
every temptation. Evil communications in flaming handbills may seek
to speak to their senses and corrupt their minds; yet they will be so
united to God and angels that they will be as those who see not and
hear not. They have a work to do which no one can do for them, which
is to fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. They
will not be self-confident and self-sufficient. Knowing their weakness,
they will unite their ignorance to Christ’s wisdom, their weakness to
His strength.
The youth may have principles so firm that the most powerful
temptations of Satan will not draw them away from their allegiance.
Samuel was a child surrounded by the most corrupting influences. He
saw and heard things that grieved his soul. The sons of Eli, who min-
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