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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
have been, their energies are devoted to amusements which do them no
good, that their religious aspirations are weakened and their spiritual
life darkened? The mind will be of the same character as that upon
which it feeds, the harvest of the same nature as the seed sown. Do
not these facts sufficiently show the necessity of guarding from the
earliest years the education of the youth? Would it not be better for
the youth to grow up in a degree of ignorance as to what is commonly
accepted as education than for them to become careless in regard to
the truth of God?
Separation from the World
When the children of Israel were gathered out from among the
Egyptians, the Lord said: “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this
night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man
and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I
am the Lord.” And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the
blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts
with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the
door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to
smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and
on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not
suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And
ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons
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forever.”
Exodus 12:12, 22-24
. The blood upon the lintel of the door
symbolized the blood of Christ, who alone saved the first-born of the
Hebrews from the curse. Any one of the children of the Hebrews who
was found in an Egyptian habitation was destroyed.
This experience of the Israelites was written for the instruction of
those who should live in the last days. Before the overflowing scourge
shall come upon the dwellers of the earth, the Lord calls upon all who
are Israelites indeed to prepare for that event. To parents He sends the
warning cry: Gather your children into your own houses; gather them
away from those who are disregarding the commandments of God,
who are teaching and practicing evil. Get out of the large cities as fast
as possible. Establish church schools. Give your children the word of
God as the foundation of all their education. This is full of beautiful