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Messages to Young People
life. Meditation upon holy things will elevate and refine the mind, and
will develop Christian ladies and gentlemen.
God will not accept one of us who is belittling his powers in
lustful, earthly debasement, by thought, or word, or action. Heaven is
a pure and holy place, where none can enter unless they are refined,
spiritualized, cleansed, and purified. There is a work for us to do for
ourselves, and we shall be capable of doing it only by drawing strength
from Jesus. We should make the Bible our study above every other
book; we should love it, and obey it as the voice of God. We are to see
and to understand His restrictions and requirements, “thou shalt,” and
“thou shalt not,” and realize the true meaning of the word of God.
Need of Heavenly-Mindedness
When God’s word is made the man of our counsel, and we search
the Scriptures for light, angels of heaven come near to impress the
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mind and enlighten the understanding, so that it can truly be said, “The
entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the
simple.” It is no marvel that there is not more heavenly-mindedness
shown among the youth who profess Christianity, when there is so little
attention given to the word of God. The divine counsels are not heeded;
the admonitions are not obeyed; grace and heavenly wisdom are not
sought, that past sins may be avoided and every taint of corruption
be cleansed from the character. David’s prayer was, “Make me to
understand the way of Thy precepts; so shall I talk of Thy wonderful
works.”
If the minds of our youth, as well as those of more mature age, were
directed aright when associated together, their conversation would be
upon exalted themes. When the mind is pure, and the thoughts elevated
by the truth of God, the words will be of the same character, “like
apples of gold in pictures of silver.” But with the present understanding,
with the present practices, with the low standard which even professed
Christians are content to reach, the conversation is cheap and profitless.
It is “of the earth, earthy,” and savors not of the truth, or of heaven,
and does not come up even to the standard of the more cultured class
of worldlings.